‘Heavenly Creatures’ directed by Peter Jackson, starring Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey, came out in 1994. The film is based on a true story in New Zealand
The scene starts with the two girls preparing the murder prop, as they wait nervously for the time to pass. The dad is seen as the protector of the group, and once he is gone, the mother has no protection. Consistent cuts to the clock, suggest that time is nearly over for the mother. The mother is shown, and then the camera zooms in on the clock once again. This suggests that there is a relationship between the clock and the mother. The clock acts as some kind of time bomb, and when it hits its end, there will be death.
The shot of the bus approaching upon the horizon, shows how peaceful and elegant the area is, it does not connote danger or fear, but connotes relaxation and tranquillity. The shot inside the bus shows the two girls together, with the mother alone. This could suggest that the mother is connected to loneliness, and she is unknowing of what is about to happen.
Pauline is desperate to get the murder over with, but her mother takes them to a coffee shop. This shot shows how impatient Pauline is, and builds up her anger, ready to be taken out on her mother. Once again we get the zooming in of the clock, hours have passed and it’s getting even closer to the murder. Once they are out of the coffee shop, the girls decide to go on a walk in a narrow path, the mother naturally follows. The narrow path suggests that the place is claustrophobic; there is no escape from death, the time is nearly up, the time bomb is about to go off. The constant cut to cut between each of the girls, develops security for one another, as they are both playing an equal part in this horrific murder. The mother is shown after the two girls, this could suggest that she is the victim; the odd one out. Consistent views of the pathways earth suggest filth and grime. The diegetic sound of the calming music adds tranquillity, and makes the audience feel relax, but what they don’t know, is that the murder is about to take place.
Yet another shot of a clock, suggests that time is up, there is no escape from the narrow, claustrophobic, dirt covered path. The murder weapon is then revealed, a brick inside an old stocking. The time is up, the time bomb is about to go off. As the mother is being killed, there are flashbacks, suggesting the reason behind this murder. The constant flashbacks strengthen the anger felt by each of the girls, which is brutally taken out on the mother.
Some useful points about the significance of the clock, the time is also very important in a thriller because of the need to interview witnesses etc in a court case. The clock in Heavenly Creatures thus is a thriller signifier.
ReplyDeleteYou could add another post focusing on:
1)The low angle close up shots of the two girls and their mother walking along the hill path and explain the significance of these shots.
2) What specifically builds up suspense in this clip.
3) You could comment on how the murder challenges generic conventions with regard to the age and gender of perpetrators of the crime; what makes this sequence different from murder scenes in another or other thriller films you have viewed.