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Looking Ahead: Will 2020 be the Year of Henry James?

Published

4 years ago

November 22, 2019

The year is quickly coming to a close, and looking ahead to 2020, one can’t help noticing an abundance of Henry James adaptations in the mix. While most of these are based around James’s incredible The Turn of the Screw, there is potential for more.

But who was Henry James?

Depending on how inclusive your high school literature courses were, you might not know James, though horror fans have a leg up in this field primarily because of The Turn of the Screw.

Henry James was born in New York in 1843. His father, Henry James, Sr., was a lecturer, philosopher, and theologian who was considered a highly intelligent, congenial and even-tempered man. His mother, Mary, came from a wealthy family, but little more is known about her.

They traveled the world in his youth, and it gave James a love of learning and languages. By age 26, he had settled in England, himself, and it was here that his most well-known works were inspired and written.

Many of his stories and novels were domestic stories involving Americans living outside the United States. Thankfully, he also possessed a talent for telling ghost stories, some of which shared the same themes, and he would pen many of them throughout his life including The Romance of Certain Old Clothes, The Jolly Corner, and of course, The Turn of the Screw.

Much like Shirley Jackson, forever and rightfully lauded for her The Haunting of Hill House, James’s story is one of the most talked about ghost stories in the genre. To date, it has been adapted over 150 times for radio plays, stage plays, a ballet, a chamber opera, numerous films, and television series, and in 2020, we will see three more.

The Turn of the Screw is a terrifying novella about a governess who takes a job in the country watching over the niece and nephew of a man who became their custodian after their parents died. Shortly after her arrival, she begins to notice strange occurrences around the estate and even stranger behavior from her charges.

James’s novella was beautifully written with an ambiguity that left his reader wondering if there were actual supernatural forces at work or if the governess was simply losing her mind. It is because of this ambiguity that The Turn of the Screw has been one of the most debated and discussed novellas of its kind.

Subsequent adaptations have divided into two camps with one attempting to answer that question with others meticulously attempting to preserve James’s ambiguity, and there’s an argument in adaptation for both. I, personally, rather enjoy the more ambiguous interpretations.

Regardless, the novella has spawned some beautiful and haunting films in the last 100 years like 1961’s The Innocents starring Deborah Kerr and for that, every horror fan who loves a good ghost story should be grateful.

This, of course, brings us to 2020. Henry James has been gone for over a century, but his work is on everyone’s mind in the coming year.

On January, 24, 2020, The Turning is set to hit theaters starring Mackenzie Davis (Blade Runner 2049) in the role of the governess with Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things) and Brooklynn Prince (The Florida Project) as her charges Miles and Flora.

The film has garnered early praise and you can watch the terrifying trailer below.

Then there’s Mike Flanagan (Gerald’s Game) who is working on a second season of his series titled The Haunting for Netflix.

After successfully and inventively adapting Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House last year, Flanagan has turned his eye on James’s novella but has also told reporters in various interviews that he’ll include other ghost stories by the author in the series.

And finally Quibi is developing yet another adaptation of The Turn of the Screw according to Deadline. Much like The Turning, this series adaptation will update the story setting it on a small island in the Pacific Northwest where a Mexican-American nanny is sent to take care of two children.

The series was initially planned for Freeform, but was brought to Quibi after the network passed.

It seems that as 2019 comes to an end, now might be the perfect time to acquaint yourself with the work of this masterful storyteller. You can pick up a copy of his collected ghost stories or The Turn of the Screw by itself on Amazon, and see why so many have turned to his work for inspiration.

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Movies

Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

Published

10 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

News

Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

Published

12 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

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Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Movies

’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

Published

14 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

**Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes**

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.