miss havisham

Miss Havisham

Miss Havisham is a wealthy old Victorian women from  the 'Great Expectations' book by Charles Dickens. After reading the book it is understanding as to why her character can be related to gothic horror, her story is a sympathetic one as her mother dies when she is young and as she falls in love and idolises a men who  cons  her on her  wedding day, from  that day for miss Havisham everything stops. Every clock is stopped  at twenty to nine . Her wedding cake still remains on the table years later. Miss Havisham is also only know to be wearing her wedding dress and veil throughout the whole book and is certain she will never leave the house ever since that day. Miss Havisham becomes very lonely spending all her time inside and turns to adopting a child - Estella who she can love and cherish but also use as a weapon against men in order to give tem a sense of rejection . Miss Havisham's story ends quite sadly as towards the end of the book when her wedding dress gets caught alight by the fire and she sadly dies from severe burn over her body.

The Great Expectations 2012



Ronald Frame. (2013). falling for Miss Havisham . Available: ttp://thethoughtfox.co.uk/falling-for-miss-havisham/. Last accessed 28/01/15.

There are many different interpretations of the Miss Havisham character. With the earliest film interpretation being 1917. The most recent interpretation of the Great Expectations is the 2012 film directed by Mike Newell who stars Helena Bohem  Carter as Miss Havisham.

The Miss Havisham in the 2012 version of the Greta expectations I feel appears as quite an intimidating and rude character when Pip is first introduced to her, she also appears as quite revengeful putting the idea into Estella's head to break Pips heart.

Miss Havisham's death in the 2012 Mike Newell edition of the Charles Dickens novel  appears to be more dramatic and severe in comparison to other interpretations of novel, the audience gets a visual insight of the severely burnt Miss Havisham seconds away from her death.

In order to transform Helena Bohem Carter into Miss Havisham for the film, there were a team of hair and makeup artists on board. The team of hair stylists responsible for Miss Havishams hairstyle were: Zoe Brown, Sally Davidson, Marc Pilcher and Jenny Shircore. Responsible for Miss Havishams makeup were: Jenny Shircore and  Marc Pilcher .Alex Sprouse was the wig maker for Miss Havisham and Chris Lyons and Kristyan Mallet suppoted the special effects team.

Anonymous. (unknown). Great expectations 2012. Available: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1836808/fullcredits/. Last accessed 06/03/15.

 

The Great Expectations 1998



Another interpretation of the famous Charles dickens book is the1998 film directed by Alfonso Cuaron starring Gwyneth Paltrow.

anonymous . (unknown). the great expectations 1998 . Available: http://imgkid.com/great-expectations-1998.shtml. Last accessed 28/01/15.

 

After watching the trailer for he 1998 version of the Great expectations, the novel has been interpreted with a modern twist . The relationship between Pip and Estella appears to be much more loving and the main focus of the film. In the 1998 interpretations Miss Havisham appears much more youthful and more wise rather than revengeful.

 

The hair and makeup for Estella after doing some thorough research, appeared to be much more important than for the miss Havisham character due to Estella being the main character in the modern version. The makeup artists responsible were: Ceclilia Veradi and Vivianne Baker. The hair stylists responsible were: Angel De Angelis and Anthony Veader.

Anonymous. (unknown). Great expectations 1998.. Available: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1836808/fullcredits/. Last accessed 06/03/15.

 

The Great expectations 1946

 

The 1946 edition of the great expectation which was directed by David Lean is another interpretation 

Paul Revoir . (2/01/12). unrealistic expectations :BBC under fire from critics who say Dickens character is too good looking . Available: anonymous . (unknown). the great expectations 1998 . Available: http://imgkid.com/great-expectations-1998.shtml. Last accessed 28/01/15.anonymous . (unknown). the great expectations 1998 . Available: . Last accessed 28/01/15

 

The 1946 interpretation of the Great expectations appears to be more gothic in comparison to the  other interpretations, for example the scene where Pip first visits Statis house, things are shot at an awkward angle and dramatic shadows set the scene creating mystery.

 

The Miss Havisham in the 1946 interpretation appears mysterious and intimidating when Pip is first introduced to her in the scene.

 

The makeup artists needed for the 1946 interpretation were very minimal in comparison to the modern interpretation of the film this may have been due to the 1946 version being shot in black and white . The makeup artists responsible were: George Blackler and Ernest Gasser.  

Anonymous. (unknown). Great expectations 1946.. Available: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1836808/fullcredits/. Last accessed 06/03/15.

 

 

 

 

 BBC mini series Great Expectations

Another interpretation of the Great expectations novel by Charles Dickens is the 2011 mini series by the BBC starring Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham. The way miss Havisham is portrayed in this interpretation in particular is very interesting. The way Gillian Anderson plays the Dickens character she stands with her shoulders slightly hunched to highlight to the audience she is malnourished . The makeup  is another aspect as to why the BBC mini series version  of the great expectations is a good interpretation, the characters skin is almost portrayed as porcelain due to it being so pale in order to really exaggerate the fact that she doesn't go outside. Her lips also have a pale layer over them and the skin is starting to peel, this also highlights malnourishment.

Lorna Bradbury. (20/02/12). Miss Havisham:my favourite charles dickens character . Available: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/charles-dickens/9084922/Miss-Havisham-My-favourite-Charles-Dickens-character.html. Last accessed 28/01/15.

The first impressions of the character played by Gillian Anderson highlights that Miss Havisham is frail and unhealthy due to  malnourishment as well as lonely and unhappy due to being almost certain about never leaving the Statis house.

ABC TV. (2013). Gillian Andersn great expectations . Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJgomNXezxQ. Last accessed 28/01/15.

 

I found this clip from the 2011 BBC series starring Gillian Anderson quite interesting, the lighting and the music in this scene I feel really creates the gothic horror atmosphere which makes the audience feel slightly unsettled. The way Miss Havisham speaks I find is quite eerie and unsettling for the audience.

Another thing which I found interesting whilst watching the clip is when she talks to Pip she starts to pick at her skin which highlights a sense of being uncomfortable and unhappy , as the convocation goes on she starts to carry out this nervous twitch more often picking and scratching at her skin which also makes the audience feel slightly unsettled.

 

In order to make Gillian Anderson look more aged and frail a  group of makeup artists such as Adele Firth, special effects artists such as Chris Lyons, makeup designers such as Kirsten chalmers and prosthetics such as Kristyan Mallett worked together in order to create this look .There was also several makeup artists creating the hair design for miss Havisham as well such Luisa Ridge.I