Paperhouse (film)
Encyclopedia
Paperhouse is a 1988
British dark fantasy
film directed by Bernard Rose
. It was based on the novel Marianne Dreams
by Catherine Storr
. The film also stars Ben Cross
as the heroine's father. Other actors of note in the film include Jane Bertish, Samantha Cahill, Glenne Headly
and Gemma Jones
. Paperhouse is notable for marking lead actress Charlotte Burke's only major film role. Elliott Spiers, who played 'Marc', made only two more films (The Storyteller, Taxandria
). Unfortunately, after filming Taxandria Elliot became very ill from the side-effects of the anti-malaria medications and was not able to recover. He died at the Royal Free Hospital
, in Hampstead, England, on the 15th January 1994 .
Anna sketches her father into the drawing so that he can help carry Marc away, but she inadvertently gives him an angry expression which she then crosses out, and the father (who has been away a lot and has a drinking problem, putting a strain on Anna's parents' marriage) appears in the dream as a furious, blinded ogre. Anna and Marc defeat the monster and shortly afterwards Anna recovers, although the doctor reveals that Marc's condition is deteriorating.
Anna's father returns home and both parents seem determined to get over their marital difficulties. The family goes on holiday by the sea. Anna, who had drawn a lighthouse into her sketch as a refuge from the sinister house, and had also supplied a helicopter to rescue Marc, visits a lighthouse on the edge of a cliff at the seaside and sees a helicopter overhead while Marc's voice invites her to join him. A rope ladder dangles from the helicopter, drawing Anna dangerously close to the edge of the cliff. Anna's parents arrive in time to prevent her falling.
gave Paperhouse four stars out of four and called it "a film in which every image has been distilled to the point of almost frightening simplicity" and ended by saying "this is not a movie to be measured and weighed and plumbed, but to be surrendered to."
On the television show Siskel & Ebert, Paperhouse received a "Thumbs Up" from Roger Ebert
who commented "I suppose Paperhouse will be classified as a Fantasy-Thriller, but I thought it was a lot more than that. A dream movie that uses images so real and so concrete, they seem more convincing than most real-life dramas." He also noted on how effective the soundtrack was and said that Paperhouse showed that director Bernard Rose
was extremely talented. Gene Siskel
gave the film a marginal "Thumbs Down", but he agreed that Bernard Rose
was very talented and said, "for about two-thirds of the way I was fascinated by this film." He also commented on how well the dream scenes were handled and said, "these seem to be legitimate fears that child might have." He stated that "when the film got more explicit... I thought the film went over-the-top with imagery and I got a little tired of it. Until then, I was fascinated by it."
The critics who have submitted their reviews to Rotten Tomatoes
have given Paperhouse a "fresh" rating of 100%, but the users give it a "fresh" rating of 70%.
1988 in film
-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:* Act of Piracy* Action Jackson, starring Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson, Vanity, Sharon Stone* The Adventures of Baron Munchausen* Akira* Alice...
British dark fantasy
Dark fantasy
Dark fantasy is a term used to describe a fantasy story with a pronounced horror element.-Overview:A strict definition for dark fantasy is difficult to pin down. Gertrude Barrows Bennett has been called "the woman who invented dark fantasy". Both Charles L...
film directed by Bernard Rose
Bernard Rose (director)
Bernard Rose is an English actor and film director most famous for his direction of the 1992 urban horror film Candyman and the 1994 historical romance film Immortal Beloved....
. It was based on the novel Marianne Dreams
Marianne Dreams
Marianne Dreams is a children's fantasy novel by Catherine Storr.-Plot introduction:Marianne is a young girl who is bedridden with a long-term illness. She draws a picture to fill her time, and finds that she spends her dreams within the picture she has drawn...
by Catherine Storr
Catherine Storr
Catherine Storr was an English children's writer, best known for her novel Marianne Dreams and for a series of books about a wolf ineptly pursuing a young girl, beginning with Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf.-Life:She was born in Kensington, London, one of three children of a barrister, Arthur...
. The film also stars Ben Cross
Ben Cross
Ben Cross is a British actor of the stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of the British Olympic athlete Harold Abrahams in the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire.-Early life:...
as the heroine's father. Other actors of note in the film include Jane Bertish, Samantha Cahill, Glenne Headly
Glenne Headly
Glenne Aimee Headly is an American actress of film, stage and television.-Early life:Glenne Headly was born in New London, Connecticut and her first years were spent living under the care of her mother in San Francisco and her maternal grandmother in Pennsylvania...
and Gemma Jones
Gemma Jones
Gemma Jones is an English character actress on both stage and screen.-Early life:Jones was born in London, England, the daughter of Irene and Griffith Jones, an actor. Her brother, Nicholas Jones, is also an actor...
. Paperhouse is notable for marking lead actress Charlotte Burke's only major film role. Elliott Spiers, who played 'Marc', made only two more films (The Storyteller, Taxandria
Taxandria (film)
Taxandria is a partially animated fantasy film by Raoul Servais, based on a book by French writer Alain Robbe-Grillet, and starring, among others, Armin Mueller-Stahl...
). Unfortunately, after filming Taxandria Elliot became very ill from the side-effects of the anti-malaria medications and was not able to recover. He died at the Royal Free Hospital
Royal Free Hospital
The Royal Free Hospital is a major teaching hospital in Hampstead, London, England and part of the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust....
, in Hampstead, England, on the 15th January 1994 .
Plot synopsis
While suffering from glandular fever, 11-year-old Anna Madden draws a house. Disturbingly, when she falls asleep, she has dreams about what she draws. During her feverish dreams, she finds herself visiting the place. When she draws a face at the window, on her next visit she finds a crippled boy named Marc living in the house. From her doctor's conversation it turns out that Marc is a real person.Anna sketches her father into the drawing so that he can help carry Marc away, but she inadvertently gives him an angry expression which she then crosses out, and the father (who has been away a lot and has a drinking problem, putting a strain on Anna's parents' marriage) appears in the dream as a furious, blinded ogre. Anna and Marc defeat the monster and shortly afterwards Anna recovers, although the doctor reveals that Marc's condition is deteriorating.
Anna's father returns home and both parents seem determined to get over their marital difficulties. The family goes on holiday by the sea. Anna, who had drawn a lighthouse into her sketch as a refuge from the sinister house, and had also supplied a helicopter to rescue Marc, visits a lighthouse on the edge of a cliff at the seaside and sees a helicopter overhead while Marc's voice invites her to join him. A rope ladder dangles from the helicopter, drawing Anna dangerously close to the edge of the cliff. Anna's parents arrive in time to prevent her falling.
Critical reaction
Film critic Roger EbertRoger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave Paperhouse four stars out of four and called it "a film in which every image has been distilled to the point of almost frightening simplicity" and ended by saying "this is not a movie to be measured and weighed and plumbed, but to be surrendered to."
On the television show Siskel & Ebert, Paperhouse received a "Thumbs Up" from Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
who commented "I suppose Paperhouse will be classified as a Fantasy-Thriller, but I thought it was a lot more than that. A dream movie that uses images so real and so concrete, they seem more convincing than most real-life dramas." He also noted on how effective the soundtrack was and said that Paperhouse showed that director Bernard Rose
Bernard Rose (director)
Bernard Rose is an English actor and film director most famous for his direction of the 1992 urban horror film Candyman and the 1994 historical romance film Immortal Beloved....
was extremely talented. Gene Siskel
Gene Siskel
Eugene Kal "Gene" Siskel was an American film critic and journalist for the Chicago Tribune. Along with colleague Roger Ebert, he hosted the popular review show Siskel & Ebert At the Movies from 1975 until his death....
gave the film a marginal "Thumbs Down", but he agreed that Bernard Rose
Bernard Rose (director)
Bernard Rose is an English actor and film director most famous for his direction of the 1992 urban horror film Candyman and the 1994 historical romance film Immortal Beloved....
was very talented and said, "for about two-thirds of the way I was fascinated by this film." He also commented on how well the dream scenes were handled and said, "these seem to be legitimate fears that child might have." He stated that "when the film got more explicit... I thought the film went over-the-top with imagery and I got a little tired of it. Until then, I was fascinated by it."
The critics who have submitted their reviews to Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
have given Paperhouse a "fresh" rating of 100%, but the users give it a "fresh" rating of 70%.