'As a first novel, there is very little that can compare to it. Even Shakespeare took over a decade to reach the clifftop extremities of King Lear' Sarah Waters
Emily Brontë was born on 30 July 1818. Her father was curate of Haworth, Yorkshire, and her mother died when she was five years old, leaving five daughters and one son. In 1824 Charlotte, Maria, Elizabeth and Emily were sent to Cowan Bridge, a school for clergymen's daughters, where Maria and Elizabeth both caught tuberculosis and died. The children were taught at home from this point on and together they created vivid fantasy worlds which they explored by writing stories. Emily worked briefly as a teacher in 1938 but soon returned home. In 1846, Emily’s poems were published alongside those of her sisters, Charlotte and Anne, in Poems by Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell. The following year Wuthering Heights was published. Emily Brontë died of consumption on 19 December 1848.
Gr 7 Up-Both devotees and those who are new to Emily Bronte's classic tale of gothic star-crossed love and obsession will be captivated by this lush and dark adaptation. Cathy and Heathcliff are tormented lovers torn apart by convention and deceit, leaving a tangled legacy of hatred and love. In her television debut performance, Charlotte Riley embodies Cathy with an uncommon beauty and fiery deposition. Tom Hardy is appropriately brooding, if a bit wooden, as Heathcliff, her adopted brother with whom she falls in love. An excellent supporting cast includes Burn Gorman as Hindley, Cathy's snobbish older brother who despises Heathcliff, and Sarah Lancashire as the servant Nelly, who sees the whole thing happening and is helpless to stop it. Three tastefully shot consummation scenes (no nudity) define relationships and keep the heat on high. Set and filmed in the lush moorlands of Yorkshire, the scenery is startling, desolate, and beautiful. There is a bonus "Behind the Scenes" featurette about the filming; two introductions provided by actress Laura Linney give brief biographical background on Bronte as well as reaction to the first publication of the "shocking" novel in 1847. A teacher's guide and further behind the scenes information is available online at pbs.org. A worthy purchase for both public and high school libraries.-Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
This splendid remake of Emily Bronte's novel shows it's possible to create a new version of a beloved classic that, while different from its predecessor, is equally compelling. Film buffs might think no one can come close to Laurence Olivier's masterful portrayal of Heathcliff, Bronte's brooding antihero. But they and audiences new to the story on film will be thrilled by Tom Hardy's brilliant interpretation as well as equally fine performances from the other talented cast members. The tale of the mysterious gypsy boy adopted by the Earnshaws, his abuse by his adoptive brother, Hindley (Burn Gorman), his profound love for his adoptive sister, Cathy (Charlotte Riley), and the revenge he wreaks on his tormentors unfolds amid beautifully filmed landscapes of the English moors. Even familiarity with the story won't detract from the film's dramatic impact. This entertaining and very reasonably priced program is highly recommended for all fans of literature and classic film.-Sheila S. Intner, Prof. Emerita, Simmons GSLIS at Mount Holyoke Coll., South Hadley, MA Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
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