Pajiba's Underappreciated Gems
I Bring You a Light You Could Never See in the Daytime
Paperhouse / TK
Paperhouse is one of those subtle, haunting works of beauty that sometimes slip under our collective cultural radar. It’s a wonderful movie, to be sure, a quiet gem from 1988 that few have seen or heard of (it was released in only a handful of theaters and grossed a whopping $214,278 in the US). It’s filled with fascinating little quirks and ideas that come together to make it completely engrossing. Added to that is the fact that it’s one of the rare pictures that handles the roles of children realistically and engrossingly. I’ve always had mixed feelings about films involving children — in truth, good child actors are rarely easy to find, and there’s a tendency on the part of filmmakers to telegraph the plots and diminish their characters. These faults can become even more glaring in modern fairy tales, where sometimes a film will be dumbed down in an effort to make it more accessible. Fortunately, such was not the case here.
This particular fairy tale takes place in 1980’s England, where a precocious, somewhat bratty young girl named Anna is our heroine. Anna Madden (Charlotte Burke) lives a relatively mundane life with her mother, Kate (Glenne Headly) in their drab London flat (her father, we eventually learn, is rarely home due to his work). She goes to private school where she feuds with some girls and befriends others, but her existence appears otherwise unremarkable. Anna, however, is not well — she has a tendency to faint, to black out sometimes for minutes, sometimes for hours. Finally, her mother discovers this and Anna, febrile and frightened, is forced to stay home and rest in bed until her doctor, Sarah Nichols (Gemma Jones) can figure out what’s wrong and set her free. Anna also has a secret — when she falls asleep/passes out, she wakes up in another place — a place that mirrors the drawings she scratches out in her sketchbook in the waking world. Among the drawings that come to life are the titular house, and its sole resident, a sad, lonely boy named Marc (Elliott Spiers) who may or may not actually be one of Dr. Nichols’ other patients.
Here we encounter the fundamental oddity regarding the worlds of Paperhouse — what Anna creates, is perfectly reflected in her dreamworld, for better or for worse. She soon discovers that the ramifications of that power can affect people and things in ways she did not expect or understand. Initially, she can’t get into the house because it has no doorknob, and Marc, who is trapped on the second floor where she drew him, cannot let her in because she failed to draw any stairs. Similarly, Marc cannot walk… because she didn’t draw legs. As the film progresses, Anna tries to learn how to master this world she seems to have created, but at the same time, she learns that it appears to be inextricably linked to the real world. When she learns about Dr. Nichol’s other patient, she can’t help but draw the conclusion that he’s either the same boy, or somehow connected to him. When Marc gets sick in the dream house, Dr. Nichols’ patient (who real-world Anna hasn’t actually met) takes a turn for the worse.
If this sounds confusing, it really isn’t. However, Paperhouse is a difficult movie to summarize without either spoiling the plot or over-explaining, which is probably what director Bernard Rose (Candyman) was shooting for. Suffice it to say that it’s a curious film, one that is frequently overlooked by the casual viewer. It has moments of nerve-wracking tension, particularly when Anna, in a fit of childish temper, accidentally creates a monster that almost destroys her world. Yet it’s not a horror movie by any means. It explores the complex dynamic between a child and her parents — one an estranged father (Ben Cross) who is rarely home, the other an overwhelmed mother trying to deal with her child’s illness (not to mention her increasingly alarming and seemingly bizarre mood swings). Yet it’s not a family drama either. It’s a stark, unsettling amalgamation of ideas and concepts thrown together almost haphazardly, creating a sometimes jolting, but always interesting picture..
The acting is convincing, but inconsistent. Glenne Headly, who almost stole the show in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, is somewhat bland here. Ben Cross is in the film so briefly that his performance is barely notable. Truly, the weight of the picture rests on the slender shoulders of Charlotte Burke and Elliott Spiers — they do their best, but at times it still smacks of low-budget theatrics. However, taken in the context of that era of filmmaking, (I sometimes feel that in general, directors asked less of child actors then they do now) their performances are admirable. Burke manages to effectively capture the persona of a bright, easily bored child who doesn’t understand the potential repercussions of her actions. As a result, one of the slowly evolving themes is her gradually accepting responsibility for the her actions and realizing the dangers inherent in the world of the Paperhouse. Spiers is easily the more engaging of the two kids, however. His character is designed, quite literally, to be forlorn — he was drawn with a frown on his colored-pencil face and as a result is cursed with eternal sadness. One of the challenges in playing a character designed around nothing more than a rough sketch of a specific emotion is to somehow create a fully-formed personality. The inherent risk is that the filmmakers and actors might end up that emotion define, and thereby diminish, the character. Spiers managed to harness that emotion and instead create a real boy out of the what is essentially a rough-drawn idea of one.
The sets and production present another fine piece of this little puzzle. For the most part, the real world is drab and forgettable, a boring gray cityscape that reflects Anna’s everyday doldrums. Anna’s dreams, however, are a fascinating blend of the fantastical and the foreboding. The house itself is rickety, built to look like a child’s drawing — full of odd angles and crooked lines, it’s part gingerbread house and part carnival fun house. It sits in a field of gold, with a sky that changes with the mood of the drawings themselves. Everything within this world is designed to reflect the mindset of a child’s emotions — sometimes angry and red, sometimes gloriously happy and colorful. Despite being filmed on a meager budget, it works well enough that one can easily see why Anna becomes more and more absorbed by her new world. When things go wrong, however, and Anna uses her almost God-like powers in a fit of seemingly trifling temper, the world changes completely, becoming a fearsome inferno that really is the stuff of children’s nightmares. Ultimately, this world hinges on her imagination, and as such does an excellent job of showing the sometimes dark places that a child’s imagination can go to.
Strangely enough, what makes Paperhouse unique and interesting also almost leads to its undoing. As I sat watching it for the first time in 20 years, I felt myself trying to puzzle out what was so alluring about it. For all of its themes of loss, responsibility, childhood fears and loves, the production is sometimes so stark and grim that it seems at odds with its own story. Yet had the film been made any happier, it would have ultimately felt unfulfilling. Its strength lies in those darker moments — it helps us recognize what we felt like as children, how things that adults take as minor or irrelevant can seem monumentally important to us — whether those things are real, or imagined. The final act is where the film starts to teeter a bit, as if the filmmakers were unsure which world they wanted Anna to wake up in. Taken as a whole, however, the ending successfully bridges her two worlds, while still allowing the viewer to use a bit of their own imagination.
Paperhouse always reminds me of other, more thoughtful fairy tales — Pan’s Labyrinth inevitably comes to mind. It doesn’t have the darkness or the sheer weirdness of that movie; instead it’s more about how the world of Anna’s dreams begins to bleed into her real world, until the two become inextricably, and in some ways tragically, linked. Alas, reviewing Paperhouse is a bit unfair to you folks. Unfortunately, it’s not actually available on DVD outside of the UK and possibly Canada. So while my neighbors to the north and those of you across the pond have easier access to it, Americans will have to find an alternative means of tracking it down (like I did). However, my hope is that now you’ll be prepared for its eventual release, and give it the attention it deserves but never received in its first life.
TK can be found wandering aimlessly through suburban Massachusetts, wondering how the hell he got there while yelling at the kids on his lawn. You can find him raising the dead in preparation for world domination at Uncooked Meat.
Eloquent Eloquence 08/07/08 | | Pajiba Love 08/07/08
Comments
Nooooo! You introduce me to a film I've never heard of that sounds reeeeeeeally interesting and that I'd like to see, and then at the end of the last paragraph you tell me I can't have it! Evil! Sadist!
Going to Canada, BRB.
Posted by: Jerce at August 7, 2008 1:44 PM
OOOOOOOO! Gemma Jones. I'm currently rewatching "The Duchess of Duke Street" with Gemma Jones in all her glory. Since I can't find Paperhouse, I'll just continue Netflixing (is that even a verb?) "The Duchess."
Posted by: BWeaves at August 7, 2008 1:56 PM
I really love how you approach movies in your reviews, TK. Truly thoughtful, not completely in love/hate, and even handed. Too bad us merikans can easily wrangle the little lassie.
It also sounds like the Henson production Mirror Mask, which I absolutely adore and gets better with every viewing. I'll keep this one on the 'dar and hope for the best.
And OH DEAR GOD that new AA ad is complete repulsive. It looks like they got in a fight with the Fruit o' the Loom gang and are now protecting each other's no-no holes...
Posted by: boo at August 7, 2008 2:06 PM
Excellent review, TK...this sounds like a beautiful movie and one that paved the way for such great films as Pan's Labrynth.
That being said, I hate you with the fierce dedication of Amy Winehouse looking for her next fix. Try painting such a fantastic picture of something accessible...douche...
Posted by: Shadows of Dakaron at August 7, 2008 2:13 PM
Anyone else get the feeling that Ben Cross' career never got to where it may have?
As for this flick, hey, I'm down for it, I'll catch it next time I'm up there in FUCKING EUROPE.
I also agree with our esteemed reviewer's assessment of child actors. I'll go so far as saying that 99% are completely devoid of talent (make that 100% if they work on Nick or Disney Cable), the remainder are being so brutally exploited by their stage parents that they will never be fully functional adults.
The only glimmer of hope was that girl on, The Golden Compass, whatsherface.
Posted by: BarbadoSlim at August 7, 2008 2:21 PM
boo, you took the thoughts right out of my head re: MirrorMask and the American Apparel orgy up there. MM is my new favorite movie, and when I started reading this, that was what I thought of. I'm curious how you felt about the music? I loved it personally, thought it was perfect for the film, but I was reading some of the boards on IMDB and many people were complaining about it.... of course, they all seemed to be idiots.
Anyway. I'd like to see this.
Posted by: Anna von Beaverplatzhausen-jr.-in-defer...what-the-hell?! at August 7, 2008 2:50 PM
Funny that MirrorMask is getting bandied about because after reading the first paragraph of the review, I thought immediately that Paperhouse sounded like themes and variations on Lewis Carroll with a heaping spoonful of Gaiman.
And yeah, thanks TK for sticking it in and breaking it off. You write a smart review of what sounds like a fascinating movie. Halfway through, I am ready to open up a new tab and go to straight to Netflix without passing Go to toss it in my queue. Then you casually toss out that it's not freakin' available in the US.
I hate your face.
Posted by: Alabamapink at August 7, 2008 3:07 PM
I could be way wrong, but I think it only ever came out on VHS in Canada. I've seen it around plenty, but I must have watched it on video because (1) it was ages ago and (2)Zip (Canada's NetFlix) doesn't have it, and (3) Region 1 DVD includes both Canada and US, so that distinction would be very rare indeed, even in the case of a rights issue.
'Murkans, look in dusty vid stores for the VHS version...if you can find any shops that still carry VHS.
Posted by: Ranylt at August 7, 2008 3:56 PM
Great review! I was lucky enough to see this on tv several years ago - I'm pretty sure it was on Bravo. So there may be a chance to see it again in the US if Bravo would stop it with their lame reality shows.
Posted by: Lou at August 7, 2008 4:12 PM
Before I got to your paragraph mentioning Pan's Labyrinth, I was thinking "this sounds like a Guillermo del Toro movie". Hope I get a chance to check it out.
Posted by: Cindy at August 7, 2008 4:26 PM
Holy Shit! I've seen this movie. My aunt, the one I wrote about the ER thread that wanted to frame my broken butt x-ray, has always been into offbeat and indie films. She rented Paperhouse and made us watch it when my cousin and I were around 8 and 10 years old. We didn't understand it at the time and it became one of those movies that seemed to only exist in that memory. Good to know that it does exist. Now to find the beer commercial with the beaver that no one seemed to see but my cousin and me...
Posted by: Dangle McGee at August 7, 2008 6:16 PM
Mmmmmmm...beaver you say?
Keep me posted.
Posted by: BarbadoSlim at August 7, 2008 6:24 PM
Wow, I've actually seen this! I was home sick from work a few years ago, watching the 27 ER re-runs TNT plays in the late morning, and this came on after. Got totally sucked in, and parts of it really freaked me out, but that may have been due to my fever of 102.
Posted by: june at August 7, 2008 6:50 PM
I remember my parents renting this on BETA MAX for a sleepover party...never watched the whole thing as it was clearly not a party movie.
I loved your review, TK. Thoughtful movies are hard to find in this society. So are thoughtful people, for that matter. I certainly am not one of them.
Kudos on the hilarious use of no-no hole, boo. That guy's mustache looks like it's vasolined on his face.
Posted by: popejenn at August 7, 2008 8:33 PM
Count me in as one of those who's seen this! It was years ago, but seeing the title come up brought it all back.
I live in the Philippines, and I have a group of movie-mad friends who would delight in tracking down some of the occasionally bizarre stuff that would come our way. Through some strange web of distribution networks, the Philippines would sometimes get access to some unusual English and European stuff that either later or never made its way to the States. This was one of them.
That's also why I saw The Reflecting Skin, by the way. Brrrr. Creepy movie.
Posted by: karstark at August 7, 2008 9:01 PM
Wow, I haven't seen that movie since it came out. I have to say, it scared me as a child, but I was fascinated by it and must have watched it three or four times. I wish it was available here so I could give it another look.
Posted by: Sarah C at August 7, 2008 10:26 PM
I used to have the book of this. It was called "Marianne Dreams" and I used to wish it had been made into a film. In fact, I spent a fair amount of time trying to convince my film-studying uni friends to use it as the basis for their dissertation projects (that didn't work).
And, joy, I live in the UK, and will be tracking it down. For those of you that can't get hold of the film, the book is worth checking out.
No, I can't remember who wrote it.
Posted by: zarahruth at August 8, 2008 6:24 AM
Er, when I say 'tracking it down' I am referring to the film, not the book.
Am currently competing for the 'most ambiguous and confusing phrasing' award.
Posted by: zarahruth at August 8, 2008 6:30 AM
I remember this movie! I rented it a few years ago, so it must at least be available on VHS in the US...assuming you can find a place that rents VHS tapes.
Posted by: s. pisaster at August 8, 2008 10:07 AM
I've seen it on Sundance at least 3 times, so ya'll can try there.
I remember this movie, and although I haven't seen it in a while, I remember it really striking a chord with me.
S. Pisaster, the benefit of living in a small town is that there's at least two video stores being run out of people's basements and at least 70% consists of VHS. I, at one time, couldn't find Wayne's World anywhere except Rockford on DVD in the video stores around these here parts.
Posted by: Jaci at August 8, 2008 10:20 AM
Er, I meant that I couldn't find Wayne's World on DVD anywhere but Rockford.
Shuddup. I'm slightly dyslexic. Or something. More like, just a friggin tard.
Posted by: Jaci at August 8, 2008 10:32 AM
I LOVED this movie... I remember watching it many many years ago based on the cover of the VHS box, and being haunted ever after. Truly fab. Now to the review!
Posted by: curegirl0421 at August 8, 2008 12:29 PM
I saw this film a few years after it was first released on VHS and it remains to this day one of my all time favorites. I found it the same way as curegirl0421 - browsing covers at the video store and convinced my dad that we should rent it. It is a GREAT movie!
Posted by: laurel at August 8, 2008 4:26 PM
And OH DEAR GOD that new AA ad is complete repulsive. It looks like they got in a fight with the Fruit o' the Loom gang and are now protecting each other's no-no holes...
Posted by: boo at August 7, 2008 2:06 PM
lol, oh my god that was hilarious!!!
And I agree first thing I thought was oh, like mirror mask
Posted by: lea at August 8, 2008 7:58 PM
I want to see this. Stupid Netflix- I thought you had everything!
Posted by: Phaeolus at August 9, 2008 10:58 AM
Wow, this is one of those movies that really freaked me out as a kid. I watched it at a slumber party in 5th grade because we thought it was a horror movie. It wasn't like any horror movie we had ever seen before, but we did finish it.
I remember being scared as the dream world got crazier and the thing with her dad... well, I can still see the scratched out dad face image (talk about father issues). But I think it was the mounting tension that really made the movie stand out. I really wanted her and the boy to make it through safe. And it is such a strange story to experience when you're that age.
Posted by: Nanook at August 10, 2008 8:58 PM
Yet it's not a horror movie by any means.
Tell that to the local independent rental store that turned me onto this film years ago, back when VHS seemed unstoppable in the wake of the failure of Laser Disc.
Paperhouse always reminds me of other, more thoughtful fairy tales -- Pan's Labyrinth inevitably comes to mind. It doesn't have the darkness or the sheer weirdness of that movie; instead it's more about how the world of Anna's dreams begins to bleed into her real world, until the two become inextricably, and in some ways tragically, linked.
I think a stronger comparison can be made to Mirrormask, down to the world of the child's imagination being brought to life in the context of her drawings, with what happens in the "real" world to the drawings effecting what happens in the "dream" world. Though that's not quite right, either, because the majority of Mirrormask does take place in the dream world clearly representing the girl's method of coping with her darker reality. I think the tone is more similar than Pan's Labyrinth, though.
Then again, most people haven't seen Mirrormask. Or Paperhouse.
Posted by: Robert at August 14, 2008 7:41 PM