The Falling

"Picnic at Hanging Rock" a fine film of the 70s, telling a story of how a group of schoolgirls disappeared on a visit to Ayers Rock. This film had it eerie, creepy, atmospheric, less talky than this; in other words classy.

Alas this film, which I thought would match this from the reviews I read, did not come anywhere near it. Whereas this was certainly a personal project to writer / director, to everyone else it really is a non-sensical load of tosh. Neither eerie, classy, engaging or atmospheric.

The school group was similar to "Picnic" i.e. pretty centre of attention girl, mixed up clever girl down to fat eat a lot girl...pretty stereotypical characters.

When the fainting/shaking actually occurs, especially in the school assembly scene I'm afraid it became comical. They were obviously well drilled on how to faint.

The Director did try to convey a sense of nature at work here. For example, intimating that Abbie's spirit lingered among the old oak tree, straight through to hearing fox cries, owls hooting, even in the scenes shot in Lydia's house! Needless to say the (step)brother and (step)sister "getting it on" scenes were pretty uncomfortable. On that point was not convinced on the Mother character, especially the acting.

Major plus however, Florence Pugh, she is going to go far. A great looking girl with a distinctive voice and she can sing play guitar.

Maisie Williams is a good actress but the film is slow moving and almost nothing really happens other than closed minded people not wanting to talk about the realities of life.

That being said, there is an actually problem and it's not with the film itself but rather with those that have watched it and how clueless the conclusions seem to be.

1. The reason Lydia is acting the way she is is obvious. Because her semi lesbian relationship was in the process of disintegration when the other girl died after cheating on her. She doesn't know how to deal with it so she begins acting out. She is, after all, only a child.

2. The fainting spells are also rather obvious. They are real for some of the girls and not for others. They have been picking at the wall in one of the rooms. Obviously there must be mold or something in the crack. It could also be lead poisoning given the time period. And then they are sticking their fingers into each others mouths or their own. It's quite obvious that some of them have ingested something that will harm them.

3. Not all of them die, so there is another issue. Abigail was pregnant. There is a blood toxicity that can happen while pregnant. When I was little my best friends mum was confined to bed for months while she was pregnant because this almost killed her. She ended up in the hospital for almost a month. This, combined with what might be in that wall, is likely the cause of Abigails death. Given that technology wasn't nearly as sophisticated at the time this movie takes place, they may not have known what caused it.

The movie may be boring but thinking through the answers shouldn't be so difficult.

Puberty is a strong advocate for personable change. Experiencing the evolutionary adolescence that transforms sprouted children into blossoming young adults. Yet, the journey is rarely uncomplicated, demanding physical and mental energy that springs hormonal tendencies into action. None more demanding than the friendship between youthful girls, minor fraternities conjuring rites of passage to solidify bonds. Morley's distinctively bold mystery encompasses the pubescence of an all-girl school, experiencing synchronised mass hysteria after the tragic death of a fellow pupil.

A psychological contagion enabling the exploration of sexuality, moulded by misty melodrama against an autumnal period backdrop. Disturbingly beguiling in nature, through metaphorical body possessions that highlight supernatural elements within the obtrusive sexual motives. Morley, for the most part, captivates when allowing her acting talent to shine through. An innocently naive Williams bravely controlling every scene in her leading role as a psychologically deterred student whom seemingly is a catalyst for the hysteria breakouts. Hospitalised, psychoanalysed and actively withdrawn from therapy, the spells of hysteria are never elaborated. An unexplainable mass psychogenic illness. Morley's intent in ambiguity enables her ostentatious narrative to visualise sexualisation. Hormonal chemicals invading the bloodstream and controlling the mind. A possession, if you will.

Conversely, her screenplay resorts to ethereal poetry and psychedelic narration, emphasising the connectivity between these girls. Unfortunately, several conversational scenes spoon-feed proposed metaphors for the assurance of acknowledgement, most notably the one-sided therapy session that Lydia and her friends endure. Diminishing the bold interpretations that preceded the conclusive act almost indefinitely.

Then the final ten minutes commence and Morley outwardly encounters her own spell of hysteria. The tone alters. The mood unequivocally changes. The pace quickens. She dabbles into darker subjects, a territory that heavily contrasts with the predominantly mystifying narrative. The virginal Lydia interrogating her neglectful agoraphobic mother regarding her father, whilst developing an incestuous relationship with her brother. Discovering her true roots, subsequently offering a hereditary reasoning for her mental instability. It's at this point where Morley loses that tight narrative control. Explicitly presenting a shallow explanation that manages to resolve familial turmoil in a matter of minutes, allowing the supernatural aura to dissipate. Not to mention how under-utilised and misdirected Peake was. Fortunately Pugh's illuminatingly perfect performance makes up for lost talent. The editing imaginatively strings various images together during rapid flashback scenes, which proved effective for the most part. Thorn's soundtrack however was too audacious and overpowering, likening The Falling to a casual summer school trip rather than an existential piece of art.

Morley is a credible director, and The Falling is one feature that uniquely tackles a variety of subjects in a mesmerisingly imaginative manner. Its fundamental issues however are situated in its inappropriate climax and misplaced technicalities that allow the narrative to repetitively faint far too often.

Always best on IMDb to ignore the entire crop of 5 starred reviews. They are either deliberate plants to puff the film or starry eyed peeps of little discrimination. I really wanted to like this film. More than decent cast; great location; credible period (late 60's) After 20 minutes I was struggling to keep my eyes open. Several people in the audience just got up and left. Can't quite put my finger on it. It kept hinting as social 'issues' but nobody actually verbalised them. Lots of serious thesps giving deep and meaningful looks, but never saying anything. And why do directors think everyone in the 60s chain- smoked....at assemblies! They didn't!

THE FALLING is a film detailing an outbreak of fainting at an all-girl school in 1969. Such events are well-documented in real life and often have the authorities and various specialists puzzled, although it's widely acknowledged that they're psychosomatic in nature. So there's potential here for an interesting storyline.

Unfortunately, the storyline of THE FALLING is all over the place. For the first half hour it's a typical tale of teenage angst and friendship. Things take a darker turn with the introduction of incestuous sub-plots and the like, but then they become ridiculous with the well-choreographed fainting spells. Subliminal imagery abounds, alongside some hinted-at supernatural aspects, but it all adds up to far less than the sum of its components. What's the message here, anyway? What's it all about?

I previously saw director Carol Morley's docu-drama DREAMS OF A LIFE and that was a similar film in that it had an interesting premise but sub-standard execution. Plus, Morley doesn't seem to be very assured at getting good performances out of her actors, and the acting is of a distinctly wishy-washy standard here. I love Maisie Williams in GAME OF THRONES, but she seems unsure of herself here and sometimes just feels like Arya in a school uniform.