Heavenly Creatures
1995
Based on a true story of two teenage girls whose very close friendship gradually becomes much more sinister as they act out their fantasies in real life to include murder. Read more
| Starring | Kate Winslet, Melanie Lynskey, Sarah Peirse, Diana Kent |
|---|---|
| Director | Peter Jackson |
| Genres | Drama |
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Heavenly Creatures
Based on a true story of two teenage girls whose very close friendship gradually becomes much more sinister as they act out their fantasies in real life to include murder.
| Starring | Kate Winslet, Melanie Lynskey, Sarah Peirse, Diana Kent, Clive Merrison, Simon O'Connor |
|---|---|
| Director | Peter Jackson |
| Studio | WALT DISNEY STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 38 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: not available Production year: 1995 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (3)
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This is the film that launched the career of Kate Winslet, who within three years of appearing in this fact-based New Zealand drama was starring in Titanic, the highest-grossing film ever. It also transformed the fortunes of director Peter Jackson, who went from making ingenious schlock horrors such as Bad Taste and Braindead to directing the blockbuster Lord of the Rings trilogy. The real star of this masterly mix of nostalgia, innocence and menace, however, is Melanie Lynskey, who is mesmerising as the matricidal half of the teenage duo who scandalised a nation in the early 1950s. Although Winslet and Lynskey dominate the film, they are splendidly supported by Diana Kent and Clive Merrison as Winslet's parents, and by Sarah Peirse as Lynskey's ill-fated mother.
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Chilling, sensitively directed account of the dangerous mixture of fantasy and reality that precipitated a tragic and violent death. It is a considerable achievement and an unexpected advance from a director hitherto known for slapdash, gore-filled horror
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Most helpful member's review
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10 out of 10 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
Peter Jackson's heavenly masterpiece
Before Lord of the Rings and King Kong, Peter Jackson, New Zealand’s most well known film director made his greatest film, Heavenly Creatures. This masterpiece is about two young school friends with a close, almost too close, a relationship who vow to do anything to stay together. Their relationship becomes so intense they resort to murder and their case becomes notorious throughout New Zealand.
This sounds like a dark portrait of two young killers with homicidal tendencies but it’s a beautifully told tale of friendship and the love between two marginalised girls. Jackson doesn’t concentrate on the criminal trial of the girls or their subsequent parting, but focuses on the imaginary world and characters the girls create, the love and affection they show each other, the emotional hysteria they work themselves into and in their eyes, the valid reasons for their final murder.
Drawing parallels with his later films, Jackson is adept at bringing to life the girls fantasy world, which when mixed with the real world, creates a dangerous mix. He creates an unbearable sense of foreboding and hopelessness, which can also be seen in his later big budget Hollywood faire.
This film should not be under-estimated, it launched Kate Winslet’s career as an Oscar winning actress and Jackson as a formidable screenwriter. Unfortunately, it’s not available in the UK on DVD, so even though I recommend it thoroughly, there is not much chance of watching this masterpiece apart from the odd television broadcast. -
Most recent members' review
View all -
10 out of 10 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
Peter Jackson's heavenly masterpiece
Before Lord of the Rings and King Kong, Peter Jackson, New Zealand’s most well known film director made his greatest film, Heavenly Creatures. This masterpiece is about two young school friends with a close, almost too close, a relationship who vow to do anything to stay together. Their relationship becomes so intense they resort to murder and their case becomes notorious throughout New Zealand.
This sounds like a dark portrait of two young killers with homicidal tendencies but it’s a beautifully told tale of friendship and the love between two marginalised girls. Jackson doesn’t concentrate on the criminal trial of the girls or their subsequent parting, but focuses on the imaginary world and characters the girls create, the love and affection they show each other, the emotional hysteria they work themselves into and in their eyes, the valid reasons for their final murder.
Drawing parallels with his later films, Jackson is adept at bringing to life the girls fantasy world, which when mixed with the real world, creates a dangerous mix. He creates an unbearable sense of foreboding and hopelessness, which can also be seen in his later big budget Hollywood faire.
This film should not be under-estimated, it launched Kate Winslet’s career as an Oscar winning actress and Jackson as a formidable screenwriter. Unfortunately, it’s not available in the UK on DVD, so even though I recommend it thoroughly, there is not much chance of watching this masterpiece apart from the odd television broadcast. -
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