I just finished watching a mini-series called Gormenghast (looks like pbs showed it as a two parter, but its really 4 episodes)
I love this series. I haven't read the books and there are things that I suspect are concluded in the novels, such as what happens between the Professor and Irma Prunesquallor.
The madness of the film is elevated by the set design and the use of colours; particularly the costumes. As the decidedly omnipresent Steerpike becomes more "evil", his uniforms gradually change from white to black. Fuschia dressed eternally in red to express her passion, the doctor in blue expressing loyalty are other examples. The use of stone to identify the city and the forest to define freedom are also excellent uses of metaphor.
His hunger for equality is brilliantly displayed as Steerpike's ravenous consumption of a pear upon obtaining his freedom forshadow his desires. His only other moment of obvious hunger is near the end of the final episode when he begs Fuschia for a bite once he realizes he's trapped. His love her is measured by the deaths of her family's entourage; those that would oppress or repress them both. As a daughter, she is not seen as worthy of any attention. Her father, in his madness forgets then denies her very lineage. The only time we are shown that her mother does love her is by the one tear that is shed upon the ken that she has died.
Historically speaking, owls are considered the symbol for rape. The extrapolation of rape as viewed psychologically, is significant when the 76th Earl (Sir Richardson) falls into madness and proclaims being the leader of the owls. He gives himself over to them.
Christopher Lee is amazing as Flay. For such a scholarly actor, his character is limited to choppy phrases that emphasize only the important. This is balanced by Dr. Prunesquallor's extensive vocabulary.
Mervyn Peak was brilliant in use of names to describe his novel's characters. It allows the director to forgo what could become needed exposition.
Each of the characters, though complicated, demonstrate our own modern desires and needs. Love, lust, sexual frustration, abuse of all sorts, single parenthood etc. Our passions for success by any means, or perhaps by the only means we know is profoundly executed.
A film that delves into the conflict between tradition and caste provides both a modern and historical view of how the more things change the more they remain the same. The man who would love his city to the very end is deemed not worthy of even a moment in time; whereby, the one who inherits it, abhors it.
Titus, the 77th expresses it perfecty when he states that it is true, Steerpike should have been the son, he was the only one who loved Gormenghast and would do anything for it. In his mind, Gormenghast was both the city and Fuschia. He could have neither.
d~
Posted by drokka at October 2, 2004 08:40 PM