STOKER

US, 2013, 99 minutes, Colour,
Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode, Nicole Kidman, Dermot Mulroney, Jacki Weaver.
Directed by Chan-wook Park.

Stoker has sinister overtones as a name. Audiences may well think of Bram Stoker and his vampire stories. All the central characters in this film have the family name, Stoker. However, the main focus is on an 18 year old girl, eerily and effectively played by Mia Wasikowska, India Stoker. The film begins with her voiceover, explaining herself, her powers of hearing and reading situations beyond the normal. We also see her standing on a hill - which become significant in the finale.

The film is the first English language film directed by Chan-wook Park, the Korean director, famous for Old Boy (there is an Americanised remake by Spike Lee) and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance. He didn’t speak English during the production but worked with the cast through a translator. While the setting is Connecticut, bright and shining, the screenplay with its sinister tones is more suitable for a Gothic tale told in a dark England. In fact, the film does not seem particularly American, except for the accents. with the director Korean, the main women characters in the film Australian and Uncle Charlie played by Matthew Goode, British.

The situation is the accidental death of the father of the family (Dermot Mulroney seen in flashbacks). India has been very attached to her father, more than to her mother, Eve, Nicole Kidman. Immediately tensions are evident as well as oddities in the character of India, searching in a tree for her birthday present, not mingling among the guests of the wake, suspicious of the sudden arrival of her father’s brother, Uncle Charlie.

At this point, film buffs will be alerted by the name, Uncle Charlie. It was the name of Joseph Cotton’s character in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1943 film, Shadow of a Doubt. In fact, Stoker could be seen as a partial remake of Shadow of a Doubt.

India takes a dislike to Uncle Charlie. He flirts with his brother’s wife who was somewhat alienated from her husband and is open to more flirtation, a superficial butterfly character. There is a brief moment when an aunt appears for a meal, wanting to talk urgently, raising suspicions, but soon disappearing from the film. She is played by Jacki Wweaver in the role quite different from her usual roles, very effective even though her screen time is brief.
The film probes the mystery of Uncle Charlie and where he came from, making quite a difference for India as she discovers more about him. The film builds up to confrontations between the three central characters - and not everybody survives.

Mia Wasikowska is an interesting young actress, already with a strong career in Australia and overseas. She makes India a tantalising character. Nicole Kidman is effective and believable as Eve. Matthew Goode is all boyish charm and consideration as Uncle Charlie.
An interestingly different portrait of family relationships.

1. An American story, Korean perspective, international cast?

2. A gothic story, more suitable for a dark and gritty setting and the bright American setting?

3. The title, each member of the family? The overtones of Bram stoker? The Hitchcock influence in the screenplay, shadow of a doubt and Uncle Charlie?

4. The career of the director, his first American film? His reputation for strong stories, violence, repressed individuals?

5. The Connecticut setting, the mansion, exteriors and the grounds, interiors? The garden, the school, the countryside, the roads? The musical score? The Philip Glass compositions?

6. The dynamic of the film, the mystery voiceover, the focus on India, standing on the hill, her description of herself and her powers of hearing and seeing, the reprise at the end?

7. The situation of her father’s death, her love and devotion to him, her memories of hunting trips with him, closer to him than her mother? The report of accidental death? Her grief at her memories? Her relationship with her mother, her mother’s clothes, style, grieving? India and her clothes, at the graveside? The words of the priest, the comfort? Charlie seen on the hill?

8. The tension between mother and daughter, mother wanting her daughter to help out with refreshments for the guests, India going to the kitchen, the housekeeper, with the guests? Her book on grieving? The housekeeper? India observing, Charlie and his bright-coloured suit, India hiding, overhearing Charlie and the housekeeper talking, the housekeeper and her disappearance?

9. India, in the grounds, going up to the tree, her gift, the aftermath of the funeral, the gift of shoes, the housekeeper’s gift, shoes around India on the bed? The issue of the ice cream?

10. Eve and her style, the story of the past, her marriage, her attraction to Charlie, her drinking, her hopes? Her neglect of India, the brushing of India’s hair, and vice versa?

11. The aunt, her visits, at the meal, wanting to talk with Eve, the refusal, the reference to Charlie’s trips in Europe, suspicions, changing her hotel, sitting in the drab room, making the phone call, Charlie’s arrival, his menace, her death? Buried in the garden?

12. Charlie, his charm, manner of speaking, the attraction to India, his skill in cooking, the serving of the meal, his work in the garden, the burial stones, killing the housekeeper and the aunt? The burials? Going to pick up India at school, the schoolgirls on the bus? Leaving the umbrella for India in the rain?

13. India, the boys, the art class, the taunting, accosting her, the stabbing with the pencil, the retreat of the boys, Charlie coming to the rescue?

14. The boy, accosting India, the cutting the attack on him, Charlie’s intervention and killing him, India and her washing of the shower? The burial?

15. India searching her father’s room, finding the letters, that Charlie was in an institution? The charm and the look of writing style of the letters, the descriptions of travel, obsession with India? The explanation? The police arrival, Charlie supplying the alibi for India?

16. Eve seeing the couple together, her reaction?

17. The plan to leave, India packing, Charlie’s promises, New York?

18. The flashback, three boys, India seeing the photos and being puzzled? The playground, Richard conscientious, Charlie and his madness, killing the little boy? Richard going away? Richard and the flashback, taking Charlie out of the institution, giving him everything to go to New York, Charlie killing him?

19. Eve and Charlie, the kiss, Charlie’s attempt to kill Eve, India with the rifle, memories of stalking with her father, his giving the nod for the right moment, her shooting Charlie? The burial?

20. The finale, the reprise of the beginning, the policeman pulling India up, the confrontation, his death? The Stoker madness finally seen in India?