THE ENFIELD HAUNTING
UK, 2015, 150 minutes, Colour.
Timothy Spall, Matthew Mc Fadyen, Juliet Stevenson, Eleanor Worthington- Cox, Fern Deacon, Rosie Cavaliero.
Directed by Kristoffer Nyholm.
The 1977 story of poltergeists and haunting in the outer London suburb of Enfield is one of the most allegedly documented story of hauntings, in the media at the time as well as in a book. it is also the subject of the 2016 film by James Wan, The Conjuring 2.
The two films overlap in many ways while retaining the identities of the principal characters, especially the Hodgson family in Enfield.
This film is broadcast as a television miniseries. It is presented in a rather plain British style – though it breaks into expected haunting sequences and exorcism sequences.
Timothy Spall plays a man whose daughter has been killed and he is on a quest to make contact with his daughter. He belongs to a British Association involved in hauntings. He moves into the house, makes observations. In the meantime, there is a strained relationship between himself and his wife, played by Juliet Stevenson, even though he loves her, both preoccupied with the death of their daughter.
Another expert arrives, Playfair, played by Matthew McFadyen?, who is to write the book about the Enfield hauntings. He is suspicious, not believing the stories – until he is involved and suffers poltergeist activity. One of the attempts to solve the case is to invite a medium in to discover who was responsible for the poltergeists. Later, there was to be a secular exorcism.
The focus is on the younger daughter who is the focus of the experiences, speaks in different voices, especially the man who owned the house and died in the armchair there and, later, the voice of the investigator’s dead daughter.
Those who do not believe in poltergeists will find the film an interesting drama. Those who do believe in hauntings should be quite entertained and experience some apprehensions.
1. The story being well known? Reported in the 1970s? This British interpretation? Comparisons with the American version, The Conjuring 2?
2. The British style, matter-of-fact, quiet drama – with exorcist-like episodes? Musical score?
3. The actual events, the records, recordings, the book? Dramatised 40 years later?
4. Audience attitudes towards ghosts, hauntings, poltergeists? The need for evidence? The credibility of these experiences?
5. The situation for the Hodgson family, living in suburban Enfield, the ordinary street, the father leaving and living with his girlfriend, the wife and children being upset? The girls at school, Janet being bullied? The brother with his stammer, the other brother in the institution? The house, the view from the street, the interiors?
6. Margaret and Janet, the telling stories, Margaret and the exaggerations? The bedroom, hearing the noises, reactions, the writing on the wall, objects moving? The journalists arriving and the write-up?
7. Morris, in himself, his love for Betty? His work, the society, his being called in? Meeting the family, staying? His dreams and the wounded girl? The effect on him? The flashbacks to his own daughter, the name of Janet, the bike, riding, the death, identifying her, in the hospital? Betty, her search for medium, trying to make contact? Morris, the job, to answer his questions, in the house, the variety of experiences, his decision to stay, the girls’ reaction, their mother, collaborating? The talk with the journalists, the article in the paper, the mockery, and Janet mocked at school?
8. Playfair, his membership of the Society, his reputation on poltergeists in Brazil, his writings? Arriving, his attitude towards Morris? Not believing the experiences? His seeming superior, bringing the investigation to a close – his being flung against the wall and the roof, his change?
9. Bringing in the medium, the supervisor, the eerie experience of her communication, the voice, information about the house? Her warning about not going too far in contacting the other world?
10. The authorities from the society, their visits, examining the evidence, Janet, the light in the roof, burning her, her reticence in answering their questions?
11. The relationship between the two girls, touches of jealousy?
12. The family, intervention of the neighbours, Janet coming back home?
13. The interactions between Playfair and Morris, differing attitudes, Playfair wanting Morris to leave, Morris discovering that he was writing the book?
14. The decision to have a secular exorcism, the voice, Deism, the sense of meaning in the universe?
15. The information about the man who lived in the house, his death in the chair, the consultation with his son and information? The boys, the denunciations? The voice of Morris’s daughter? The return of the medium and her participation? The effect of the exorcism and peace?
16. Betty, meeting Janet and the family, the visits, her feeling neglected by her husband, needing, the packing, the tension? Her final understanding?
17. Janet, her age, the medium for the poltergeists and voices, her being hurt, the hospital, her experiences in hospital, the dismay of the staff? Playfair and Morris, the return, the voice, ousting Joe? The voice of Morris’s Janet, her father speaking with her, her forgiving?
18. The calm, the family, the visit to Janet’s grave? A future for all?
