[critical] THE OTHER

In 1945, in a huge victorian mansion secluded on the island of Jersey located off the coast of Normandy, and living Grace, a young devout woman, and her two children, Anne and Nicholas. The days are long for this mother of a family who spends all of his time to educating his children, inculcating in them its religious principles. Suffering from a strange disease, Anne and Nicholas must not be exposed to the light of day. They live a secluded life in the mansion was dark, all curtains drawn.

A day of thick fog, three people knocking at the door of the manor house isolated, in search of a job. Grace, who was just in need of help for the maintenance of the park, as well as a new nanny for his children, the committed. From then on, strange happenings occur in the house…

Author’s Note

[rating:7/10]

• Original title : The Others

• Implementation : Alejandro Amenábar

• Screenplay : Alejandro Amenábar

• Main actors : Nicole Kidman, Elaine Cassidy, Christopher Eccleston, Fionnula Flanagan

• Country of origin : Spain, France, Usa, Italy

• Output : December 26, 2001

• Duration : 1h45min

• Trailer :

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Discovered a few years ago on a Thesis (a film about snuff movies made in 1996), THE OTHER is the second film of Alejandro Amenábar that it is given me to see. It poured here again in the genre of horror but with once again a master of remarkable suggestion : it would be qualified more easily film of the anxiety that horror in fact. It is true that the very choice of the decoration is an element of mood to be decisive : in fact, the mansion supposed to be located in Jersey (but, in fact, located in Cantabria to the west of Spain is both very aesthetic and cold enough to allow to sweat an unhealthy necessary to the story that takes place mainly behind closed doors.

It should also be noted the excellent performance of Nicole Kidman in her role as a mother, strict but also a performer of little Anne, totally credible : the thing is sometimes difficult in children. Besides, I’m more reserved on the interpreter of his little brother to the facial expression rather monolithic. Moreover, the other actors of the movie are worth more for their staging frightening (appearance, offset) by their actual play, with the exception of Fionnula Flanagan who offers us a governess agonizing reverence.

With a family rooted in the religious values, we also have a lot of symbolic linked to it (the rosary, questions the theological) that maintain a presence morbid quite palpable, enhanced by the systematic darkness necessitated by the fragile health of children. The other process, the director reinforces his own scenario by composing a background music throbbing that plays with the nerves of the viewer to the appropriate moments of tension. Finally, if the strangeness and anguish are immediately put in place, and even if the achievement is extremely controlled, this is only the twist end, which will bring its charm to the film with the same title as this had been the case with a film like The Sixth Sense by Night Shyamalan.

In summary, even though I am not a fanatic of the genre horror (more horror in this case, it is necessary to admit that), THE OTHER was a very good surprise with his scenario that reveals a bias on the part of quite bold and very well-put together, without any fault apparent in his conduct, and which did not finally aged for a feature film of 2001.