Crimson Peak Is Deliciously Gothic
October 14, 2022 | Dara Marie | @thornfield_laneGhosts are real, that much I know…
Edith Cushing has a comfortable life—save for occasional ghost encounters—in late 19th-Century New York, living with her wealthy father and spending days trying to publish her ghost stories. This changes when foreigner Sir Thomas Sharpe arrives with his sister, Lucille, with a business proposition for her father, and she is at once enamored with the mysterious pair. Her father warns against them but when he dies under mysterious circumstances, nothing keeps Edith from marrying Thomas and running off to his English estate.
Allerdale Hall, however, is not what she expected. The property is in ruin with the walls decaying around them while the foundation sinks further and further into the red clay mines it sits atop. This soon becomes the least of her worries, however, when her husband and sister-in-law begin showing their true natures to the point restless spirits begin calling out to her beyond the grave to “Get out.”
Guillermo del Torro’s 2015 Crimson Peak is a classic blend of the gothic genre full of suspense, blood, and ghosts.
I saw this movie for the first time last Halloween and fell in love. I was so pleased to see I’m not the only one after finding many references to it on Booktok and Bookstagram. As I’ve already begun touching on, it’s steeped in the macabre.
It utilizes nine of the ten main attributes of the genre:
-Mystery and Fear
-Supernatural and Paranormal Activity
-Omens and Curses
-Nightmares
-Atmosphere and Setting
-Romance
-Damsel in distress
-Villain(s)
With that, it checks all my boxes. It sings to my Gothic-loving soul. But beyond the stereotypical, it’s able to find original spins on these tropes. For one, the ghosts are never malevolent; they mean no harm to the characters nor try to impose in any way; their horror comes solely in their presence and appearance. Instead, they warn the protagonist against danger. And while Edith is quite the damsel in distress for a fair amount of the plot, the roles reverse during the climax and she is the one having to fight for a male side character’s life.
These may seem like simple changes. And they are. But for me, they go a long way; I can appreciate del Torro’s contribution to the genre.
While we all root for the hero, I have a weakness for well-written villains. A well-written villain can set me off on so many analytic rants about psychology, trauma, and storytelling.
Lucille Sharpe is a horrifying villain. Firstly, her mannerisms just made me tick: there’s something darkly ethereal about her that makes her feel not human. Her insane amount of control is, on its own, unsettling, but when anyone questions it or pushes back, her calm exterior shatters to reveal unrivaled fury. What she does to someone she claims to love makes me shiver thinking about what she would do to someone she didn’t.
Jessica Chastain did a fabulous job in the role. I completely forgot she was the same actress who played Celia in The Help. Even after I realized that I had to logically convince myself of it because I could not fathom it being the same person. I think that’s the highest compliment I could ever give an actress.
Tom Hiddleston as Thomas Sharpe is also a great balance of mystery and charm. While you want to like and believe his character, it’s not always easy.
Beyond the storytelling, the cinematography is great. I blow a chef’s kiss to the costumes and set design which are both so intricate. The attention to detail and hidden symbolism blows me away. I wish I could go wandering through Allerdale’s halls. Also, the literal gaping hole in the mansion (of course serving as a metaphor for the crumbling family)? Perfection. The juxtaposition of hues throughout (heavy reds and greens alongside whites and yellows)? Exquisite. The imagery of the red clay seeping through the snow to make the peak ‘bleed’? Phenomenal.
I have two complaints about this film.
One, while I just finished praising the cinematography, I do think it’s a little too much. The coloring is a bit too saturated for my taste and makes it difficult to fully suspend my disbelief at times.
Second, I’m not a fan of Mia Wasikowska. I’m sorry: I’ve tried to like her. I’m not a fan of her Jane Eyre (besides the cinematography because it’s gorgeous) or her Madame Bovary; in both, I felt her acting didn’t do justice to the characters and the respective films did not do justice to the books. I had nothing to base my expectations on for this performance because it’s not based on anything, but I still was disappointed. In scenes with Tom Hiddlestone and Jessica Chastain, she’s just not on the same level. But, hey, it does add to the character’s naivety–I’ll give her that.
Overall, I have to admit it’s flawed. It’s a bit stilted at times–I won’t sugarcoat it. But something doesn’t have to be perfect to be good or to be enjoyed. I love the gothic genre. Crimson Peak is deliciously gothic. I love Crimson Peak.
I bought the novel The Death of Jane Lawrence simply because it mentioned this film inspired it! It’s such a vivid, vibrant aesthetic, I can easily see why a writer would want to replicate it.
If you love the genre and can handle blood (there’s a fair share of splatters in the climax), it’s honestly a ‘perfect’ spooky season watch.
Have you seen Crimson Peak? What do you think of the gothic film? I'd love to hear from you! You can connect with me through thornfield.lane@gmail.com or on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter: @thornfield_lane.
