The Awakening

The currently ubiquitous (and wonderful) Dominic West stars alongside Rebecca Hall in Nick Murphy’s forthcoming film ‘The Awakening’, due for UK cinema release on the 11 November 2011.  I don’t know too much about this film, but the pair seem to be portrayed as a sort of early 20^th Century Mulder and Scully – he is a believer, she is a sceptic.  Imelda Staunton also stars, and she can put a chill up anyone’s spine.

Going on the trailer alone this looks really good, so fingers crossed.  Despite the story and timescale being completely different, there is something about this that calls to mind Sarah Waters’ ‘The Little Stranger’ – perhaps it’s just the house?

Synopsis (from Glennis’s post in January) and link to trailer follow:

A ghost-debunker comes to a boy’s school to disprove the existence of ghosts, only to find her own beliefs challenged. A classic ghost-story in the tradition of MR James.

The Awakening is set in 1921, in a post-war world of loss where the bereaved seek solace in spiritualism. Haunted by the death of her fiancé, Florence spends her time debunking supernatural claims, using methodical and rational explanations to disprove the notion that the dead can still haunt us. So she feels compelled to accept a request to go to Rookwood, a boarding school in the countryside where a boy has recently been found dead and rumours about a ghostly boy haunting the school are causing panic amongst pupils and parents alike.

Florence sets to work immediately, laying traps, gathering scientific evidence, uncovering secrets and seemingly unravelling the mystery. However, as Florence is about to leave, she has a chilling spectral encounter which defies all of her rational beliefs and sets her on a journey toward a heartbreaking climax…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Udzuty4XMt8

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