Season 1: Episode 8 - BOOK TO SCREEN: Turn of the Screw (1898) / The Innocents (1961)

Season 1:  Episode 6 -  The Turn of the Screw by Henry James/The Innocents directed by Jack Clayton

Henry James novella mixes two genres, the gothic and ghost stories, to make an eerie classic that stays imbedded into the subconscious long after you put it down.  Due to the original content, scholars have argued about the interpretations found within its pages.  Many have argued about the evil hinted at the stories, which leads to its brilliance as its power is in the creating an intimate sense of confusion and suspense. 

James would rewrite the story numerous times through his life span which would include subtle changes such as changing the children’s ages.

In 1961, Jack Clayton would bring the story to the screen starring Deborah Kerr, Michael Redgrave and Megs Jenkins .  With a script by Truman Capote and John Mortimer, the psychological horror would achieve its effects through lighting, music and direction rather than conventional shocks.  Cinematographer, Freddie Francis would employ deep focus in many scenes, as well as bold, minimal lighting. 

The James classic would be adapted into a Broadway play, a ballet and there is even a prequel called The Newcomer starring Marlon Brando.  There has even been countless foreign adaptions and even the basis of the Quentin Collins storyline explored in the classic gothic horror soap opera ‘Dark Shadows.

Interesting facts about the film is that Kate Bush’s The Infant Kiss is inspired by the film and audio tracks were sampled in the cursed tape of the 2002 film, The Ring.

We are joined by our marketing manager Vickie Rae. 

Opening Credits; Introduction (3.47); Childhood Scary Experience (4.23); Forming the Plot (11.08); Prologue (12.23); Page to Page (13.15); Commercial Break (51.52); Screen Testing/Casting (52.22); Lights, Camera, Action (55.26); Epilogue (1:55.20); End Credits (1:59.01); Closing Theme (2:00.08)

Opening Credits - O Willow Waly - by Ashley Serena

Closing Credits - The Infant Kiss by Kate Bush from the album 'Never for Ever'

All Rights Reserved.

All songs are available through Amazon.

We would like to thank Ashley Serena for her beautiful rendition of 'O Willow Waly' who kindly gave us permission to especially use for this episode of the Literary License Podcast.  You can follow Ashley Serena on her social media accounts and listen to her music on i-Tune, Soundcloud and Spotify.  Go to our website:  www.llpodcast.com to connect with her, you will not be disappointed.