Exclusive: Director Tom Harper Talks The Woman in Black 2 Angel of Death
The days are slowly ticking away until the first scarefest of 2015 arrives, Hammer’s The Woman in Black 2 Angel of Death, and to get you geared up for her appearance, we sat down and spoke with director Tom Harper.
Dread Central: Were you familiar with Susan Hill’s story, and if so, what was it like creating this universe for that character to live/haunt in so many years after the original’s setting?
Tom Harper: I loved the original novella. It’s such a rich world, and The Woman is such a rich character. I thought the last film was done well, and when they called me in to do a sequel, I have to admit I was a bit unsure. I couldn’t imagine how it would work given where things left off. But when I was informed that this film would be taking place forty years after the fact during the second world war with an entirely new set of characters, I immediately thought that doing so was a really interesting thing to do. Taking this terrifying brilliant ghost and surrounding her with new characters and adding in the fact that we’re taking a group of children who are escaping the horrors of the war and thrusting them into the horrors of the house… it really hooked me in.
DC: What was it like having the opportunity to make a new film for Hammer, and what were the responsibilities that came with doing so?
TH: I’ve grown up with Hammer films over the years. It’s a great honor to be making a film that’s a part of that brand. At the same time I couldn’t think about it too much or else I’d have just paralyzed myself with fear of getting it right and trying to live up to expectations. I wanted to try and make this film stand on its own merits while taking into consideration everything that Hammer is known for. My main job was to tell this story and bring these characters to life in the best film possible.
DC: In terms of the look of the Woman in Black character, can you talk about the thought process behind it/her?
TH: It was about creating something that you always knew what you were looking at when you’ve seen her, but you would also find yourself searching for more detail. I think less is more, but you also don’t want to rob people of feeling like they didn’t see enough. Overall, seeing the outline of someone without getting into too much detail was the general idea. This is a woman who’s angry, who’s grieving, she’s wearing this black Victorian mourning dress which has been slowly disintegrating over the years. If you notice every detail, I’d say you’re probably seeing too much.
DC: What do you feel is unique about The Woman in Black when compared to other films in the “haunting” sub-genre?
TM: What sets her apart I think is that fear we all have of losing a child. It’s a really strong and really human fear that she taps into. She’s a manifestation of someone who’s looking to take your child from you, as hers was taken from her. She’s revenge-driven to a really scary degree. Her story and motivations are quite simple. Everyone can understand and relate to how scary it would be if your child died. This has resonated throughout the movies, the stage play, etc. It’s clearly a fear that gets inside people.
DC: Is this a universe you would like to revisit? Would there again be a jump forward in time?
TH: She is a great character with a very clear and strong idea behind her. There’s certainly room for that and more, but let’s see how this one does first.
The film will begin haunting US theaters on January 2nd courtesy of Relativity; it will also be released by eOne in the UK on January 1st. Look for our review soon!
Related Story: The Woman in Black 2 Angel of Death – Exclusive Images Haunt You!
Hammer is looking to take the franchise route with The Woman in Black, starting with this one, which is set 40 years after the events of the original film.
Synopsis:
When a group of orphaned children are forced to move from their home in London, caretakers Eve (Phoebe Fox) and Jean (Helen McCrory) bring everyone to the desolate and eerie British countryside. 40 years after Arthur Kipps (played by Daniel Radcliffe in the first film, The Woman in Black) left, this supernatural horror film introduces this new group to the now abandoned Eel Marsh House; an odd but seemingly safe location. It isn’t long before Eve starts to sense that this house is not what it appears to be as the children in her care begin to disappear. As their house of safety becomes a house of horrors, Eve enlists the help of a handsome pilot (Jeremy Irvine) to help investigate what is happening. Eve soon discovers that it may not be a coincidence that she has come to reside in the house inhabited by the Woman in Black.
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