Anna Madeley as Margaret Prior in Affinity
(You can watch the first 16 minutes of the dvd and the behind-the-scene interviews from the above link.)
Among Sarah Waters's "Victorian Trilogy", "Affinity" is often considered the weakest by common readers. However, its slow build up of atmosphere and suspense, its use of letters and diaries, its focus on the often ignored Victorian underworld (women in prison, séance), also make it the richest, the favorite of many postmodern critics.
Unlike "Tipping the Velvet" and "Fingersmith", "Affinity" is not plot based (though it does have a surprising ending), which renders it the hardest to adapt. While both TTV and Fingersmith had been made very successful mini series by the BBC, "Affinity" was ignored by production companies for years.
You can imagine how surprised (and excited) I was when I found out it was made a movie last year. The adaptation was done by Andrew Davis (who also adapted TTV for BBC). Davis, while usually loyal to the original, was not hesitant to change the pacing of a book to make it more suitable for a different medium. It had proved working for TTV. With Davis on board, I had high hopes for the adaptation. However, when I saw the bad reviews (or no reviews) on imdb, my heart sank. Since there were not that many theaters showing the movie (it was only showed in some gay/lesbian film festival), I had to wait for the DVD.
When I saw Davis's name on the executive producer list, I had a hunch:
1. this movie was probably Andrew Davis's pet project, not a big production
2. the movie would be loyal to his adaptation, expect nothing more
Unfortunately, I was right.
The movie has suffered from a few things. The most important one is the style. It doesn't even look like a film. It has the look and feel (and even music) of a BBC mini series, but only half the length, as if they couldn't get enough money to make a mini series, so they cut it in half and call it a movie. Because of the time limitation, the whole story is rushed. Gone is the slow build up of the mystery and suspense. Nor is the growing relationship between the two protagonists convincing.
The casting is also problematic. While Anna Madeley may be too young and beautiful as Margaret, she does a good job portraying this repressed Victorian*. I can't say that for Zoe Tapper. On screen, she lacks the the ethereal power of the medium Selina and looks just like a plain rebellious teenager.
The only interesting thing in this movie is the costume. The clothes are very authentic. You will notice how cumbersome and constrictive those Victorian clothes are, a perfect representation of the protagonist's inner world. In one scene, we see Margaret can barely climb a ladder with her peacock like skirt**. The colors of her clothes also become brighter and warmer as she gradually looses herself to Selina. I have to admit I had never paid that much attention to clothing in a movie before.
Although I didn't enjoy Affinity as much as TTV or Fingersmith, it's still good to see it get adapted. Waters mentioned in an interview that some filmmakers were interested in adapting her fourth book, "The Night Watch" (also my favorite). While I will still be eagerly waiting for it, I am afraid my expectation is lower and I am more concerned about a good production now than ever.
P.S. Here is my dream cast for "The Night Watch"
Kay - I like Rachael Stirling but I know Sarah Waters will think she is not butch enough
Helen - Anna Madeley (after watching her in Affinity, I think she is perfect for this confused woman)
Julia - Emily Blunt (bitch perfect for this role, no doubt about it)
Vivian - Elaine Cassidy (as in Falicia's Journey, both frail and strong)
*With her thin lips and determined look, she will make a good young Georgia O'Keeffe.
**Clothing plays a very important role symbolizing the restriction on women. I had seen in the TV adaptation of "Fingersmith" how hard it was to take off a Victorian petticoat (let alone to put on a corset). You need to hire a maid to do it! It's still a revelation to see it in Affinity.
I have been thinking about getting a detail enhancing software for a while. Using algorithms originally developed by NASA, those software can extract incredible details from dull photos and create unbelievable art effects (a proof that there's a science in art). Some photographers dislike them because the enhanced photos look more like a Norman Rockwell painting than a real photo. However, I think they are incredible creative tools to be added to every photographer's arsenal.
