Reviewed by Lara Williams
Stars Andrew Lincoln, Charlotte Riley, Burn Gorman,Tom Hardy
Written by Peter Bowker; adapted from the novel by Emily Bronte
UK certification 15 | UK RRP £19.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 142 minutes | Directed by Corky Giedroyc
Heathcliff! It's Cathy! She's at your window! Except she's not slavishly gazing through the window, feeling so co-oo-oo-old. No, she's punching her worryingly pale arm right through it and grabbing at Heathcliff's grappling hand.
ITV's adaptation of Emily Bronte's only novel intends to leave its mark on the heartbreaking tome. Right from the fashionably gothic overtones of the opening shots, you're aware of the zeitgeist director Coky Giedroyc is trying to hit. Emily Bronte for the Twilight generation. You half expect Paramore or Iron and Wine to soundtrack the more poignant of moments.
This would be all very well and good if it didn't feel as if this atmosphere was largely forgotten, lapsing back into straightforward period drama territory for the bulk of both parts. What transpires is a somewhat middle-of-the-road adaptation (with the exception of the great deal of creative license taken with the plot) bookended with voguish moodiness, in an attempt to convince us we're watching something original.
EXTRAS The disk's single extra is a rather stilted "behind the scenes" feature.