Dark shadows Compared to the relatively light and unobtrusive 1970 film, the BBC series looks like a bulky, clumsy mastodon. The events of the book are reproduced in it with pedantic and sometimes tedious care. It cannot be said that this film adaptation is permeated with a mystical spirit, although elements of mysticism, and solved rather bizarrely, are present in it. Here, rather, the eternal question of good and evil comes to the fore, in the struggle of which evil constantly prevails, and this evil in this case is not so much the will of a particular person as fate, the very course of life, something that stands above all human passions. A small glimpse is only shown at the very end, but in a generally bleak context it seems to be lost. Gloomy hopeless landscapes with rare intersperses of sunlight and life, dreary music, dark interiors have little to a happy ending. It doesn't seem like that.
However, this does not mean that the viewer will certainly experience strong emotions or become depressed when watching. The events of the series hardly touched me for two reasons. Firstly, despite the rather elegant time transitions and high artistic quality of individual episodes, scenes with long dialogues look theatrical, almost conditional in frame and behavior of the characters. By the way, this is facilitated by a small number of actors. They seem flat, they do not feel the depth and fullness of human life, behind them there are no instalments, of which there are quite a lot in the book. Secondly, in the original voice acting, the characters often scream fervently (not always to the place) and cry unnaturally. Exaltation and pathos accompany almost all important scenes. It often seemed that the actors were overreacting, too primitive understanding of their task. Dynamic or just specific episodes (for example, Catherine's tantrum) are filmed, let me say so, not very skillfully and convincingly. Strong or fast movements lubricate and fall out of the frame. But with an unexpected determination, coffins were revealed, from which the side walls were torn.
Again, this does not mean that there is no one and nothing to empathize with in the series. Many types are selected quite successfully and cause a certain response. This can be said of Catherine, Joseph, Nelly and Garton, and Edgar Linton in particular. In my opinion, Katherine and Edgar are the most fully revealed in the series, they awaken compassion. Heathcliffe, on the whole, is not bad, but still not infernal enough. This is Heathcliffe, prone to sullen contemplation, and evil he does not even out of revenge, as if reluctantly, in the meantime, busy only with his memories. Isabella seemed to me too characteristic and decisive (although, if you think about it, it is natural), the same can be said about Katie. Linton was more disgusting than any condescending feeling. The complexity and inconsistency of the characters are smoothed to the maximum. The least I liked in this interpretation of Lockwood with the appearance and habits of the comedian, hysterical slightly inferior to Catherine. He seemed to me the most frivolous of all the characters, and so the beautiful closing words attributed to him did not sound as they could. The duality of this whole story, the uncertainty of the fates of Catherine and Heathcliffe, the mystery of their strange natures, and not solved to the end, is not too emphasized here.
Sustained unified atmosphere, good musical accompaniment and strict adherence to the book make this series, in any case, memorable. If he has an impact, it is not point emotional messages, but the general mood, measured pace, cold-blooded alternation of the misfortunes of the heroes. It's a little tiring. But this creates a special artistic reality. The second time you will hardly want to dive into it, but it is interesting to get acquainted with it. And then see something simple, bright and life-affirming.