\u2018The Charlie XCX music evoked the spirit of the book\u2019<\/p>\n
My group of six English teachers \u2013 aged from 30 to 54 \u2013 saw the film on Friday. We are still processing our thoughts in a group chat. We agreed that the visuals were often delightfully shocking. We talked about the contrasts between the lavish costumes and the moor landscape, which we thought Fennell got right. We talked about the Charlie XCX music and how well it evoked the landscape and the spirit of the book.<\/p>\n
We were entertained by the sex scenes and agreed Bront\u00eb would have written some if she had written in a different time \u2026 but Fennell failed to develop the emotional longing and connection. It was reduced to something silly instead. We lamented that Fennell turned Nellie (our beloved unreliable narrator) into a conniving villain, and the film seemed to miss the supernatural elements of the book \u2013 if Fennell wanted to shock us, she could have shown that scene in which Heathcliff digs up Cathy\u2019s body!<\/p>\n
While we appreciated that Fennell conflated the characters of Heathcliff and Hareton [Earnshaw] to make him more sympathetic, we thought she forgot what she was doing when she swung into his awfulness \u2013 no consistency. However, it was brilliant to combine Earnshaw and Hindley\u2019s characters. That made sense. We will certainly be discussing it for weeks to come. Sarah Campbell, 46, Denver, Colorado<\/p>\n
\u2018The book\u2019s characters aren\u2019t likable, and Fennell kept that essence\u2019<\/p>\n
When I heard there was a film of Wuthering Heights<\/a> \u2013 starring Margot Robbie, no less! \u2013 I knew I had to read the book. As English is not my mother language, I struggled with the interventions by Joseph, as Bront\u00eb transliterated his speech. I had to read it aloud to understand what he was saying (and I live in Yorkshire!). The movie was marketed as the \u201cbiggest love story\u201d, but Emily\u2019s story was more about obsession and vengeance.<\/p>\n I was pleasantly surprised by the film. I don\u2019t think that any of the book characters are likable, and Fennell kept that essence. Also, most of the book was narrated in Nelly\u2019s view, and she is an unreliable narrator. This is not represented in the movie, probably as it wouldn\u2019t make sense given the changes in the plot. I saw it on release night and the cinema room was full, something not seen many times these days \u2013 so I do believe that despite some valid critiques, the movie is a good watch. J\u00falia Fachinetti, 25, Sheffield <\/p>\n \u2018The ridiculous costumes took away from the intensity of the characters\u2019: Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff and Margot Robbie as Catherine: Photograph: Warner Bros Ent All Rights Reserved\/PA\u2018A 21st-century spotlight all over it\u2019<\/p>\n I\u2019m a fan of 19th-century gothic literature and Kate Bush. However, I have tried and failed to read Wuthering Heights<\/a> twice. The dense language and long, dark paragraphs left me cold. I may try again though, after seeing the film. I found it to be almost completely absorbing. \u201cAlmost\u201d, because the ridiculous costumes and set pieces completely took away from the intensity of the characters, story and locations \u2013 these people and places are steeped in passion and drama, there was no need to fluff them for a willing audience! I think it could have been perfectly dark, bleak and moving, if only Fennell hadn\u2019t decided to shine a 21st-century spotlight all over it. Rachel Mountney, 48, Ireland <\/p>\n \u2018Anyone who thinks it\u2019s a love story is out of their mind\u2019<\/p>\n