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Wuthering Heights (1992)

Rate: 3
Viewed: 7/25

WutherH92
7/25: Not wanting to bother with the 1939 version of Wuthering Heights since it doesn't resemble the story as originally written, I will compare and contrast between the next two from 1970 and 1992.

For starters, the latter has almost nothing on the former. The biggest, and probably the only, advantage it has is the inclusion of the next generation to tell the full story while the other one petered out midway, making the second half very dull to sit through. Yet the look is so bright when it should've been dark. The moors was harped on constantly in the book and was rightfully shown in the 1970 version, but this one, the principal characters are surrounded by dozens of large gray rocks? That's odd.

Next is the portrayal of Heathcliff. Timothy Dalton came the closest of anyone to play him in the correct manner, but he didn't have the requisite power. Making his screen debut, Ralph Fiennes is a gifted actor, and I like him. Although he got better during the second half which probably led to the most famous role of his career in Schindler's List, he was never Heathcliff for a moment. There's some kind of wall going on that prevented him to be transcendental. Hence, no depth was achieved to allow the film to become multidimensional. Honestly, the right actor to play Heathcliff is Oliver Reed, and it's too bad he never got the chance to do so.

Now, we come to Catherine. Juliette Binoche is the most annoying I've seen in all three cinematic adaptations of Wuthering Heights. I'm beginning to think she isn't even a good actress after experiencing so many films of hers hitherto. It's like watching a clone of Julia Roberts, but there's something vacant about her. As a result, she doesn't understand the meaning of character assimilation. When Catherine died, I was like, "Great, the torture is finally over." Yet Juliette Binoche showed up again as the next Catherine. Gee whiz. In case if you are wondering, the woman who played Emily Brontë is Sinéad O'Connor.

All in all, my feelings for Wuthering Heights would have been more positive had Juliette Binoche not participated.