Black Narcissus – 1947 – Emeric Pressburger

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Black Narcissus is a film that explores the tendencies of human desire, restraint against it and the outcome of succumbing to its influence. It is based on a convent of nuns who are assigned to move to the Himalayas to care for and teach its inhabitants. The mystery of the film is that even at the end of it the audience is uncertain whether it is the environment, atmosphere (suggested by Mr Dean) or simply the notion of being isolated so far away from the rest of civilization in the mountains that torments the nuns and gradually drive them to sexual frustration. Pressburger does a great job demonstrating this visually through lighting and colours“While the thematic elements of desire and the constant battle between the spirit and the flesh areintricate elements of Black Narcissus, the film will probably be best remembered for its impressive visuals.” (James Kendrick 2001)

The film uses a number of visual effects such as miniatures and matte paintings. The matte paintings are what truly made the film what it is considering it was all shot in Britain’s Pinewood studios not Southeast Asia. The environment conveyed by these matte paintings really promote the isolation of these nuns with the extravagantly high mountains and the several mountains that seem to spread out wide and far into the distance. The Art of film blog states “Powell and Pressburger's artistic geniuses are truly evident in this film. It is a film of constant conflict and they used the setting masterfully to juxtapose to the immediate conflict of the nuns with their environment. With their heavy, plain, white robes, the nuns look like they belong in Medieval Europe, certainly not in modern South Asia. They are immediately in conflict with the physical setting preparing the audience for the subtler internal conflicts that will follow.” (The Art of Film 2014) The wide and isolated shots give the viewer an idea of how secluded the nuns really are which helps them understand how this has psychological effects on them.

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Another device used very well in this movie is colour. Colour is used to symbolise different themes and emotions in a way that registers in the viewers mind without them knowing it. A great example of this is the scene where Sister Clodagh and Sister Ruth are facing each other and the shot focuses on sister Ruth applying a bright red lipstick. This is a symbolic depiction of Sister Ruth’s transformation and submission to her desires with red being a representation of passion and lust not to mention murder which would act as a foresight of her intentions towards Sister Clodagh soon after. Roger Ebert claims “- it is in the second half of the film where Powell's use of Technicolor is stunning. The introduction of the more vibrant hues dominate the film. The use of red is feverish and is as effective and foreboding as Nicholas Roeg's "Don't Look Now." Even the absence of color and use of shadows serves a purpose that would make any horror movie lover proud, once Sister Clodagh and Sister Ruth have their final face-off” (Ebert 2010)

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Bibliography

James Kendrick 2001 – Available at: http://www.qnetwork.com/index.php?page=review&id=2412

The Art of Film 2014 – Available at: http://theartofilm.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/the-dramatic-mattes-of-black-narcissus.html

Roger Ebert 2010 – Available at: http://www.rogerebert.com/far-flung-correspondents/black-narcissus-which-electrified-scorsese

Fig 1 – Available at: http://teaattrianon.blogspot.co.uk/2009/03/black-narcissus-1947.html

Fig 2 – Available at: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReview2/blacknarcissus.htm

Fig 3 – Available at: http://andrewsidea.wordpress.com/2012/09/24/weekly-viewing-log-9162012/

Fig 4 – Available at: http://www.papermonument.com/web-only/see-something-say-something-8/