Joanna Hogg’s latest film, The Eternal Daughter (in cinemas now), is a ghost story; a tale of a mother and daughter – both played by Hogg’s longtime collaborator Tilda Swinton – who stay in a remote hotel where the spectres of the past are everywhere. It’s a wonderfully atmospheric piece, imbued with Hogg’s signature understated strength, and inflected with the same matter-of-fact eeriness that defined Jonathan Miller’s timeless 1968 MR James TV adaptation Whistle and I’ll Come to You.
Martin Scorsese, the executive producer of Hogg, urged her to create a ghost tale as he believed she was in the perfect stage of her life and career to do so. Although The Eternal Daughter may be Hogg’s initial movie to openly identify as being a part of this category, her films have always been influenced by ghosts. Furthermore, this film expands on the well-known themes and concepts that comprise her cinematic essence.
After gaining experience in television, Hogg’s first two films depicted remarkably insightful depictions of uncomfortable human connections, leading to comparisons with the styles of Ozu and Chabrol. Critic Sukhdev Sandhu accurately described Unrelated(2007) as a film that stands out from other British films in its visual and auditory elements. Reviewer Anthony Quinn also noted Hogg’s debut film as a portrayal of a group of people who may irritate viewers, but still manages to make a strong impact.
The main focus of this story is on a group of wealthy British individuals spending their summers in Tuscany. The protagonist, Anna, is in her forties and feeling dissatisfied as her partner, Alex, is not able to join her. He is instead represented as an absence, as she can only hear his voice on the phone. A similar theme of presence and absence can be seen in Archipelago (2010), which was also well-received by critics and featured Tom Hiddleston in one of his early roles (the director, Hogg, has a talent for casting). Hiddleston plays Edward, a troubled young man on a tense family vacation on the island of Tresco. The characters, like the island itself, are isolated and separated by emotional turmoil. Edward’s mother has invited her ex-husband to join them, but their strained phone conversations only emphasize the void between them – a feeling reminiscent of Waiting for Godot. This is further enhanced by the lack of background music and still shots that feel more haunting than peaceful.
Hogg’s first two films explore the absurdity and tragedy of unspoken emotions, while her third film, Exhibition (2013), delves into the eerie interior of a modernist home up for sale that seems deliberately designed to keep its occupants apart. Former Slits guitarist Viv Albertine portrays D, struggling with the complexities of performance art, while her husband, H (artist Liam Gillick), works on his computer in the room above. They communicate through an intercom system (“Should we have intercourse?”; “Can you repair the boiler?”) and are connected by a spiral staircase resembling a massive DNA helix, emphasizing the idea that the house is a living, breathing entity.
The street outside is loudly being ripped apart, while the hard surfaces of these so-called “living spaces” produce a constant noise that evokes restless spirits in an old, creaky mansion. Along with this, there is a surreal element (where past and present merge, and personalities fracture) that makes Exhibition resemble a ghost story disguised as a drama about relationships – or the other way around.
This leads us to Hogg’s most renowned piece, The Souvenir, a two-part work inspired by her own life experiences, reflecting on a tumultuous relationship. Honor Swinton Byrne portrays a young film student who falls for the mysterious Tom Burke in the first film, and then tries to come to terms with their past in the second. In my review for the Observer, I described Part II as “a recollection of a recollection (or a dream of a dream?)… a depiction of the artist as a young woman discovering her own voice.” However, it is also a moving and uplifting portrayal of loss, sorrow, memory, and renewal – the essential elements of many classic ghost stories.
I have conducted multiple interviews with Hogg, who was born in 1960. Despite the intense nature of her work, I have been consistently surprised by her personal preferences when it comes to watching films. She is a fan of movies such as Bob Fosse’s Sweet Charity and has expressed a desire to create a musical herself one day. Additionally, she is a dedicated fan of disaster movies that both frighten and comfort her, as they put her own problems into perspective. On the other hand, she finds great amusement in the chaotic animated series Rick and Morty, particularly the episode Rattlestar Ricklactica featuring space snakes.
As for Hogg’s own ghosts, they are seemingly exorcised on screen – transfigured through the medium she was born to practise.
Unless otherwise stated, all titles can be rented on various platforms.
What other things am I currently enjoying?
Party Lines
Subtitled “Dance Music and the Making of Modern Britain”, Ed Gillett’s self-read audiobook has been my constant companion recently, brilliantly exploring how the UK establishment has variously banned, vilified and co-opted potent dance culture.
One Night
Although the plot of this glossy TV drama on Paramount+ may seem forced, Jodie Whittaker and the rest of the cast deliver strong performances that bring a complex story about consent and authorship to life.
Cornwall’s Hidden Gardens
The beautifully illustrated journey through the idyllic gardens of Cornwall with their creators, presented by Tim Hubbard, is a wonderful cure for the dreary winter blues. A true joy.
Source: theguardian.com
