Author: Old Mother Hubbard
This time you’re gonna get to (clap), TOO!!! (clap), TWO REVIEWS IN ONE!!!
Both “The Lighthouse” (2016) and “The Lighthouse” (2019) are fabulous. I’ve seen both films at least 3 times each. I just watched both of them again today and I do have to say that I still think “The Lighthouse” (2016) is the better of the two.
“The Lighthouse” (2016) is the horrific and depressingly grim true story of the Smalls Island Lighthouse Tragedy which occurred in the winter of 1801 twenty five miles off the Welsh coast. Michael Jibson portrays Thomas Howell (I’ll refer to him as Thomas), a newcomer to the Smalls Island which is more or less a large rock in the middle of the ocean with a lighthouse on it that stands on 9 oak pillars. Mark Lewis Jones portrays Thomas Griffiths (I’ll refer to him as Tom), a Smalls Lighthouse veteran and is the principal lighthouse keeper. Both Tom and Thomas will be in the claustrophobic confines of the lighthouse for a 30 day shift before the relief team comes. Unfortunately a dense fog rolls in, followed by a fierce and unrelenting storm a few days before they are about to leave the island. The storm seems like it will never stop. Feeling that they are doomed after running out of food, Tom reveals a hidden box that was left by the man who built the lighthouse. Inside the box is a gun and several bottles of liqueur left behind for “mercy” in case of a tragedy. A freak accident results in Tom’s demise leaving Thomas to face the isolation alone (some reports have said that he might have been there for up to 4 months). The film gets bizarre and surreal at this point with Thomas hallucinating and talking to ghosts. I was watching this very late at night with all the lights off and I have to say I was quite creeped out. This is a good one to watch for Halloween. 5 stars.
“The Lighthouse” (2019) is loosely based on the Smalls Lighthouse Tragedy but it also incorporates other lighthouse incidents. “The Lighthouse” (2016) is a more straightforward take on the true events. Anywho, in “The Lighthouse” (2019) we have two Thomas’ as well. Robert Pattinson portrays Thomas Howard (at first he lies and says his name is Ephraim Winslow) and Willem Dafoe as Thomas Wake, the principle lighthouse keeper. This film is very effectively filmed in black and white. The lighthouse living quarters are not as claustrophobic as “The Lighthouse” (2016) so the main characters have a little more space to move around. Dafoe really digs in to the role with some great scenes, like the scene when they are in the sleeping quarters and Dafoe goes off on a long rant in 1800’s era vernacular or when he gets pissed off and berates Pattinson for not cleaning up properly. “The Lighthouse” (2019) doesn’t come off as tragic as “The Lighthouse” (2016) because the 2 main characters seem like they are already insane before they even got to the lighthouse. It becomes very bizarre as it goes on with some just outstanding performances from Dafoe and Pattinson. 5 stars.
If you haven’t seen “The Lighthouse” (2016) & “The Lighthouse” (2019) I highly recommend both films.
There you have it. To (clap), TOO!!! (clap), TWO REVIEWS IN ONE!!!
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you’re going to write two reviews in one, perhaps you should consider proofreading them before publishing. The most obvious error is “principle lighthouse keeper,” which should be “principal lighthouse keeper.” “Principle” refers to a fundamental rule or belief, whereas “principal” means the person in charge. A rather unfortunate mistake when describing someone’s job, wouldn’t you agree? Then we have “1800’s era vernacular,” which should be “1800s-era vernacular” or, more elegantly, “nineteenth-century vernacular,” since apostrophes do not magically belong in plural decades or centuries. “Twenty five miles” should technically be “twenty-five miles,” because compound numbers between twenty-one and ninety-nine require hyphens. “30 day shift” should be “30-day shift,” and “black and white” would benefit from a hyphen in “black-and-white” when used as a compound adjective. “A newcomer to the Smalls Island” is grammatically awkward and would read more naturally as “a newcomer to Smalls Island,” while “the 2 main characters” would look considerably more polished as “the two main characters,” particularly in prose rather than a shopping list. “Thomas’” is also questionable here: if you’re pluralizing the name Thomas, the correct form is “Thomases,” although “two characters named Thomas” would save everyone the trouble. And while we’re being needlessly meticulous, “I’ll refer to him as Thomas” and “I’ll refer to him as Tom” are perfectly understandable, but repeatedly interrupting your own narrative to explain your naming conventions makes the review feel like it needs a supervisor. Finally, “Anywho” is informal… Read more »
For the record.. nobody gives a damn you posted two reviews in one. Quite frankly, these reviews are stale and barebone – lacking in ANY substance. You’re a disgrace to the movie community OMH
Haha what a joke.. my review is so much better. Get ready to get destroyed you absolute amateur. Get better taste bitch real horror is waiting for you but doubt you have the intelligence to know what a good movie is.