The Woman in Black - book vs film

Has anyone here seen this as yet? I went along tonight and enjoyed it - some very effective renderings of certain scenes, particularly those set in Eel Marsh House - but there were also some changes that I disliked. I don't want to give away spoilers so has anyone got any thoughts?

Oh yeah. I saw it last Saturday, and was disappointed. I really think it would have been better as a BBC made-for-TV production, honestly. It didn't need all the jump-scares and OMG-there's-something-over-his-shoulder-screaming crap.

I LOVED the cinematography, and the gothic setting was well done. If they'd stopped at the atmosphere and suspense and ditched the modern horror bits, I would have enjoyed it a LOT more.

I thought old Harry Potter did a fine job though. He's perfectly made for old-timey gothic horror.

Daniel Radcliffe did do tortured young man very well, didn't he? I think it did have some Hollywood influence in there that didn't work to its benefit - you saw too much of the Woman in Black and the effects were too clear and crisp at times for me. And yes, some of the jump scares were wearing. I'm still undecided about the ending - I wans't so keen initially but think I might be coming round to it the more I think on it. But hey, it's a film that has me still thinking about it a week later - how rare is that?

Very interesting I went to see the movie on Tuesday night (yes on Valentine night) and liked the movie. Being more of a book worm I went on my hunt for the actual book and found it. I noticed in some of the review that there are some differences and am looking forward to diving into the book this evening. Because we all know that 9 out of 10 times the book is always better then the movie.

I was disappointed in the ending. It really just chucked the whole gothic theme in the garbage, honestly. A bittersweet happy-crappy ending doesn't fit with the long hand of doom reaching out over generations.

I saw The Woman in Black two weeks ago and really, really liked it for the incredible sets and the sheer creepiness of all those Victorian kids. That, plus sick tranced-out Victorian children made it a winner. Shudders. However, I didn't know there was a book by that name. I thought, if anything, it was loosely based on Wilkie Collins' The Woman in White. So now I am really looking forward to reading The Woman in Black.

The title was inspired by the Woman in White but that is all as far as I am aware. I thought the ending was ambiguous myself but I prefer the way the book ends and, for that matter, the ending given in the TV adaptation by Nigel Kneale.

I just finished reading The Woman in Black by Susan Hill, on which the new Hammer film was based. Most of the details of the story are in the movie, but the movie ramped up the death count and gave it a different ending. As a story, I liked the book better. It was actually scarier to me because the book put me in the character's head. Also, the story included the long term effects of the experience on him. So, the book's story was poignant. I recommend you read it.

I really liked the book, but there are so many switchbacks in the book, I'm not sure the original ending would have easily lent itself to a film. As a movie ending, the book's ending could have gotten really confusing. I also really enjoyed the movie. The overall design was fantastic (and they should get an Oscar nod for the sound design--you don't even notice that it's never completely quiet and yet it's very unsettling). The jump scare was a little over-used, I thought, but it's what people expect from a horror film. Overall, I liked both book and movie, but for different reasons.

I so agree with TheBently that I also enjoyed both the book and the movie for different reasons.

Same here :) I'm going to Netflix the 1980s version of the film next.