Skip to content
The Falling leads with Game Of Thrones and Cyberbully star Maisie Williams as Lydia, a precocious young schoolgirl, whose rebellious character would, these days, be doing the cyberbullying.
However, in this film there is yet no internet for the mass market because it’s 1969 and, amongst the sexual awakening of these girls, led by Lydia and her best friend Abbie (Florence Pugh), fainting is the order of the day, starting with the latter whose seen pressing her cheek a lot, then becomes pregnant, and then she faints. What’s causing this, along with occasional unsavoury behaviour? Girls just messing about or some dark forces at work?
This sort of film stands and falls by the outcome of the situation it sets up and goes into detail about. And I’m all for films being weird if they have a reason to be, but I felt like I was waiting for a payoff that never came. Well, there is technically, but it was one which left me very much… “Huh?”
On the plus side, there’s an incredible and intense performance from Ms. Williams, as always. She’s like a clockwork doll that someone’s given a stage direction to and she’s off, giving a perfect performance. Maxine Peake somehow gets second billing in the cast as her mother, Elaine, but God knows why as she spends all her days sat inside the house, from where she operates her hairdressing business, and she must’ve had a sentence worth’s of lines to learn, a complete contrast to her recent stage performance in the lead role of Hamlet.
In addition, it takes a lot to make Greta Scacci look anything other than insanely hot, but in The Falling, they have managed it. In fact, they’ve made her look as attractive as Vinegar Tits from Prisoner Cell Block H!
The film is presented in its original 1.85:1 theatrical ratio and in 1080p high definition, and as you’d expect for a modern movie, the print is clear as a bell and free of any issues, whilst brilliant bringing the garishness of the late ’60s to life. I’m watching on a Panasonic 50″ Plasma TV with a Samsung BD-P1500 Blu-ray player.
As for the audio, it’s in DTS HD Master Audio 5.1, and it’s fine, but it’s mostly dialogue and ambience with occasional twee tunage from Tracey Thorn, and nothing that’ll trouble your rear speakers.
The extras are as follows:
- The Madness of the Dance (17.57): A short film, headlined by Maxine Peake and shot in 2006, which ties in with The Falling, but I won’t say how to avoid spoilers. Since the film didn’t really work for me, I can see where this is going but it really left me cold, especially at the end. You’ll see why.
- Theatrical Trailer (1.48): This gives a flavour of the film without saying too much, which is rare for a modern trailer.
- Audio description: Does exactly what it says on the tin.
The menu features a short piece of Ms Thorn’s theme along with clips from the film as well as a still of the girls, there are subtitles in English and just a mere 12 chapters. I feel one should come every five minutes on average. Metrodome, like many other distributors, go for a low 12 however long the film. I would like them to increase that number.
The Falling is released on Monday on Blu-ray and DVD, and check out the full-size cover by clicking on the packshot.
|
FILM PICTURE QUALITY SOUND QUALITY EXTRAS |
5 10 7 3 |
| OVERALL | 6 |
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 102 minutes
Year: 2014
Distributor: Metrodome Distribution
Released: August 24th 2015
Chapters: 12
Cat.no: MTDBD5944
Picture: 1080p High Definition
Sound: DTS 5.1 HD Master Audio, DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1
Languages: English
Subtitles: English
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Disc Format: BD50
Director: Carol Morley
Producers: Cairo Cannon and Luc Roeg
Screenplay: Carol Morley
Music: Tracey Thorn
Cast:
Lydia: Maisie Williams
Eileen: Maxine Peake
Abbie: Florence Pugh
Susan: Anna Burnett
Miss Mantel: Greta Scacchi
Titch: Rose Caton
Gwen: Lauren McCrostie
Connie: Katie Ann Knight
Janet: Evie Hooton
Miss Alvaro: Monica Dolan
Mr. Hopkins: Mathew Baynton
Miss Charron: Morfydd Clark
Kenneth: Joe Cole
Miss Fanshawe: Elizabeth Marsh
Bike Boy: Ben Kerfoot
Dreamy Grl: Ellie Bamber
Cool Girl: Sasha Constance
Beverly: Amelia Holder
Beehive Customer: Sarah Lowe
Teacher: Guy Morris
Swot Pupil: Magda Grace Salvesen
Miss Ash: Hannah Stokely
Connie’s Sister: Ellen Claire Sutherland
Salon Customer: Louise Templeton
Abbeys Car Companion: Freddie Andrews (uncredited)
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.