Encyclopedia of Fantasy (1997)
Paperhouse

Tagged: Film.

UK movie (1988). Vestron/Working Title/Tilby Rose. Produced by Tim Bevan, Sarah Radclyffe. Executive producers: Dan Ireland, M J Peckos. Directed by Bernard Rose. Special effects: Alan Whibley. Screenplay by Matthew Jacobs. Based on Marianne Dreams (1958; vt The Magic Drawing Pencil 1960 US) by Catherine Storr (1913-2001). Starring: Charlotte Burke (Anna Madden), Ben Cross (Mr Madden), Glenne Headly (Kate Madden), Gemma Jones (Dr Sarah Nichols), Sarah Newbold (Karen), Elliott Spiers (Marc). 92 mins. Colour.

Troublesome 11-year-old Anna has glandular fever, and during the consequent fainting fits – and then in Dreams – finds herself in an Otherworld, where stands, remote in the midst of a windswept Andrew Wyeth-like plain, the house she has been drawing in her sketchbook. In her waking hours she embellishes the drawings and thus embellishes the other Reality, giving the house an interior and an occupant, Marc, a boy whose legs – which she omitted to draw – are paralysed. Anna finds that, in the mundane world, Marc is another patient of her own GP, Nichols; he suffers from muscular dystrophy. Anna tries through her drawings to aid him, but discovers that, once drawn, any line becomes unerasable; thus, when she tries to bring her father to the Otherworld as rescuer, her careless drawing instead creates that Otherworld's drunken, psychopathic Villain – her incest fears incarnate. The two realities become progressively more interpenetrative. At last, in our reality, Marc dies; in the Otherworld, he escapes to an unknown destination by helicopter. Anna's dreams of the Otherworld end, but convalescing in Devon she discovers the lighthouse that stood near the "paperhouse", sees Marc's helicopter and hears his voice, and knows that he is somewhere safe. The movie remains equivocal about its events: all may be a product of coincidence and Anna's fever dreams (see Perception).

On release Paperhouse was treated by the critics as a Horror Movie and, as such, considered inadequate. In fact, despite scary moments, it is a strikingly powerful piece of well worked-out fantasy. The children's performances make up for some less assured adult playing. With its superb evocation of childhood and its sharp ear for dialogue ("What's snogging like, then?" "Like kissing a vacuum cleaner."), Paperhouse is a movie agleam with conviction. [JG]