Sparkhouse
Sparkhouse
| 31 August 2002 (USA)
Sparkhouse Trailers

The relationship between childhood sweethearts, a farmer's daughter and boy from a rich family, turns tumultuous in this modern interpretation of Wuthering Heights.

Reviews
ruis2005

I loved this film! This modern-day retelling of Wuthering Heights is a gripping story, with memorable characters and a complex plot. As in WH the novel, we meet a "Heathcliff"-type character in the person of Carol Bolton, the daughter of an abusive, alcoholic father who molests her. In and out of trouble throughout her childhood, she her best friend Andrew are torn apart by their families' loathing of each other, and specifically his parents' disapproval of her. She runs away from home, and returns 5 years later only to discover Andrew (the "Catherine Earnshaw" of the tale) has married another. This is the basic outline of the film, sans too many spoilers, as it reflects the same story in Wuthering Heights. The subplots and supporting characters are all very contemporary with contemporary conflicts and passions. Those viewers expecting a male Heathcliff and female Cathy may have been thrown off by the gender-switch in the story, but I think it improves the film, and probably freed it from some of the restrictions of the original novel so that they were able to create something really fresh and exciting. Highly recommended!

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David198

The best drama on UK television since Our Friends in the North. This has everything: brilliant acting (especially from Sarah Smart who should have won a BAFTA), passion, drama, unexpected plot twists, and above all INTENSITY. It's well-written, incredibly moving, and has a real power to it that most TV dramas lack.Yes, it's based on Wuthering Heights and there are one or two quotes from the book, but it's a million miles away from being plagiarism. I would go so far as to say that it's better than the original, certainly more contemporary, and in many ways quite different.The fact that this is not available on DVD is a crime!

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Knight_Shade

OK, I'm sick to death of people whining, and saying "Oh, it's so PREDICTABLE, oh it's so MELODRAMATIC, oh it's so UNORIGINAL". Guess what kids - EVERY THEME HAS BEEN DONE. It's no longer a question of fresh, new concepts or ideas, the art is in the FORM. The show had wonderful performances, it was well put-together, and I enjoyed it. Yes, the plot twists have all been done before, the story has been done before (not surprising, since it's a lovely modern retelling of Wuthering Heights), but so what? Just about every flick I see is predictable and hackneyed from a plot perspective, but the WAY the film plays out is what draws my attention.Watch it, it's another example of a production that would never fly in the US because it's much too basic. Personally, I think Sarah Smart is lovely and very talented, but in the States, they would have selected someone with a following, someone ridiculous like Sara Michelle WhatsHerName and completely ruined it. Not to mention the big budget sets, the cheesy one-liners, and the farm-girls that look like they all stepped out of the Elizabeth Arden spa.

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richardjohnmalin

Feel a bit guilty about not watching this properly - was tired after a hard day of landscape gardening and got some beers in, sat down next to the box, put it on indiscriminately and thought "this'll do" and then watched it like a vegetable. Didn't know anything about the show and hadn't seen the write ups, but watched both the episodes shown together thinking it was very realistically put together (the fight sequences in 'real time' for instance, and the was he/wasn't he really there images in the ruined old house. Yes, love CAN send you nuts!) Genuine tension and emotion, went to bed and woke up thinking I'd dreamt it! Thought it was a dream about Wuthering Heights, read the book 20 years ago. Haven't stopped thinking about it now for about 3 days so in my opinion at least it's good if it leaves a thoughtful/lasting impression on you. Which is a lot more than can be said about some of the complete rubbish that comes out of Hollywood! Well done, gave it 9/10.

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