Orphan
I. About the Film
Orphan is a 2009 American psychological horror film directed by Jaume Collet-Serra from a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson. The film stars Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, and Isabelle Fuhrman. The plot centers on a couple who, after the death of their unborn child, adopt a mysterious 9-year-old girl.
Orphan was produced by Joel Silver and Susan Downey of Dark Castle Entertainment, and Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson Killoran of Appian Way Productions. The film was released theatrically in the United States on July 24, 2009 by Warner Bros. Pictures. Some critics compared Fuhrman's performance as Esther to that of Linda Blair in The Exorcist and Patty McCormack in The Bad Seed.
Kate (Vera Farmiga) and John Coleman (Peter Sarsgaard) are experiencing strains in their marriage after Kate's third child was stillborn. The loss is particularly hard on Kate, who is still recovering from a drinking habit that cost her her job. While visiting the local orphanage, they decide to adopt Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman), a nine-year-old Russian girl. While Kate and John's daughter Max (Aryana Engineer), who is deaf and communicates with sign language, embraces Esther almost immediately, their son Daniel (Jimmy Bennett) is somewhat less welcoming.
When Daniel learns about Sister Abigail's death, he tells Max of his plan to retrieve the hammer to prove Esther's guilt. Esther overhears this and confronts Daniel at the tree house, then sets it ablaze to kill him and destroy the evidence. Daniel falls from the tree trying to escape, and is knocked unconscious. Esther attempts to finish him off, but Max stops her. While Daniel is hospitalized, Esther slips into his room and smothers him with a pillow, stopping his heart; doctors quickly revive him. Kate realizes what happened and attacks Esther but is restrained and sedated.
Kate is further alarmed when Sister Abigail (C. C. H. Pounder), the head of the orphanage, warns her that bad things happen when Esther is around. Esther overhears this and plots to use Max to distract Sister Abigail and then kill her. Esther pushes Max into the path of Sister Abigail's car, forcing her to swerve off the road. Esther then kills Sister Abigail with a hammer, and forces Max to help her hide the weapon in their tree house. Kate is convinced that something is very wrong with Esther, but John does not believe her. Kate finds Esther's hidden Bible and discovers that it came from the Saarne Institute in Estonia, a mental hospital. She emails a picture of Esther to them and asks for more information.
That night, a provocatively-dressed Esther tries to seduce a drunken John, who finally realizes Kate was right. He tells Esther that her future with the Coleman's is at stake, upsetting her. Kate receives a call from Dr. Värava (Karel Roden), the director of the Saarne Institute, who reveals that Esther is actually a 33-year-old woman named Leena Klammer, who has hypopituitarism, a hormone disorder that stunted her physical growth, and that she has spent most of her life posing as a little girl and had people adopt her, with the goal of seducing the father and having a sexual relationship with him. The doctor reports that Leena has murdered at least seven people. The previous family she was adopted by was killed by her because the father had rejected her sexual advances. Kate tries to get back home to stop Esther and prevent her family from suffering the same fate. Leena flies into a rage after being spurned by John, and ransacks her room, removing her "little girl" makeup, revealing the scars from a straitjacket and weathered skin.
She was n not child!!!
Works Cited （参考文献）
N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July 2016. <http://horror.wikia.com/wiki/Orphan>.
II. Versions of the Film
2009 movie
Works Cited （参考文献）
N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July 2016. <http://horror.wikia.com/wiki/Orphan>.
III. Lead Actor
Isabelle Fuhrman
Isabelle was born in Washington, DC but grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. She has one older sister, Madeline, and her parents are Elina and Nick Fuhrman. Her career began when a casting director from Cartoon Network spotted her waiting for her sister and cast her for one of the shows, Cartoon Fridays. Isabelle's first acting gig came in 2006 when she booked a commercial for Rooms to Go furniture, and within a month she was asked to fly to LA to audition for shows. During that time, she scored a bunch of commercial and film roles. Isabelle also appeared in several comedy skits on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and shortly thereafter her family moved to Los Angeles so she could further pursue her dream.
Isabelle's big break came when she played Esther in Esutâ (2009), which landed her critical acclaim and was hailed as "one of the most momentous examples of acting from a child performer in years." She has won the role of Clove in The Hunger Games(2012), the big-screen adaptation of literary sensation The Hunger Games. That went on to become one of the highest-grossing movies ever with over $407 million at the domestic box office.
Isabelle has been featured in spreads for magazines such as Vanity Fair, Nylon, Marie Claire, Teen Vogue, V, H, Bust and Last magazine.
Isabelle's big break came when she played Esther in Esutâ (2009), which landed her critical acclaim and was hailed as "one of the most momentous examples of acting from a child performer in years." She has won the role of Clove in The Hunger Games(2012), the big-screen adaptation of literary sensation The Hunger Games. That went on to become one of the highest-grossing movies ever with over $407 million at the domestic box office.
Isabelle has been featured in spreads for magazines such as Vanity Fair, Nylon, Marie Claire, Teen Vogue, V, H, Bust and Last magazine.
Works Cited （参考文献）
N.p., n.d. Web. 20 July 2016. <http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2265157/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm>.
IV. My Reaction
A. Reaction Point - set design
- 定義 Set design is scenic art. The mood and worldview of the movie is decided by set design.
- 例 This movie set design totally dark set and atmosphere.
- 略 I think set design appear an atmosphere.
B. Reaction Point - setting
- 定義 A filming location is a place where some or all of a film or television series is produced, in addition to or instead of using sets constructed on a movie studio backlot or soundstage.
- 例 Esther has come a miserable life. This movie's setting point is she appearance covering one's true nature.
- 略 I think horror movie is important to place and location. I think context is people back ground.
C. Reaction Point - film director
- 定義 Film director is a person who directs the making of a film. Generally, a film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, and visualizes the script while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, production design, and the creative aspects of film making.
- 例 He is good at make a horror movie. He is horror movie professional.
- 略 I think appear film director personality on movie.
D. My General Opinion
First, I was shocked by the ending of the movie. I did not even expect the ending.
Isabelle Fuhrman fits into the character so well.
Also, I enjoyed the special effects in the movie. The movie was full of exciting scenes. Especially, the scene of the Esther shown her true colours was thrilling!
I think astonishing movie.
It was much more than what I expected!!
