Great Expectations (BBC) - 2011

In 2011, BBC1 produced an adaptation of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations. As of this year, it is the most recent take on the story that has been made for television and was a 3 part series (each lasting an hour long). It stars Douglas Booth as Pip, Vanessa Kirby as Estella, Ray Winstone as Abel Magwitch and Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham. As the story spans over many years as the children age into adulthood, so does this series. This adaptation is important for me as a designer as it shows a subtle deterioration of the character Miss Havisham as she experiments torment, revenge and redemption. 

During filming, Gillian Anderson would've been in her early 40's. Therefore, to match the decrepit character of Miss Havisham in her late 50's following a life of grieve meant that ageing and decaying makeup would have to be designed into the look. Makeup designer Kristin Chalmers created a subtle but affective look for this ghost-like figure. Her complexion is extremely pale and lifeless with dry patches of skin and dark hollows where her face and neck has become thin. Darkness has also been applied around her eyes in the crease and along the lines of her eye sockets to further create a skeletal look that is referred to in the book. Her lips are also obviously chapped to reflect her malnutrition and self-destructiveness. In regards to her hair, it is bright white with grey undertones that is a messy version on a typical early Victorian updo.

These images are taken from the first episode of the series when young Pip meets the reclusive Miss Havisham for the first time. At this point, she looks very similar to the image above that was released as part of promotion for the series. The curls at the front of the head are still tight and almost symmetrical. the back of the hair has a rounded shape but is messy, matted and tangled. Her skin is powdered (could indicate that still makes effort to take some pride in her appearance) and her lips are pale and broken. The aging makeup is simple and subtle.

The final episode sees Miss Havisham at her worst. She has caused Pip a life of pain and heartbreak and intends of seeking forgiveness. Miss Havisham has a visibly receding hairline and the curls are non-existent - indicating years of dismissal of her appearance. At this stage it would be around 18 years since the first set of images as the young child are grown up. With this in mind, the ageing makeup as not developed massively. The area around her eyes is darker but there are not many visible wrinkles or obviously worn-away skin. Her skin has more of a sheen than before, indicating a lack of makeup application but also a nod to her 'waxwork' reference in the book as the skin looks more wax-like. The most obvious change is the hair as it now has no shape. 

Miss Havisham's final scene is the most tragic of the whole series. Pip has forgiven her for the life she has created for him and as a result she sets herself free of torment and burns herself alive. She completes her costume with a veil, dead flowers and pages of old letters. Her makeup and hair stays the same as the photos above but the addition of a white veil and crown adds an element of the uncanny as she becomes ghost-like. Moments before she goes up in flames, you can her reflection in the mirror of a tired, decrepit woman trying to relive the last moment of happiness she can recall - her wedding day.

BBC's adaptation of Great Expectations was one I really enjoyed. The atmosphere of the show throughout was dreary and very reminiscent of the gothic era. I feel Gillian Anderson was cast very well as she bought Miss Havisham to life with a unearthly and unemotional portrayal. I admired the subtly of the makeup throughout but I do feel the change over a large period of years could've been more dramatic. The images of Miss Havisham in her death scene in a beautiful bridal outfit, almost hiding her time-worn appearance, is stunning to me and I would love to focus my design around this point in the story. This scene will fully allow me to explore what a life of misery can do to a woman physically and allow me to include her past in with the present character design with the bridal element (maybe by designing a traditional Victorian bridal hairstyle that is ratty and worn). This series has shown me how to create ageing HD makeup subtly and affectively as well as showing a deterioration of hair and how this ages someone. It has also inspired me to make sure my character has an ora about them by taking into account the costume and props to fully incapsulate the ghostly, waxwork, skeletal bridal figure Charles' Dickens created.