Why The Innocents Is One Of Martin Scorsese’s Favorite Horror Films – /Film

Scorsese's list features classics like Robert Wise's "The Haunting" at number one, and some more obscure picks, like Val Lewton's "Isle Of The Dead" at number two. Considering Scorsese's Catholic upbringing, it shouldn't surprising that "The Exorcist" comes in at number eight. So, what is it that earns "The Innocents" a place on the list?

"This Jack Clayton adaptation of 'The Turn of the Screw' is one of the rare pictures that does justice to Henry James," wrote Scorsese."It's beautifully crafted and acted, immaculately shot (by Freddie Francis), and very scary." Scorsese's review may be brief, but it still highlights some points of interest. One is his opening reference to the film's source material, "The Turn of the Screw," which helps contextualize the power of "The Innocents."

"The Turn Of The Screw" was serialized in Collier's Weekly from January to April 1898, and packaged as a novella in October that year. The story takes place at the British Blyestate and is recounted in the form of a journal left by a former governess. The governess, assigned to watch over two children, Miles and Flora, came to believe the grounds were haunted. 124 years on, the work has been adapted to film and television numerous times, most recently as the 2019 Netflix mini-series "The Haunting Of Bly Manor." Even as other adaptations fade from memory, "The Innocents" endures. Let's dig into why.

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Why The Innocents Is One Of Martin Scorsese's Favorite Horror Films - /Film