Why modern day filmmakers are still drawn to 17th century England
almost 4 years in The guardian
Thomas Clay’s Fanny Lye Deliver’d, starring Maxine Peake, showcases an era of fighting for freedom and furiously challenging the status quo
A nation divided and thrown into chaos, the old regime under threat, new dreams of freedom, equality and justice checked by violent oppression masquerading as righteousness. No, not today; I’m talking about 17th-century England, one of the most febrile times in British history, and one of the most cinematic, too.
Thomas Clay’s new movie, Fanny Lye Deliver’d, reminds us of that. Set in 1657, during Oliver Cromwell’s reign, this artful little siege horror brings a runaway couple (Freddie Fox and Tanya Reynolds) into the Puritan household of Charles Dance’s John Lye and his servile wife, Fanny (Maxine Peake). The fusion of earthy rural splendour, monochrome garb, blade-assisted violence and exuberantly oversized hats brings to mind 70s folk horrors such as Witchfinder General and The Blood on Satan’s Claw, but Fanny Lye wants to talk about the ideas, too. Continue reading...
Who is popular today?
