Monday, 19 January 2015

Great Expectations 2011 BBC Mini Series



Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham

The skin looks pale and has grey tones which make the character look almost dead as there are no warm, healthy tones in her complexion. This also makes Miss Havisham appear to look like a ghost or a ghost of her former self as if the Miss Havisham that was looking forward to getting married has been replaced and she is now a shadow of her former self. The contouring that is used is very subtle and blended in well to make the face look shallower, like when someone dies there skin loses moisture and therefore sinks back into the face.

The eye make-up is soft and the grey tones around the eye area make her look very tired as she has ‘bags’ under her eyes. In contrast the eyebrows are strongly defined with a darker colour which draws attention to the eye area which is useful when acting. It also contrasts with the skin and therefore makes the skin look even paler and more like a ghost. Eyeliner has been used to discreetly define the eyes without it being obvious that the actress is wearing a lot of eye make-up.

The lips are very pale and grey in colour making them look lifeless. The lack of pink tones that there should be in her lips add to this look further. The overall look of the make-up reminds me of marble statues because of the tones used and the soft contouring that is used to define the facial features.

The hair is white with grey under tones which work with the make-up to create a ghost or statue like appearance. The hair has neat curls in a style that would have been popular at the time for brides yet has become slightly dishevelled which makes her look less like a bride. The hair frames the face and so the focus of the viewer’s attention remains on Gillian’s face and so the focus stays on her acting.

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