Pip suddenly begins to run out the graveyard but is grabbed by the escaped convict who was lurking behind him. Pip’s scream jogs the audiences’ thoughts of what will happen out of their head, making them jump slightly.
In my opinion, I don’t think the escaped convict is as realistic, in this version, as the prisoner in the BBC version, though, the close up of him threatening Pip was effective in creating tension because it lets the audience see him from Pip’s point of view.
I think that the part when Pip trips over when running out the graveyard should have been cut out because instead of adding tension, it makes the audience laugh, destroying the atmosphere that was created before Pip met the escaped convict.
When Pip finally arrives home, the audience meet Mrs Joe, Pip’s sister, for the first time. She hits him with ‘tickler’ and tells him off for being out for so long. This makes the audience feel sorry for Pip because of Mrs. Joes mean nature.
Before Pip steals the food he hides in his bed, the covers pulled over his head, hearing the prisoners promise that if he didn’t return with a file and whittles, he would get his so called ‘friend’ to eat his heart and liver. The high-pitched background music adds to the tension, making the audience uncertain if Pip will steal the food.
When he finally creeps down the stairs towards the larder, Pip imagines hearing someone whisper ‘wake up Mrs. Joe’, showing the audience how scared and guilty he feels from stealing from his sister.
In my opinion I think the BBC version is the better in creating tension than the David Lean film. This film is structured differently than the 1945 version, and shows Pip’s meeting with the escaped convict as flashbacks. I think this is more effective because the audience is forced to wait longer to see the convict, and because the scenes are in a different order, this makes the audience think more about what is happening.
The best scene in creating tension is the beginning when Pip is running away from the ‘mystery person’. The slow motion part was very effective, and Pip hiding behind the gravestone put the watcher on edge of their seat to see if he will get caught.
When Pip cries ‘Mummy’ when the convict finds him, the individuals who have read the book will immediately feel sorry for Pip, because they know that his parents are dead. Additionally, in the first scene with Mrs. Joe, we see she is very mean to Pip, so the audience realise why he screamed for his mum rather than his sister.
Just like in the David Lean version, the dark, cloudy weather adds to the atmosphere slightly.
Unlike the 1945 film, the actors and actresses have a Norfolk accent, making the BBC version slightly more realistic, because the book was set in East Anglia.
When Pip steals the food, the larder is very dim and gloomy, adding to the tense background created by the flashbacks, because the audience are on edge to know if Mrs. Joe will catch him.
In both films they show close ups of the convict threatening Pip, and portray Mrs. Joe as scary and evil, and in the background have the sun setting in the distance.
I think that the BBC version is more successful in creating tension than the 1945 version. I particularly thought the part when Pip was running away from the prisoner was effective because the audience don’t see the convict’s face, only the iron on his leg, and don’t see him properly until the flash backs. As well I think parts of the David Lean version were not successful (e.g Pip falling over) and I think that the escaped prisoner is scarier in the BBC version.
The BBC film would be more interesting to watch for the individuals who have read Great Expectations because the David Lean version follows the book exactly, only missing out a few minor parts. This would be boring if the audience have already read the book because they can predict exactly what happens, though, with the BBC version, it is very different and difficult to do so, making it more interesting.
Nevertheless, the BBC version is harder to follow because the audience need to think hard and piece together all the flashbacks to understand what happened.
After watching the opening scenes of both film versions of the book Great Expectations, the most successful in creating and atmosphere of tension is the 1997 BBC version.
