'Hauntings of the Heart' a new costume drama that's breaking all the rules
'Hauntings of the Heart' is scintillating and modern new costume drama currently in development. Crystal Nicole Marcano, the writer/producer of the film, wants to make a costume drama that appeals to today's audience and strives to defy the conventions that the classic period movie.
“I want to challenge the idea that costume dramas are stuffy and boring. I want to vamp it up, make it more modern and exciting, while still saying true to the integrity of the costume drama genre. It's a glimpse into the Victorian era, but we’re loosening the corsets so to speak.”
The film also intends to portray strong female characters - “that aren't necessarily well behaved or sexually repressed or needy or weak. The strength and complexity of a woman is universal, but also something that is rarely portrayed in modern films much less in period dramas.”
'Hauntings of the Heart' is a film about love, lies, and scandal all within the context of a murder mystery. It's been described as a “love story, and a ghost story.” It is also the coming of age story of a young woman named Emily caught in the whirlwind of scandals and secrets in Victorian era society. But though the story is centered on this character, she isn't necessarily the protagonist.
“Without giving too much away, the character Emily is the centerpiece of the film being that the story is told through her point of view, so she's the protagonist in that sense. But she is also unwittingly the cause of the conflicts that kickstart and drive the plot, and in that sense she is also an antagonist. The story is just as much hers as it is Victor Worthington's, who is at first glance a villain but also an antihero. So really, the story has 2 protagonists. I'm pretty much breaking all the rules with this film.”
What do you want audiences to take away from the film?
“'Hauntings of the Heart' is a love letter to the classic costume drama, but it's also unconventional in every way. It's smart, it's sexy, and it's a lot of fun. We're incorporating the Steampunk trend into the film, especially with the costumes. It's also got the elements of gothic horror and the classic 'whodunnit' murder mystery, very Sherlock Holmes style. And of course, at the center of it all is a love story. I'm hoping the film definitely keeps viewers on their toes and challenges their expectations and preconceptions of what the costume drama is, and can be.”
