Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears Review

Warning: Contains Spoilers!

Today I had the pleasure of attending a preview of Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears. From the get go the movie was an action filled adventure set against stunning back drops that saw our heroine sleuth in a series of stunning yet highly impractical outfits.

The adventure begins when Phryne frees a young Bedouin girl, Shirin Abbas from her unjust imprisonment in Jerusalem. The pair escape the city in a high speed chase that culminates in them jumping onto a train to escape.

Safely back in London at the home of Phryne's cousin Lord Lofthouse, Phryne promises to get to the bottom of a decade old mystery and find the truth behind the slaughter and suspicious disappearance of Shirin's forgotten tribe. As even Shirin's Uncle, Sheikh Kahlil Abbas does not believe her tale of her tribes slaughter and her escape.

Phryne begins to unravel a decade-old mystery concerning priceless emeralds, ancient curses and family secrets.

Essie Davies puts in an immaculate performance as the lady detective and Rupert Penry-Jones is the epitome of an English gentleman as Phryne's cousin Jonathon Lofthouse.

With its ancient artifacts, curses, tattoos that double as maps the movie has the fun and frivolous feel of a classic adventure tale. However there are certain elements that come off as somewhat corny including some cliche dialogue that fans of the series will probably enjoy.  The movie has a budget feel of a Saturday matinee with Melbourne's Rippon Lea Estate doubling as a London Manor house and some of the backdrops blurred to avoid costly CGI.

Whilst fans of the series will no doubt love the movie this Phryne fan was left a little underwhelmed by this somewhat insipid offering and would love to see a bigger budget, more polished production. I did not dislike the film but it definitely had more of the feel of an extended episode than a feature length film. Perhaps after all the anticipation of the movies release I had set my expectations a little too high as I found the movie pleasant but it failed to wow me.

Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears is out on general release tomorrow! 

Behind the Scenes of Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears

Screen Australia have released this fabulous behind the scenes look at Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears which include some clip of some fantastic Phryne outfits!

Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears Australian Premiere

The first Australian premiere of Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears was held in Sydney February 20 at the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace following its fantastic reception at its world premiere at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

More than 1,200 people including numerous Phryne Fisher look-alikes flocked to the sold-out premiere of Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears at the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace on Thursday night.

Essie Davis and Nathan Page spoke at each of the three public sessions – where applause erupted from the opening scene – and at two VIP/media screenings.

Davis told fans it is a joy to play the character and if enough people pay to see the film “it will give us the opportunity to make more.”

Among the emotional responses, one woman told the producer, Every Cloud Productions’ Fiona Eagger and writer/executive producer Deb Cox, that watching the TV series had “saved her life.”

She did not elaborate but Cox surmises that many women feel “invisible” and depressed and can draw strength from Phyrne.

One young woman told Eagger and Cox she watched the TV show with her mother and grandmother, who has dementia, and that was the only time when all three women can connect.

The Orpheum charged $35 per ticket, including a glass of bubbly, and will allocate two screens and maximum sessions to the Tony Tilse-directed murder-mystery/adventure/romance when it opens next Thursday via Roadshow.

The cinema’s general manager Alex Temesvari says fans started to line-up two hours before the doors opened.

“Logistically it was the biggest night we’ve ever run at the Orpheum,” he tells IF. “We’ve hosted many high profile premieres and Q&As over the years but never on so many screens.

“I am really proud of the team for pulling it all off so smoothly. Advance sales for the season are really healthy.”

Davis and Page will host a Q&A screening at Event Cinemas Bondi Junction tonight and attend the Melbourne premiere on Sunday night at the Village Rivoli.

The plot follows Miss Fisher as she frees young Bedouin girl Shirin Abbas (2016 VCA graduate Isabella Yella), who had been unjustly imprisoned in Jerusalem. The stylish sleuth then begins to unravel a WW1 mystery involving a priceless jewel, ancient curses and the disappearance of Shirin’s tribe.

Phyrne’s search takes her to London where she stays with Lord and Lady Lofthouse (Daniel Lapaine, Jacqueline McKenzie) and Lofthouse’s younger brother Jonathon (Rupert Penry-Jones).

Reprising their roles are Ashleigh Cummings as Dorothy ‘Dot’ Collins, Miriam Margolyes as Aunt Prudence Stanley and Hugo Johnstone-Burt as Constable Hugh Collins.

In the US the film will screen in about a dozen cities including the Alamo Drafthouse chain before the March 23 premiere on streaming platform Acorn TV.

Eagger says the US cinemas will extend the season after the Acorn premiere if there is sufficient demand.

The Melbourne premiere will be held tonight at the Village Cinemas Rivoli:

 

The film will be released in Australia by Roadshow Films February 27, 2020

Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears Film Update

Its been a while since I brought you an update about Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears so I thought it was about time. The film is currently being made in Morocco

Tony Tilse is directing the movie scripted by Deb Cox and produced by her Every Cloud Productions’ partner Fiona Eagger. Lucy Maclaren is co-producer.

The plot sees the heroine set off from 1920s Melbourne on adventures involving murder, mystery and mayhem from London to British Palestine. After freeing Shirin Abbas, a young Bedouin girl (Australian newcomer Izabella Yena) from her unjust imprisonment in Jerusalem, Miss Fisher begins to unravel a decade-old mystery concerning priceless emeralds, ancient curses and the truth behind the suspicious disappearance of Shirin’s forgotten tribe.

Jacqueline McKenzie and Daniel Lapaine are playing a quintessentially British aristocratic couple, Lord and Lady Lofthouse who are old friends of ’ Phryne. Lapaine’s character Lord ‘Lofty’ Lofthouse is described as a man of easygoing charm, the product of generations of wealthy British aristocracy, who served as a high-ranking officer in the Palestinian and Sinai campaigns of World War One. His late parents knew Phyrne’s Aunt Prudence (Miriam Margolyes).

His devoted wife Lady Eleanor is attractive, elegant and civilised. Over the years she too formed a close friendship with Prudence.

Brit Rupert Penry-Jones is First Lieutenant Jonathon Lofthouse, who is more reserved than his older brother Lofty and carries a heavy guilt after serving in WW1. His life has been a house of cards built on a terrible secret since he returned from service in the Middle East.

The ensemble cast includes John Stanton, William Zappa, Ian Bliss and Los Angeles-based Egyptian Kal Naga.

Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries Film Update

Exciting news Phryne fans, Essie Davis and Nathan Page were in Melbourne recently to talk to the Every Cloud Productions team about the latest Miss Fisher instalment; feature film Miss Fisher & The Crypt of Tears. They were both given advanced copies of the film script but the company arr still trying to raise funds to make the movie!