Great Expectations: 2011 TV Series

ESTELLA

Vanessa Kirby played the character of Estella in this recreation of Great Expectations, broadcast during 2011 from the BBC. In this production of Great Expectations, Estella has continued to have her trademark dark brown hair, though it looks almost black which in my own mind is how I envision her hair being coloured. The makeup applied to her is also very light and natural, only highlighting her beauty and not using it as a mask to hide behind.

When styling her hair as an adult, they left it rather loose so that curls of hair hang down the side by her ears, though personally I think it might be a little too loose and messy considering her upper class status in society, though for the time period having loose curls was very popular supporting that idea in the hairstyle.

I really like this version of Estella and think they’re done a very good job on the hair and makeup, this is very similar to how I have pictured Estella myself, though I would like to try doing a more elaborate hair style including braids and possibly flowers as this was considered to extend the beauty of woman past just her face.

MISS HAVISHAM

For this very of Great Expectations, Gillian Anderson played the role of Miss Havisham. I find this interpretation to portray Miss Havisham more as ‘the ghost of her former self’ she constantly refers to herself as, her whole appearance being very white and spirit-like, though her face and hands to show signs of withering, though this might just be their way of showing her decaying mind, increasing the withered look ever so slightly as continuing in the story, but the looks seems to follows the rules of symbolism more than realistic turn of events.

I really like how they have made her face look distorted by illness, dark sunken eyes and cracked lips showing she is not as all well and no longer cares for herself, I think the use of makeup here perfectly fits the character of Miss Havisham. Upon first meeting Miss Havisham in the series, I liked the hair design, the long flat roots made it seem like it has been styled many years ago and the curls which had been put in were growing out, but as the series progresses and there is a large time skip, this doesn’t change and the roots remain the same length which in reality they would not as the hair would grow more, moving the curls down. They also didn’t include the flowers and veil, so although I originally liked the look, as I continued watching I found myself discovering more and more problems with it.

Despite my problems with the hair style, I do really like how they used makeup to show her ill and withering body, and will be taking inspiration from how they have created her sunken eyes and cracking lips, I think these features are very prominent and match her character perfectly.