| Heavenly Creatures | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Peter Jackson |
| Written by | Fran Walsh Peter Jackson |
| Produced by | Jim Booth Peter Jackson |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Alun Bollinger |
| Edited by | Jamie Selkirk |
| Music by | Peter Dasent |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Miramax International |
Release date |
|
Running time | 99 minutes[1] 109 minutes (Director's cut) |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $5 million[2] |
| Box office | $5.4 million[3][4] |
Heavenly Creatures is a 1994 New Zealand biographical film directed by Peter Jackson, from a screenplay he co-wrote with his partner, Fran Walsh. It stars Melanie Lynskey and Kate Winslet in their feature film debuts, with Sarah Peirse, Diana Kent, Clive Merrison and Simon O'Connor in supporting roles. The film blends elements of various genres, such as period drama, crime, psychological thriller, romance, and fantasy.
Based on the notorious Parker–Hulme murder case, Heavenly Creatures examines the relationship between two teenage girls—Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme—which culminates in the premeditated killing of Parker's mother. The story's events span the period from the girls' first meeting in 1952 to the carrying out of the crime, which took place in Christchurch, New Zealand on 22 June 1954.
Heavenly Creatures debuted at the Venice Film Festival in September 1994, where it was awarded the Silver Lion. It went on to receive widespread critical acclaim, becoming one of the best-received films of that year. Reviewers praised most aspects of the production, with particular attention given to the work of the previously unknown Lynskey and Winslet, as well as Jackson's directing. The film received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay in 1995.
- ^ "Heavenly Creatures (18)". British Board of Film Classification. 3 January 1995. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
- ^ "Heavenly Creatures (1994)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
- ^ "Film box office report". Variety. 22 November 1994. p. 6.
- ^ Evans, Greg (22 November 1994). "'To Live' enlivens, 'Creatures' comforts exclu auds". Variety. p. 8.