Penny Dreadful Film Analysis

In the cable television series Penny Dreadful there are many unconventional characters drawn together by Sir Malcom Murray who creates this task force in order to rescue his daughter Mina. This group contains one of the main characters Vanessa Ives (Eva Green), the no-so-romantic heroine. The audience is also exposed to the eccentric Dorian Grey who is an outsider to the group. Vanessa and Dorian are drawn to each other because they both desire the unobtainable- themselves. They cannot have each other because Vanessa has to stay composed for fear of exposing her demons, and Dorian is indulgent in all aspects of life which could potentially bring out her demons she fights to repress. However, they are still drawn to each other. The typically …show more content…
In this scene the sexual tension is just as prevalent as in their previous meeting. Dorian Grey and Vanessa Ives meet perchance in a greenhouse museum. The scene starts off with Vanessa spotting Dorian as she’s sitting on a bench in the park. The distant angle makes it seem as if Vanessa is stalking him pensively with her eyes. Also, this angle reveals Dorian through a fence, the way Vanessa may see him, closed off or even unobtainable. Going after what she cannot have, she follows him. She then continues to observe him from behind plants in this greenhouse, in a creepy way, lurking behind bushes. Vanessa becomes fixated on watching him observe these plants, she is clearly mesmerized. When Vanessa finally approaches Dorian, the camera becomes fixed on him as he is indulging himself in smelling an orchid when he is interrupted by Vanessa’s voice softly speaking his name. Not the least bit startled, Dorian smiles calmly and tells her what a pleasure it is to have her there almost as if he had been expecting her. Everything Dorian says further entraps her. It seems as if Vanessa, who normally is extremely composed, doesn’t know how to act around Dorian. She who is educated and not easily flattered cannot seem to get over the presence of Mr. Grey. The scene continues as Dorian is not satisfied with the shallow observation that Vanessa makes of this purple flower. …show more content…
They both are seeking different things from each other. Dorian is so interested in Vanessa because he knows that she has a secret, and his entire endeavor in life is to obtain the unobtainable. He receives everything he could ever hope for through his wealth and good looks, thus the unobtainable is the only thing that has the possibility of intriguing him. She also represses herself from him to avoid the consequence, but she can’t help herself she wants to learn more about the fascinating Dorian Grey. For example, when in the very first scene when they are introduced when she tries to resist his hand. She fears the outcome of their relationship, even if as friends. When there are clues to Vanessa’s secret revealed in the third episode during the séance, where Dorian shows some fear at Vanessa’s possession, yet he still seems to be more interested in figuring her out. He thrives off of finding new experiences and feelings. Unlike Vanessa who has to fight all source of temptation, which is why Dorian wants her, he wants to find out who she really is. The reason why when she tries to pull away he grasps her hand before she can move