 
  Popularity: 5 (history)
| Director: | Peter Jackson | 
|---|---|
| Writer: | Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh | 
| Staring: | 
| Precocious teenager Juliet moves to New Zealand with her family and soon befriends the quiet, brooding Pauline through their shared love of fantasy and literature. This friendship gradually develops into an intense and obsessive bond. | |
| Release Date: | Sep 12, 1994 | 
|---|---|
| Director: | Peter Jackson | 
| Writer: | Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh | 
| Genres: | Fantasy, Drama | 
| Keywords | mother, obsession, literature, christchurch, based on true story, love, friends, murder, relationship, 1950s, romantic, tragic | 
| Production Companies | WingNut Films, Miramax, New Zealand Film Commission, Fontana Productions | 
| Box Office | Revenue: $3,049,135 Budget: $5,000,000 | 
| Updates | Updated: Jul 29, 2025 Entered: Apr 13, 2024 | 
| Name | Character | 
|---|---|
| Melanie Lynskey | Pauline Parker | 
| Kate Winslet | Juliet Hulme | 
| Sarah Peirse | Honorah Parker Rieper | 
| Diana Kent | Hilda Hulme | 
| Clive Merrison | Dr. Henry Hulme | 
| Simon O'Connor | Herbert Rieper | 
| Jed Brophy | John / Nicholas | 
| Peter Elliott | Bill Perry | 
| Gilbert Goldie | Dr. Bennett | 
| Geoffrey Heath | Rev. Norris | 
| Kirsti Ferry | Wendy | 
| Ben Skjellerup | Jonathan Hulme | 
| Darien Takle | Miss Stewart | 
| Elizabeth Moody | Miss Waller | 
| Liz Mullane | Mrs. Collins | 
| Moreen Eason | Mrs. Stevens | 
| Pearl Carpenter | Mrs. Zwartz | 
| Lou Dobson | Grandma Parker | 
| Jesse Griffin | Laurie | 
| Glen Drake | Steve | 
| Nic Farra | Boarder | 
| Chris Clarkson | Boarder | 
| Ray Henwood | Professor | 
| John Nicoll | Professor | 
| Michael Maxwell | Professor | 
| Raewyn Pelham | Laura | 
| Toni Jones | Agnes Ritchie | 
| Glenys Lloyd-Smith | Miss Digby | 
| Wendy Watson | Mrs. Bennett | 
| Jean Guérin | Orson Welles | 
| Stephen Reilly | Mario Lanza | 
| Andrea Sanders | Diello | 
| Ben Fransham | Charles | 
| Jessica Bradley | Pauline 5 Years | 
| Alex Shirtcliffe-Scott | Juliet 5 Years | 
| Barry Thomson | Farmer / Policeman | 
| Peter Jackson | Bum Outside Theater (uncredited) | 
| Name | Job | 
|---|---|
| Peter Jackson | Screenplay, Director | 
| Fran Walsh | Screenplay | 
| Jamie Selkirk | Post Production Supervisor, Editor | 
| Liz Mullane | Casting | 
| Ngila Dickson | Costume Design | 
| Peter Dasent | Original Music Composer | 
| Marjory Hamlin | Makeup Supervisor | 
| Honor Byrne | Production Manager | 
| Brian Scadden | Visual Effects | 
| Alun Bollinger | Director of Photography | 
| Bridget Bourke | Line Producer | 
| Meryl Cronin | Set Dresser | 
| Jill Cormack | Art Direction | 
| Cheryl Newton | Wigmaker | 
| Deb Watson | Makeup & Hair | 
| Graham Thompson | Unit Manager | 
| Grant Major | Production Design | 
| Name | Title | 
|---|---|
| Peter Jackson | Co-Producer | 
| Jim Booth | Producer | 
| Hanno Huth | Executive Producer | 
| Organization | Category | Person | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Cliff Curtis | Nominated | 
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 24 | 33 | 17 | 
| 2024 | 5 | 28 | 47 | 19 | 
| 2024 | 6 | 23 | 35 | 13 | 
| 2024 | 7 | 22 | 33 | 12 | 
| 2024 | 8 | 44 | 126 | 16 | 
| 2024 | 9 | 14 | 22 | 11 | 
| 2024 | 10 | 19 | 28 | 10 | 
| 2024 | 11 | 22 | 87 | 9 | 
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| 2025 | 1 | 14 | 22 | 10 | 
| 2025 | 2 | 12 | 16 | 3 | 
| 2025 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 1 | 
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| 2025 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 
| 2025 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 
| 2025 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 
| 2025 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 
| 2025 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 
Trending Position
Should be required viewing in Parenting 101 courses. And also for anyone who thinks conversion therapy for gender issues is the solution. This film was the first jewel in the crown of Peter Jackson, a truly creative director, with clear vision. We're not worthy. ...
**An excellent film that shows the talent of Peter Jackson and the strength and commitment of a magnificent duo of young actresses.** I really liked this film. Like the overwhelming majority of people, I didn't know about the real crime behind the story of this film, where the friendship between ... two teenagers turns into a sexual and romantic obsession and leads the two young women to kill the mother of one of them, in hope that they can run away or stay together. Directed by Peter Jackson, still a long way from dreaming that he would be as successful as “The Lord of the Rings”, the film is excellent and does a great job in terms of recreating the events and psychology of the two central characters. Of course, according to what I've read, the facts are not entirely clear as to the nature of the relationship the two girls had, but it seems quite clear that, at the very least, there was a very strong obsession between them and a certain dissociation from reality. , through the creation of a fantasy alternative world that functioned as an escape. The film shows us this clearly and manages to maintain a certain ambiguity where it seems most necessary. This was the debut film for young Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynksey. None of them seem exactly like newcomers or inexperienced in the cinematographic art, which can only be a revealing parameter of talent, and of the great qualities that both have revealed since then, most especially Winslet, who has dedicated more time to cinema and achieved a different level of recognition. In addition to them, we also have the excellent performances by Sarah Peirse, Clive Morrison and Diana Kent, in the role of three of the paternal figures. Technically, the film doesn't have any major problems. The pace is ideal, there are no dead moments or situations that seem to be too much or to have been stilted, and the editing is very good and well executed. The cinematography is excellent, with great color and light, particularly in the fantasy scenes, where we enter the fantastic world that these young women created for themselves. The sets are good and, together with the costumes, recreate the period portrayed with verisimilitude. The filming locations are magnificent, very well selected and used. The soundtrack is equally good.
I had no idea what this story was about. I had no idea what these girls were about. Great to put it all together and shocking to see them carry it out. And it happened. And one is an author...crazy. This is so crazy. The camera sure does lots of moves. ...