The Infant Kiss

[stevev@greylady.uoregon.edu (Steve VanDevender)]

Gord Locke (glocke@morgan.ucs.mun.ca):
>	Also, someone mentioned that The Infant Kiss is inspired by a
>movie / book.  Which one?

First, there was Henry James's _The Turn of the Screw_.  I
actually read this in one of my high school English classes; it
is not terribly exciting.  In fact, our entire class teased the
teacher about sexual repression for the rest of the year because
of it, since it was the theme he thought was most prominent in
the book.

Then there was a film adaptation called _The Innocents_, which I
have not seen.  However, I did see Chris William's video for "The
Infant Kiss" composed of clips from the movie; it was really
quite appropriate.  I believe the movie is what inspired Kate to
do the song.

Both the book and the movie are about a governess sent to take
care of a young boy and girl; the children appear to be possessed
by the ghosts of people who used to work on the estate where they
live.  In particular I recall that the boy is supposed to be
possessed by the spirit of a former gardener, and therefore does
some suggestive things around the governess.  It is not entirely
clear whether the governess is insane and imagines all this
(hence the sexual repression theme) or whether something
supernatural is happening.