Century Falls- Cult TV Series Review

I go through weird flights of fancy as I fall down rabbit holes of interests but this might be me at my most niche: children television shows from the early 90s written by Russell T. Davies. Davies is a name synonymous with modern British television as he is known for his amazing work on shows like Doctor Who and Queer as Folk. However, before he conquered the small screen, he crafted a series of intriguing children's programs, one of which is the lesser-known gem, Century Falls.

Century Falls is pretty creepy, especially for a ‘kids show’.

I fell down this particular wormhole after I'd discovered Dark Season, a 6 part 1991 kids show that looked at the strange sci-fi tinged adventures of a trio of teens in a secondary school. Reading the comments, I saw some people speak of Davies' other spooky kids show called Century Falls, so I thought I'd give that a go.

The 6 part series tells the story of a pregnant mother and her teen daughter, Tess, who move to the quiet village of Century Falls. They find it to be a very strange place indeed as there seems to be a sadness which seems to be linked to a religious ceremony that went wrong 40 years prior. It seems that a curse on the place has meant that no children have been born since that time.

As Tess gets to know the two other visiting children in the village (Ben and Carey) she finds that Ben has special powers which are linked to the eponymous waterfalls nearby. But why are the children all here at the same time and for what purpose? Is it fated or chance? That is the central conceit of this mystery/ folk tale.

The story is intriguing and, whilst I did not recognise any of the cast, all very earnestly and pretty consistently acted. It has that folk tale premise of an isolated community, pagan rituals, and the unsettling presence of the supernatural. The village of Century Falls itself seems to be a character, with its own history and secrets. This adds an extra layer of depth and intrigue to the story.

It's all very engaging stuff and, in places, quite spooky like when the gathering (seance) happens in the second episode. 5:10pm on the BBC might be a bit spicy for this Wicker Man style mystery... Lucky, no-one is sacrificed for a good harvest in a burning effigy but there is an intriguing golden masked figure who seems to have evil intentions upon the world who appears in a temple of fire.

Davies has similar thematic grounding in Dark Season and Century Falls as both deal with encountering the unknown, teenage angst, coming of age and challenging authority and systems of power.

Overall, I liked both series but preferred Dark Seasons more as the script was lighter and more relatable. However, for the curious Century Falls is a show well worth checking out.

LINK- Dark Season Cult TV Series Review

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LINK- Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- Children of the Stones: Cult TV Series Review

Dark Season- Cult TV Series Review

Dark Season is a 6 part series that aired in 1991 on the BBC but I never saw it at the time, only finding it recently whilst falling down the YouTube rabbit hole of weird British children's programmes from the 70s to 90s.

The show is about a trio of teenagers in a secondary school who understand something strange is going on within their school. In the first three episodes, the story arc is about an apparent philanthropist who donates computers for each pupil. So far so sweet, but when an EMP wave hits the school the kids get together to thwart a plan to take control of their minds.

In the second three episodes, an apparent archaeological dig on school grounds unearth a tomb of the Behemoth, a monster of lore. Ms. Pendragon and her blonde haired blue eyed crew of Neo-Nazis seek to revive the creature and create a New World Order. But, is the monster real and what are its abilities?

Dark Season is an very watchable series with a strange mix of inspirations: from the Dr. Whoesque opening credit scene, the Lovecraftian plot and a surreal sense of quirkiness in the vein of The Prisoner or Scooby Doo- Dark Season is quite creepy for a kids show.

Considering the limited budget that this show obviously had, it does well by create likable characters in an adventure story you can get behind. This is the first appearance of Kate Winslet and she does a good job of it as Reet, a tom-boyish character with a great sense of gallows humour. However, the standout is Marcie, excellently played by Victoria Lambert, the kooky teen who looks at life a little askew but is prescient in her thoughts. She carries a paddle in case, things go a bit ‘up creek.’ She doesn't always understand the world but does her bit to save it, making her a sympathetic individual who isn't all clean cut heroine material. The teacher, played by Brigit Forsyth is marvellous in her role as the unwitting supporter of the trio. She plays the role of Scully to Marie's Mulder well but becomes game each time when the truth is revealed.

I have no nostalgia for the show as I never saw it on release but I really enjoyed my time with it. It reminded me of early the revival of Dr. Who and it was upob looking further that I saw Russell T. Davis was the writer.

Also, whilst not an influence (as it came out several years later) Eldritch looks like Wesker from Resident Evil, with his sharply flat shock of blonde hair, black sunglasses and long trench coat. Grant Parsons does a great job of making Eldritch sinister and an almost anime-like villain. I wonder if Shinji Mikami was a fan of the series…

Recently, a 13 part radio show was created and the original crew returned, including Kate Winslet. It's an extraordinary victory lap for a cult show that not many people watched but those who did loved it intensely.

Yeti- Bonus Episode (Hair Sample DNA Tested)

A while ago, I mentioned that I was listening to a podcast with an intriguing premise: to find the Yeti. Two friends, Andrew Benfield (the believing Mulder of the pair) and Richard Horsey (the cynical Scully of the pair) were investigating the yeti. Over 10 episodes, Benfield talked about the origins of his interest in the yeti whilst the two were schlepping off to numerous Himalayan countries and following old clues and sightings to see if they could get to the truth.

I had issues with it is that any little clue was presented in an over the top 'OMG!' way by the believer; it got rather grating when it is debunked or evidence to the contrary is given. It was not as ridiculously contrived as 'Most Haunted' or that ilk of programme but the 'I want to believe' shtick was definitely there. The fact that the expedition was being closely followed by the Royal Geographical Society means that it has the approval of academia but still.. a pinch of salt would help.

The most fascinating part for me was that it placed the sightings and events into a chronological history and this was a fascinating insight into the evolution of this cryptid. As a former student of anthropology, it made me consider the relationship between folklore, mythologies and the sprititualismof the area.

The finale of the series, where they had found some hair from the ‘yeti’, had yet to be revealed but I was not expecting much from this grand reveal which kind of reminded me of Jeremy Kyle envelope opening, after the break of course. So, on the 10th October 2023 the reveal happened and, whilst I won't spoil it here, the fact that you haven't see the Yeti's face all over Time magazine as Cryptid of the Year or had The Sun release an exclusive interview with the woman who apparently had a love child with the creature should tell you that it didn't go to plan.

Overall, this is an interesting thought experiment but works less well as a 10 part series. The fact that it ends with the typical, 'There are different ways of thinking about the creature, for the West it's a search for a physical creature whereas for much of the area where the yeti has been sighted, it is a mystical creature who is symbolic of their spirituality and our connectedness to nature' shtick is aggravating.

This finale pretty much sums up the orientalism that the topic is dealt with and it doesn't sit right with me. Anyways, if you have an interest in the topic as a whole go for it but if you want a Western man trying to go on a modern Grand Tour and be a bit 'I've read The Alchemist so I'm profound now' then this is for you.

LINK: Kolchak: The Night Stalker- Cult TV Series Review

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LINK- My One True Gaming Constant in Life- Nintendo

LINK- On, and On and Colston (Or, ‘How We Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism in GB’)

LINK- ‘Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire’

LINK: Let’s All Create a ‘New Normal’.

Ghost Stories for Christmas- Cult TV Series Review

During the late 1960s and 70s, the BBC had a reputation for producing some genuine yuletide scares with its Ghost Stories for Christmas series, which ran from 1968 to 1978 initially. This original wave of films were fondly remembered and kept cropping up whenever I did any research on cult television series to watch. So, I bit the bullet and bought the 6 disc definitive collection.

Whistle and I'll Come to You (1968)
A professor of philosophy goes for a holiday by the seaside and enjoys brisk walks, fresh salty air and theological chats with fellow guests about the physical realm. He doesn't believe in ghosts or the supernatural but, whilst on a walk near a graveyard he comes across a flute inscribed in Latin, which changes everything.
The short film is a concise 45 minutes and there is very little dialogue; it's all about mood and the economy of design that creates the tension. The black and white print certainly cranks up the atmosphere and the lead, played phenomenally well by Michael Hordern, certainly sells this spooky tale of a slightly arrogant man taken aback by inexplicable forces. The special effects, which are simple and thus still effective even in this modern age, makes this a rightly considered classic of horror.

Whistle and I'll Come to You (2010)
This keeps to the same premise of the original but this time gives the professor a wife who is suffering from dementia. He considers Life, the Universe and Everything and contemplates the fragility of the human body and whether our spirits live on. As he leaves his wife in a care home and goes on holiday to contemplate such matters, he goes to the beach and makes a discovery of a ring inscribed in Latin with 'Who is this who is coming?' The story then plays similarly to the original film but has a different and more emotionally impactful denouement, in my humble opinion.
John Hurt is in the main role and, like always, plays it magnificently. He embodies the world-weary everyman who suffers from guilt about leaving his wife in a care home whilst having a respite break, all whilst contemplating his own mortality. The slow-burn pacing and immaculate sound design make this a worthy modern retelling of the much admired original.

The Stalls of Barchester (1971)
Whilst cataloguing a cathedral's library collection, an archivist is shown a locked chest which contains some forbidden text kept secret by the old, long-dead Dean. What is uncovered is a diary recounting the story of the Dean's rise to power. And so, we have a back and forth between the present time in 70s Britain and a flashback to a hundred years before that where the Archdeacon died in an accident... or so it seems.
The story of a diary telling the present day reader the truth of the past is not a new one but is done effectively here; the guilt consumes the perpetrator of the heinous act. The acting is solid and features a few cast members I recognise from elsewhere including Hyacinth Bucket's husband in Keeping Up Appearances and Mavis from Coronation Street.

A Warning to the Curious (1972)
The myth of the three crowns of Anglia, where as long as they remain undisturbed the county would not be conquered, starts off this tale of dread. As antiquarians excavate the land and get ever closer to the last crown, a malevolent entity/ person seeks to stop them. Up pops amateur archaeologist, played with suitable heft by Peter Vaughan, who is hot on the trail of the treasure. When he finds it and tries to escape with it out of the village a ghostly presence stalks him.
This is a pretty spooky story due to the fact that much of it happens in the woods. The director luxuriates in the bleak quietness of the land and this marinates the story with an unsettling atmosphere. It's a great story, well translated into short film with deft acting by Vaughan.

Lost Hearts (1973)
An orphaned lad is taken in by an eccentric lord. As the tween's birthday draws near, on Halloween night no less, the learned gentleman, who has a keen was interest in the esoteric, seems to be taking an unhealthy interest in the boys health. The boy meanwhile has sightings of a young boy and girl who are missing their hearts. What malevolent intent do they have?
This is an interesting tale which hints at child abuse and neglect; it's quite tame but the predatory undertone is there. Thankfully, it's more wholesome than that with the old codger merely trying to take the youthful life essence of the child. It's very well shot and the creepy hurdy-gurdy music adds an extra layer of spookiness.

The Treasure of Abbot Thomas (1974)
When a scholarly clergyman and his young protege undertake a quest to find the lost gold of an old cleric from many centuries ago, they follow his clues in a Da Vinci Code-esque adventure. This is a rather more staid affair but no less thrilling in a Victorian/ Edwardian way.
This was one of my favorite tales as I liked following the cryptic clues to it's inevitably spooky conclusion. There is a price to pay for disturbing the treasure and it comes right at the end, cutting away at the denouement. The final 'monster' is very disappointing, looking like a muddy puddle, but the rest of the production is spot on.

The Ash Tree (1975)
A young squire becomes lord of the manor after his old uncle dies. He finds it a wonderful place and renovates it in an Italian style. He deems to make other amendments including disturbing a sole grave, marking the spot of old lady Mothersole who was tried as a witch long ago, so he can have a pew placed for his wife to be and their future offspring. Through flashbacks we see the fate of Mothersole and the hanging of an innocent old woman. The past and present merge as we see the family curse is still in effect.
This is an intriguing story about the past affecting the future. The conclusion is suitably spooky and highly symbolic of the power of women.

This marked the end of the M. R. James adaptations and what followed were from a variety of authors and from different time periods.

The Signalman (1976)
A rambler comes across a train signalman and the two bond. The signalman confides in him some ghostly goings on but the portents of doom continue. What can it all mean?
This is a Charles Dickens tale but it suits the theme quite well as it is still a scary ghost story about premonition, fate and fear of the unknown. Elliot Denholm is exceptional in this as the haunted man who has a deep sense of duty but also a creeping dread of things to come as the ghosts in the machine take hold.

Stigma (1977)
When a family move into a new cottage in the country, they try to relocate a huge stone that is in the garden. Upon it's lifting, the mother finds herself constantly bleeding. What is the cause and will the family survive?
This is a jarring change of pace as it is set in the present (for the time at least, it's the 70s) and the setting is more modern. It features a mum, dad and teenage girl dealing with a move and the unnatural goings on. I liked it but it's not as immediately interesting as the more period pieces.

The Ice House (1978)
The story starts in a sauna (one of my favourite places, so that got me immediately interested) and follows a man's journey at an exclusive resort. He enjoys the company of the brother-sister team who maintain the property and the scent of flowers but is unsettled by their demeanour and the locked ice house. What follows of a murder mystery as a body is discovered.
I've really enjoyed this story of a man finding peace and solace at a spa guesthouse, only to fall into a plot featuring the ice house and the sinister siblings. It's slightly strange and not much happens but it is quietly effective.

There was then a huge gap of about 25 years and then the next two stories come along. Of the first wave, I have to say that I loved them. The thing that comes through in all these productions is the silence; they are not afraid to be quiet to let the mood or the gravity of the situation take precedence over the dialogue or inane prattling that many films nowadays struggle with. Also, the period costume detail is on point and, even though on a tight budget, the economy of design lends the whole thing an air of authenticity; it doesn't come across as a polished costume drama but rather rough and ready Edwardian period pieces with some 60s design thrown in.

A View From a Hill (2005)
An archaeologist visits a country pile to evaluate the collection of the hier's father, an amateur archaeologist who discovered many an object. Whilst going for a walk, he spies a church tower but on closer inspection it seems to vanish. Looking through the artefacts he comes across a sketching of said tower, but apparently it was dissolved by Henry VIII centuries ago. What is happening? Maybe the camera obscura-type binoculars can help?
This is a modern production and so benefits from a clearer image and better sound quality. The M. R. James story itself is intriguing and contains that feeling of unease that his best work contains- a man intrudes on the locals with their ways and a land not his own and struggles. The scene in the woods is particularly spooky and intriguing whilst the glimpse into the past is wonderfully portrayed but tinged with a danger of forbidden sight.

Number 13 (2006)
A college man visits a small village to look through a trove of paperwork and artefacts hidden within a hole in the church wall. One night he finds a hidden manuscript with strange markings and has a Hieronymous Bosch 'Garden of Earthly Delights' -type horrific nightmare piece. There is a mystery linked to room 13 at the man's lodgings and a link to an unliked bishop.
This is a suitably moody piece and the dark subject matter is well covered with beautiful piano music complementing the well - shot, dark film. The finale is suitably scary with a proper jump scare rather than a whole ‘It's left up to you’ denouements. As a statement of intent, this story is a highlight of the renewed Ghost Stories series.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching these films over the course of several weeks; the productions were well produced and added an edge of darkness to what can be an unremitting sugary, syrupy time. The genuine shivers some of these films sent down my spine shows the potency, even some 50 years after their time.

The Watch House- Cult TV Series Review

British children’s television series during the late 70 right up to the late 80s period were quite interesting; slightly spooky but not too spooky, with a tinge of creeping dread. I'd never heard of ‘The Watch House’ but, had heard it mentioned in the same tones as Moondial, Children of the Stones and The Owl Service. Just hearing it mentioned with those greats had me interested and so, over the course of an evening, I watched all three 30 minute episodes.

The story is quite simple:
Following the difficult break-up of her parents, young teen Ann is left to stay with friends of the family at an old life-brigade watch-house. Whilst cleaning it up, she realises that the place is haunted but what is the spirit (or spirits) trying to tell her?

No-one does creepy folk horror quite like the British and this sort-of ghost story is effectively produced, featuring lots of location shoots that add some sense of place and atmosphere to proceedings. For a 1988 production, I can imagine it costing quite a bit but the shoot really adds a gorgous setting in which to set-up this ghost story. The special effects are obviously dated and we're made on a limited budget but, when the shipshead comes alive and the flashback of the ghosts is revealed, they are effective.

Whilst some of the adult actors do come across as quite hammy and theatrical, and some of the child actors precocious to the point of annoying, the whole thing generally works. Sure the story is quite basic and doesn't linger in the memory like the shows that left their endings more open (such as Children of the Stones), but what we do have is a short serial with a feisty female protagonist (played by Diana Morrison) trying to get to the bottom of a mystery.

As an adult with no nostalgia for this show, it is pretty forgettable but I don't feel like I wasted my time on this. Not every show has to be an all-time classic and this is pretty basis but effective enough.

LINK- Dead of Night: Cult TV Review

LINK- The Stone Tapes: Cult TV Review

LINK- Tom’s Midnight Garden: Cult TV Review

LINK- Children of the Dogstar: Cult TV Series Review

LINK- On And On And Colston ( Or, How We Kinda Sort of Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism and the British Empire)

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- Pure Invention- Book Review

LINK- God of War: Ragnarok- Videogames As Art

Children of the Stones- BBC Podcast Drama Review

The ‘Children of the Stones’ audio podcast is a modern retelling of the classic spooky 1977 children's series and book. I watched the original series in 2015 after hearing lots of people talking about how wonderful and scary the series was and how formative it was in their childhood so I thought if give it a go. I wasn't disappointed and became an instant fan. The general premise is simple- an archaeometrist (person who looks at carbon dating, mathematics and other data to study historical objects and sites) and his teenage son move to Milbury, a village framed by an ancient stone circle. Over the course of a few weeks the new visitors discover that the town is hiding a dark secret and things are not as they seem as people seem unnaturally happy and cheerful (Yup Toto, we were not in Barking anymore)

The original show dealt with heady concepts like time loops, predetermination and time travel but what really got me was the eerie atmosphere and the sense of unease. I was surprised it was a show aimed at kids as it is genuinely unnerving and gets under your skin. So it was with some excitement (and some trepidation) that I listened to the new audio production; would the drama podcast be as good as the series?

Well, the high calibre of voice acting and moody sound design meant that the creeping dread of the original series has been retained. The sonorous, cacophonous sound design gives the whole podcast an unsettling atmosphere which is perfect for the subject matter of old world magic and eldritch otherwordly beings- it drew me right into the world of Milbury again. The story itself remains pretty much the same but the main protagonist, Matthew, is now a girl called Mia. There are also a few mod-cons added to place it in a more current setting; mentions of WiFi, podcasts and mobile phones don't alter the wider story but does give Mia a reason to be carrying out research for her podcast about unusual and paranormal activities.

This is a very British show and when phrases like piss off, bugger me and arse are all dropped it makes me chuckle and proud to be British (in spite of Brexit).

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the 2 or so hours I had with the audio drama and would recommend it. It's no 'The Sandman' but then it's production budget is significantly smaller and it doesn't have an all-star cast, but with a solid story and earnest cast, 'Children of the Stones' is well worth a listen. Oh, Happy Day!

Children of the Stones- Podcast Drama Review

A Child's Voice- Cult TV Review

Whilst falling into the YouTube rabbit hole looking for new old things to watch, I came across 'A Child's Voice,' a half hour spooky ghost story that seemed interesting so I gave it a whirl. 

The story is about a mystery thriller writer and radio broadcaster, who nightly chills millions with his tales of horror, only to become the victim of one of his own macabre plots.

Having watched the production I can say that it shares a lot of DNA with the BBC's ‘Ghost Stories For Christmas’ series but I found out that it was a one-off production and was not part of an anthology series. It was shown on BBC 2 on 12th December 1982 over the Christmas period and I believe it may have inspired Mark Gatiss, who may have used it as inspiration for his 'The Dead Room' short film which shares a lot of the same story beats.

For its age and production it's an effective half hour of television, nothing mind blowing and not comparable to the best work of M. R. James but effective nonetheless. As the dark nights start to draw in and the weather gets a bit colder, this low budget but effective production might be just what the doctor ordered.

Day of the Triffids- Cult TV Series Review

The Day of the Triffids is a renown classic of sci-fi literature. I was aware of the book due to my father having read it back in the 70s when he was in school but didn't know much else. All I knew was it featured walking plants that could kill people. It didn't sound particularly appealing when I heard about it but as I got older I realised that I recognised the author, John Wyndham. He had written The Midwich Cuckoo' (which the Village of the Damned series of movies is based on) and The Chrysalis, which I had read.

It was whilst I was browsing my local CEx (Computer Exchange) in Tonbridge a couple of years ago that I came across the DVD of the 1981 BBC serial production. I have a penchant for cult TV series as you may know (check the other cult series I have reviewed in the links below if you want a quick catchup) so I  bought it  and it joined my 'pile of shame' where it sat until the pandemic and lack of WiFi gave me cause to finally visit the DVD. There were no excuses now not to view this series and I'm glad I did.

The story revolves around the eponymous plants, which are farmed for its use in the production of oil. The plants escape from a farm and kills people after a meteor shower renders most of the world blind. Society quickly crumbles as only a few people are left with their sight and it is in this scenario that our lead, Bill Masen, a Triffid Farmer/ biologist who was injured and had his eyes bandaged and so kept his sight, seeks to survive in this apocalyptic and dystopia world. The beginning is very 28 Days Later as Bill walks around the silent hospital and then the quiet streets of his city.

Now the premise is pretty standard sci-fi fare; something dreadful escapes the lab and changes the world into a preppers wet dream, but what makes this story interesting is the focus on the human angle. There is no deus ex machina that fixes the world and the protagonist gets beaten up trying to stop gangs from raping, pillaging and hunting the blind. It is quite unflinching in its portrayal of the downfall of society.

The actors are all relative unknowns, at least to me, however my wife was convinced that one of the small roles was played by a guy from Howard's Way, but they act with such earnestness and conviction that it doesn't matter. You empathise and feel for them as they are being hunted down by walking rhubarb. The special effects could have been silly or ridiculous but the fact that we rarely see the Triffids, and when we do the cinematography presents them at an interesting angle, means the production has aged well and can be appreciated as a period piece. The introduction credits are spooky sounding and quite eerie until a lady gets hit on the face with a quite-obvious foam stinger (see the video below at 37 seconds).

Having watched quite a few of these cult TV serials what I find holds up the most are the shows with an economy of design; it is the silences and the moments of tension that bring classic BBC productions much acclaim. Much like 'The Stone Tapes' and 'Children of the Stones', this series does not have much in the way of music but the uncomfortable silence lends the proceeding an air of ever present dread.

At 6 episodes, Day of the Triffids clocks in at just over 2 1/2 hours but it is time well spent. The series is a time capsule to show the fashion, hairstyles and Cold War fears of the 80s but, more importantly, it is a good example of what can be done when you create a human story within a sci-fi setting that is not demanding on production or special effects. This is a masterclass in the story being king.

LINK- Dead of Night: Cult TV Review

LINK- Children of the Stones: Cult TV Series Review

LINK- The Stone Tapes: Cult TV Review

LINK- Tom’s Midnight Garden: Cult TV Review

LINK- Children of the Dogstar: Cult TV Series Review

The Secret Garden BBC - Cult TV Review

There have been many adaptations of The Secret Garden, but the Agnieszka Holland directed film from 1993 starring Kate Maberly and Dame Maggie Smith with music by one of my favourite composers, Zbigniew Preisner, is the high watermark for adaptations. I have, however, heard much praise heaped on the BBC children's TV series and so I thought I'd better check it out.

The story is a classic and tells the tale of young Mary Lennox, the spoilt girl from India, who comes to live in a big, remote house in Yorkshire when her parents pass away from cholera. She is taken under the guardianship of a distant uncle who doesn't seem to have time for her. For Mary the house contains many mysteries including the sounds of someone crying at night and tales of a secret garden contained on the grounds. Over the course of several months Mary solves these mysterious and brings warmth and light into the dark, dank manor house.

The series first aired from January to March 1975 and was very popular in its day. As expected from the BBC the period detail is spot on and the charm is there with an impressive performance from the cast all round, especially the lead Sarah Hollis Andrews. She adds a layer of characterisation and sympathy to her initially spoilt Mary Lennox, so you can see her character grow and mature over the course of the episodes.

During the 7 episodes, weighing in at 200 minutes,  Frances Hodgson Burnett's story is allowed to breath and come to life in a most pleasing way. The story is told at a slow deliberate pace and this allows you to appreciate the acting performances, cinematography and delightful musical score, which complements the whole work and brings it all together. As someone who has never seen the series and thus holds no nostalgia I can say that The Secret Garden is well worth a watch; it's a calm relaxing programme that is perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon. It is a great story to read and a wonderful story to watch on this DVD.

Dead Of Night- Cult TV Review

Back in 1970s the BBC invested a lot into its drama production and in this period there were numerous wonderful programmes created. I've already reviewed Supernatural, which was released in 1977, and now I'm here to review its other highly regarded anthology TV series called Dead of Night. The series ran from 5 November until 17 December 1972 with seven episodes, each of 50 minutes duration. However only three of the episodes have survived as the BBC purged its archives from 1967 to 1978, fortunately the British Film Institute have put the remaining episodes on DVD which is what I watched for the purpose of this review.

The first thing to mention is that the three episodes are all uniformly good in quality with high production costs evident and the acting is solid throughout. I will now share the individual stories and my opinions on them below.

 

The Exorcism

Synopsis: In a remote cottage in the country, four wealthy, middle-class friends gather for Christmas dinner only to find that their meal is ruined by strange occurrences in the house and the possession of one of the group by someone/ something with a grudge to bear; the house holds a tragic past and those present must mourn the past.

Out of all the stories in this collection this is the standout. There is a great central performance from Anna Cropper, who plays the possessed individual. It almost verges on over dramatic but just about reins it in to be deeply affecting with a great payoff at the end.

 

Return Flight

Synopsis:  An air pilot, who has recently become a widower, nearly has an air collision over Germany. However things take a strange turn when there are no signs that there was another plane in the area. As an investigation is carried out his role in WW II and his mental state is brought into question. Did the pilot avoid a mid-air collision with a mysterious plane or is he losing his mind?

This is the weakest story of the three as I found in meandered for the first 40 or so minutes but the final 15 minutes are tense and really draws you in. The conclusion provides closure about the state of mind of the pilot but as a whole the story is very slow and poorly paced in my opinion.

 

A Woman Sobbing

Synopsis: A married couple with two kids are living in a house in the country. Every night the wife can hear a woman sobbing in the attic however her husband cannot hear anything; so is she mad or is it that only she can connect with this spirit?

This is a great story with a shocking conclusion but there are slower moments which look into the married life of a wealthy middle/ upper class family which seem to drag. Anna Massey, who plays the bored and troubled housewife, puts in a powerhouse performance as she questions whether she is actually hearing the crying or whether she is going slowly hearing voices in her head. Her frenzied performance has a ring of authenticity.

The whole DVD package runs at around 150 minutes, and overall is well worth a watch. The classic ghost story is given a modern (at the time it was produced at least) makeover and whilst it won't scare you or shock you like many of the more modern horror films, it will stay with you for a while after you've watched it.

LINK- Children of the Stones: Cult TV Series Review

LINK- The Stone Tapes: Cult TV Review

LINK- Tom’s Midnight Garden: Cult TV Review

LINK- Children of the Dogstar: Cult TV Series Review

The Children of Green Knowe - Cult TV Review

For the Cult TV reviews I like to watch stuff that is almost forgotten to time. The Children of Green Knowe, Lucy Boston's time-slip novel, is exactly this. A series that is fondly remembered by those who saw it and forgotten to later generations. I only came to it by finding it in my recommendations after purchasing The Secret Garden BBC series on DVD (which I will be reviewing next) and thought to give it a try. Apparently faithful to the original source material the series is a story about a young boy, Tolly, who comes to live in an old country house with his grandmother. However the 17th century Stuart inhabitants of the old family house appear to young Tolly but remain elusively aloof. As time passes his grandmother tells him tales of horses, a gypsy curse and a creature that haunt the grounds. All young Tolly wants to do is meet and talk to the ancestors of the house and break the family curse but this is more difficult than it seems.
The role of Tolly is earnestly played by Alec Christie and that of his grandmother is wonderfully acted by Daphne Oxenford - who gives a warm performance. The pacing is deliberately slow and gentle and the characters are given time to develop and breathe, the relationship between the grandmother and her grandson is sweet and has the ring of truth.

Special mention must go to the beautiful music, composed by Peter Howell with the help of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop (who also created the Dr Who theme), which complements the stunning scenery and wonderful cinematography. The interior shots of Peterborough Cathedral and the rousing music during this particular scene are a particular highlight.

In the 70s and 80s the BBC invested heavily in producing quality children's programming and it is often these series that have stood the test of time, some better than others. The atmosphere and charm that make it impossible to dislike this series and it is a shame that this gentle time-slip story has been almost forgotten. As someone who has never seen the show before I'd say that if you are looking for a gentle way to unwind for a couple of hours you couldn't go far wrong with The Children of Green Knowe.

Now "Make up a great blaze and I'll tell you a story!"

Supernatural- Cult TV Review

It is a trademark of British fiction to take the mundane and shock, surprise or appal. The BFI is releasing all the British TV horror works produced by the BBC in the 70's and 80's and this was the first in the series. It is a well regarded piece of work and people said that it brought to mind the works of M.R. James, a prominent writer of Gothic tales.
The series itself ran during the Summer in late night slots in 1977 and added a dash of terror into the bright cheery festivities of the Queen's Silver Jubilee. It having been the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and also being Summer, a very cold and wet one though, I thought I'd dive in and view the series.

Supernatural is an anthology series in which the prospective Club of the Damned member is required to tell a horror story, their application for membership being judged on how frightening it was. There are 8 tales of varying quality; some stand the test of time better than others.
The settings of the stories vary from dark country houses,  shadowy courtyards and crumbling ruins but all are home to horrid evils and terrors. Even though the show was shot in colour the dark muted tones of the sets lend it a imposing brooding air.

The first episode, Ghosts of Venice, has an old theatre actor who believes something has been stolen from him but he doesn't know quite what. The story has elements of a timeslip and when the actor meets the ghost of a former lover, things begin to come together. Out of all the stories I found this to be the most boring and tiresome.

Countess Iliona and The Werewolf Reunion are episodes two and three. The story involves a Countess inviting four former lovers to a remote Gothic castle for a mysterious reunion. The men are all very different characters and as the reunion goes on the wronged Countess exacts her revenge. This story is very good but to be honest its run time is too long, the story could have been compressed somewhat to make a tighter episode.

A two-parter that could have done with being trimmed.

Episode four, Mr Nightingale, features Jeremy Brett, known to many as 80 TV's Sherlock Holmes. He plays a proper and boring businessman who is possessed by a doppelgänger, this leads to tragedy and death. Mr Brett shines in this episode as he goes into full crazy mode to give a nuanced unhinged performance. This is a good episode with some fine over-the-top acting.

In episode five, Lady Sybil, an old Widow is plagued by a stalker in her Victorian mansion, she believes it to be the ghost of her dreadful dead husband. She tries to convince her sons, one a respected doctor and the other a playboy musician, but they don't believe her, thinking her delusional. This episode is excellently actedand thetension is really cranked up as we find out who is doing the stalking. Oh, also there are more shots of a chameleon (the little green fellow) than you will ever see anywhere else in your life!

The green fellow features rather prominently in Lady Sybil.

Episode six, Viktoria, centres on a family where the wife is disabled in a wheelchair following a riding accident. She has a daughter but is married to an uncaring man who wishes her dead. The situation is complicated with a domineering housekeeper and an old lady steeped in folklore. When the wife dies her spirit is transported into a doll which becomes attached to the daughter. Strange things then begin to happen after the man remarries and settles into a house in England. This is an interesting episode but the poor special effects make it laughable, a shame as the story itself is quite interesting. Kids are creepy!

Night of the Marionettes is episode seven. The story involves Gordon Jackson, a writer who is researching the life of Frankenstein author, Mary Shelley. The writer, wife and his daughter settle in for a few nights in a secluded hotel and observe the hotels annual marionette show but the figures seem to be real humans. This is a good episode with lots of tension but the relationship between the father and daughter is a little incestuous and uncomfortable.

The final episode, Dorabella, is by far and away the jewel in the crown. It is the story of two friends who travel through Europe looking for adventure and excitement but after meeting an impossibly enchanting young woman, Dorabella, one of the men becomes besotted and the dynamics of the friendship change. The external shots, beautiful lighting and mood created make this a wonderful piece of work.

There's more to Dorabella than meets the eye.

Having watched the whole series I can say that I liked the stories which had a payoff as well a certain level of eloquence and characterisation. In this case the stories that stand out are Countess Ilona/ The Werewolf Reunion, Lady Sybil and Dorabella.  As a whole the series was worth a watch and I'm glad I did but don't trouble yourself with the whole set, the episodes I recommended above are the key ones to watch... or if you only have time for one watch Dorabella!

Toms Midnight Garden- Cult TV Review

I have very fond memories of Tom's Midnight Garden as it was shown on the BBC in the late 80s/ early 90s at 5:05pm after Newsround and just before Neighbours. I have been fortunate enough to revisit most of the programmes of my youth as they have become available on DVD, Blu-Ray and streaming services but this series remained elusive. I don't know why as I remember it being brilliant. So after 25 or so years since I last saw it I finally found a copy uploaded on YouTube and consumed the whole 6 part series in one sitting. So was this series as good as I remember?
Well, when the introduction music started up I felt a huge wave of nostalgia and similar shows of the time came flooding back; The Narnia series, Moondial and Box of Delights to name a few. All those series had pretty good production value for a children's series and Tom's Midnight Garden fell into the same category.


The story itself is quite simple; When his younger brother contracts measles at the beginning of the school holidays in the summer, Tom is sent away to his Uncle Allen's flat in the country. The flat was part of a manor house and Tom finds to his amazement that as the clock strikes midnight the back door, which usually leads to a small backyard, suddenly transports him to the past to the Victorian times when the Manor House was in its prime.
The sets are real and it seems to be filmed on location in an old house rather a studio, this lends the whole story a sense of place and cohesion. The sets and costumes are excellent at setting the time and mood of the 1950's era and the child actors are solid without a hint of pantomime or melodrama. The two main young actors do a fine job and the interactions between them as Tom and Hettie are sweet and have a ring of truth. The timeslip mechanic is handled well and is gently paced. It may be too slow for some children today but I still found it engaging and intriguing in equal measure.


Even after 25 years this adaptation of Philippa Pearce's novel is still well regarded and remembered affectionately and for good reason.
I would definitely recommend this series. I am all for supporting the company and actors by purchasing the media legally however this show only had a very limited DVD run by Readers Digest and has never been re-released so the only way to view it is off of YouTube for free. But I'm just thankful to be able to watch it again and you should be too, whether it's your first time or like me a return to it after many years.

Moondial- Cult TV Review

Whilst watching Children of the Stones for my inaugural Cult TV Review I was reading through the YouTube comments and a lot of people kept discussing Moondial, another British TV series which was popular, so I ordered the DVD and watched it and here are my thoughts.

Broadcast originally on the BBC in February 1988, Moondial was a 6 part supernatural/time travel drama based on the book by the popular author Helen Cresswell. During the 80's the BBC had a great reputation for adapting children's books; they were especially good at the slightly creepy and unsettling and this series fits that bill nicely.

Watching the series for the first time I was taken with the opening credits, a wonderfully arthouse and atmospheric piece of work.

The series starts with a bang as young teen Minty has to stay with her Aunt until her mother recovers from a car accident. She has to stay in a small village with a large Manor House containing a beautiful garden and a mysterious moondial. Minty is drawn to the moondial and one night when she feels is drawing her in she goes to it and faints. When she wakes up she finds she has been transported back through time to the turn of the century. Minty spends the series trying to figure out the mystery of the Moondial and the cursed child with the 'Devils Mark'

This series is indicative of the style of programmes British TV was airing during that time for children; at times unusual and slightly spook- and for that it has to be commended. No-one does creeping dread like the British and this sort-of ghost story is beautifully realised. Whilst some of the adult actors do come across as quite hammy and theatrical and some of the child actors precocious to the point of annoying the whole thing generally works. There are moments where things lag, for example pretty much any scene with Minty's annoying Aunt but these are tempered with end of episode cliffhangers that really keep you intrigued and excited.

With my previous review of Children of the Stones I discussed how there was higher level thinking required to figure out the ending. With Moondial the reason why and how Minty is transported is never explained, to quote The Simpsons "Wizard" but I would still recommend this for anyone with an interest in unique and unusual children's TV programmes.

My affection for Cult Films and TV Series

I have been a film aficionado for a long time. My father brought me up on classics like David Lean's adaptations of Oliver Twist and Great Expectations as well as the various black and white classic comedies of Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy. However I became interested in cult TV series and films whilst attending University. Our campus was media-centered and as a result it had a huge catalogue of videos to rent, free of charge. I ploughed through many often taking the maximum 8 out at a time and consumed them voraciously. As a result I believe that I am quite literate in films and TV but the series that really attracts me are the more offbeat curios.

I've explained my love for old creepy films here before and now on this website I will be sharing my love by writing reviews . There are hundred of reviews about Metropolis, Nosferatu, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari and other stone-cold classics so I don't think I could add anything new to the conversation but lesser remembered works like Quatermass, Children of the Stones, The Stone Tapes, Moondial and Threads; now those are something I feel I could add to the conversation so occasionally I may post a review or article about these films and series... Come join me and maybe find some works which may interest you.

Minecraft: More Than A Game

Minecraft is where a lot of people spend their leisure time, irrespective of age or gender (although it is more popular amongst the pre-teens). As a teacher I've lost count of the number of times I've heard children speak to me and each other about the game, I am a gamer and know Minecraft well however a lot of the children know the Minecraft world better than they do planet Earth.  As part of BBC's 'Make It Digital' initiative, to inspire digital creativity across the UK Jolyon Jenkins asks why our children are hooked on the  game Minecraft. The radio show is very interesting and for the uninitiated very informative, for those in the know it is just a consolidation of what you know but it well worth a listen. As for the parents who say that the game makes their children irritable, consider not allowing them play it non stop over the weekend maybe.