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.