Tweet
Released by: BFI
Released on: September 17, 2012.
Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark/Derek Lister
Cast: Denholm Elliott, Bernard Lloyd, Kate Binchy, Peter Bowles, John Stride, Elizabeth Romilly
Year: 1976/1977/1978
Purchase From Amazon
The Movies:
The fourth volume of BBC Ghost Stories to be released by the BFI contains the following three entries in the line:
The Signalman:
Directed by Lawrence Gordon Clark in 1976, The Signalman is based on the story by none other than Charles Dickens which was originally published in 1866. When the film begins, a man (Bernard Lloyd) whose name is never revealed to us sees a signalman (Denholm Elliott) with his lamp up outside a pathway. Once he points the way, the traveler and the signalman sit down in the signalman's booth to talk themselves into the night. Though the traveler has to leave come morning, he and his new friend have hit it off strongly enough that he agrees to meet him the next night to continue where they left off. When he does, the signalman tells him that the reason he may have seemed hesitant the night they met was because he reminded him of a ghost he once say whose appearance resulted in tragedy…
Very well acted, this first story is the best of the three on the disc. A period tale, it's got plenty of atmosphere and is paced just right, giving us enough character development through the conversations of the two men to keep us interested in the story before the big reveal towards the end. Elliott really steals the show here, you definitely get the impression that he is quite terrified and the whole thing is so nicely shot with great use of color and of shadow that it winds up quite a creepy watch.
Stigma:
Also directed by Lawrence Gordon Clark, this time in 1977, Stigma has the distinction of being the first of the BBC ghost stories to be set in modern times and to have been originally written for broadcast (as opposed to based on a previously published short story or novel). It also has the distinction of being the last of the episodes that Clark would direct.
The story follows a woman named Katherine (Kate Binchy) and her daughter Verity who move out to their cottage in the quaint English countryside as the work crew they've hired are putting the finishing touches in place. The workmen run into a problem when they uncover a massive stone. They try to move it but with no luck, budging it only just enough to let something escape from underneath it, which promptly takes possession of Katharine, who winds up covered in blood with no idea how or why, much to the dismay of her husband (Peter Bowles).
Binchy's performance really makes this one, though some decent makeup effects help her with that. Bowles is also solid here and while this one doesn't have the atmosphere inherent in the time and setting of the first story on the disc it's quite well done. Some solid camerawork gives it a bit of visual flair and there's a good sense of mystery as to what has targeted Katharine and why. It's not the most original story ever told but it's well done and worth checking out.
The Ice House:
Last but not least, this final entry was directed by Derek Lister in 1978 and it definitely takes a different approach to those made by Clark. The story follows a man named Paul (John Stride) who is having trouble with his marriage and who has just separated from his wife. To unwind, he checks in to a fancy health spa run by the brother and sister team of Clovis (Geoffrey Burridge) and Jessica (Elizabeth Romilly). These two do their jobs a little too well, doting on Paul in strange ways and encouraging him to spend some time in the relaxing ice house just outside the main building - all of this while pretty much every one of the other guests ignores him. When he does, he starts to see strange holes appear in his room that resemble a pair of unusual flowers placed on the grounds. It gets even more unusual when Bob, the masseuse at the spa, disappears…
This third story isn't quite as involving as the first two but it does get points for trying something a little bit different. Much of the story is left unexplained and open for interpretation, which might appeal to some viewers more than to others who may just find the whole thing… odd. The performers all do fine work with the material, however, with Stride doing a great job portraying his increasing confusion and fear in some rather unusual situations as everything comes closing in around him.
Video/Audio/Extras:
All three stories are presented in fullframe, which is how they would have been originally broadcast. Some age related softness is inherent in the source materials but otherwise, the picture quality here is pretty decent. Colors hold up fairly well despite some occasional fading but there isn't much in the way of print damage or dirt to note.
The only audio option provided is an English language Dolby Digital Mono mix with optional English closed captioning provided. Clarity of each mix is fine, with the dialogue consistently easy to follow and understand. Sometimes things are just a bit flat compared to more modern material but you can't really fault the disc for that. Levels are properly balanced and there are no problems with hiss or distortion to note.
Lawrence Gordon Clark provides introductions for his two entries on the disc, discussing the stories that were told, working with the various cast members involved in these projects and more. He remembers the work quite fondly and with plenty of enthusiasm making these fun to watch and quite entertaining. A color booklet is also included which includes an essay from Matthew Sweet on the origins of The Signalman with additional pieces contributed by Simon Farquhar, Helen Wheatley and Alex Davidson that cover the other two stories in similar detail. Menus and episode selection are also provided.
The Final Word:
Some great storytelling combined with some equally great performances makes each of the three stories contained on this disc a good watch. There's loads of atmosphere here, some genuinely creepy moments and this one is worth getting based on the strength of The Signalman alone.
