Ghost stories are part of the Christmas tradition; while not explicitly linked to a specific religious meaning, past, present and future gain a vertiginous feel when told in the dead of winter. That tradition started long before today’s streaming, television, films or radio, and the BBC’s Ghost Stories for Christmas package nimbly taps into the primal feels of a supernatural narrative. Back in the days of three channels, and a captive audience of ten million tuning in on a given night, these short, 45-50 minute long stories, shot on film and adapted from established classic texts, are the mother lode when it comes to festive scares.
Viewed by huge audiences at the time, the content of these Ghost Stories has become legend; this first volume has a couple of the most substantial. MR James was a writer who, like Dickens, enjoyed both the ‘cranky scholarship’ and the oral traditions of his day; a 1968 adaptation of James 1905 story Whistle and I’ll Come to You My Lad was originally made as part of the BBC’s Omnibus arts strand. Whistle features the voice of Paddington, Michael Horden, as Professor Parkins, a self-absorbed beachcomber who comes upon a mysterious Knights Templar whistle that summons; what?
The thing that haunts Parkins is genuinely unnerving, and Horden manages the transition from bumptious arrogance to demented horror with aplomb. This is a super-brainy Jonathan Miller joint, so there’s discussion on ‘the survival of the human personality’ and the ‘evidences of spiritualism’, but while there are a few starchy, austere patches in the 1968 storytelling, it’s easy to get carried away by feelings of dread as Parkins hisses ‘Who is it? Who is coming?”
British tv audiences adored the idea of a cerebral late night scare as part of the festive tv schedules, and the BBC were happy to oblige with writer/director Lawrence Gordon Clark providing the next three entries in the cycle. 1972’s A Warning to the Curious feels very similar to Whistle, with Peter Vaughn as a different kind of academic who unwisely attempts to take home a buried crown he finds buried in the sand. Sandwiched between them is 1971’s The Stalls of Barchester, which is a rather stuffy affair, but still offers a few moments of genuine frisson in the classic Jamesian style. Both feature Clive Swift, the husband of Hyacinth Bucket from Keeping up Appearances, with muttonchops Robert Hardy cooking with gas as the haunted lead.
The fourth entry is probably the least remembered, the genuinely disturbing and far more controversial Lost Hearts from 1973, but that one is so effective that it’ll be getting a review of its own. And there’s also commentaries, interview with the great Ramsey Campbell, plus the radically modern John Hurt 2010 remake of Whistle and I’ll Come to You, which will also get a review of its own as soon as I can pluck up the courage.
GHOST STORIES FOR CHRISTMAS VOLUME 2 is planned for release next December.
Thanks to the BFI for blu-ray access.
In Dreams are Monsters is a major two and a half month BFI UK-wide film and events season celebrating the horror genre on screen. Launched on 17 October, it continues until 31 December at BFI Southbank, BFI IMAX, UK-wide cinemas and on BFI Player.
https://www.bfi.org.uk/in-dreams-are-monsters
Special features
Newly remastered by the BFI
Newly recorded audio commentaries for Whistle and I’ll Come to You (1968) and A Warning to the Curious by TV historian Jon Dear
Newly recorded audio commentaries for The Stalls of Barchester and Lost Hearts by Kim Newman and Sean Hogan
Whistle and I’ll Come to You (2010, 52 mins): John Hurt stars in this 2010 interpretation of M R James’s chilling tale
Jonathan Miller and Christopher Frayling interview (2012, 3 mins)
Neil Brand reads M R James’s original story (2001, 42 mins, audio only)
Ramsey Campbell on MR James (2001, 16 mins)
Ramsey Campbell reads The Guide (2001, 27 mins)
Introductions by Lawrence Gordon Clark (2012, 33 mins total): the director of seven of the BBC’s classic A Ghost Story For Christmas episodes discusses his part in the first three instalments he directed
Ghost Stories For Christmas With Christopher Lee (2000, 60 mins total): BBC Scotland’s ‘talking-head horror’ series starring the iconic actor as an M R James-like raconteur of fireside Christmas ghost stories. Included on this release are The Stalls of Barchester and A Warning to the Curious
First pressing only Illustrated booklet with essays by Reggie Oliver, Jon Dear, Jonathan Rigby, Adam Easterbrook and Ramsey Campbell; credits and notes on the special features
RRP: £29.99 / Cat. no. BFIB1476/ 12
UK / 1968-1973 / black and white, colour / 172 minutes (+ extras) / English language, with optional subtitles for the Deaf and partial hearing / original aspect ratio 1.33:1 // 2 x BD50, 1 x BD25: 1080p/50i, 25fps, mono audio (48kHz/24-bit)
WHERE TO BUY
Order from the BFI Shop
https://shop.bfi.org.uk/ghost-stories-for-christmas-volume-one-blu-ray.html
I remember these well. The BBc was pretty good at this kind of stuff especially in the 45-minute format. Glad to see them reappearing and hopefully snagging a new audience. Certainly a lot better than what passes for most ghost stories on the small screen.
I had never heard of this tradition or collection before. Sounds cool. I would imagine there were a lot of viewers back in the day. When you look at ratings of US tv shows before the Internet arrived, it’s amazing.
I am sorely tempted just to see a Mr Bucket that’s not a complete washcloth….
Can’t imagine that this is on your radar…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhVfDiUJhV4
hahahahaa! now there was a good show. I could only handle it one episode at a time, and even then I had to spread things out 😀
I have never seen this show, it’s for auld grannies, maybe people like you and Alex ahahahahah
Really? Because it’s a show or because you don’t like british comedy? or some other esoteric reason beyond the comprehension of mortal ken?
Because it’s a show? Wut? That can hardly be a reason for not liking a show. What surprises me is that a man of your calibre would know of or like it.
You tend to do movies, not shows. So I didn’t know if that played a part in your non-viewing.
Back in the day, before tv went all digital and crap, one of hte stations played nothing but british comedies. I had to pick and choose, but it helped expand my repertoire….
So you are au fait with the world of Hyacinth Bucket? Really?
Not really, more of a generalized knowledge. I watched enough random episodes to pick up on the theme of the show.
What do you like about Keeping up Appearances?
The irony of it all is very amusing in episodic doses. Hyacinth’s complete lack of self-awareness makes for some very amusing situations.
Can’t believe of all the British comedies you could have seen, this one would be the one to remember…
If you watch it, you’ll remember it too 🙂
I didn’t watch it, and yet I remember it; how can that be?
Because that’s how powerful my Ego is.
So I see…
But don’t you worry. If you follow my patented Bookstooge’s Psychic Grandma psychic program, you too can have an ego as big as mine.
That is what she promised me…
Well, maybe you need to do a navel gazing biopic on yourself. I hear that’s the popular thing among Cineastes now…
Yes, and such self regarding twaddle fills me with dread…
That is a sure sign your ego isn’t big enough then. Make sure you’re doing Exercise Number 7 every day from my patented Ego Exercises. Psychic Grandma says it works and so far, it totally works for me.
You do exercises from your own book of exercises
?
If I didn’t, my ego wouldn’t be so big, now would it?
Does it work?
You be the judge. Have you ever met anyone with as big an ego as mine?
I haven’t met you.
That’s what you think.
* cue ominous Scary Movie kind of music *
10 million million? Anyways, this looks really well done with lots of cool special features, definitely a yep for anyone into this kind of thing. But I’m not so nope.
10 million million million million. I’ve scaled the number down from my original estimate.
No ghosts. No musicals. No rom-coms. No Will Ferel.
I remember Whistle and I’ll Come to You being great. Don’t think I’ve seen any of the others. Sounds like they did a nice job with the DVD.
It’s not cheap, but it’s the best version to date of these classic tales.
Don’t think it’s available over here. If it’s BFI it maybe never will be.
There’s usually low res versions of these films on YouTube, not as good, obviously, but enough to get the idea.