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What was this early 80s weird TV programme? Woman burning dolls...
Hugh Jboobs
Posts: 15,316 Forum Member
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OK bear with me on this, it sounds a bit crazy!
When I was about 4 years old in the early 1980s, I remember my mum and older brother watching this really eerie TV programme that used to scare the crap out of me. I think it went out on a Sunday night and that it was British made.
I only have brief images in my head about it. I can't really remember the plot or who starred in it.
But what I can remember is that it had a woman with long brown curly hair, who (for some reason) seemed to spend a lot of her time burning dolls. It was the image of the waxy faces, being eaten by the flames that used to scare me so much! I also have an image in my head of the woman punting along or over a river. I may have this wrong, but I seem to remember her taking the dolls with her to a shed or shack to be burned.
I believe my mum also once read the book of this.
So.....any thoughts on what this was and what the hell was going on??
When I was about 4 years old in the early 1980s, I remember my mum and older brother watching this really eerie TV programme that used to scare the crap out of me. I think it went out on a Sunday night and that it was British made.
I only have brief images in my head about it. I can't really remember the plot or who starred in it.
But what I can remember is that it had a woman with long brown curly hair, who (for some reason) seemed to spend a lot of her time burning dolls. It was the image of the waxy faces, being eaten by the flames that used to scare me so much! I also have an image in my head of the woman punting along or over a river. I may have this wrong, but I seem to remember her taking the dolls with her to a shed or shack to be burned.
I believe my mum also once read the book of this.
So.....any thoughts on what this was and what the hell was going on??
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It's WEIRD. Some bits of it are well spooky. Some bits of it are a bit waffly and nonsensical. It's set in Norway, or Finland. Can't remember which. Anyway, the location stuff looks lovely. There's loads of grand old 80s actors (Paul Darrow, Susan Gilmore from Howards Way). The dolls are very creepy. It's about murky family histories, mysterious deaths, dark secrets, etc. I posted a very fullsome review of it on IMDB, so check it out if you want the full lowdown. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0290972/
Your memories are kind-of correct. There's loads of boating around fjords. There is a fire. There are loads of scary dolls. I was ten when it was shown, and it scared me. I think it was mid-week 8pm-ish, but it was definitely BBC1.
I have a knock-off copy on DVD, but it's available "officially" in Scandinavia. In fact I've had a squeak on Ebay, and here it is: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MAELSTROM-1985-compl-Series-BBC-NEW-3DVD-R2-/190423725753?pt=UK_CDsDVDs_DVDs_DVDs_GL
Well worth a watch!
I was going to post asking if anyone could identitfy it but thought what I could remember was too vauge.
Spooky music and doll fire here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/classic/maelstrom/ :eek:
Watch the whole thing though. Don't spoil it for yourself with these highlights!
She meets the family concerned and becomes close to a local journalist but then strange things start happening .....
The book is actually quite good and as with most adaptations the TV series never quite did it justice but it is a thrilling tale and as far as I remember quite innovative for the time. I've often hoped they'd rerun it on Gold but it seems to have been forgotten about.
I also bought it after it was identified on here since I could never remember what the show was called.