It was okay. I enjoyed it for the most part but my mind did wander now and again. It's very derivative though and spent more time on (rather cliched) atmosphere than it did on the story. It'll be interesting to see how it develops.
I don't know why the BBC doesn't just commission a load of adaptations of MR James's short stories (and I don't include that godawful thing they did a few years ago with John Hurt).
The out of tune singing of Scarborough Fair was scary enough in the titles.
There were a fair few cliches there, including some Shining rip offs, the cascading liquid (ok not blood but still) and the oh my god all the sheets of paper are the same thing, thing.
Plus at the end i was shouting " Double nightmare, I bet it's a double nightmare"
I suffer episodes of sleep paralysis so I too was waiting for her to wake up properly.
It was creepy enough to keep me engaged. Looking forward to part two.
I realised half way through that I should have known Scarborough must have had something to do with it:
Are you going to Whittingham Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
Remember me to the one who lives there,
For once she was a true love of mine.
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
Without any seam or needlework,
Then she shall be a true love of mine.
Tell her to wash it in yonder well,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
Where never spring water or rain ever fell,
And she shall be a true lover of mine.
Tell her to dry it on yonder thorn,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
Which never bore blossom since Adam was born,
Then she shall be a true lover of mine.
Now he has asked me questions three,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
I hope he'll answer as many for me,
Before he shall be a true lover of mine.
Tell him to buy me an acre of land,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
Between the salt water and the sea sand,
Then he shall be a true lover of mine.
Tell him to plough it with a ram's horn,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
And sow it all over with one pepper corn,
And he shall be a true lover of mine.
Tell him to sheer't with a sickle of leather,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme;
And bind it up with a peacock's feather,
And he shall be a true lover of mine.
Tell him to thrash it on yonder wall,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme,
And never let one corn of it fall,
Then he shall be a true lover of mine.
When he has done and finished his work.
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme:
Oh, tell him to come and he'll have his shirt,
And he shall be a true lover of mine.
Doh
So what does this rhyme have to do with it all, I wonder?
I'm guessing accident on the beach at Scarborough, a drowning probably of an old flame come back to haunt him
I have reservations about watching this as Michael Palin looks a bit hammy in the trailer. Hope it's a decent story at least and better than that Christmas ghost drama with Vanessa Redgrave which was disappointing.
I thought the Christmas ghost drama last year (The Thirteenth Tale) was very good and so did other people that I know.
It became more The Conjuring than M R James creepiness,but hopefully it doesn't go all Hollywood in next two eps. Good Sunday night viewing,well acted.
After watching my husband jump not once but twice in this episode, it's made my year! In twenty years I've never seen him flinch but this program made it happen.
He stood up rearranged cushions and sat back down on his feet, really enjoyed it!:p
Nicely creepy and it made me jump a couple of times too.
But as has been said already, it was rather derivative.
Reminded me of bits pinched from The Ring, The Grudge and Dark Water. So the writer probably likes scary Japanese films too .
Must admit to feeling a wee bit disappointed. It was painfully sloooooooooooooow!
The scene near the end where the girl was having a dream and the Indian woman started moving about in the room was straight out of "Whistle and I'll come to you" with Michael Hordern (although not nearly as effective.)
The little Asian boy esp was a gem at the end. Can't wait for the next part. The connection of the characters might become clearer next time but they all seem to have lost, or lost control of something. Perhaps that's how 'she' takes advantage?
I liked the water flooding down the stairs that vanished abruptly. It had shades of The Ring and The Shining. I really loved this, it was quality.
Must admit to feeling a wee bit disappointed. It was painfully sloooooooooooooow!
The scene near the end where the girl was having a dream and the Indian woman started moving about in the room was straight out of "Whistle and I'll come to you" with Michael Hordern (although not nearly as effective.)
I'm not really sure about this programme yet.
I found myself getting a bit irritated by so many lingering shots of the photographs. It used so many scaring devices that have been better used elsewhere.............
The spooky attic
The rocking chair
Banging doors
Nightmare within a nightmare
.........I felt a bit manipulated, so I wasn't really scared, not like I was while watching 'Woman In Black'. Now that did make me jump.
I love a good, spooky ghost story, there's not enough of them on TV imo, and this fitted the bill perfectly. The BBC should have put it on over Christmas though.
I really enjoyed this. Nice to see a proper, old fashioned spooky story. I love ghost stories like this. I do find many seem to rely on a gory aspect these days which I really don't like (very squeamish!) but this was great. Made me jump a few times!
Comments
The out of tune singing of Scarborough Fair was scary enough in the titles.
The tune sung in the opening credits is the original old English folk tune. The familiar tune was created by Simon and Garfunkle.
I suffer episodes of sleep paralysis so I too was waiting for her to wake up properly.
It was creepy enough to keep me engaged. Looking forward to part two.
Sleep paralysis is very scary. :eek:
I haven't had an episode in a long while now...thankfully.
I'm guessing accident on the beach at Scarborough, a drowning probably of an old flame come back to haunt him
Enjoyed watching it, not sure I entirely followed it though
They have knicked it off The Woman In Black !
No ! but I LOVE Ghost stories ...and this one looks good ...my favourite drama series on this genre is Afterlife !
Also didn't even recognise Julia Sawalha
Last years BBC Ghost Christmas story was excellent ..I cant see any for this year but we may be surprised !
Can you remind me what that was? I will have watched it, but I can't remember it at the moment
I thought the Christmas ghost drama last year (The Thirteenth Tale) was very good and so did other people that I know.
He stood up rearranged cushions and sat back down on his feet, really enjoyed it!:p
The one with the children.
I didn't watch last year's one with Vanessa Redgrave.
The secret of crickley hall
Thanks for that info wizzy, I know the Simon and Garfunkel version off by heart and the different lyrics were annoying me
Did that just scare you? No? I was wearing a sari. Nothing?
But as has been said already, it was rather derivative.
Reminded me of bits pinched from The Ring, The Grudge and Dark Water. So the writer probably likes scary Japanese films too
The scene near the end where the girl was having a dream and the Indian woman started moving about in the room was straight out of "Whistle and I'll come to you" with Michael Hordern (although not nearly as effective.)
The Tractate Middoth by Mark Gatiss on Christmas last year !
The little Asian boy esp was a gem at the end. Can't wait for the next part. The connection of the characters might become clearer next time but they all seem to have lost, or lost control of something. Perhaps that's how 'she' takes advantage?
I liked the water flooding down the stairs that vanished abruptly. It had shades of The Ring and The Shining. I really loved this, it was quality.
'How old are you?'
'80 odd!'
I'm not really sure about this programme yet.
I found myself getting a bit irritated by so many lingering shots of the photographs. It used so many scaring devices that have been better used elsewhere.............
The spooky attic
The rocking chair
Banging doors
Nightmare within a nightmare
.........I felt a bit manipulated, so I wasn't really scared, not like I was while watching 'Woman In Black'. Now that did make me jump.
I shall keep watching though.