MR James's stories are among my favourites. They are bleak, dark and solitary - but also with a deep and persistent moral to them. The dangers of pride and hubris, and how those who have wronged will receive their comeuppance - however otherworldly. The Stalls of Barchester is one of the best of these, along with A Warning to the Curious. (Charles Dickens's The Signalman was also a solid 10/10).
The storytelling is shudder-inducing. Lawrence Gordon Clark's writing and directing are sublime, with eerie shadows, innovative use of light and dark, and clipped, sinister characterisations.
The acting is also among the best of these adaptations. Robert Hardy is magnificently grim as Haynes. He imbues the role with such force and gravitas that you can sense a gradual alteration in his characterisation as he slowly realises he is being hunted down. Clive Swift also adds a lovely tone as Dr Black, although his tour de force would come in A Warning to the Curious. The remaining cast are all excellent, though Thelma Barlow deserves special mention for her delightful cameo as Haynes's gossiping sister.
The Stalls of Barchester is among the best of the Ghost Stories for Christmas. The original story is one of my favourite reads, and this adaptation will remain one of my favourite watches year after year. 10/10.
The storytelling is shudder-inducing. Lawrence Gordon Clark's writing and directing are sublime, with eerie shadows, innovative use of light and dark, and clipped, sinister characterisations.
The acting is also among the best of these adaptations. Robert Hardy is magnificently grim as Haynes. He imbues the role with such force and gravitas that you can sense a gradual alteration in his characterisation as he slowly realises he is being hunted down. Clive Swift also adds a lovely tone as Dr Black, although his tour de force would come in A Warning to the Curious. The remaining cast are all excellent, though Thelma Barlow deserves special mention for her delightful cameo as Haynes's gossiping sister.
The Stalls of Barchester is among the best of the Ghost Stories for Christmas. The original story is one of my favourite reads, and this adaptation will remain one of my favourite watches year after year. 10/10.