The removal of a large stone outside her country-house seems to have a mysterious and life-threatening influence on a woman. Not an ineffective, yet rather muddled, depiction of ancient evil reawakened; one of only two entries from the annual BBC-TV series to adopt a modern setting. While this particular teleplay features no well-known actors unlike its predecessors, it is undeniably still acted with conviction – especially Kate Binchy in the difficult lead role, which has her bleeding inexplicably and with more profusion as time goes by until she eventually expires in her bed! On the other hand, this particular episode – which was until recently only available to view via a battered, time coded copy – boasts distinguished credits in writer Clive Exton and the ubiquitous director who was also behind most of the best-remembered horror tales on British TV of the 1970s, including the 1979 version of CASTING THE RUNES.
Review of Stigma
Stigma
(1977 TV Short)
A GHOST STORY: STIGMA {TV; Short} (Lawrence Gordon Clark, 1977) **1/2
9 October 2013