THE HAUNTING: ALTON TOWERS

Probably England's best loved theme park, Alton Towers is located in the grounds of a former stately home in the county of Staffordshire. The estate dates back to before 1000BC and became a fortress for a Saxon king. A castle was built there after the Norman Conquest, but was destroyed during the English Civil War. Today, the site is home to a number of exciting attractions, with white-knuckle rides rubbing shoulders with monorail trains, cable car rides and many live events including all-night ghost hunts.

Alton Towers is rich in supernatural lore, with several reports of a lady dressed in black who has been seen walking the corridors of the towers; a strong smell of lavender perfume hanging heavy in the air. A tall man dressed in Victorian clothing has also been seen, and staff and visitors have reported having stones and sundry objects thrown at them on many occasions.
In 2006, Alton Towers gave members of the public full access to the towers and grounds, with the first of a series of all-night ghost hunts. Mediums, seances, workshops and guided tours are just a few of the features and tools on hand to ensure an evening of chills and thrills for those curious to see whether the Towers' haunted history will yield any sightings or paranormal phenomena.

These events are held throughout the year, with next one pencilled in for 11th April. Cost of a ticket will be approx £65, and the ghost hunt runs from 8.00pm - 5.00am. Places are strictly limited, and you will be able to find out dates and all the important details by googling Alton Towers Ghost Hunts. Alton Towers is only around 10 miles from where we live, and we hope to attend one of these events when cash flow permits.

HALLOWEEN HORRORS: A TRUE STORY

I'd always kept an open mind where ghosts are concerned. From an early age, I've been fascinated by the possibility of some kind of spectral DNA being deposited in the land of the living, by sight, sound or touch. While I'm aware that many reports of supernatural phenomena can be attributed to over active imaginations or fraud, it's none too easy to accept there are no genuine cases. Although some members of my family did encounter what they perceived to be manifestations at my previous home, I could make no such claim and continued to read and view anything with a supernatural theme without joining either camp of doubters or converts. In my late teens, something happened which I still don't really understand but it most definitely made me a little more sympathetic to the possibility of ghosts.
It was August, 1979. I was in London, staying at a small hotel just off the Tottenham Court Road. I'd previously pitched camp at this particular place maybe a dozen nights in total and my impression was that I'd hit the jackpot by finding a clean, comfortable place to stay that was centrally placed in relation to places I needed to visit and competitively priced. On this particular evening, I'd been to a gig at London's Marquee Club and arrived back at the hotel in need of a good nights sleep. While I sometimes got a room overlooking the busy Gower Street (with London buses and cabs providing a cacophony of sound all night long), I was given a room at the back overlooking the infinitely quieter Sussex Gardens on this visit, and soon got to sleep. After a while, I awoke and checked my alarm clock which showed me it was just a few minutes after 2.00am. Turning back to rest my head on the pillow, I was terrified to see a tall figure standing in front of the bed. He was dressed in a top hat, with a white scarf tied around his neck. While the room was pitch black, I could actually make out the features of this man, with his eyes, ears, mouth and sideburns being composed of what I can only term as gold braiding. Upon catching sight of this frightening figure, I stared for a few seconds before diving under the bedclothes where I remained for several minutes, heart pounding. When I resurfaced, the figure had gone, leaving me with a desire to see daybreak and get out into the streets, away from this room. I've stayed at the same hotel on many, many occasions since and have never seen nor sensed anything of a supernatural nature. To this day, I'm unsure if I did see a ghost in the accepted sense of the term, or maybe a recording of someone who once lived there that can be played back under certain conditions. All I know is that I did see something without a shadow of a doubt.

HALLOWEEN HORRORS: HAUNTED DERBYSHIRE

My home county of Derbyshire is awash with supernatural lore, with the nearby city of Derby renowned as being England's most haunted city. The small market town where I live also has ghostly links with some of the families and characters who lived there many years ago, with tales of Roman soldiers who have been seen walking above the ground and the spirit of Lady Cockayne who can be seen on Winter's evenings walking across a large local pond. Cockayne Hall used to stand approx 200 yards from where we currently live, and the Cockayne family owned land here as early as 1372. One of the transepts in the local church contains a tomb dedicated to this family, and while ghostly figures have been reported on the local churchyard, Lady Cockayne has long been associated with the old Grammar School where her restless spirit has been seen on occasions walking the corridors.
You can find posts on the subject of haunted Derbyshire in the Ghosts section of this blog, but there is another local building which I haven't mentioned until now. Tissington Hall is a Jacobean mansion, built in 1609 by Francis Fitzherbert. In 1862, the hall was the scene of a tragic accident when the nightdress of Mina Fitzherbert caught fire. She died from her injuries a short while after. Her ghost has been seen by many members of the family down the years, and residents and guests have also reported the ghost of a man in black in the cellar, unexplained smells of tobacco and lavender, ghostly apparitions in bedroom 4 where people complain of being touched and of the bed moving, the sound of a woman humming, and a figure ascending the staircase only to suddenly disappear. The current owner is Sir Richard Fitzherbert, and October 31st will see the hall playing host to 11 guests who will each pay £75 to spend the night in a special ghost hunt. The evening will include a tour of the hall accompanied by a medium and there will be seances, vigils and paranormal investigations using state-of-the-art equipment. The ghost hunt takes place between 9.00pm - 5.00am and I only hope it becomes an annual event, as I'd love to take part next year.

THEY'RE HERE! THE ENFIELD POLTERGEIST

A recent Channel 4 documentary grabbed my attention, prompting me to tune in to Interview With The Poltergeist. I'd heard snippets about the controversial 'Enfield Poltergeist' case and this documentary filled in the gaps nicely.

The story begins in August 1977, and took place at a property in a north London suburb. The tenants - the Hodgson family - began to experience unexplained knocking and banging sounds, and called their neighbour who happened to be in the building trade. After a thorough check, nothing untoward could be found but the knockings persisted. Margaret Hodgson decided to call the police who arrived at the scene and heard the noises for themselves. One of the pair - a WPC - saw a chair rise above the floor and move four foot across the room. At this point, Margaret was gravely concerned for the wellbeing of her children and phoned the Daily Mirror newspaper who despatched two reporters to take a look. After spending several uneventful hours, the reporters left to begin packing their equipment away. Suddenly, the neighbour came dashing out of the house to call them back. The two men were greeted by toys flying across the room; one of them being hit in the face by a leggo brick. Despite attempts to capture this event on film, none of their photos showed any of the disruption. Of course, the journalists were shell shocked and suggested calling in the experts. The Society For Psychlical Research called upon one Maurice Grosse (who had lost a child in a road accident one year earlier) to assist. After witnessing the heavy banging, Grosse contacted Guy Lyon Playfair who would stay in the house for the next 14 months. The publicity machine went into overdrive, with BBC Radio conducting their own investigation which culminated with reporter Roz Morris witnessing a chair moving across the room. By late October, activity in the house had escalated with the knocking and banging switching from wall to ceiling and back again. Grosse also witnessed a heavy gas fire being ripped out of the wall. The experts agreed that one of Margaret's teenage daughters - Janet - seemed to be the focus of the alleged paranormal activity, and cameras regularly caught her being seemingly pulled out of bed and flung across the room. In late November, Janet was injected with 10mg of valium underwent hypnosis during which she told about being pulled out of bed and flung across the room. On 14th December, two local tradesmen were delivering bread and looked up at the house to see Janet floating in front of her bedroom window, with her body subsequently moving up and down. A lollypop lady on duty at a nearby crossing also witnessed this incident.

Many detractors have accused the children of being responsible for the loud knocking and also of manufacturing the visual manifestations. While it's true they were caught red-handed in a number of pranks (which included hiding recording equipment), what happened next is not easily explained. The investigators decided to try to prompt the ghost to speak, and tried to start a conversation with recording equipment at the ready. The tape captured a deep male voice which proceeded to give his name and declared there were two spirits in the house. Regular conversations took place over the next few weeks, where the spirit would spout obscenities, talk gibberish and eventually declare he had previously lived in the house and went blind and died of a haemorrhage in a chair downstairs. Once again, Janet was accused of trickery by adopting a gruff voice to fool the investigators into believing they were talking to a ghost. This particular theory was discounted by a speech therapist who used a larynx graph to prove the voice was not coming from the usual vocal chords, but from the second set of vocal chords which actors are sometimes trained to use. These 'false' chords can produce a deep gravelly voice which can be very painful if used for more than half an hour at a time, and result in a severe sore throat. The voice on the recordings talked for up to 3 hours at a time and Janet's voice (or that of her sister) never displayed any signs of stress.

In early 1978, a man named Terry Wilkins came to the house in the wake of all the publicity. Although the details of the spirit tape had not been made public, Wilkins explained he was interested in the case as his father had rented the house until he died there. From a haemorrhage in a chair downstairs.

Was this property truly haunted? While Janet and her younger sister were responsible for some of the minor events, it's almost unreasonable to assume that they could somehow manufacture the voice and indulge in conversation, and some of the more violent phenomena was surely beyond two young girls? Having listened to passages of those recordings, I have to say a shiver ran down my spine and it really did seem like I was privy to a voice from another world.

Janet Hodgson was eventually admitted to a London hospital for extensive tests, and was deemed to be 100% normal and healthy. Her return to the house saw a marked decrease in activity until the day arrived when nothing else was seen or heard. To this very day, she remains adamant that the events really took place and that, for a short time, she was resident in a haunted abode.

THE HAUNTING SEASON #3 THE STONE TAPE

THE STONE TAPE

When it comes to the paranormal, the written word so often triumphs over the moving image. Sometimes, it's nice to sit back and let imagination take you through some dark places, away from over-zealous film directors showing you more than you really need to see. Sometimes, however, we encounter celluloid chillers that succeed in establishing an icy grip on the senses: The Haunting, The Changeling, Session Nine, The Others and The Woman In Black are just a few examples of films that can lower the room temperature and freeze the blood. The Stone Tape is another worthy member of this select group of spookers.First broadcast on 25th December 1972, The Stone Tape must have ruined Christmas for many viewers, adopting a 'less is more' approach which delivers a handful of spectral apparitions, and a series of blood-curdling screams - the rest is down to Nigel Kneale's screenplay and several fine performances.Director Peter Sasdy's declaration of intent is unveiled right from the word go as Jill Greely (Asher) - a woman clearly on the edge of a nervous breakdown - almost comes to grief with a large truck bearing the name 'Ryan Electronics'. Jill recovers from what could have been a fatal crash to begin work at Taskerlands - a building that dates back to the 18th century - where she will oversee the installation of computers and sundry data equipment.A crack team of electronics experts - led by bombastic Peter Brock (Bryant) - hope to design a revolutionary recording medium, and confound the market leaders, affectionately known as 'old nippon'. With an eager team wanting to press ahead, the schedule is thrown off-kilter when workmen down tools, refusing to renovate one room in particular. A general feeling of unease appears to be their main cause for concern, though matters come to a head when Jill - blessed/cursed with mediumistic powers - sees the ghostly apparition of a young woman at the top of a flight of stairs that lead...... to nowhere.The discovery of 30 tins of spam and a letter to Father Christmas ("All I want for xmas is please go away") become pieces in a jigsaw puzzle that includes a maid named Louisa Hanks; two attempted exorcisms back in the mists of time, and the reluctant testimony of a fightened local who mentions "the others".As the unquiet spirit screams and screams again, Jill is joined by several of her colleagues who can now see and/or hear what may be a psychic echo of a past tragedy. Peter eventually joins the ranks of the believers, and embarks on a ruthless pursuit towards self-advancement, with no thoughts for the safety of his team or his mistress.Approached from a purely supernatural perspective, The Stone Tape hits the back of the net on many occasions, with its aura of evil practically reaching out from the confines of a television screen to suck you into that infernal room where past events intrude on the present. The aural and visual manifestations are frightening enough, but Sasdy's film reaches its peak when a solitary figure enters the time-slip vacuum, breaching the darkness to confront a silence that is deafening.It's a scary trip, and maybe Sasdy hasn't received the credit he deserves: due, no doubt, to another visionary screenplay from Nigel Kneale. Just witness the animated conversation regarding the possibilty of history in the making; a new recording device that will condense hours of audio material onto a tiny piece of software, and 13 channel TV - "Porn channel 1, porn channel 2, DIY...." Kneale even extends his take on the shape of things to come into a sidebar concerning brusque businessman Crawshaw (Marsh) who fights for a piece of Taskerlands to aid development of his own invention - a self-programming washing machine capable of sorting its own load. Together with Kneale's Year Of The Sex Olympics script, The Stone Tape casts an eye to the future with more than a degree of accuracy, and creates a foundation for Sasdy and his cast.On the debit side, there are several scenes which grate a little - mostly in the form of OTT performances from some of the largely male cast, and the sight of 'ghostbusters' attempting to 'clear' the room by using primitive outside broadcast equipment looks a tad amateurish. Still, many films (with the advantage of state-of-the-art resources) have cheerfully cribbed from The Stone Tape's ghost-laying technique, and its desire to move on from the bell,book and candle approach should ultimately be applauded. Some dodgy FX scenes near the end momentarily threaten to undo the good work, but a late rally puts things to right, taking us into the haunted room which may be about to welcome at least one new occupant.Sasdy's film is sadly out of print in the UK on VHS and DVD. While I don't own a copy of the latter, I have viewed the disc and, given its age and the source material, picture quality is as good as one could hope for. The BFI disc includes a commentary track from Kneale and writer & reviewer Kim Newman, and there's also a DVD Rom extra in the form of a Kneale script, 'The Road'.I was fortunate enough to catch a screening of The Stone Tape at London's National Film Theatre, a few years back. Afterwards, Kneale was interviewed onstage and briefly discussed 'The Road'; a ghostly tale of Roman centurians returning from the grave. Kneale lamented the fact that the tape of this film had been wiped by a BBC employee, and is lost forever. A crying shame, but think of it as an unfilmed gem that may see light of day from one of the UK's rising young directors. Until then, stoke up the fire, sit back and let your imagination take hold.

THE HAUNTING SEASON #2

Yesterday saw hundreds of people out in Derby to protest at the closure of our Playhouse theatre. While the search for a buyer goes on, I thought I'd post a review of one of the most memorable shows I've seen there. I'd read Susan Hill's novel many years ago, and was chilled by this tale of revenge from beyond the grave. A good place to continue my theme of ghost stories for Christmas.

THE WOMAN IN BLACK.

Fact. Old fashioned ghost stories are few and far between these days, and haunted house junkies are often forced to reach for well-thumbed blasts from the past in order to get a regular fright-filled fix. Stories by M.R. James, Shirley Jackson and Peter Straub have kept me awake on many occasions during the wee small hours, and I'd nominate Susan Hill as my current chairperson of the 'Sleep Deprivation Society'. THE WOMAN IN BLACK is an atmospheric chiller that never fails to unnerve me, demonstrating the written word can often be as powerful as the moving image. This terrifying story centres on a young solicitor named Arthur Kipps, who is instructed to attend the funeral of one Alice Drablow. Kipps takes the train to the town of Crythin Gifford, intending to carry out a speedy appraisal of her private papers and return to his London firm with all relevant documents.

Situated on the bleached salt marsh beyond Nine Lives Causeway, Drablow's Eel Marsh House can only be reached by crossing the causeway at low tide, and Kipps soon discovers the place is given a wide berth by the locals. Arthur tries to break the villager's wall of silence, but ultimately finds their fear to be something more than superstitious nonsense. Who is 'The Woman In Black', and how does she relate to a tragic event which claimed the lives of three people many years earlier?

THE WOMAN IN BLACK has entered a record breaking 18th year at London's Fortune theatre with the show also playing intermittently on a regional basis, drawing lavish praise from audience and critics alike. Even so, I harboured grave doubts this powerful story would successfully translate to the stage. Surprisingly, the opening minutes are high on chuckles and low on chills. Ian Lindsay took the role of Arthur Kipps who enlists the help of a young actor (Ian Targett) in order to prepare for the opening night of a play. Kipps believes that reliving his nightmare in the company of strangers is the only way to exorcise The Woman In Black. Right from the word go, Lindsay and Targett gel perfectly as the actor berates for his clumsy interpretation of Hill's wonderful opening paragraphs. At times, their witty repartee verges on downright hilarious but guys, if Susan says it's a long corridor than it most assuredly is! Yes, that memorable first page will never read the same again, but the humour does work. Witness the scene where Kipps enquires how a stage play could accommodate all the key elements of the book. This was actually a brave move on writer Stephen Mallatratt's part, raising questions that must have been in the minds of many theatre-goers. Once again, this double-act had us in stitches, this time introducing a series of props and sound effects which represented Kipps' train journey and that eerie pony and trap ride across the Nine Lives Causeway. Targett added that audiences would certainly use their imaginations, and that was made easy by the sheer quality of the production. Thanks to Kevin Sleep's superb lighting and Michael Holt's excellent design work, The Playhouse stage became Eel Marsh House; the haunted nursery in particular truly living up to Hill's blood-curdling description. Ron Mead's sound design was also top-notch, joining hands with some spooky visuals that made the audience jump out of their skins on several occasions. This is certainly not a play for the faint-hearted. It frequently succeeds in recreating the heart-stopping terror of the novel, and the vein of humour running through this production ensures that when the shocks occur, they hit home with considerable force. Robin Herford did a fine job as director, and must have found the two Ian's to be a joy to work with.

Lindsay does relinquish his Kips character fairly early in the play, and treats us to colourful interpretations of some pretty sedate literary characters: Drablow's financial agent (Mr. Jerome), a wealthy landowner (Samuel Daily) and the valiant Keckwick who knows better than anyone the terrible truth about Eel Marsh House. Susan Hill's creations are all present and correct, and I roared with laughter at Lindsay's portrayal of, sniff, Tomes the clerk. While Lindsay is busy livening up the population of Crythin, Targett puts himself in Arthur Kipps' shoes, giving a lively performance that never falters. There are times when his exuberance enters the realms of over-acting but his enthusiasm was so contagious, it was hard not to get carried along with him. So far, I've name checked most of the cast and crew but what about you-know-who? Did The Woman In Black appear? Well, I hate to break it to you but Lindsay and Targett were the only actors in this production, and a quick perusal of the programme and front-of-house-stills confirmed this. It seemed that the ghostly lady is confined to the pages of Hill's novel, though I could have sworn that on 3 occasions I saw....... maybe not. Maybe I should put it down to over-imagination. It was that kind of night.

Several years after the Derby show, I caught THE WOMAN IN BLACK again at The Fortune Theatre in London with two friends who enjoyed it as much as I did.

In 1989, the ITV channel screened a television production of THE WOMAN IN BLACK on Christmas Eve. This television drama was directed by Herbert Wise, and Nigel Kneale adapted the story from Hill's novel. On (admittedly) a single viewing, I have to say the TV drama didn't really hit the spot for me with perhaps a few changes too many when compared to the book. However, I attended, some years later, a screening of THE STONE TAPE at London's National Film Theatre and Nigel Kneale was on hand to do an enjoyable Q&A and also screen clips from several films. THE WOMAN IN BLACK was one of them and I have to say the clip shown was enough to give me nightmares later that night. Universal now hold the rights to this drama and it seems unlikely the film will be released on DVD anytime soon. It is easy to find copies on Ebay but, as these copies are illegal, I'm sure none of us would even dream of purchasing one.

Look out for my review of THE STONE TAPE - a classic ghost story - later this month.

THE HAUNTING SEASON #1

December. The time of the year when we all look forward to the Christmas holidays, grabbing a few days off work to be with family, and reflect on the absence of loved ones who are no longer with us. It's also a month when many of us like nothing better than to settle back and read a good old fashioned ghost story, or to watch a particularly spooky film. I thought it would be nice to take a look at a few of my own favourites and hope you enjoy my choices. First up is this offering from 1987 directed by Ching Siu-Tung

A CHINESE GHOST STORY

Leslie Cheung, Joey Wong, Wu Ma, Jin Jiong, Wai Lam, Sui Ming Lau, Jing Wong, Zhilan Xue

The recurring theme of 'Love From Beyond The Grave' invariably provokes a dewy-eyed response from cinema-goers everywhere, and A Chinese Ghost Story also features tear-stained moments of romance from a love that can never blossom. Ching Sui-Tung's remake of The Enchanted Shadow (1960) certainly has a few of those lump-in-your-throat scenes, but it also moves like an express train at times, combining action, humour and amazing pre-CGI effects.The much-missed Leslie Cheung takes the central role of Ning Tsai-Shun - a debt collector down on his luck - who seeks shelter from the rain and ends up at the Lan Yeuk temple. It's here he encounters the beautiful Siu Sihn (Joey Wong); a girl with "cold hands and a pasty complexion"."You seem really kind. It's a shame you came to the wrong place", declares Sihn. Before long, this heartfelt admonition casts a shadow over Shun and his newfound ally, Master Yan (Wu Ma); a Taosist swordsman who will soon risk life and limb in a duel between two worlds. The deal here is that Sihn is a ghost who is forced to lure young men into the temple where a tree demon is waiting to devour their souls. An arranged marriage to the evil Lord Of The Black Mountain places a seemingly irremovable object between Sihn and her earthly lover, leading to a battle royale in the underworld.Horror/fantasy cinema has been responsible for some chilling visions of Hades, from the barren landscape of The Beyond to the fluorescent colours in Mario Bava's Hercules In The Haunted World. The Hell depicted in A Chinese Ghost Story must rank as another major achievement, as a single soundstage is transformed into a mist-shrouded abyss of the damned. It's here the fertile imagination of producer Tsui Hark really goes into overdrive, constructing a series of pulsating set pieces that may well leave you out of breath.Hark really does throw some blistering scenes of mayhem into the mix, while reminding us that he's a master of subtle changes of pace when the script demands: listen out for numerous lines of madcap humour, and feast your eyes on some beautifully lit scenes accompanied by a gorgeous swirling soundtrack which occasionally shifts gear to reveal cues reminiscent of David Bowie's 'Low' album.Widely acknowledged as a classic slice of Eastern delight, A Chinese Ghost Story casts its net further afield, with zombie riffs (albeit of the more docile kind) and nods to the tree horrors of Sam Raimi's Evil Dead.This really is a visual treat, and the Region 2 DVD from Hong Kong Legends does it full justice. HKL's presentation looks remarkably crisp and colourful with blue ground mists, the warm glow of candlelight and those different shades of green in the New Territories exterior scenes all looking better than ever. Blacks are also spot on, and there's plenty of detail in night-time scenes - check out the 'company of wolves' scene in the forest.This sumptuous transfer gives plenty of bang for your buck, and there are further praiseworthy aspects to consider.The ubiquitous Bey Logan travels solo on an audio commentary that's a mixture of historical background, anecdotes and sharp observations drawn from his considerable experience as a writer and an actor. We learn about Poo Song Ling ("The H.P.Lovecraft of his day") whose novel, 'The Magic Sword', inspired the original film and this remake; the careers of cast and crew - included the 7 DOP's Tsui Hark employed for this film - and get the lowdown on the revised ending.This wealth of information is delivered at something approaching breakneck speed, yet it's easy on the ears and greatly increases ones admiration for the film and its cast and creators.Logan is never slow in making personal observations regarding the various production techniques employed here, expressing a preference for physical props as opposed to CGI, admiration for the stop-motion and steadicam work, and great enthusiasm for the performances of the main players. Logan's talk also takes in a few cultural sidebars, revealing that the supernatural is widely accepted as solid fact by the Chinese people.HKL have also thoughtfully provided two interviews. The first is an informative 23 minute chat with Tsui Hark who expresses his admiration for Cheung (who initially refused the role of Shun); explains why Joey Wong wasn't first choice for playing Siu Sihn, and offers his reasons for frequently casting singers in many of his films. The second interview - a 29 minute Q&A with Wu Ma - is just as enlightening, revealing this actor/director has worked in the industry for 41 years. Wu Ma tells us why he feels Hark is an incredibly demanding person to work for; gives his reasons for believing that aspiring actors should begin their careers in TV rather than movies, citing Chow Yun Fat, Tony Leung and Andy Lau as prime examples of the benefits of this route, and like Hark, chats about Leslie Cheung, hoping that his spirit is at rest.The remainder of this disc contains trailers for some mouth-watering releases from Hong Kong Legends and Premier Asia - including clips from The Warrior, Zu Warriors From The Magic Mountain and Naked Weapon - and all of them look in excellent shape. You'll also find 2 trailers for A Chinese Ghost Story: the UK version has a female voice- over which works really well, and makes a refreshing change from the norm.There is one more feature to tell you about, and my advice is to make this your last port of call. 'A Star Shines In The East' is a short text and stills tribute to Leslie Cheung. Here, the words of Bey Logan convey the sadness surrounding Cheung's suicide, and pays tribute to his short time amongst us. It's a sad note to end on, but reminds us that this talented actor/singer left so much to be remembered for.

It's a sobering thought that it's 20 years ago since this made a splash on the cult circuit in the UK. Nice to remember it here. Next week, I'll be taking a look at the ghost stories of an absolute master, MR. James.

A HALLOWEEN HORROR

Happy Halloween to everyone out there. Time for a spot of movie viewing now, so I'll sign off with this review of a Mexican chiller. Have a good one!



SPIRITISM Benito Alazraki 1961

Nora Veryan, Louis Fernandez, Diana Ochoa, Rene Cardona jnr

A middle class dinner party takes a turn for the worse when Louis and Mary Howard (Veryan and Fernandez) take part in a seance. Their host, medium Elvira (Ochoa), warns the couple that April 8th will mark the beginning of a tragic period in their lives, and goes on to mention an encounter with inhuman creatures wielding extraordinary powers. The date in question happens to be their 20th wedding anniversary and at the end of an evening of celebration, their son, Rodolpho (Cardona jnr), asks for a loan of $4,000 to finance a new business venture. Sure enough, the first tragedy occurs soon after, eventually prompting the initially sceptical Mary to attempt to hold her family together by doing business with the ultimate loan shark.By the time we reach the one hour mark, Spiritism may come across as an overly-talkative piece that only moves on to crowd-pleasing familiar territory during the final act, which is based on W.W. Jacob's "The Monkey's Paw". This viewpoint, while understandable in some respects, actually does the film a great disservice, as this is really a quality drama about a family falling apart at the seams. Amongst a cast of performers who often leave a lot to be desired, it's Norma Veyran who takes centre stage, wringing every ounce of emotion from her role of concerned wife and increasingly desperate mother.The second seance is probably the main source of ammunition for critics of this film: it's a lengthy scene where Mary - now a commited believer following a wonderfully eerie vision on hallowed ground - attempts to halt the spectre of doom that threatens her family. The troubled abode of Elvira again plays host to a communication with the dead, beginning with some expanded theories regarding the dear departed, and moving to a shattering climax with an unquiet spirit who does not realise she's dead. Perhaps this scene is a little dialogue-heavy, but subsequent viewings may well reveal the script to be less ponderous than first impressions suggest. The only other gripe concerns some terminally dodgy less-than special effects, which suggest a two-way split between paucity of budget and lack of imagination; chief offenders being scare-free apparitions and a botched stand-off between Christ and Satan, though one has to at least applaud the audacious concept of the latter.Overall, Spiritism is a successful portrait of a family afflicted by the spectre of bad luck, and it's ill-advised attempts to use unconventional means as a way of stopping the rot. Jealousy, lifelong friendships put under intolerable strain, the pain of losing loved ones and the very real fear of growing old and dying poor will doubtless strike a chord with many viewers, while the last 20 minutes deliver the goods for anyone with a spine demanding to be chilled.The English dubbed version of Spiritism (directed in 1965 by Manuel San Fernando) was another K. Gordon Murray pick-up, and part of Beverley Wilshire's Mexican horror collection on DVD. Although B.W. were forced to cease trading, their back catalogue of Mexican magic can easily be acquired via ebay, and Spiritism is close to being the cream of the crop. As usual, B.W's disc reveals instances of scratches, splices and poor contrasts but the image is tolerable, and should not detract too much from your enjoyment.

THINGS THAT GO BUMP #2

THE HAUNTING



Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, Russ Tamblyn, Lois Maxwell, Fay Compton, Rosalie Crutchley, Valentine Dyall



Borley Rectory, Epworth Parsonage, Glamis Castle……. names that will be familiar to students of British haunted houses. Film buffs could also volunteer Ettingham Park as an addition to a lengthy list. This imposing structure – now a hotel – features in Robert Wise’s take on Shirley Jackson’s famous novel, The Haunting Of Hill House.Richard Johnson fills the role of Dr. Markway; a psychic investigator who views Hill House as “The key to another world”, and assembles a team of assistants who may stimulate the house. Eleanor Lance (Julie Harris), Theo (Claire Bloom) and Luke (Russ Tamblyn) accomplish that little task in spades although their collective experience is hardly steeped in the supernatural: Theo has powers of ESP, Eleanor may have experienced (or caused) poltergeist phenomena as a young girl and Luke is a ‘doubting Thomas’ who only accepts the spirits found in bars and clubs.The history of their temporary (?) new home is a ghost-hunters delight: a 90 year-old New England abode, built by a man named Hugh Craine and host to scandal, murder and insanity. Before long, the history of this undesirable residence appears to cast its shadow over the land of the living: thunderous bangings, unearthly cries and whispers, footsteps in empty corridors, doors that bend inwards and a desperate message scrawled in chalk on the wall (“Help Eleanor come home”). There’s enough material here for a score of psychic conferences…… or is there?Eleanor’s precarious state of mind (fuelled by guilt over her mother’s recent death) and Theo’s jealousy regarding the attraction between Markway and her own intended provide a cocktail of emotions which trigger telekinesis and group hallucinations. Imaginations run riot here, generating enough electricity to power a small town, never mind a creaky old house where the deaths of previous occupants lie heavy in the air, and on the mind.The cast all run with Nelson Giddings’ screenplay, confirming that Robert Wise chose well: Bloom is terrific as “one of nature’s mistakes”, shamelessly pursuing Eleanor while injecting just the right levels of icy calm and near-hysteria while Lance slides further and further towards self-destruction. Johnson and Tamblyn – initially poles apart in attitudes and beliefs – gain in stature with each viewing; Tamblyn may seem to be overshadowed by the stately Johnson but he does get one of the best lines in the film (and earns it) and there’s a marvellous moment when he quite literally ‘bottles it’ towards the end of the film. Watch out too for Lois Maxwell as Markway’s wife, who could be excused for wondering just what James Bond would have made of it all.Maybe he would simply have run out screaming, because the house had enough tricks up its sleeve to scare even the hardiest of souls. Was it really haunted?Probably not, though I feel things had certainly changed by the end when Eleanor Lance deliberately drove her car into a tree, and passed from this life to the next. I can just picture her walking the corridors of Hill House, only to find it completely devoid of spirits.Alone again, naturally.Warner Brothers’ Region 2 DVD offers a 2.40:1 widescreen rendering, and is currently the best way to experience this film outside of any isolated theatrical screenings. Picture quality, in lieu of a complete restoration, is fairly sharp and the widescreen format really does open things up, giving us a far greater appreciation of the set design and cinemaphotography. Ardent fans will be delighted by the inclusion of an audio commentary track, featuring Wise, Giddings, Johnson, Tamblyn and, briefly, Bloom and Harris. Recorded separately, these six key figures provide plenty of anecdotes and observations: Harris revealing he worked on The Haunting by day and appeared in The Devils stageplay in the evenings, and generally meditating on his approach to acting (and how he turned his back on the chance to play James Bond before Connery got the role, while Tamblyn explains why he initially turned down the role of Luke and relates a ghostly experience that occurred one evening on the set.Giddings and Wise also make for good company, agreeing their film has not dated, clearly proud that audiences are still keeping Hill House alive.Perfect viewing for a cold winter’s evening. Just make sure your doors stay sensibly shut.

ENGLAND'S MOST HAUNTED

It's time to lock your doors, draw the curtains and settle back. The clocks have gone back here, and it's dark by 5.00pm. Tomorrow, it's the 31st of October where dark forces hold sway. Some folks will dust off those ouija boards and attempt to communicate with those who have long passed on. Some will attempt to spend the night in haunted houses, while others will indulge in The Black Arts. If your Halloween kicks are inspired by less radical activities, a night in front of the TV watching your own all-night movie choices seems a whole lot safer. Whatever you decide to do, spare a moment to consider your own locale and and any buildings that may come to life on this particular night of the year. I'm sure most of you live near to places that supposedly play host to supernatural phenomena. Here are a few of the myths and legends that surround the area where I live, and boy do we have a lot going on!

HALLOWEEN HORRORS

(The haunted Gaol in Derby)

(The churchyard where the ghost of a young girl is seen)

Halloween. Samhain. A time of the year when the worlds of the living and the dead are closest. Many years ago, bonfires were lit the length and breadth of England in the belief they would help guide spirits to their final resting place. Candles were put in windows with the same intention, and pumpkins could be found on many a windowsill, with the aim of warding off evil spirits. It's a good time to remind ourselves that England is full of supernatural lore, and the city of Derby, just 14 miles from my hometown, is officially the ghost capital of England.

With a population of approximately 235,000, Derby has just unveiled a £340 million shopping centre, with dynamic new stores and a 12 screen 3,000 seater cinema due to open Spring 2008. With well over 1,000 paranormal incidents recorded, it's the older part of Derby we need to focus on, with historical occurrences from as early as 1556 casting the darkest of shadows over modern day beliefs. Witches burnt at the stake, men hanged and then beheaded for crimes ranging from burglary to murder, legends of a vampire stalking the city by night, a ghostly choir who disappear into thin air, the spirit of a policeman murdered in 1879, ghostly figures in World War II regalia, a man in black who wishes people a merry xmas before fading from view... just a few of the reported sightings down the years.

The increasingly popular Derby Ghost Walk takes in many locations, from haunted pubs to the site of the old Derby Gaol which lies under the city streets. Prisoners who were executed are said to haunt the catacombs under the city, with the condemned cell being the centre of psychic activity. For a price, people are invited to spend the night in this cursed place, and as an extremely interested party, it's only the cost involved that scares me off taking part. One of my favourite cinemas - the old Metro Cinema - is reputed to be haunted, as is the old Bell Hotel where I enjoyed many a pint before stepping out to the Kings Hall to see the likes of The Clash play. Here, room 29 is said to be haunted by the ghost of a serving girl who died there many years earlier. The dead come back to life all over Derby if all those stories are to be believed, but a few miles outside the city, things are just as scary. On the borders of Derbyshire and Staffordshire, legend tells of a family who were executed for murdering and then eating poor unfortunates who had got lost on the moors, and there are multiple tales of ghostly sightings in church's, hotels and schools in the Derbyshire area. My hometown - population 10,000 - also boasts spooks in abundance. There was a local family of aristocrats who once had acres of land which is now covered by houses. The daughter of this family had a lover who quickly became disliked by her parents. When she was ordered never to see him again, she chained herself to the railings at the local pond and drowned. On winter evenings, a lady in white can sometimes be seen walking across the cold waters, and I know two level headed people who claim to have seen her ghost. There's also a story concerning a young girl who was buried alive in our local churchyard. Her unquiet spirit has often been seen amongst the tombstones, perhaps looking for her unborn child. There's no escape at local inns, either. One former coach house has guests reporting the sound of a horse-drawn carriage in the street outside, and ghost armies of Roman centurions have also been seen nearby, marching some 4 feet above ground level. One story which sticks in my mind concerns a stately home some two miles way. Here, a murder occurred many years ago, and the bloodstains in the bathroom are regularly scrubbed away, but always return. Another place on my to-visit list is an old airfield, 20 miles away. Local residents tell of lights on the airfield, accompanied by sounds of aircraft taking off and voices singing old war songs. Perhaps a psychic echo of aircrew about to embark on a mission from which some of them would not return? My wife and I recently took a walk down an old railway tunnel. The network shut down around 40 years ago, and there are tales of spectral figures who can be seen in the tunnel. Speakers positioned at various points replay the sounds of trains rolling along the tracks, which only adds to the atmosphere of unease. I used to go there in my childhood years, and a friend of mine swore he saw the figure of a man holding a lamp near the end of the tunnel. I wish I could say that I've seen something, anything, to substantiate these tales but I never did. However, for me, the most chilling location is a wood some half a mile from where we live. During my childhood, my friends and I heard tell that a witch lived in a cottage deep in the wood. The trees were so dense in this particular area that near-dusk conditions prevailed, even on the brightest summer's day. Sure enough, there were remains of what appeared to be a dwelling place for someone, something. Although we returned many times - usually for a dare - we never saw anything, but on a couple of occasions we did hear strange gutteral laughs that saw us take flight as fast as we could go.

If you're interested in the supernatural, then the county of Derbyshire has more to offer than anywhere else in England but, wherever you are, I wish you a Happy Halloween.

THINGS THAT GO BUMP....

As I have a rare weekend off work, I thought I'd take time out to immerse myself in James Foley's wonderful GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS and it's a real treat to be checking out the 2 disc Region 2 DVD.



However, the countdown to Halloween is well underway so it's perhaps time to take a look at a few movies that seem made for that particular night. Unfortunately, this celebration of the darkside is somewhat muted in the UK compared to the US and that's a crying shame. Nowadays, TV and radio seem to have diluted their coverage and programmes that would appeal to horror fans are few and far between. I'll be posting a few reviews of superior spookers throughout the week and thought I'd begin with a film that became a regular on UK TV in the 70s.




THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE
Roddy McDowall, Pamela Franklin, Clive Revill,
Gayle Hunnicutt, Peter Bowles, Ronald Culver, Michael Gough








Review:
"May you find the answer that you seek. It is here, I promise" Emeric Belasco.Welcome to Hell House. The "Mount Everest of haunted houses" according to Dr. Barrett (Revill), who accepts a challenge from businessman Rudolph Deutsch (Culver) to produce evidence of survival after death. Accompanied by his wife Ann (Hunnicutt), and mediums Florence Tanner (Franklin) and Ben Fischer (McDowall), Barrett's party enter the house on 20th December, intending to remain there for 5 days and collect £100,000 for a positive result.I suppose it's entirely reasonable to compare The Legend Of Hell House to what could be termed the 'Mount Everest' of haunted house movies: I refer, of course, to Robert Wise's The Haunting. Both films pitch their audience into a house allegedly alive with psychic phenomena, where a team of investigators will attempt to deliver irrefutable proof that the spirits of the dead are often unwilling to depart from the land of the living. For me, the most fascinating similarity between the two films is that neither Hell House nor Hill House provide the aforementioned evidence. In short, the various events that take place may well have been unwittingly (The Haunting) or intentionally (Hell House) caused by the living, rather than the dead.We'll take a look at The Haunting some time soon, but let's concentrate on the house owned by Emeric Belasco which, years earlier, played host to vampirism, sadism, necrophilia, drug addicition, orgies and other unsavoury activities. In 1927, just 8 years after the house was built, Belasco disappeared without trace and Hell House was boarded up for over 20 years, with its master missing presumed dead. During two attempts to discover whether Belasco really was responsible for the reported ghostly manifestations, eight people died: on both occasions, Ben Fischer was the only person to emerge in one piece. As the film progresses, Dr. Barrett's expedition appears to encounter a barrage of supernatural phenomena, including a ferocious assault where the good Doctor has practically everything bar the kitchen sink thrown at him, and a spine tingling seance that really sets the nerves on edge when Florence begins to speak with a gruff male voice apparently belonging to Belasco's son, Victor. Later in the film, Florence is attacked by a supposedly possessed cat and allows Victor's spirit to have sex with her, while Dr. Barrett's wife - also seemingly possessed - invites Ben to get down and extremely dirty with her.As with The Haunting, there are some very strong human emotions gathered together here: fear, sexual repression, rage, jealousy.....enough to move mountains, never mind a few tables and sundry household appliances. The sexual angle is particularly interesting. Ann Barrett, who clearly suggests her husband is no longer interested in what lies beneath ("He's sleeping"); Florence, who likely experiences a wet fevered dream in lieu of her first (?) sexual encounter, with scratch marks from Victor's alleged violation probably caused by the feline from hell, and what about Ben? The only person to walk out in one piece from two previous investigations! In both cases, practically every male participant had their legs crushed in some form of 'accident', and either died or suffered permanent paralysis. Did Ben harbour some dark secret that turned his mind against both sexes? Was this self-confessed 'physical' medium compelled to use psychokinisis to kick up a real storm directed at his temporary companions, and were his powers sufficient to cause Florence to hallucinate,and to bring Ann's sexual urges to the surface? To put it bluntly, if Fischer couldn't get laid he'd make darn sure no-one else would. Dr. Barrett clearly believed his own brand of science - including a machine designed to 'drain' the house - succeeded in clearing almost every room, but maybe Hell House had always been devoid of energy.....until Fischer walked through the door. First-time viewers will have to see for themselves whether he makes it back to the outside world for the third time, or perishes during a showdown in the chapel - the nerve centre of Hell House, or so Fischer would have us believeWhether or not the Belasco place really was haunted is very much open to interpretation, but even the sternest disbeliever will surely agree that John Hough's direction realises many flesh-crawling moments, with every shadow, each creaking door bringing an icy chill that seems to reach out beyond the screen. Even the presence of one wholly inappropriate line, uttered during an ectoplasm display at the seance, ("Leave a specimen in the jar, please") fails to dispel the tension for more than a few seconds.20th Century Fox's Region 2 DVD delivers the best looking small screen version of this film, with a nice 1.85:1 transfer revealing that Hough and his team used every inch of the screen to explore the nooks and crannies of Hell House, turning damn near every room into a snapshot from some gothic hell. While this film retains its 70s look - due, no doubt, to the filmstock - colour reproduction is good and shadow detail is well rendered, making the £5.99 price tag for this disc seem like daylight robbery; in our favour for once.On a performance level, it's pretty much 'as you were' with McDowall and Franklin both excellent, Hunnicutt remaining an attractive piece of window dressing and Revill still struggling after all these years to draw any feelings of dislike or concern from either side of the camera. While The Legend Of Hell House was never quite good enough to enter the upper echelon of classic spookers, it does remain a fascinating film; possibly for what it may be, rather than what is has long been perceived as

We May be Through With The Past #1

THE THREE INVESTIGATORS

I was sorting through my book collection the other day, and came across a book I haven't read in many, many years.

THE SECRET OF TERROR CASTLE was the first entry in a series titled Alfred Hitchcock And The Three Investigators, which ran for 43 books.

The series' debut begins with an introduction by Hitchcock who agreed to allow three boys to attempt to find a genuine haunted house for use in his next suspense picture. The trio - Jupiter Jones, Peter Crenshaw and Bob Andrews - bagged this assignment by way of sheer skullduggery and their adventures turned me into a fan for several years.

Although I didn't realise it at the time, Hitch's involvement was fairly minimal and his name quickly took second place to Robert Arthur's text. Sadly, Arthur only wrote 11 books in the series before he passed away, but his involvement created some exciting tales.

THE SECRET OF TERROR CASTLE sees our heroes investigating a castle located above Hollywood, which was owned by a popular silent movie star named Stephen Terrill who committed suicide when he reluctantly decided he could no longer star in movies. Now, Terror Castle is given a wide berth and no-one has dared to spend the night there for many years.

During their investigations, Jupiter and his colleagues encounter a 'fog of fear', a blue phantom and a ghostly apparition in a mirror (the books illustration of this phantom lady haunted me for years). With the introduction of Terrill's former agent, things come to the boil nicely and move towards a conclusion that sets us up for their next adventure.

So, here's a book that I haven't read for the best part of 30 years. I sit down, read the opening chapter and I'm hooked. Kids stuff, huh? Well, I'm too old for this sort of stuff, but so what? These books were a part of my formative years, and sometimes it's not a bad thing to go back. To remind yourself of who you were at a given period in your life, and to experience again things that brought simple pleasures, free of the stern challenges that were not too far around the corner. Jones, Crenshaw, Andrews, Worthington the chauffeur, headquarters in a 30 foot mobile trailer home. Characters such as E. Skinner Norris, Uncle Titus and Aunt Mathilda, Hans and Konrad. The famous Three Investigators card, Jones' Holmesian deduction powers... all these made this book a magical experience. Unfortunately, my other Three Investigators books have disappeared over the years, lost in the mists of time but this one was always my favourite. Perhaps I'll check out Ebay and see if I can track down THE MYSTERY OF THE GREEN GHOST or THE MYSTERY OF THE SCREAMING CLOCK. Or, maybe I won't. We'll see, though one thing is for sure. To quote a line from one of my favourite films; "We may be through with the past, but the past ain't through with us". Sometimes, it's good not to resist too much.