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When a widow dies in the seaside town of Crythin, a young solicitor is sent to settle her estate. Following cryptic warnings from the locals regarding the terrifying history of the old woman’s house, he begins to see visions of a menacing woman in black.

Network have given ITV’s Christmas Eve ghost story from 1989 a splendid high definition polish to terrify a whole new generation of horror fans. 1983 saw the publication of Susan Hill’s source horror novel, followed by a popular stage adaptation in 1987, this version in 1989 and subsequently a Hammer version in 2012. For my money, this is still the best incarnation, not least because of that horrific jump scare, which you’ll remember if you seen it, and I won’t spoil if you haven’t. It also has the glummest of endings.

Adapted by Nigel Kneale (Quatermass) and starring Adrian Rawlins as young lawyer Arthur Kidd, it’s funny to think that the actor would go on to play Harry Potter’s father in that movie franchise, while Harry Potter himself (Daniel Radcliffe) would later play the same lawyer role in 2012. Supported by a strong cast of British thesps, the eponymous ghost is played by Poirot’s Miss Lemon, Pauline Moran, becoming increasingly malevolent each time she appears. There’s also a welcome appearance by Doctor Who’s Caroline John as Arthur’s mother-in-law.

Rachel Portman’s score avoids the histrionics, adding a further level of disquiet to the proceedings, and the crisp 1080 in-house transfer by Network from the original film elements ensures that no shadow is missed as Kidd realises what he’s got himself into.

In addition to a booklet written by Andrew Pixley, including the original press notes, the greatest joy is in listening to the commentary by subject experts Mark Gatiss, Kim Newman and Andy Nyman (he has a small role in the production). You feel like you’ve gatecrashed the best pub conversation, and you don’t want it to end. For so many different reasons, this production has influenced their subsequent genre work, and it’s lovely to see this being acknowledged.

Verdict: Watch this late at night, preferably on your own, and tell me you’re not terrified by THAT moment. A quality production on every level, I genuinely don’t think they make them like this any more. 10/10

Nick Joy

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