The Woman in Black (1989)
Dir. Herbert Wise
Based upon the novel by Susan Hill, The Woman in Black is a quietly shudder-some ghost story capable of chilling the flesh of even the most hardened horror fanatic. Arthur (Adrian Rawlins), a mild-mannered young lawyer, is sent from London to Crythin Gifford to represent his firm at the funeral of a recently deceased client, a reclusive widow. While he is conducting an inventory of the woman’s possessions at her isolated house, he has several terrifying encounters with a mysterious figure which not only threaten his sanity, but his very life.
While the story may be familiar – young man of rational mind is thrust into terrifying situations of a paranormal nature, in a place that treats him as an outsider – the solid direction, moody locales and convincing performances ensure The Woman in Black is not just another ‘things that go bump in the night’ flick going through the motions. While things certainly do go bump in the night throughout the story, the slow burning tension and grim finale that refuses point blank to cop out, will linger long enough in the periphery of your grey matter to have you reaching for the light switch when sleep evades you.
From the outset, it is made clear something is not quite right about the seaside town of Crythin Gifford. The reactions of the superstitious locals when Arthur’s mission is revealed, is telling – and a sense of foreboding is stealthily conceived, but is clipped enough so as not to seem too clichéd. Hushed whispers and outright ostracism ensue. The house where much of the story unfolds is situated off shore on a remote stretch of marshland and can only be reached at low tide, meaning that if Arthur is stranded there, he will be forced to stay the night. There’s talk of sudden mists slithering in over the marshes from the sea and catching people on the causeway, disorientating them and condemning them to a watery grave. Adapted for British television by Quatermass scribe Nigel Kneale, The Woman in Black features a few of the writer’s unmistakable preoccupations, in particular the perception of technology, in this instance electricity, as a quasi-magical force with sinister connotations. Set in the early twentieth century, the general populace of the time regarded electricity with great suspicion and it was generally considered to be a mysterious force that was capable of such diabolical deeds as reviving the dead. That Eel Marsh house is powered by it adds to the location’s sense of otherworldliness in comparison with the gas-lit homes of the townsfolk back on the mainland. The rather cranky generator is located in a little out-house behind the main building, and at several points throughout the film, Arthur must venture out into the damp, mist-enshrouded grounds to restart it. The scene where he dashes about the house turning on all the lights before it gets dark, adds to the uneasy atmosphere of the place.
The house’s former owner Mrs Drablow was considered something of a kook, a stand-offish eccentric. When Arthur explores the house he discovers, amongst other things, a door to a room that is firmly locked, and several audio diaries recorded by Mrs Drablow on a phonograph. More goose-pimple inducing information is relied to him, and the audience, about the titular woman and her connection to the Drablow house when he listens to these. On a dark, stormy night, no less. Unnerved by what he hears, Arthur attempts to cross the causeway back to town, only to become lost in the mist and further terrified by the sound of screaming and crying from within it. Sound is also used to unsettle in the scene where Arthur investigates banging noises in the night, leading to the discovery of what lies behind the locked door and the chilly encounter that follows.
The eponymous woman’s appearances to Arthur are spine-chillingly realised. That they usually occur in broad daylight and in the open, also adds to the creepiness. The stillness and openness of one scene in particular is immensely effective when the lone, funereally garbed figure is glimpsed in a ruined graveyard beside the house... When Arthur is eventually retrieved from the house and brought back into the town in a feverish state, his night terrors grow worse and culminate in a nerve shattering moment when the spectral woman hovers over his bed screeching into his face.Unfortunately for Arthur however, the worst is yet to come...
The Woman in Black is a quiet and highly effective chiller, the likes of which are rarely made anymore. Unfortunately it is quite hard to come by, as the DVD is no longer in print. Hopefully the remake will generate enough interest to convince whoever owns the rights that the time is right to finally release it and send shivers up the spine of a whole new generation.
This review is dedicated to Christine over at Fascination with Fear, who, for as long as I have known her, has championed this film and urged me to check it out. Thanks for the sleepless night, Chris!
Based upon the novel by Susan Hill, The Woman in Black is a quietly shudder-some ghost story capable of chilling the flesh of even the most hardened horror fanatic. Arthur (Adrian Rawlins), a mild-mannered young lawyer, is sent from London to Crythin Gifford to represent his firm at the funeral of a recently deceased client, a reclusive widow. While he is conducting an inventory of the woman’s possessions at her isolated house, he has several terrifying encounters with a mysterious figure which not only threaten his sanity, but his very life.
While the story may be familiar – young man of rational mind is thrust into terrifying situations of a paranormal nature, in a place that treats him as an outsider – the solid direction, moody locales and convincing performances ensure The Woman in Black is not just another ‘things that go bump in the night’ flick going through the motions. While things certainly do go bump in the night throughout the story, the slow burning tension and grim finale that refuses point blank to cop out, will linger long enough in the periphery of your grey matter to have you reaching for the light switch when sleep evades you.
From the outset, it is made clear something is not quite right about the seaside town of Crythin Gifford. The reactions of the superstitious locals when Arthur’s mission is revealed, is telling – and a sense of foreboding is stealthily conceived, but is clipped enough so as not to seem too clichéd. Hushed whispers and outright ostracism ensue. The house where much of the story unfolds is situated off shore on a remote stretch of marshland and can only be reached at low tide, meaning that if Arthur is stranded there, he will be forced to stay the night. There’s talk of sudden mists slithering in over the marshes from the sea and catching people on the causeway, disorientating them and condemning them to a watery grave. Adapted for British television by Quatermass scribe Nigel Kneale, The Woman in Black features a few of the writer’s unmistakable preoccupations, in particular the perception of technology, in this instance electricity, as a quasi-magical force with sinister connotations. Set in the early twentieth century, the general populace of the time regarded electricity with great suspicion and it was generally considered to be a mysterious force that was capable of such diabolical deeds as reviving the dead. That Eel Marsh house is powered by it adds to the location’s sense of otherworldliness in comparison with the gas-lit homes of the townsfolk back on the mainland. The rather cranky generator is located in a little out-house behind the main building, and at several points throughout the film, Arthur must venture out into the damp, mist-enshrouded grounds to restart it. The scene where he dashes about the house turning on all the lights before it gets dark, adds to the uneasy atmosphere of the place.
The house’s former owner Mrs Drablow was considered something of a kook, a stand-offish eccentric. When Arthur explores the house he discovers, amongst other things, a door to a room that is firmly locked, and several audio diaries recorded by Mrs Drablow on a phonograph. More goose-pimple inducing information is relied to him, and the audience, about the titular woman and her connection to the Drablow house when he listens to these. On a dark, stormy night, no less. Unnerved by what he hears, Arthur attempts to cross the causeway back to town, only to become lost in the mist and further terrified by the sound of screaming and crying from within it. Sound is also used to unsettle in the scene where Arthur investigates banging noises in the night, leading to the discovery of what lies behind the locked door and the chilly encounter that follows.
The eponymous woman’s appearances to Arthur are spine-chillingly realised. That they usually occur in broad daylight and in the open, also adds to the creepiness. The stillness and openness of one scene in particular is immensely effective when the lone, funereally garbed figure is glimpsed in a ruined graveyard beside the house... When Arthur is eventually retrieved from the house and brought back into the town in a feverish state, his night terrors grow worse and culminate in a nerve shattering moment when the spectral woman hovers over his bed screeching into his face.Unfortunately for Arthur however, the worst is yet to come...
The Woman in Black is a quiet and highly effective chiller, the likes of which are rarely made anymore. Unfortunately it is quite hard to come by, as the DVD is no longer in print. Hopefully the remake will generate enough interest to convince whoever owns the rights that the time is right to finally release it and send shivers up the spine of a whole new generation.
This review is dedicated to Christine over at Fascination with Fear, who, for as long as I have known her, has championed this film and urged me to check it out. Thanks for the sleepless night, Chris!
Comments
I wish I could see more of Nigel Kneale's work outside of Quatermass and Hammer's The Witches, but his telefilms, Year of the Sex Olympics and The Stone Tape are now well out of print - I thought the BBC would have put them out themselves after the BFI discs were retired but so far nothing. And they also have Kneale's adaptation of Nineteen Eighty-Four starring Peter Cushing and Andre Morell languishing in the vaults...
Thanks for your comment - I hope you're well.
I saw Let's Scare Jessica to Death as well quite recently and that one is well worth seeking out. One of the best psychological horrors I've seen.
I haven't seen this Woman in Black - might go on youtube myself! :)
I'm not too sure about the Stone Tapes, but the concept is interesting and I'd definitely recommend it. Watched it as one of a bunch of ghost narratives I borrowed from a friend, so there is a DVD out there somewhere...
Which reminds me: are you familiar with Ghost Watch? :)
I haven't seen it since, but have heard nothing but good things about it. Seemed to be very ahead of its time.
I borrowed a copy from someone and watched it three times in the week I had it; recently sat down and revisited it.
It must have its faults, but the writing and pacing is very strong; absolutely love it and it creeped me out in the same way WiB does. I always recommend it to anyone who will listen ^^
Your words describe perfectly the atmospheric chill one gets from watching WIB.
And that graveyard scene! I know the one you're talking about! I get goosebumps just thinking about it!
But what do you mean you've never see Let's Scare Jessica!?! If we could use the same region DVDs I'd have it and Lake Mungo on a plane to N. Ireland tomorrow! Hey, at least you've finally seen WIB '89!
And lastly, I need to see The Stone Tape as well, I've heard a lot about it.
Thanks again for the shout out! xo
@James: its been uploaded again lately(unsegmented,good qual.)
@Wes M: Agree on N.Kneale´s work, The Witches and Let´s scare J.
On YT you can also find Beasts (1976 ITV series,writer:Kneale)
Beasts Baby:A young couple recently moved to the countryside find "something" immured in their cottage´s walls...
Maren
WIB was very spooky. Agree that the chills were very effective, especially the woman in the distance in daytime, but the bed scene really disturbed me. Also interested in the ideas on electricity, technology, and recording devices, which seems to preoccupy Kneale. From the look of the remake trailer it looks like they've over-produced it and gone for the stylised/broad approach, but I'll give it a chance.
Hard to find this on DVD now. The BFI released the Stone Tape & Ghostwatch but I paid a small fortune for them, as well as the BBC xmas ghost stories. A lot of them are now up on Youtube. Well worth seeing.
@Christine – No, no – thank YOU for your continuous prompts to watch this. What pushed me in the end was the release of the remake – chances of me seeing that were pretty high, but I wanted to see the original first. So glad I did! Next up – Lake Mungo and Jessica… :)
@Maren – thank you for those links! It would be great to re-watch Woman in Black un-segmented – plus, I’ve been pestering a couple of friends to watch it, so those links should come in handy. Very intrigued about Beasts!
@Paul – I saw a few clips from Ghostwatch on TV recently – think it was one of those countdown of TV’s scariest moments shows – and I do recall my parents watching it when I was younger – but not much else! Should try and watch it again alongside The Stone Tapes. Then hopefully have to sleep with the light on for a week! ;)
Even though most of the Kneale DVD's are OOP, a good portion of the shows have been put up on YouTube - THE STONE TAPE, YEAR OF THE SEX OLYMPICS, BEASTS, some of the Quatermass shows... and THE WOMAN IN BLACK.