Adrian Rawlins features prominently as Arthur Kidd, the young solicitor despatched to a seaside town to settle matters. Here he's gradually drawn into the cursed world of the deceased, elderly Alice Drablow. The more Kidd unearths in the line of duty, the more his interest heightens. It doesn't go unnoticed by the phantom-like "Woman In Black". Whatever this creature is or was, Kidd's digging around is only further stirring her hatred. Can he find allies in CrythinGifford itself, or are they all too scared to speak....?
This original movie has a minor profile, even on the net. When you track down mentions, it's obsessively detailed in refelection, and highly positive. Can a low-budget, hard to find film from 20 years ago, really give big screen spookers The Shining and The Fog, a run for their money in polls of "scariest ever"...? I had to find out, especially in light of the remake. So I rummaged through my stash of VHS tapes, for a copy I got some time back, and hesitantly pressed play.
"A lawyer is sent to a coastal town to settle the estate of a recently deceased widow. Once there, he finds the locals reluctant to discuss both her and the mysterious woman who sometimes appears around the town. Deciding to go alone to the widow's house and unravel the truth, he attracts the attention of something utterly malevolent...."
What I found in the 100 minutes may be nothing more than a curiosity, but one tailor made for the loyal cult TV crowd. Though following in the traditon of BBC MR James Christmas ghost stories from the 70's, it's unseasonal and bereft of Holly, Ivy or cheer so it's not that suprising few chose to watch live. They were darkest days for genre fare on TV, when pubic tastes and sensibilities of major channels looked to more earthly genres and subjects. On the other hand, if you did watch that night, or on it's single C4 repeat mid-90's, I can completely get why you'd think back fondly and talk baited of breath. This new film will be met eagerly by those few, I'm sure. Keen to see how Daniel Radcliffe performs, after choosing this to follow the biggest grossing movie series of all time, and how the Hammer Studios will handle the story. Within minutes its clear Central's owed a quantity to their massive legacy.
The first half may be a chore to get through, if I'm honest. Even 20 years ago, the set-up with its standard tiny market town, unfriendly locals and hint of suspicion at the young stranger in town, was all rather "cod". Every time I watch something like this, I'm brought to mind of An American Werewolf in London. Here it's played so straight, and there's no light complimenting shade. But t does, allow us to 100% ally ourselves with Kidd, who's a bit too wet to strictly speaking like. When he decides he'd best attend to his business a fast as possible, and moves into the isolated Drablow house, where we'd normally think he was nuts, you'd probably do the same...!
Once in there, naturally things go from bad to worse. We follow Arthur Kidd's discovery of a tragedy which set Drablow on her lonely path, so the stand or fall of TWIB is the performance of Rawlins as Arthur. He does a huge amount of work, emoting and gathering the pace of the story. As well as communicating his own increasingly troubled mind. Rawlins is now best known, ironically as the ghost of Harry Potter's father in the films that've made "21stcentury Arthur" Radcliffe a household name. There are other characters, but they're few, and develop only slightly. Perhaps that was the idea..? It's a very solitary production. I'd say it demands to even be watched alone, to maintain its spell. The stock trade creaks and footfalls, eventually move aside for disembodied voices over a recording device Kidd finds. The old dear left him a "podcast", setting cats free from respective bags about who this Woman could be, and why she looks so pissed off all the time. It's well into the second half things pick up, and Arthur learns the unrelenting torment Alice endured, within her own walls. And the tragedy which befell some poor souls, in the marshland outside.
It may be of a gazillion other haunted house yarns out there, but TWIB is good one. So moodily shot, and nicely written. Central Productions economically, but effectively realised early 20thcentury domains. So whilst it's low budget and a little stagey, it's not over styled, which if so often a pitfall of newer, richer budgeted films. Grounding the story, holds that disbelief back. There are no SFX at all either. Kidd assumes The Woman a mourner at Alice's funeral, when he arrives. She's as much "there" as he is, and in full colour. Fans love that she's only seen a few times, of course. M Night Shymalan's movies have lifted this kind of teasing to art form, but its far from a new trick. The Woman's presence moves through the whole play, again that's as much down the Rawlins's being convincing as to the look and performance of Pauline Moran in the role. It would be a huge pity if the new film manifests this character in a heavily rendered CGI way, I feel, after appreciating this balancing act done here.Other support comes from Boon's David Daker and David Ryall as Kidd's boss. He's still playing old buzzards now, as Grandad in Outnumbered. Watch out too for Doctor Who's Liz Shaw, aka Caroline John, and Robin Weaver, who's Simon's Mum in The Inbetweeners.
Personally, I wasn't initially convinced TWIB was that scary, despite those almighty referrals! Then gradually the Woman starts to eerily appear, here and there. I couldn't wait for her to actually say, or do something...anything. It's a little too long a wait. I don't consider myself to have a short attention span (indeed I've sat through a lot of slow, vintage telly) but I was flagging before halfway. It's not just that the story is slow, you understand. I don't mind that, in fact it can be rather a tonic, but when you combine with such static visuals...? I would forgive anyone from nodding off. Because TWIB makes so much of what is heard rather than seen, ambience is fragile. Eventually that deliberate stillness I mentioned, sensitises to point where even the tiniest little disruptions or details, really penetrate. Relying on the patience of viewers, to keep faith it'll reap reward. A "money shot" which eventually does come. Yes I'm not too proud to admit there came a point where I'd been chilled but all but given up on being truly scared, when TWIB delivers. I'll resist temptation to disclose more, or put up a picture, as I imagine the new film contains similar scene. But I went back in my chair, and said a rather rude word. Those who HAVE seen TWIB will know exactly of which scene I speak!
It's no secret Kneale's tinkering with the story didn't go down well with novelist Susan Hill. The change of name from Kipp to Kidd, for the hero, in particular. Kneale came to the project with credentials in the art of putting the wind up the viewing public. He'd been there, done that and got the T-shirt in the 1950's when his 3 BBC Quatermass serials gripped the nation. He also wrote celebrated SF plays Year Of the Sex Olympics and The Stone Tape, which contains some of the same methods of telling a ghost story, as TWIB does. Director Herbert Wise was of the same generation as Kneale. His filmography also includes Inspector Morse and the classic I, Claudius.
Those who may likewise happen upon this film, are treated to a couple of great performances, decent scares and some hauntingly beautiful, stone-washed locations. What charm surviving the journey to the 21st century with the original TWIB is 90% atmosphere. You either respond to these production values, or you don't. No amount of positivity from me would change that, and I can't pretend it was the most flowing, immersive of viewing. But the story was well told and I completely get why it's lived on in memories these last 22 years. A stage play version of TWIB is regularly performed, and has made it to radio too.
The Woman in Black was nominated for 4 BAFTA's in 1990. For design, sound, make-up and score, so it was noticed. A new movie usually means DVD's of old versions get released, but it's not happening in this case. TWIB was only available on VHS briefly, and a USA DVD is deleted. Rights reside overseas, making further releases and repeat showings hard to predict. A huge shame..! Though I suspect clips are present on You TUBE, for the curious. A snap of my copy of the old VHS cassette release, is to the left....!
The Woman In Black (2012) is on cinema release now and I'll be reviewing it here at a later date. It's not to be confused with Willie Collin's Victorian story The Woman in White or The Lady In Red, by Chris Be Burgh (though that's pretty scary too!)
