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A Warning To The Curious (BBC Ghost Story For Christmas) [1972]
![A Warning To The Curious (BBC Ghost Story For Christmas) [1972]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/417ZNBFJ7JL._SL160_.jpg)
RRP: £15.99
Our Price: £7.51 (subject to change)
A Beautifully Crafted Ghost Story
Review date: 2008-08-11 Rating: 10 out of 10
All the BBC `Ghost Films' seem to be photographed by John McGlashan, and a fine job he does of this M.R. James chiller. First broadcast Christmas Eve 1972 and set during the Great Depression. 'A Warning to the Curious' combines the 'big skies' of Norfolk with attempts of an amateur historian from the capital (Paxton) to find a lost Saxon crown of England. Although the majority of the action occurs outside, James' plot, together with the music combine to give a pleasing claustrophobic effect. The scene involving Paxton's initial success, positively crackles with atmosphere. Forget digitalisation, this is how you film a ghost story! Roll on 'The Stalls at Barchester' - another James classic.
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Reviews
not so frightening
Review date: 2008-05-10 Rating: 4 out of 10
I ordered this after reading some reviews thinking I was going to be scared. I enjoy ghost stories and anything spooky. This film was ok but i wasn't frightend in any way. Have been more spooked watching Most Haunted.
They don't make 'em like this any more!
Review date: 2008-01-02 Rating: 10 out of 10
Based on a short story by the maestro of horror M.R.James, this is television at its best. Right from the outset a sense of building dread looms in this terrifically atmospheric chiller. It has become a family favourite for Christmas eve viewing in my household; after a long, frosty walk, and as of yet has never failed to frighten.
Terrifying!!
Review date: 2007-06-19 Rating: 10 out of 10
I remember catching this on BBC-2 many years ago, it was one of my first horror film experiences, it scared me witless!! Finally plucked up the courage to pick up the dvd, and it is still fine viewing, the performances are subtle, the photography wonderful, you can almost feel the cold winds rushing in off the sea as Peter Vaughan searches for the lost crown. The picture quality is no great shakes( it's a thirty plus year old tv film!) and the extras are limited to a brief biog and a audio reading of M R James's classic story, but i urge you to check this out now, it's how ghost stories should be told!
Be prepared to be scared
Review date: 2006-12-23 Rating: 10 out of 10
An excellent film! For once this is a BBC adaptation that respects the original text, sticks pretty much to James's story, and is all the better for it. The landscape is brilliantly used, the acting is nicely understated and the mood of the film is pitched just right.
Most importantly, the director has made a genuine attempt to sustain our fear and suspense over the full course of the story (and succeeds). Too many of the BBC adaptations of M R James have inserted pointless social commentary or inexplicably meddled with scenes, thus lessening the fear, but not here. Lawrence Gordon Clark has kept the aim of scaring an audience firmly before him and has made what is arguably the best ever ghost story on film. The simplicity of the mechanisms used to frighten us are almost laughably simple but their fiendish effectiveness puts more expensive special effects to shame. Aside from Psycho, I cannot name one film that genuinely scared me, but I watched A Warning to the Curious with the lights off and it gave me the absolute heebie-jeebies. This is a masterpiece in simple, subtle direction.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Peter Vaughan
Clive Swift
David Cargill
John Kearney (IV)
Julian Herrington
Creators:
Peter Vaughan (Primary Contributor)
Clive Swift (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: Bfi Video
Manufacturer: Bfi Video
EAN: 5035673005545
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2002-11-25
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 50 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1972
Language: English (Original Language)