Need help with a BBC Black and White Film

[Bates]

In the early 80's when i was a kid I remember being spooked out by a black and white film shown on BBC. It involved a Professor or Teacher of some kind (in his late 60's) who comes across an ancient relic whilst walking by the coast). If I remember correctly by finding this object he sets off a chain of spooky events which seem to make him go mad. The scariest scene I remember was when he kept waking up at night and seeing the the bed sheets and curtains moving.



It was more eerie than visually scary but I remember it being very well filmed.

Any ideas on this? Many thanks.

[batman]

It's Sir Michael Hordern in an MR James ghost story called Whistle and I'll Come To You from 1967.



It was released on DVD by the BFI but I am not sure if it is still available. There's one for sale on amazon.co.uk but it's �30+, but there is also a VHS for about a tenner.



LINK: [ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_d_h_?url=search-alias%3Ddvd&field-keywords=whistle+and+i%27ll+come+to+you&x=16&y=20"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_d_h_?url=search-alias%3Ddvd&field-keywords=whistle+and+i%27ll+come+to+you&x=16&y=20[/ame]





There is one being auctioned on ebay as we speak!

[darrenburnfan]

It sounds like the 1968 BBC adaptation of the M.R. James ghost story Whistle and I'll Come To You, starring Michael Hordern.

[Bates]

Wow you guys are quick! Thank you very much. I couldn't remember what the object he found was at first but when you mentioned whistle, it all came flooding back.



Have you guys seen it? Was it as eerie as I remember or was I just being a wimpy kid?

[darrenburnfan]

I haven't seen it for years, but I remember it as being very eery.

[batman]

I watched it again a few months ago and it still very creepy and unnerving.

[cornershop15]

I think Bates must be referring to the 1986 showing on BBC2 which was part of their fantastic season celebrating 50 years of BBC television (I think ). Also included were Jonathan Miller's Alice In Wonderland and Patricia Hayes as Edna The Inebriate Woman.



My most vivid memory of Whistle And I'll Come To You, which I haven't seen since then, is Michael Hordern running for his life and getting tangled in bedsheets. I can still visualise him muttering"Oh no ... oh no". Disturbing stuff!



Come on distributors, let's see the DVD at a reasonable price!

[jaycad]

i love 'whistle and i'll come to you' the camerawork/lighting and the slowed down sound effects work so much better with an m.r.james tale than the later colour adaptations with pan pipe music!

i can't believe that this title seems to have been deleted by the BFI along with 'the stone tape',i got my copy for about �12 a couple of years ago

[cornershop15]

Jaycad, isn't this play featured in your Avatar?

[Bates]

Your're absolutely right Cornershop15, it was in 1986 on BBC2 which was the showing I saw. I was 9 years old and was spooked out for quite a while. The atmosphere was very dark and haunting. I remember the "oh, oh no" bit too!

[jaycad]

name='cornershop15']Jaycad, isn't this play featured in your Avatar?

ha ha-durr! i completely forgot about my avatar! yes you're right!

[cornershop15]

Bates - Very good, thanks! Perhaps his "Oh no" refrain was inspired by the intro to The Shangri-Las' (Remember) Walking In The Sand!



Jaycad -Thanks for the confirmation!

[Bates]

Ha Ha! British Horror and Motown, what a surreal combination!

[dylan]

Miller's film is regarded by M.R, James' fans as "revisionist". Horden is really James unable to cope with his inner demons.



D.

[cornershop15]

name='Bates']Ha Ha! British Horror and Motown, what a surreal combination!

The Shangri-Las () weren't a Motown group!

[Bates]

Good point. Thank goodness I know a bit more about film than I do music...

[jaycad]

name='dylan']Miller's film is regarded by M.R, James' fans as "revisionist". Horden is really James unable to cope with his inner demons.



D.

some m.r.james fans dislike this drama for the reason you mention and usually i'm uncomfortable with any changes from the text in an adaptation but i think miller gets the 'atmosphere' spot on and gives the effect that i'm sure james would've wanted had he been involved with a visual representation of one of his stories.

[Jack Gurney]

The Shangri-Las were indeed not a Motown band. Methinks you're thinking of the Supremes there, although all their original singles were on Stateside!!



The aforementioned programme, by the way, is still one of the scariest things ever seen, and that 1986 transmission, which I saw aged 12, nearly scarred me for life. Hiding under the sheets when you're scared is one thing, but if you're scared of the sheets themselves...



I still can't bring myself to watch it alone. Even in broad daylight.

[Film Man]

I worked on 'Whistle And I'll Come To You' when it was being dubbed at Ealing (BBC) Studios. Stuck in the Projection Room on my own...I was scared s***less!!! In fact I had to stop the dub and go down to the mixing suite...Michael Horden and all the crew were sitting there. They all cheered when I told them it was too scary for me! Jonathan Miller (Director) took me to one side and gave me words of comfort, plus a drink in the Rose & Crown after work.



It still terrifies me!!!



Film Man

[cornershop15]

My goodness, Film Man, that must have been a very exciting experience, as well as disturbing, working with such distinguished people. Michael Hordern's greatest performance (apart from narrating Paddington Bear)? This memorable play could SO EASILY have been lost, considering the BBC's incomprehensible decision to go ahead and destroy so many others, but I'm so happy for you and everyone involved that it survived for my generation to see it.



And now for something completely different ...



Following on from my reference to The Shangri-Las' (Remember) Walking In The Sand, I thought I'd remind/enlighten you all of one of the greatest records of all time - and I mean it.



[ame=http://youtube.com/watch?v=Fy8_38U3xLU]YouTube - THE SHANGRI LAS Remember Walkin' in the sand[/ame]



An equally disturbing video in it's own way. Very eerie. Mary Weiss is the lead singer. Sadly the twin sisters are no longer with us.