PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Have you ever watched an older film for the first time, and thought to yourself, “Well this seems familiar?” I, personally, had a few of those while watching the legendary BBC production Ghost Watch, now available in the US on Blu-ray from MVD Visual.
Ghost Watch Synopsis
“The BBC gives over a whole evening to an ‘investigation into the supernatural’. Four respected presenters and a camera crew attempt to discover the truth behind ‘The most haunted house in Britain’, expecting a light-hearted scare or two and probably the uncovering of a hoax. They think they are in control of the situation. They think they are safe. The viewers settle down and decide to watch ‘for a laugh’. Ninety minutes later the BBC, and the country, was changed, and the consequences are still felt today.”
Have a look at the trailer!
Light years ahead of its time, in terms of it’s influence on the “found footage” and “mockumentary” genres, Ghost Watch is an expertly done film that actually convinced more than a few people that it was genuine. A Halloween night special, dedicated to the paranormal happenings at a house on Northolt’s Foxhill Drive, begins as a lighthearted, semi-serious look into a haunting, expecting to deliver a laugh, and maybe a tiny scare, turns into a harrowing evening of terror and possession. Presented by a face familiar to BBC viewers, Michael Parkinson, who is sharing the studio with Mike Smith managing the phones, the “show” cuts to a live feed of Sarah Greene (Mike’s wife) and Craig Charles report from the Early’s residence, “the most haunted house in London”.
Pamela Early (Brid Brennan; Excalibur) and her daughters Kim (Cherise Wesson) and Suzanne (Michelle Wesson; Frighteners) have been dealing with a spectral presence that Kim has dubbed “Mr. Pipes” due to sounds coming from the house’s plumbing. Mr. Pipes sometimes likes to possess young Suzanne and lives in a place in the cellar called the “Glory Hole” (yes, I giggled too…). After some initial skepticism, our host and reporters, along with psychologist Dr. Pascoe (Gillian Bevan; The Chief), fall down a rabbit hole of a long dead child murderer possessing a suicidal pedophile, and progressively darker subject matter, eventually tricking the entire viewing audience into performing a large séance.
A bona-fide phenomenon when it hit British airwaves in 1992, Ghost Watch cause a mini panic in that it was just so convincing. Superb writing by Stephen Volk (The Awakening), expert direction from Lesley Manning (Leila) and the absolute genius move of casting trusted broadcasters gave the film, which was presented as a live event despite having been filmed and edited weeks before, such an authenticity that BBC switchboard, initially giving out a recorded message that the broadcast was fiction, soon became so overwhelmed with calls (reportedly over 1 million), that the busy signals cause even more anxiety among viewers.
The film was even loosely attributed to several cases of PTSD and at least one confirmed suicide. Ghost Watch caused such a furor that it was never re-broadcast on British television—take that Orson Welles and War of the Worlds!
Paranormal Activity in particular, and to a lesser degree, The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield, definitely owe a debt to Ghost Watch, which, when viewed today, never comes off as a museum piece, or exceptionally dated, but is filled with “ah ha!” moments that will have you pointing to your screen like that Leonardo DiCaprio meme.
The Blu-ray looks very crisp and clear for what was originally a television broadcast, no washed out colors or blurry contrast like you might expect, so A+ for the transfer. Archival commentary with Volk, Manning, and producer Ruth Baumgarten, as well as the Shooting Reality retro by Manning is included along with the 30th anniversary doc Do You Believe In Ghosts? and new commentary with film historians Shellie McMurdo and Stella Gaynor are included as extras. And, as is the norm with special re-releases like this, an oversized transparent box with cool reversible art round out the package.
Ghost Watch is a great film to experience, and it’s absolutely a touchstone in the evolution of modern horror cinema. I, along with throngs of horror fans, am glad it’s finally getting a wide release worthy of its stature.
Ghost Watch is available on Blu ray from MVD Visual and other fine retailers.
