The Turn of the Screw (2009)
If there's two things the BBC do well it's period drama closely followed by period ghost stories. Putting the two elements together has proved highly successful in the past particularly the much celebrated Ghost Stories For Christmas (1968-2013).
Of course that series was mainly adaptations of MR James classic supernatural stories, whilst The Turn of the Screw is from the similarly named but unrelated Henry James, a gorgeous novella from 1898.
This adaptation starring Downton Abbey regulars Michelle Dockery, Dan Stevens and Sue Johnston retains the spirit of the original story and is a quietly effective little ghost story which builds suspense as it reaches a gripping climax. Dockery is excellent as Ann, (in fact all the cast are uniformly excellent) the new governess at a quiet country mansion where she is required to look after a couple of decidedly creepy kids. Her performance ranges from wide eyed and naive to scarred and downbeat as the mystery unfolds.
The film plays out like a cross between the psychological The Innocents (1961) and Michael Winners sleazier The Nightcomers (1971). The film is fraught with Gothic atmosphere and tension and keeps the subtle approach to horror that is generally lacking in modern ghost stories, via music and shadows seen from the corner of your eye.
Whilst not as good as Clayton's 61 masterpiece, The Turn of the Screw is still worthy of your attention and maintains the high standards of BBC ghost stories.
|