Tuesday 28 December 2010

Oh Go Whistle........!!!!!!


It was with some interest - and more than a degree of worry - that we took notice of the 'new' version of the classic ghost story 'Oh Whistle And I'll Come To You My Lad' which was being advertised by the BBC for airing on Christmas Eve. It was a little puzzling, to say the least, that the programme was yet another remake of a tale already used in the 'Ghost Story For Christmas' series, previously being televised in 1968, with Sir Michael Hordern in the title role. With so many excellent M. R. James stories to choose from, pretty much all of them never being previously attempted by television, it seemed something of a potential waste to go for a story that had already been used previously.....

Yet, we the viewers were assured that it would be a 're-working' of the original story, set with a 'modern slant' and starring the classic British actor John Hurt..... At least the latter did appear to give the project some 'Umph!!', while the previous two considerations only served to set the creeping feeling of concern for James' story to a much higher level that before........ Call us old fashioned, but the notion of dealing with a 'classic' ghost story should be approached with a great amount of respect and care for the original subject matter involved(?)

Come the broadcast and all of our previously 'creeping' fears were let loose with an unbridled sensation of barrelling horror that washed away any degree of optimism that could have been held for the project...... In short, a 're-working of the original' obviously meant to mean a complete and rather ludicrous 're-write', with only small aspects of James' story kept in place to assure us that this was indeed 'Oh Whistle...' that we were watching.......

But - rather than waffle on here re. our crushing disappointment - we urge visitors to take and hour or so and view the broadcast for itself, which (at the time of writing) is still accessible via BBC IPlayer at this PAGE

Please do write in and let us know what you think?

All the best for 2011!!

Regards,

The W.M.G.C.

No comments: