Back on the M. R James hunt now with the 1973 adaptation of "Lost Hearts". This one was, for me, one of the more successful chillers from the period as both the effects and the performances from the central pair of spirits remains effective today.
In the late 1800's, Stephen (Simon Gipps-Kent) is orphaned and sent to live with his relative, Mr Abney (Joseph O'Conor) on his large remote estate. Abney, an eccentric alchemist and researcher, is happy at the arrival of his cousin and begins to plan for his birthday at the end of the month. Stephen is plagued though, both in his dreams and out exploring, by a peculiar looking young pair, a girl and a boy, who can appear and disappear at a moments notice.
So, you'll almost certainly be well ahead of the plot in this one, though that is not really the point. It's nice that Mr Abney and the household are pleased to receive Stephen, as you're certainly more used to seeing unwanted children in this situation - but he bonds quickly with all of them, which makes the inevitable betrayal all the more pointed - even if, as I say, you'll see it coming a mile off.
It's an effective chiller though because of the ghosts, played by Christopher Davis and Michelle Foster. Their skin is painted to give them a dead pallor, similar to in the early Romero films. Fingers and fingernails are extended, in the vain of Nosferatu. It's well done, but it's sold by the performances. Synchronised movements, creepy smiles and the hurdy gurdy music that is linked to their appearances are all excellent nightmare fodder.
Perhaps it could have done with another scaring scene for Stephen alone though, indeed that might have increased the ambiguity of the ghost's motivations and made for a less straightforward story.
As far as M. R. James adaptations go though, I feel like this is one of the better ones.
In the late 1800's, Stephen (Simon Gipps-Kent) is orphaned and sent to live with his relative, Mr Abney (Joseph O'Conor) on his large remote estate. Abney, an eccentric alchemist and researcher, is happy at the arrival of his cousin and begins to plan for his birthday at the end of the month. Stephen is plagued though, both in his dreams and out exploring, by a peculiar looking young pair, a girl and a boy, who can appear and disappear at a moments notice.
So, you'll almost certainly be well ahead of the plot in this one, though that is not really the point. It's nice that Mr Abney and the household are pleased to receive Stephen, as you're certainly more used to seeing unwanted children in this situation - but he bonds quickly with all of them, which makes the inevitable betrayal all the more pointed - even if, as I say, you'll see it coming a mile off.
It's an effective chiller though because of the ghosts, played by Christopher Davis and Michelle Foster. Their skin is painted to give them a dead pallor, similar to in the early Romero films. Fingers and fingernails are extended, in the vain of Nosferatu. It's well done, but it's sold by the performances. Synchronised movements, creepy smiles and the hurdy gurdy music that is linked to their appearances are all excellent nightmare fodder.
Perhaps it could have done with another scaring scene for Stephen alone though, indeed that might have increased the ambiguity of the ghost's motivations and made for a less straightforward story.
As far as M. R. James adaptations go though, I feel like this is one of the better ones.