I too saw this film as a child at about the same time, it spooked me for years, but I never found out the title or author. Then last week, while reading a collection by MR James, I realised the story I was reading was the very same one I saw as a child. Finally I have closure after all these years!
@michaelwertzy9808
2 жыл бұрын
This film has the wonderful look as if using a hand-cranked camera circa 1910's!
@AndriyValdensius-wi8gw
2 ай бұрын
The sound is as if the microphone was placed half a mile from the actors.
@AndriyValdensius-wi8gw
2 ай бұрын
After watching this for ten minutes, I could feel an epileptic fit coming on.
@RinpochesRose
4 жыл бұрын
Nice unusual upload. Thanks.🙀
@skelznap
9 жыл бұрын
I have this as a DVD Extra on the ITV 1979 production of Casting the Runes. A modern update starring Jan Francis. Ironically, this Mr Humphreys was made for a schools programme intending to show how music adds atmosphere, tone & ambiance. It fails miserably as the comments suggest below. There is however, on the same DVD, a good documentary on M.R. James, presented by the actor, Bill Wallace.
@KayWoods64
10 жыл бұрын
Thanks for uploading. I really enjoyed that.
@paulrees3861
3 жыл бұрын
This scared me when I was little, took me years to track it down.
@jrmetmoi
11 жыл бұрын
I love all of the atmospheric, experimental, spooky and original background music that they used for all those 'Scary Story for Christmas'-type M.R. James shows on BBC and ITV back in the 70s. But oddly enough one of the best of these series of shows 'The Ash Tree' had no music in the background at all!
@NeilFromKent
12 жыл бұрын
My sister and I saw this in the summer of 1976 when we were 8 and 12 respectively. It scared the living c**p out of us. Nonetheless, I wouldn't mind being in Mr Humphreys' shoes (though putrid faces coming out of ink blots in the middle of the night is something I could do without).
@galerius61
11 жыл бұрын
I purchased the dvd with this short movie and I think it's a very good rendition, in its simplicity...only, I don't get why they portrayed Humphreys as a middle-aged gentleman while in the story the character is a young man.
@MsJulian214
7 жыл бұрын
Quite enjoyed ! Ty for posting !
@angienorthey
5 жыл бұрын
Remember watching this when I was off sick from school, aged about 8 in the '70's, it was a daytime schools programme. It scared the shit out of me and put me off visiting mazes for years.
@christosvoskresye
4 жыл бұрын
I suspect it has led someone, somewhere to have his ashes deposited (or perhaps scattered, perhaps even without the knowledge of the owners!) in the center of a maze.
@zacetto
Жыл бұрын
Yeah……scared me fvckin sh1tless too……I was no more than four and was mostly at home after pre-school. This was in an educational slot. I could not believe something so terrifying was on in the mid-afternoon. Each time it was repeated throughout the week, I would run screaming to the arms of my mother, who would laugh as I would insist on watching it.
@AndriyValdensius-wi8gw
2 ай бұрын
If you watch The Shining, that would put you off visiting mazes in the snow for life.
@schizoidboy
9 жыл бұрын
Thinking what I once heard about ghosts and how they supposedly hate to move in twisted lines such as in a maze it makes me wonder if the ashes weren't put there purposely to distract the ghost.
@jorgelopez-pr6dr
3 жыл бұрын
When the stories of Ambrose Bierce will be put on screen in US as like M.R. James in UK? He wrote a lot of horrfying ones.
@vintagebrew1057
3 жыл бұрын
There is one on YT called the Boarded Window Pt 1 and Pt2
@robinvp11
7 жыл бұрын
As others mention, this short was produced by Yorkshire TV as a school teaching aid on the use of incidental music. It seems like a case of someone wanting to do the story, then finding a way to fund it so I've rather have it than not. An additional plus for me is using Cooper to do the exposition, since it reduces the recurring Jamesian comic lower-class character which can get irritating ('Sniffer' in the 2013 version of The Tractate Middoth is a good example of what I mean).
@AndriyValdensius-wi8gw
2 ай бұрын
Yes, thank'ee sir. Thank'ee very much sir. Gawd bless ya sir. Turned out raw again, sir. Quite usual for these parts sir. Can I introduce my wife and daughter, sir. Yes sir. Of course sir. You prefer my sister, sir ? I know what you mean. The lower orders really knew their place in late Victorian and Edwardian England. Not everyone could be a tenured Cambridge academic like Montague James.
@simonrisley2177
Жыл бұрын
Rather truncated, but not a bad version -- apart from the very odd choice of music: which really jars for an Edwardian ghost story
@christosvoskresye
9 жыл бұрын
It needed to be about 5 minutes longer, so that the sermon of the maze could be shown and the end a bit less rushed. Also, the unnerving yew tree could have been included. None of these would have taken much time, but they contribute important aspects to the feel of the story. And yes, the "music" is all 1970's, which makes it a poor fit to the Edwardian setting.
@maybrick1888
9 жыл бұрын
It was done by ITV schools for Music Scene- supposed to get kids into music- the story is secondary to the purposes the producer had in mind.
@Kardewski
11 жыл бұрын
Short but sweet
@Lytton333
10 жыл бұрын
Yes, you're right.. it's too intrusive. Much better without sound.
@rajarams5988
6 жыл бұрын
The clarinet is a good pleasant sounding instrument no doubt...but this background music really sets my teeth on edge. Much better off if there had been no music..most jarring and unnecessary.
@whimsyrt
8 жыл бұрын
As the other comments suggest, I find it highly ironic this was made to show his music creates atmosphere for a school programme, what a shame. Love the story of course but feel this music was more Magic roundabout than M.R.James. Kept expecting Florence to pop out from behind a bush. Still, with limited M.R.James adaptations I'll take all I can get. Thanks for the upload
@whimsyrt
8 жыл бұрын
-how, not his.
@holidaymoviecompany
9 жыл бұрын
Quite nicely adapted from the original story; the "music" spoils the atmosphere though as there is just too much of it. I think the film would have been better without it.
@peterbaxter2913
5 жыл бұрын
Other than the jerky motion of the film, I enjoyed this. The music is extremely effective - despite all the adverse comments! Was it commissioned from Harrison Birtwhistle, dose anyone know?
@peterbaxter2913
5 жыл бұрын
Ah - I see it was by Philip Wilby!
@Kardewski
11 жыл бұрын
Quite well done, but the music is an utter nuisance. Would work better as a silent film
@filmnoir50
9 жыл бұрын
This is a nice adaptation, but the music is ridiculous and quite incredibly annoying. It is jarringly out of place in this setting. I enjoyed the viewing, and I like the story, but Humphreys should be a much younger man. Why did they change that?
@routeman680
3 жыл бұрын
Story very good. "Music" atrocious, very much of the pretentious side of the 1970s, which on the pop side gave us Bryan Ferry, Showaddywaddy, the Rubettes, ....
@bardotbardo3633
7 жыл бұрын
What happened to this piece of film? All jittery & slow motion. Quite unwatchable.
@susansimpson2181
7 жыл бұрын
I honest to goodness fell asleep waiting for something interesting or scary to happen.
@philipmeckley5154
4 жыл бұрын
Not a bad video, but that overbearing, intrusive music - the 70s at their absolute worst.
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