Ghost stories
Theatre Of Death
released 27 august (Download out 20 August) 2018 | 15 | Blu-ray/dvd/download Directors Jeremy dyson, andy Nyman Cast andy Nyman, Martin Freeman, Paul Whitehouse, alex lawther
Something which forcefully comes across while you’re watching Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson’s adaptation of their long-running stage play is that these are filmmakers steeped in the British horror tradition. A nod to Whistle And I’ll Come To You here; a line pinched from 1944’s The Uninvited there… they clearly known their onions.
They’re working in the tradition of the horror anthologies made by Amicus in the late ’60s and early ’70s – the likes of Dr Terror’s House Of Horrors and Tales From The Crypt. But whereas with those, the connective framework was often the weakest link (generally some spin on “… And you’re all dead!”), here it’s the film’s greatest strength.
Not that the individual chapters don’t entertain. As debunker of the paranormal Phillip Goodman (Nyman) investigates three cases, there are hair-raising chills, shocks and laughs. Each is centred on a bravura performance: Paul Whitehouse as the nightwatchman of a disused asylum; Alex Lawther as a teenager who has a terrifying encounter in the woods; Martin Freeman as a financier plagued by a poltergeist. All three tales are somewhat slight, so you may wonder, “Is that all there is?” Well no, because the film’s been carefully seeding clues in preparation for an increasingly off-the-wall final 20 minutes which turn everything on its head. Nyman and Dyson are both enthusiasts of magic and practical, in-camera effects, and the ingenious ways they employ such techniques in service of that reveal are far more effective than CGI could ever hope to be.
The result is a film which engenders the dizzying sensation you get when you’ve been on the receiving end of a skilfully staged conjuring trick; one that doffs its cap to the past, but is more than just a patchwork of homages.
Extras On DVD there’s a short featurette on the recording of the score (four minutes), much of whose footage is recycled in a Making Of (13 minutes) that also goes behind-the-scenes at three of the film’s locations.
The Blu-ray adds a Rorschach test featurette (seven minutes), which is unexpectedly hilarious thanks to Nyman cracking up at, say, an ink blot that resembles a
There are hair-raising chills, shocks and laughs
vagina; a featurette giving you the chance to spot three errors that had to be removed digitally (four minutes); and a booklet and poster. But the main draw is the Blu-rayexclusive commentary. Crammed with Easter eggs and made by genre fans who are evangelical about filmmaking – the sort of people who watch commentaries – Ghost Stories is a perfect candidate for the treatment, and Nyman and Dyson’s track is an outstanding example of the format. They barely pause for breath as they note foreshadowing, point out cameos and in-jokes, discuss influences/specific shots pinched from other films, and share anecdotes. Funny, hugely informative, and even a little inspiring, it’s essential viewing. Ian Berriman
Like Lawther’s teen, Nyman pretended to have passed his driving test – then was found out when stopped by the police!