So its almost Halloween, Winter is close and the nights are drawing in. The scent of burning freights the air as the dry leaves of Autumn, raked into piles during the slow, chill afternoon smoulder in small bonfires across the land. Twigs and bare branches rustle and tap at the glass of curtained windows and dogs snuggle restless on hearth rugs, ears twitching alert at foreign sounds. Dinner is over and the dishes are piled up waiting to be washed, but a good strong cup of tea waits at your side as you sit back on your favourite chair and wonder how to pass a quiet evening.
At this time of year, a good dose of folk horror, or as its nearly All Hallows Eve - a smattering of classic supernature is always called for. There's something in the rushing clouds and the deep golden dawns that bring to mind the creepy and the unsettling, both in the story and the film. Over the last few weeks I have enjoyed a few of my favourite films, stories and tv series, which sit well with the time of year. Quatermass and the Pit, The Owl Service and the original Halloween.
One of the simplest and best tv ghost stories for me is Jonathan Millers excellent rendition of M.R James classic 'Whistle and I'll Come To You', filmed in 1968 for the BBC Omnibus series. Its an uncomplicated and quite spare production, almost echoing the 'hand camera' effect of the much later 'Blair Witch Project'. Michael Hordern steals the show as the stuffed shirted academic, who falls foul of the supernatural presence, which - even though it is represented in the most basic fashion, still manages to chill the blood with astonishing ease. The full play is freely available of Youtube and well worth a watch.
Netflix, invariably the home of trashy splatter and murder shows delivers the goods in surprisingly fine style with the nine part series 'Midnight Mass'. It begins with what seems to be the usual tale of death and disaster befalling a young man, but then leads neatly into an immersive tale of gothic horror, which manages to put a different spin on the usual genre tropes and also shines a light on the rigours of catholicism. Hamish Linklater, an apparent newcomer to the screen absolutely runs away with the headline role and is completely believable in the role of the troubled priest. The show has a dash of Stranger Things, a nod to The Exorcist and more than a hint of Stephen King's Salem's Lot, but at the same time is utterly different from anything we have seen before. Its well worth investing some time in each of the hour long episodes.
And finally on to the big screen, the lavish and most unusual film, 'The Green Knight'. A take on the ancient Arthurian legend of the impetuous and reckless Sir Gawain and his struggle to confront the eponymous Green Knight, who mysteriously arrives one christmas morning to offer a challenge to Arthurs assembled knights. I approached this fully expecting an art-house or modern take on the legendary tale, with contemporary language and modern settings, as is so often the case with new productions of Shakespeare. But despite one or two curious elements and some very interesting titles, the film is a feast for the eye and food for the mind, as the convoluted story is meted out in a combination of mystical fantasy and historical pastische. The settings and costumery are lavish and spectacular and the acting equally enthralling. Dev Patel is an unusual choice for an arthurian hero, but make the role his own with a passion and purpose worthy of a knightly quest. Its not the most fast paced film and does require a little concentration and consideration in parts, but is well worth the effort spent on its viewing. Shortly available on Amazon Prime, I recommend it, not as a horror, but certainly as a mystical and supernatural adventure.
