Ghostwatch, written by Stephen Volk and produced by the BBC, set the standard for all ghost-hunting reality television shows. I saw it when it was first aired. The best way to describe Ghostwatch would be that it is a worthy successor to the brilliant 1938 radio-play of War of the Worlds by Orson Welles.
I could have sworn as I watched Ghostwatch that it was live, but it was actually pre-recorded. Many of the viewing public believed the horrific events that unfolded before their eyes were completely real. This also happened with War of the Worlds where many radio listeners believed that aliens were attacking earth!
The story of Ghostwatch is that of the BBC visiting a family home to hopefully catch some reported supernatural occurrences on camera for a one-off Halloween special. The show intercuts between the main BBC studio in London and the camera crew who remain at the house.
The events of Ghostwatch conjure memories of a big news story from 1977 about a poltergeist terrorising a family in Enfield, North London:
Ghostwatch draws you in by having its presenters not take their supposed paranormal investigation very seriously. Then, as things start to happen, you will find yourself getting just as worried as them about the safety of the crew and the family.
Top 100 Horror Films
Ghostwatch is absolutely a horror movie. Yes, it was made for television as a kind of reality drama show, but every single thing about it is undiluted horror. It makes my top 100 horror films for being an ingenious combination of technology, frights, and scenes that will stay in your mind long after you’ve seen it.
The most horrific moment in Ghostwatch for me is when one of the girls in the family shows scratches all over her arms. That’s the moment, for me, that I realise I am completely at the mercy of the creators of this excellent horror movie. It’s a bit like Jurassic Park when the T-Rex first attacked. When that happened I couldn’t believe how ferocious this beast was being towards the kids. Apart from maybe the kid being stuck in tree in Poltergeist I couldn’t think of many films where a child’s life was in such terrifying jeopardy. So, in Ghostwatch when this little girl has scratches all over her, I just gave up!
As a result of such intensity, Ghostwatch came in for some scathing criticism from people who don’t like to be spooked by anything they see on television:
What is brilliant about Ghostwatch is the fact that it doesn’t need to take its audience into the middle of the woods or some other isolated area to terrify them. Rather, it is able to embrace live television with millions of people watching and still make the audience feel alone and frightened. This is a genius production for being able to pull this off so well. I haven’t seen anything as scary on television as this in my life. This is perfect viewing for Halloween. Watch it and be scared.
Pingback: Tweets that mention top 100 horror films Ghostwatch | 100 Top Horror Films -- Topsy.com