Quarter 2 Review - 5/8

From the second series of The Price of Fear, I found the best drama was “Is There Anybody There?”  Written by William Ingraham, directed by John Dyas, and starring Vincent Price (as ever), the story had to do with Grizelda (Dilys Laye) and her retiring older sister (Sylvia Coleridge).  Grizelda was a former actress who now supported them both as a medium.  Her spirit guide was an ancient Incan ruler who communicated in an obvious faked, theatrical high-pitched voice.  Grizelda revealed it was a sham to her crestfallen, trusting sister after their recent client (Norman Bird) revealed himself to be not what he seemed.  They were sure he was a journalist who was going to run an exposé on Grizelda.  Grizelda denounced her Incan “spirit” in no uncertain terms, then was discovered dead the next morning.  Her heart had been removed!  The client came back to see the older sister to explain that he wasn’t a journalist and he wasn’t the fuzz, he was a historian who specialized in the Incans.  He had therefore been coming to see Grizelda because she was revealing information about the culture that not even historians knew.  I thought this was wonderfully grotesque, and it had a nice twist (which unfortunately I’ve spoiled for you; I hope you can forgive me).  This drama was originally from 1983.  

I started listening to a new series of horror stories, Haunted, with exceptional theme music, for the World Service.  Directed by Derek Hoddinott, much of the first (and subsequent series) made use of the short stories of prolific author Rosemary Timperley.  I quickly discovered that Timperley had motifs which she frequently recycled, one of which is the lynchpin to this story, “Walking on the Water.”  Nevertheless, of all of the pieces in this series, I think I liked this one the best. As this story seemed a bit shocking for 1979, you’d hope it was broadcast at 11:30 pm, otherwise I’m sure the BBC would get loads of complaints.  Rachel (Anna Cooper) was a child when she went to the seaside with her parents.  She was making sand castles when a strange man came up to her.  All they said to each other was “hello.”  The man was then said to have committed suicide by walking into the sea.  Years later, Rachel married Peter and went on honeymoon in Venice.  Throughout the rest of her life, she kept seeing the man.  All he would ever say was “hello.”  The whole thing would have fallen flat on its face if not for the ethereal performances.  The man told Rachel she’d live on in a whole other plain of existence if she walked out onto the water, as he had, and so she did.  The only thing that let this down was the music, which sounded very much like Hollywood orchestras from the 1950s. 

I couldn’t help including another episode of Haunted, “Listen to the Silence.”  Mary Smith (Gwen Watford) was adopted, she has no family that she knows of and lodges in a house on her own.  She has a job at a bank but no friends.  She has been terrified of silence all her life and puts on the radio constantly to avoid it.  One day she turns off the radio and hears a voice speaking to her:  it’s her grandfather (George Pravda), a Polish sea captain from the late 19th century, who starts telling her all his adventures.  But is he actually her grandfather?

For something more contemporary, perhaps, there is The House on the Hill by Nancy Harris from 2012.  Carol (Philippa Stanton) is a bit of a village busybody and brings a carrot cake to welcome Ann (Stephanie Ricci), who has bought the big abandoned house up on the hill (as you do).  Ann is a piano teacher, and Carol mentions that she has a daughter (Rachel) who she wants to start up with piano again.  This scene is painful as Carol is trying for grateful cheerfulness from Ann, who is just cold and self-absorbed and is making it utterly obvious.  When Carol comes into the house just for a moment, she is disturbed by the interior which doesn’t look lived.  Nevertheless, she has Rachel (a very youthful-sounding Alex Tregear) go for the lessons, despite the typical teenage protests.  However, Carol then starts to notice that Rachel is changing—getting thin and pale, barely eating, and hanging out with her piano teacher on Friday nights.  She is playing gloomy Liszt.  Carol’s husband Derek (Paul Stonehouse) feels like Carol is overreacting. I liked this story, because it was intriguingly vague on whether anything supernatural was going on.  It was directed by Gemma Jenkins.