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OK, this isn't a film, but I wanted to share this:
Shown on BBC1 on Halloween Night, 1992, this was Britain's equivalent of Orson Welles' 1938 radio adaptation of War of the Worlds. Only this was deliberate.
A cross between Crimewatch and the movie Poltergeist, this one off 90 minute program appeared to be a live television broadcast of the events surrounding a haunted house on a London council estate, where Pam Early, and her two daughters, Suzanne and Kim lived in constant fear of "Pipes" the ghost, and were this evening accompanied by Sarah Greene and her film crew, and Craig Charles who reported the events from outside. Inside the suitably, and more importantly believably cheesy studio, complete with fireplace, skulls and large Crimewatch style TV wall, were Michael Parkinson and Mike Smith (as themselves), who were accompanied by paranormal expert Dr. Pascoe, to watch events unfold from their cosy surroundings, and take a few calls from members of the public.
Of course, none of this was true, and everyone involved (including the callers) was either an actor or a well established TV presenter, who all managed to give believable performances either as themselves, or as the frightened occupants.
Enough waffle. This is by far the most terrifying thing I've ever seen on screen. The fact that everything looks like it could be real adds even further to the illusion, and the cheap special effects and clever camerawork, including a few very clever moments of "Is he there? Isn't he there?" Pipes moments, will scare the pants off you (or stain them
). Everything starts off slow, with the introduction of the characters, a little backstory, the illusion that everything is normal, and everything seems fine, and nothing out of the ordinary. For about half an hour.
Once things go wrong, they go very wrong, and even though we know it's a fake you will be glued to your screen, and hopefully you will appreciate why so many people were fooled 13 years ago. The little things are what make this work so well, for example, Parky even tells people to send their kids off to bed at one point!
I urge you to find this on DVD (ebay perhaps), and watch it with a group of people. Maybe even convince them that it's on live
This is an experience that shouldn't be missed.
Shown on BBC1 on Halloween Night, 1992, this was Britain's equivalent of Orson Welles' 1938 radio adaptation of War of the Worlds. Only this was deliberate.
A cross between Crimewatch and the movie Poltergeist, this one off 90 minute program appeared to be a live television broadcast of the events surrounding a haunted house on a London council estate, where Pam Early, and her two daughters, Suzanne and Kim lived in constant fear of "Pipes" the ghost, and were this evening accompanied by Sarah Greene and her film crew, and Craig Charles who reported the events from outside. Inside the suitably, and more importantly believably cheesy studio, complete with fireplace, skulls and large Crimewatch style TV wall, were Michael Parkinson and Mike Smith (as themselves), who were accompanied by paranormal expert Dr. Pascoe, to watch events unfold from their cosy surroundings, and take a few calls from members of the public.
Of course, none of this was true, and everyone involved (including the callers) was either an actor or a well established TV presenter, who all managed to give believable performances either as themselves, or as the frightened occupants.
Enough waffle. This is by far the most terrifying thing I've ever seen on screen. The fact that everything looks like it could be real adds even further to the illusion, and the cheap special effects and clever camerawork, including a few very clever moments of "Is he there? Isn't he there?" Pipes moments, will scare the pants off you (or stain them
). Everything starts off slow, with the introduction of the characters, a little backstory, the illusion that everything is normal, and everything seems fine, and nothing out of the ordinary. For about half an hour.Once things go wrong, they go very wrong, and even though we know it's a fake you will be glued to your screen, and hopefully you will appreciate why so many people were fooled 13 years ago. The little things are what make this work so well, for example, Parky even tells people to send their kids off to bed at one point!
I urge you to find this on DVD (ebay perhaps), and watch it with a group of people. Maybe even convince them that it's on live
This is an experience that shouldn't be missed.
