Shown on UK TV
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Gretchen_X — 14 years ago(February 23, 2012 06:35 AM)
Saw the new WIB yesterday prepared to be disappointed because the 1989 version is one of my favourite films.
True, it was a good-looking film, but some of the most memorable bits were missing. Like the long shot of the WIB standing ON the water.
I don't know if that's in the book but it should be.
I felt that far too much time was spent on the long night in the house and not enough outside. Some of the best shots in the old film draw their dramatic eeriness from her unnatural appearance in the natural landscape. When you set most of it in the archetypal 'haunted house', that unpredictability is gone.
Well done to Daniel Radcliffe however for not being Harry Potter.
Don't believe everything you think. -
Gretchen_X — 14 years ago(February 26, 2012 08:07 AM)
And this brings me to say what, in my opinion, was a failing in BOTH film versions: that Arthur dies.
Agreed, but the 2012 version failed even more by having what really amounts to a happy ending.
The book sounds good; dark an' 'orrible, just how it should be.
Don't believe everything you think. -
Prismark10 — 13 years ago(October 06, 2012 03:09 PM)
ITV used to repeat this regularly but has not been shown again for some time. It does not matter if the author of the book does not like the adaptation, she gave up those rights when she sold the tv rights.
Its that man again!! -
DreTam2000 — 13 years ago(October 27, 2012 03:23 PM)
In the comments section of one of the uploads on Youtube, there is a commentor suggesting that she may own part of the rights alongside the company of the original. I am not sure how accurate this statement was though.
And just as I'm typing this, I venture over to the actual page where this was being discussed at to find that another person corrected the other one who made the comment:
I'm not a control freak, I just like things my way -
hellomychoppyboy — 11 years ago(December 28, 2014 02:34 PM)
Yes, you are quite right. A few years ago when I was writing a book about M R James, Ms Hill wrote to me to confirm that she had acquired rights in the 1989 film which effectively prevent it from being re-issued in any format.
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askilaun — 11 years ago(July 21, 2014 09:53 AM)
Presumably, a much larger cheque for the rights to the story had positively influenced Ms Hill's opinion of the more recent movie. I thought the Hammer picture was okay, but the Channel 4 TV movie was much better.
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DreTam2000 — 13 years ago(October 27, 2012 03:15 PM)
She likely had a better business relationship with the producers of the new version, which leads her to being less bitter about the adaptation. Like most novelists, she probably had to get over her initial disappointment with deviations from her work in a film adaptation back in 1989. So, with this new production, she already had it in mind to be prepared for disappointment. So her expectations were low going into this newer adaptation to begin with, which brightened her mood in the long-run.
Basically, what I'm saying is that, whatever the first adaptation of her work was, it was destined to be the one she hated, until she could get over her disappiontment in time for another adaptation of her work, despite whichever one is superior. It's a shame that this basically means the '89 version is the one that must suffer for this. There's no way she gripes over the original and not the newer version, which has the same "faults" she described of the former (and
then
some).
If the production company is smart, they'll work out a deal and give this (clearly great film) its fair shot at the light of day again. It clearly has its number of fans and it seems even that number is growing. Unless the execs are total retards, they can see that this version is clearly a great film. Why make money only on the newer version when they could just as readily make money on the both of them? If money is the issue (as it almost always is), then why not capitalize? Since when do companies turn down the chance at making more money just for the sake of the artist at hand's personal feelings? That would be a new one on me
I'm not a control freak, I just like things my way -
eveyee91 — 12 years ago(October 24, 2013 12:03 AM)
The only reason I would watch this ever again would be for a charitable event, sponsored to do so in an old creepy house.., I have NEVER, forgotton that sudden grinning, banshee that comes from nohere, with those horrendous nashers that make Mrs Bates' fruit cellar dentures look like fairground chattering teeth!