The newest in the series A Ghost Story for Christmas is The Room in the Tower. Adapted from the 1912 story by E. F. Benson and directed by Mark Gatiss, it airs at 10 PM on BBC2 in the UK. (It repeats in the afternoon on New Year’s Eve, and hopefully will be available on some streaming service afterwards.)
(Pardon my digression, but wouldn’t it be neat if more Christmas specials aired in the US over the holidays? Programmers seem to assume we’re all doing other things, but something special to watch with friends or family would be a pleasure.)
I had the chance to see the BFI screening debut in mid-December, with a Q&A with Gatiss and Ben Mansfield afterwards. I thought it was marvelous — creepy, atmospheric, and with the ability to stay with you afterwards without being too nightmare-inducing. (It is, after all, Christmas.)
We open with Roger Winstanley (Tobias Menzies) sheltering in an Underground station during the War. Another person (Nancy Carroll) starts making conversation with him (with the sound of bombs exploding overhead). That in itself is very British, putting a brave face on, stiff upper lip and all, and it elegantly establishes the time period, in the past — but as they’re under a time of stress and great change, still relatable.
A chance comment about those able to sleep in the tunnels leads to a conversation about dreams. Carroll’s role is new to the adaptation, as Roger needs someone to tell this tale to on-screen. Another change is to the ending, making it more visual, as suits the medium.
Menzies is amazing in capturing someone who seems rather normal, but as his tale unfolds, it’s all the more mysterious because he doesn’t seem to deserve it. He’s done nothing but have an unsettling recurring dream. This is a change from previous years’ adaptations of M.R. James tales, when the ghost generally appears because someone has disturbed things or poked around where they were warned not to.
Roger has merely slept, but he’s been haunted by the same dream since he was 16, where he visits a foreboding mansion. The simple phrase “I’ve given you the room in the tower” becomes eerie through ongoing repetition. Mrs. Stone (Joanna Lumley), the speaker, gives a slight eye flare that punctuates her words.
The piece was filmed at Cobham Hall in Kent, another thing British TV takes wonderful advantage of — so many evocative locations for filming historical and spooky tales. The score also adds to the creepy feelings, as does the use of a “dream lens,” a particular lens that distorts the picture appropriately for the mood.
I am not normally a horror fan, but I very much enjoyed watching The Room in the Tower. It was just creepy enough for the purpose, and having most of the story take place in dreams underscored the unsettling story. I also appreciated the way the story plays with audience expectations.
The BFI Q&A was also outstanding. I so appreciate the opportunity to hear more about how and why the film came together. I learned more about classic horror stories compared to today’s expectations — plus, how else would I know that this film was the acting debut of Gatiss’ dog Bob?
There’s little syndication opportunity for what is effectively a half-hour play, so every year we get a new one of these is a thrill. I asked Gatiss about the chance of seeing an original story he’d mentioned writing previously, but adaptations are safer to market and thus more likely to get funding, it seems. Regardless, A Ghost Story for Christmas has become a part of my holiday traditions.
