Crooked House

Greetings, salutations, and welcome to my considerations and recommendation of Crooked House.

Story: 1.50/2 - Direction and Pace: 2.75/4 - Performances: 1.50/2 - Enjoyment: 1.50/2

TOTAL: 7.25/10

The Crooked House started life as a mini-series but is currently airing on Prime as a decent anthology ghost story movie. I, like Mark Gatiss, love a good horror story. And since he both writes and stars in the tales of terror, I had no doubts that I was in for a treat. And I was.

The three stories are all tied to one house and its troubled past. We pick up the story after a Mr Bloxham purchases it, and even at that period, the house had dark tales spoken about it. Loud banging and scratching in the walls plague Bloxham, along with visions of rot seeping into his newly renovated home. Next, we come to the lovers, who, at a costume party, announce their engagement and upcoming nuptials. However, one spirit in the house who would see them dead rather than wed - The Woman In White. The last tale is the one that started the whole storytelling: At the start of the movie, a man has picked up an old and strange-looking door knocker. He takes it to a local museum, hoping to find some history behind it. The Curator relates the stories to him, but maybe the story hasn't ended: Maybe it's continuing still because the knocker comes from the haunted house, and Ben, its new owner, is having some strange experiences indeed.

Because Mark Gatiss writes all three stories and they're filmed by the same director, Damon Thomas, the film possesses a strong continuity. Gatiss is excellent at creating robust and credible characters and situations. And Thomas was a perfect choice as he utilises lighting and natural shadows to grow the eerie atmosphere. I would never have thought that a corner in an old room would be so creepy, but Thomas makes it happen - he's that good. And luckily for the viewers, the cast is as skilled in their roles, adding depth and character to their portrayals.

The Crooked House was a highly enjoyable anthology of ghost stories, though the door-knocker tale sometimes gets a tad confusing. I would happily recommend the picture for viewing. There are few people tackling ghosts at the moment; it's still zombies of one kind or another. So, if you'd like a breath of fresh air in your horror viewing, give The Crooked House a try.

Check out my Absolute Horror lists to see where I ranked the movie.

Take Care, Stay Well, And Merry Christmas.

This is a very good ghost story. If you're looking for gore, you're in the wrong place. I enjoyed it very much. A newer film is out with this title, but this one is from 2008.

Having just finished the full works of M R James i couldnt take this "spooky" trilogy seriously at all. It conveys none of the dread or sheer terror of other wordly experiences. I find Mark Gatiss ridiculously overated & an insult to M R James to compare the two. This offering was so poorly scripted (and acted), that i was shaking my head in disbelief rather than shaking in fear. They bored rather than chilled. Would NOT reccomend. If you want top class chills for a blustery winters night go to the master and read some M R James. He can't be beaten and certainly not by the likes of BBC lovey, Mark Gatiss. Just awful!

Mark Gatiss has made an encyclopaedic study of the history of horror, then created many gems that only enhance the genre. This beauty is almost familiar to anyone who has read MR James (naturally, extensively) yet is still original, if somewhat easily guessed. That doesn't stop the 3 stories being delicious, especially the last. He takes the familiar structure and adds his delightfully dark imagination to offer new tales that are a delight to lovers of the best horror, which doesn't rely on gore, just a dark imagination. As he's a highly intelligent and hugely talented writer and actor I believe him to be a national treasure. He will always be the natural Mycroft to this Holmes devotee, and that is the highest praise I could offer. British film needs far more of his creativity.

CROOKED HOUSE is a fun ghost trilogy from writer/actor and horror aficionado Mark Gatiss and made as a modern BBC Ghost Story for Christmas. In actual fact, the inspiration is more clearly the genre of portmanteau horrors made by Amicus during the '60s and '70s of which TALES FROM THE CRYPT is a good example.

This three parter is based around a Tudor mansion with a haunted reputation, told by a museum curator in the present day played by Gatiss himself. While the cheapness of the TV production is sometimes apparent, Gatiss' love and respect for genre makes this an anthology impossible to dislike.

The first story is my favourite. Set in the 18th century, The Wainscoting is a traditional haunted house piece with clever details and a suitably frightening spirit manifestation. Philip Jackson gives an excellent performance as the gruff stock trader heading towards a cruel fate and the vibe I got from this was spot on. The second episode, Something Old, is less successful, it's a story of a family curse that features too little horror and too much exposition. The last story, which I think is just called The Knocker, is on firmer ground and delivers a mildly spooky modern-day haunting.

This is all topped off with a pleasing twist ending which will be familiar to those who have seen and enjoyed the likes of DR TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS.