And the Wall Came Tumbling Down

First viewing: November 1984 / Second viewing: October 2003

While this did not inspire the Style Council hit of the following year, "Walls Come Tumbling Down", this "Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense" episode nevertheless ended the series on a high note. Well it was the last one broadcast on Irish TV back in 1984 anyway.

A stirring performance from Gareth "Maxwell House" Hunt provides a key ingredient in our enjoyment of this episode. With credible flashbacks to "witching times" and a relatively spooky atmosphere in the old church, "And The Wall Came Tumbling Down" is a chastening tale of love, betrayal and sacrifice for a man's beliefs. To it I bestow 7/10

This episode, unlike almost all the others, bases its entirety on paranormal phenomena, and more particularly on a place that is its center. Really very valid episode that brings a breath of fresh air to the series that was becoming all the same, thanks to very nice finds, obviously it has its problems as first of all the unrealism of what happens that for the canons of the series is perhaps slightly too much. Then it also has several plot problems and an ending that is too hasty and forced, it seems in fact that everything culminates somehow well but too hastily and botched to be really done right.

The Hammer films were horror classics of the 1960s. Unlike modern films they relied more on atmosphere than special effects - not because that was beyond their makers resources - but because that was what made a good horror film. "And the Wall Came Tumbling Down" is a late addition to the corpus of Hammer works (no pun intended).

Though it perhaps suffers from the limitations of a TV production, this film deserves to be seen. From the initial breaking down of a wall in a church due to be demolished, to the final appallingly chilling climax, the film positively reeks with atmosphere.

If you like to be frightened, or have fond memories of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee and the original Hammer films, this one is for you.

This is a nice atmospheric horror in the Hammer tradition. The denouemont is slightly shocking, and the best moments are the carefully crafted details, including the coiling power cable in the first few minutes.

One of the best elements in the characterisation, which is noticeably stronger than in the mindless "slasher" films which are so much in fashion.

Well worth watching, but not by the nervous (unless accompanied by a more robust individual).

The plot is slightly less "realistic" than is traditional for Hammer horrors, but it is internally consistent, however far-fetched it may seem.

Billed as a comeback for Peter Wyngarde. He did a Doctor Who episode earlier that year. The press decided to be rather sniffy about this Hammer story.

And the Wall Came Tumbling Down has an atmospheric beginning. In 1649 a young artist called Martin admits to his sins of partaking in witchcraft. He blurts out the names of witches who are burned at the stake.

Martin is holed inside the alcove of the church by his tormentor and head of the coven, Daniel Haswell (Peter Wyngarde.)

In the present day the church in London is about to be demolished. Much to the consternation of the site manager Peter Whiteway (Gareth Hunt) there are a series of incidents. He is told by American Caroline Trent (Barbi Benton) that some paranormal energy is trying to escape.

A young man called Alan wanted to see the church one more time before it is demolished. Only to be wanted for his girlfriend's death. He looks a lot like Martin.

Then there is the case of General Haswell who also has an interest in the church. He's a big believer in nuclear armageddon.

This is a pretty flawed story up to a point where it does not make sense and goes off the rails. I don't know how Caroline kept a straight face as she explains to the police what could had caused the deaths.

I first saw this in 1984 (a year earlier than the 1985 US date shown on IMDb) when it was broadcast in the UK as an episode of Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense. An abandoned church, a hidden room (complete with skeletons), a mysterious cult whose actions are felt across hundreds of years... I should have loved it. Unfortunately, it fails to live up to it's potential. The whole thing has a very pedestrian feel to it, Barbi Benton looks nice but recites her lines as though she learned them just before the cameras rolled, and Gary Waldhorn is wasted with such little screentime. Brian Deacon and Carol Royle are okay, but the best things in it are Gareth Hunt (best known as Gambit in The New Avengers) and Peter Wyngarde (best known as Jason King). They both deserved better. On paper it probably looked like a pretty good project; there's certainly an air of Nigel Kneale about it - especially Quatermass and the Pit (itself superbly adapted by Hammer in 1967) - but it fails to get anywhere close to that quality. The atmospheric church (a real location) and Hunt and Wyngarde get this a 5/10.