Welcome to the wonderful world of M. R. James. A channel dedicated to spine-chilling stories of his encounters with ghosts and ghouls. Hopefully you will find something you like...from radio dramas to TV adaptations. Some of these will only be available for the festive season so pop back if you don't see what you want now.
Check out this wonderful podcast site dedicated to the weird fiction of M.R. James!
An interesting story, almost conjuring the same atmosphere as The Woman In Black. Has great potential for a decent director to make a newer version made with modern technology to create a creepier atmosphere..
James was a genuine scholar, thus able to provide convincing narratives for his stories. The horror arises from the contrast between these, as the video says, dry as dust narratives & the intrusion of another, hideous world lurking just below the surface of the rational, mundane world inhabited by the narrator, who is usually too smug & sure in his understanding of all that exists in the universe to be aware of this other world. He lets his curiosity lead him into extreme danger because of his lack of awareness & imagination. "A Warning To The Curious" is, for me, the title which best defines his work (although certainly not my favourite story).
It's interesting to compare James (Cambridge) and Tolkien (Oxford) being very near contemporaries and such literary greats both addressing very much a blend of Christianity (esp Catholic-leaning Christianity) and Pagan aspects (which both portrayed in a more understanding light).
I was reading one of his books in a hot bath by candlelight !! l was sat the wrong way with my back against the taps !! l got to the scary bit when the main character was in the darkness and the monster was creeping up on him with with a bony arm out stretched ! The next line was " he felt a Tap on his shoulder ..... ! "
I find it an odd choice that they used lines from oh, whistle and I'll come to you my lad at the end because they're not 100% in line with the plot. I wonder why they did that
Well done - until the literary experts decided to speculate about his sex life. Not something they knew anything about nor particularly germane to his writing. Pervs gonna perv
People of ther time that's just the way they were in them times.. how far we have come things have changed.. can't change the the past. I like the story's!.. The background music Spooky!! Two men who are good friends with crabby cranky like behaviour but of different Opinions, and the timing worked well.. good bed time story.. for me Imagination is key.. eyes closed & putting my self in the picture. Brilliant
