Are you itching for something spooky to watch this Halloween? The Woman in Black (1989) may just be the movie for you.
Though the 2012 remake may be more commonly known nowadays, the 1989 adaptation of the Susan Hill's novel of the same name is very much worth a try. Personally, I would say that I even prefer it over the newer version.
What and who is The Woman in Black?
The Woman in Black was a British made for TV movie that premiered in 1989. Although it was made for broadcast television, it holds up well and is an entertaining, spooky watch.
In The Woman in Black, Arthur Kid, the main character, is a solicitor who is coming to a rural estate in order to manage the estate of a widow after her passing. Throughout the movie, he learns more about Alice Drablow (the widow who lived in the estate) as well as the reputation she and her estate has in the surrounding community.
The film is a very archetypical ghost story in all the best ways. The story of the film reminds me of urban legends about ghosts, and parts of the film are very creepy in a very subtle, understated way.
A major theme in this movie is that when bad things happen, a lot of people will not want to be involved. This adds a level of subtle creepiness to the interactions Arthur has with the people living around the Drablow estate.
Nobody wants to involve themselves, so they avoid mentioning things and lie by omission. You can tell when the characters know more than they are letting on, or are carefully stepping around talking about something. It’s a classic story method of foreshadowing, and is an evergreen way of showing that something is amiss.
The Woman In Black uses very simple filming tricks effectively to create unsettling scares, and does not need much to do so. While I will not spoil it, I thought that the ending scare used a very simple editing trick in a way that was very much surprising and unnerving.
The production quality is rather good as well. Though most of the scares do not require that much special effects, it is a period piece which requires effort in the set dressing and costuming work..
The manor especially must have required lots of tiny, period appropriate items in order to fill the rooms. The attention to detail makes the Drablow estate look well-lived in, and makes it so that details revealed later in the story can be picked up on if one pays close attention.
The nature of it being a movie caught on film makes the appearance of the film nostalgic for those who grew up with that aesthetic, while also adding a grainy quality to the scenes, which helps add an eeriness to the scares.
I think this film would also be especially good as a watch for people just coming into the horror genre. There are tense and spooky scenes, but there is nothing I would personally call gory or overly disturbing.
It’s a very accessible film that captures the spooky spirit that you’d want as a Halloween watch. If I had to liken it to anything, I would personally say that it feels like a Goosebumps episode for adults. I would very much recommend it if you want to get into the genre, or if you want something to watch together with friends.