Quality Masterpiece Theater Production

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	• The Turn of the Screw [VHS] Jodhi May, Pam Ferris average customer review:based on 14 reviews
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chilling

in the vein of "the woman in black," "the others" and the old vincent price films such as "the pit and the pendulum" this film doesn't take much to creep up your spine. being a little skeptical and not seeing many masterpiece theater productions, this was lavishly done and uses a simple format to get to the core of what is truly haunting to the human psychology. A great movie with great performances, highly recommended as a definitive interpretation of the classic henry james story.

Quality Masterpiece Theater Production

This version of Henry James's famous ghost story is well rendered and keeps the storyline while adding some subtle (or not so subtle) insight in to the mind of the unnamed governess. Knowing the plot quite well I did not find the movie particularly scary but for someone unfamiliar or who hasn't read the book in awhile there could be some real chills. And as is so often true in ghost stories the more the movie shows of the spirits the less frightening they become and the viewer gets some real good looks at both Peter Quint and Miss Jessel. Just like in James's novel the transformation of the children and the ambiguity of the whole thing causes the most spine tingles.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3

Henry James's classic ghost story of psychological suspense provides the basis for this Masterpiece Theatre presentation. Jodhi May, with her warm and open demeanor, is perfectly cast as "Miss," the generically named governess at a grand British estate. Her charges are two seemingly angelic little orphans. Miss can't believe her good fortune at landing such a delightful job. "Am I dreaming?" she asks kindly, corpulent housekeeper Mrs. Grose (Pam Ferris). But dream turns to nightmare as the house's spectral inhabitants reveal themselves to her. Miss becomes obsessed with protecting her precious "little creatures" from the vile phantasms. The movie is satisfyingly spooky and makes us jump in all the right places. The children, Flora (Grace Robinson) and Miles (Joe Sowerbutts), are genuinely creepy. "When I'm bad, Miss, I really am extremely bad," asserts little Miles, and we believe him. This provocative adaptation of The Turn of the Screw breathes new life into James's morbid Victorian obsession with sexuality and morality. --Laura Mirsky

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