Update 1/10/15 - 8/13/20: A few years later, it's great to see the original rise up and re-eclipse the remakes in the public eye with a beautiful new restoration from Network. Although they've made a curious decision or two...
Both Woman In Blacks are based on a short novel of the same name by Susan Hill, which was written just a few years prior to the first movie (1983). The 2012 film was rather successful, while the sole DVD release of the original, a US disc from BFS Productions in 2000, is now long out of print and quite rare. So it's probably a safe guess that most readers would have only seen the remake. And, well, it might seem both snobbish and too obvious to say that the original is better, but it really is.
Don't get me wrong. The 2012 version is not a bad little movie. It's got a great look, Radcliffe is actually quite well cast as the lead, and it duplicates many of the original's biggest moments quite effectively (except it leaves out, curiously, the original's scariest and most infamous scene). And the fact that it changes the ending at least keeps audiences familiar with the original on their toes. I remember thinking towards the end: yeah, yeah, I know where this is going... only to suddenly realize: oh! No, I don't. But still, it definitely comes up short and if you've only seen the remake, you're missing out.
And the 2012 version also adds a bunch of business that just isn't very smart. It over explains the ghost, its abilities and its motives in order to cater to an audience that presumably demands everything be spelled out, but which ultimately winds up feeling less believable and especially less menacing. Again, I don't want to spoil anything, but the remake has a scene right in the prologue, before the opening credits. Children become possessed and driven to commit suicide... just like in the Mark Wahlberg film, The Happening. All sorts of people wind up getting possessed in the remake, the ghost floats around in CGI monster mode, and Radcliffe comes up with a big, overblown plan that just sucks all the plausibility out of the air.
Now, I mentioned that the BFS DVD is out of print and rare now; you could expect to pay in the triple digits for this unless you get particularly lucky. But all of that is over now, thanks to Network. Just this week, they've issued it on a new, remastered blu-ray in the UK, restored in 2k from the original 16mm negatives. Curiously, they've created a 1.78:1 widescreen version, despite this being a famously fullscreen, made-for-TV movie. But don't panic; they've also included the original broadcast 1.33:1 version, using the same 2k scan.
1) 2000 US BFS DVD top; 2) 2020 UK Network BD full; 3) 2020 UK Network BD. |
1) 2000 US BFS DVD top; 2) 2020 UK Network BD full; 3) 2020 UK Network BD. |
The DVD just had the original mono track, slightly fuzzy, with no subtitle options. The blu keeps the original mono track but cleans it up, boosts it to lossless LPCM, and also throws in optional English subtitles. And yes, this applies to both the full and widescreen versions, so that's all good news.
Some interviews or other features would've been very welcome, but BFS's disc was thoroughly barebones, only offering a bonus trailer for the series Sharpe (which Kneale did write an episode of). And of course, now that Network's finally gotten around to it, most of the creators are no longer with us to contribute. But that's not to say this release is barebones. They have recorded an expert commentary by Kim Newman, along with chums Mark Gatiss and Andy Nyman (the latter of whom actually had a small part in this film), who make the track more jokey than you'd expect, with the three laughing throughout. I'll leave you to decide whether that's a pro or a con, but Newman can be counted on to know his stuff, and this track does have a wealth of information for us (helpfully, they're Kneale fans, have read the book and even watched the show when it originally aired).
That's the only on-disc extra, aside from a stills gallery - everything else is just swag. But it's some pretty nice swag. Network is offering "web exclusive, limited edition collectible packaging" if you order direct from their site. They don't specify exactly what's exclusive and what isn't, but I think I can guess. First of all, this release comes with the unusual offering of two booklets. One features original notes by Andrew Pixley. Uh, presumably not the one who comes up when you google the name "Andrew Pixley." 😨 That one is shrink-wrapped inside the case, so I doubt it's limited. A second booklet, which is annoyingly too big to fit in the case, is a reproduction of Central Films' original press book for the film. I'm guessing both that, and the very stylish slipcover that makes the film look like an old book (the spines look especially cool) are the limited part.
So okay, this release may not be completely flawless. But we've been in desperate need of it for twenty years, and it's finally arrived. So you'd have to be pretty stubborn to let the imperfections put you off; receiving this disc was a massively satisfying experience. I mean, the widescreen version's a silly inclusion, and unfortunately, it's probably what's going to air on television for the fifty years, but it's easily ignored thanks to getting the original broadcast version restored right here on the same disc. If you appreciate a good ghost story, this belongs on your shelf.
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