Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Someone at the Top of the Stairs - Series 1, Episode 3, Saturday 28 April 1973

The story...

Chrissie and Gillian are students on a budget looking for somewhere to rent. They are surprised and delighted to discover a very affordable room in an old house. Although a few odd things happen Gillian in particular settles in well but Chrissie becomes increasingly anxious. When a man called Thurston calls looking for his missing daughter and it becomes clear that landlady Mrs Oxhey is lying about what happened to her the worries become increasingly intense. Chrissie senses danger but Gillian seems oblivious to the threats around her...

Review

In 1994 this was the first episode I ever saw in its entire form when it was released on ITC video and retains a special place for that reason. This story got me hooked on Thriller, it is widely popular and must be one of the most seen of all. It was the first venture in production to focus on the supernatural (although Possession aired a week earlier) - something that happened quite often in the first series - and is one of the most frightening and powerful tales, albeit with certain limitations.

As with The Colour of Blood, the teaser is brief, simple but very powerful as Sally Thurston meets the man at the top of the stairs. The boarding house is appropriately unsettling and exceptionally well-designed by Tony Waller. The other residents of the house are "marvellously" creepy - ostensibly very friendly but with evil lurking just below the surface. The character of the child Jonathan is probably the most disturbing, alongside that of Mrs. Oxhey. Alethea Charlton as Mrs. Oxhey, and Peter Cellier, in a typically refined and upright part as Colonel Wright, are in great form. There are sexual and voyeuristic angles to the Satanic events in the house that certainly crank up the tension. The "party" the residents throw for Gillian is especially well done (below). 

Gillian (Suzy Carne) finds the party with the other residents not what she was expecting

Chrissie and Gillian are well-developed characters, skilfully portrayed. Both serve as templates for later stories. Chrissie is the archetypal blonde American heroine. She is unnerved from the start and becomes increasingly scared. Her anxiety though does protect her from the dangers around her. On the other hand the likeable, upbeat but blasé Gillian is clearly heading for trouble.  

There are some reservations which hold this back a little. Acting at times is unconvincing. The off-screen killing of a cat that Chrissie had adopted certainly does trouble me but was no doubt included to further emphasise the depravity lurking within the house. The scenes near the end as the truth about the house and its residents tend to attract a lot of criticism, even among fans of the episode, but I feel they work well and the truth about what has been going on is undoubtedly shocking. There are some flaky elements in the very last moments but overall the conclusion is good. Overall supernatural episodes - and productions in general - seem to have a greater tendency to divide viewers and can run the risk of "going over the top" or even seeming parodic. This can be particularly so when they explore devil-worship but I feel here the episode stays on the right side of the line whereas A Place To Die later in Series 1 tends to attack more of that type of criticism..

This is a bold episode in its treatment of Satanism and sexuality and no future story covered quite this territory. Its rather shabby setting and focus on characters of fairly modest means is another refreshing element. Anyone who has lived in a bedsit will recognise the old-fashioned furniture and tatty decor of Gillian and Chrissie's room. Very few of us have ever enjoyed the wealth and opulent lifestyles of many central Thriller characters but many will have been students, had to live on a tight budget and resided in run-down properties and so these conditions can have extra resonance, 

Mr Thurston explains that his daughter Sally was pregnant and hints that Mrs Oxhey offered some kind of "service" in this regard, maybe even facilitating an abortion; even the suggestion of this issue is bold for a production of the time. Despite its supernatural theme the socially realistic nature of the house perhaps makes this connect very strongly with viewers and amplifies the horror. The design of Cartney's Victorian room is another excellent touch. Altogether, it is no accident that this is one of the show's best-remembered outings - a very fine effort. 

Notes

Laura Collins appears only in the teaser which is one of the shortest - and best. She is credited for her brief role in which she screams but has no dialogue.

David de Keyser as Cartney makes the latest arrivals of any starring actor, appearing only in the final ten minutes.

Peter Cellier and Alethea Charlton had appeared two years earlier in an episode of Thames's suspense series Shadows of Fear - Repent at Leisure.

ITC Movie title-watch

The painting on the closing credits shows Chrissie and Gillian running away from the house, even though this did not happen in the story. While Chrissie would no doubt have happily done so, Gillian was very contented and more than happy to stay. Both sets of titles are accompanied by a suitably, chilling piece of music by Nick Ingman & Tony Kinsey - "Cause for Concern" - and the opening titles by Film-Rite which recreate someone climbing the stairs and scenes of a despairing partly-seen resident are I feel excellently done and among the very best which were produced.





 



Monday, August 30, 2021

Possession - Series 1, Episode 2, Saturday 21st April 1973

The story...

Newly-weds Penny and Ray Burns move into what seems like a dream home in the countryside. However renovations in the cellar make a disturbing discovery - a body buried under the concrete floor which turns out to be a previous owner who disappeared twenty years earlier. A shocking discovery in its own right but strange things start happening in the house with Ray at the centre of them...

Review

This was the first supernatural offering to appear on screen in the UK, a week before Someone at the Top of the Stairs although the latter had been produced earlier. Maybe some lessons had been learned because this is a more polished affair. It is perhaps more measured and less likely to raise the doubts provoked in some viewers by Someone..., although for me the latter retains the edge due to its more sinister and provocative quality. Both episodes are though highly impressive and probably the most frightening instalments of the show. Maybe the fact that both take place almost entirely in domestic settings makes them closer to our experience and therefore more unsettling.

Another advantage that Possession has for me is its small cast and intense focus on a few household sets. The only location filming consists of establishing shots of the new family home in a deserted countryside. This could very much have been performed in the theatre. Only five characters feature much on screen - Penny, Ray, Cecily, estate agent Kellet and Filson - and this allows them to be more strongly drawn. The small cast and limited sets also heighten the atmosphere. Maybe some critics may feel the pace is a little slow (a common criticism of Series 1) but in this case that is no bad thing as it allows the tension to rise further. 

Possession almost revels in its traditional English identity. There is no American character in sight, with the only American influence being the opening radio report of President Eisenhower's accession in 1953. Almost certainly had this been made two or three years later there would have been an American character squeezed in - most probably in the Penny Burns role. The American characters are fine but those episodes without one work perfectly well. Having said that the image of England portrayed here - rural, affluent and traditional - is one that often meets with American approval.

The teaser is short and highly impressive. It is very stark with no dialogue save for the radio report and with the murder off-screen, epitomising the Thriller style. There are no twists or real surprises in the story. It is a very straightforward one. Almost immediately it is clear that Ray Burns is the murderer, the only real doubt being whether he is "possessed", mentally disturbed or a killer who is triggered by certain circumstances - in particular the prospect of money. The success is how well it depicts the slow uncovering of Ray's secret and what he will be able to do before being unmasked and apprehended. John Carson is a mainstay of the British horror genre and is excellent here - as he is in a rather more dishevelled role in Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are. He handles with ease the depiction of an apparently normal, likeable man who clearly has a sinister edge and is prone to transformation into a deranged killer. Ray plays the role of sceptic very well as his wife - in typical Thriller heroine style - very soon senses danger. His jokiness about the seance is particularly effective. Later we start to see him realising he has a problem and struggling to overcome his possessed or troubled mind and these tensions are skilfully handled by Carson.

Penny is the first blonde English heroine seen in the series. She is probably the most traditional woman seen in the programme, a housewife who spends much of her time in the kitchen. She is quite happy to "obey" her husband which certainly dates the series but works very well within the story. Despite her traditional role she is still quite prepared to outline her discontents and ultimately confront Ray. Joanna Dunham has to play "on edge" almost throughout but does a very good job. The role of the medium Cecily Rafting is excellent. Cecily's total confidence in the face of great danger is extraordinary. The seance (below) and her attempts to "cleanse" Ray are superb, chilling viewing. Hilary Hardiman deserves great credit for her performance in a very demanding role. She was an actress with few screen appearances and on the surface of this episode that is unfortunate as she had much to offer.

Kellet, Ray and Penny watch anxiously as Cecily passes-out during the seance

The character of the builder Filson is another attraction. Filson is both amusing but very disconcerting, most notably when he looks on in the cellar behind an oblivious Penny. His remark about the police working in the cellar and, "none of them paid-up union members," is both funny and a welcome reference to the wider social world. Athol Coats is in fine form in this role. It’s not absolutely clear whether all the humour was intended but it still works well. With his broad rural accent Filson was one of many yokel characters to create unease in the series - A Place to Die and Kiss Me and Die being other notable examples. The estate agent Kellet is another example of a fine part. He is in two minds about the possibility of psychic influences and falls neatly in between the likes of Penny and Cecily on the one hand and the sceptic Ray on the other. Kellet's final line is a great one and James Cossins gives a strong performance.

There is a gruesome dimension to the story that is rarely seen in the earlier series. Blood appears on the 1953 calendar and in another scene. The uncovering of the skull and remnants of Miss Millington's skeleton is quite strong stuff and one wonders whether the producers then backed away from such blood-letting. Despite all this the violence is kept off-screen with none of the murders actually seen, and this was always one of Thriller's strengths.

The climax of the story is good if flawed. It is maybe a little clichéd but it's still dramatic and very effective. The violence at this climax is not wholly convincing but Thriller never depended on realistic violence for its success. Despite these small reservations about the climax this is one of the best and certainly most disturbing instalments.

Lady Killer - Series 1, Episode 1, UK broadcast Saturday 14th April 1973 (ITC movie title "The Death Policy")

The story....

Shy American librarian Jenny Ffrith (Barbara Feldon) is on holiday in Britain. She feels lonely but meets a man called Paul Tanner (Robert Powell) who befriends her and offers her the company and appreciation she craves. They embark on a whirlwind romance which seems too good to be true – and it is. Paul has plans for Jenny and he doesn’t plan on her being around for long. Instead Jenny has an unwitting part in a devious and deadly plan….

Why does Paul have a picture of another woman - who rather resembles Jenny - in his belongings?

Review

This was the first episode of Thriller broadcast in the UK and it was a worthy choice. It is a very impressive instalment which almost always gets a good reception from fans. It does not scale the real heights but is extremely well-accomplished and professionally done.

Although thrillers are often “whodunits” the formula is sometimes broken and the offender is made evident from the start – the fascination comes from seeing what he or she will do and how they will be caught. This is certainly an example of the latter and it may be significant that such a type be used for Thriller’s debut rather than the “whodunit”. As thrillers are about fear and suspense there is just as much value in having the villain in the open from the beginning – the viewer then knows things that the hapless victims or potential victims do not. It is clear that Paul is a villain but there are still mysteries such as the identity of the person he rings up - a criminal associate or accomplice almost certainly but who is he - or she? Another disconcerting figure is the cleaner who certainly seems to know things Jenny or Paul - or both - do not. What secrets does she know - or is hiding? Could she be the downfall of one or both of them?

The story premise is simple but very effective. However it still requires strong performances. Robert Powell is in great form as the duplicitous Paul, a man with obvious charm but a real edge if crossed. He takes advantage of the lonely and insecure Jenny. Barbara Feldon does a good job communicating Jenny's journey from initial fragility, increasing confidence as she settles down with Paul and then increasing doubts about his past and trustworthiness.

Jenny (Barbara Feldon) is unhappy to discover some alarming things about Paul's past

In the ancillary performances Linda Thorson is excellent as Toni, a woman from Paul’s past but who doesn’t want to let him go. Toni bears a striking resemblance to his new wife – simply a sign that he prefers women of a similar type or something of unexpected significance. She only makes her entry half-way through, a late point for a guest star but she makes a great impact in that time. TP McKenna makes an excellent impression as Jack Hardisty, a friend of Paul’s who knows his personality and ambitions all too well – a potential ally or accomplice or someone who might thwart his plans. Mary Wimbush is fine as the cleaner who may be up to no good. All considered definitely worth seeing.

Notes

Ronald Mayer makes one of the briefest parts for a credited actor when he is seen very fleetingly in the distance (and with no dialogue) as the church minister who marries Paul and Jenny. He was later the first actor to reappear in Thriller with a slightly larger part as a doctor in Only a Scream Away.

Although Canadian actors regularly appeared in Thriller Linda Thorson was the only one to play a Canadian character, all the others played Americans.

This was the only Thriller episode to feature a scene in a church although the characters involved were certainly not there for religious purposes!

TVM (TV Movie) version title-watch

The titles by Dolphin for this are quite notorious for the silly and overly literal animation. The figures of Jenny and Toni bear little resemblance to their real counterparts. The titles are slightly redeemed by some good visual effects.

TV Times listing for Thriller's first UK broadcast in April 1973


Thriller - the 1973-1976 TV Series - Reviews and Reflections


This blog aims to offer episode reviews and reflections on the excellent 1970's series Thriller created and almost wholly written by Brian Clemens. Ultimately all 43 episodes of the TV series will be reviewed and other pages will follow exploring other themes and interesting issues surrounding the show. These are all personal observations and if you have seen the show you may have very different views to mine on the episodes. However reviews are always useful in stimulating thought. If you haven't seen some of the episodes the reviews give you a flavour of what they entail but when you do come to see them you may draw very different conclusions - that is the beauty of watching TV or film or indeed exploring any creative work - there are no definitive answers but it's always fascinating to see what others think. The episode reviews don't contain "spoilers". While many readers will be very familiar with the episodes some won't have seen them so it is best "not to spoil the surprise".

Some comments will be made about the background and production of particular episodes or the series as a whole but this won't be explored in great depth. For such information in great depth and also with his own reviews you can explore Martin Marshall's splendid book A Thriller in Every Corner which can be obtained from Lulu Press. 

The American influence on Thriller

Although Thriller was a British TV series one of the most striking aspects is the strong American influence upon the show. indeed this was ...