Hamlet, to be or not to be
... by sightings of a shadowy figure at the tunnel mouth, gesticulating wildly. Whenever it is seen a dreadful accident always follows. It’s only a matter of time till this mysterious figure is seen again. What calamity could it portend this time? FOR Whilst fresh in its day, Dickens’ story and all it’s narrative permutations seem a little tired and predictable now. What’s important as in any ghost story is the careful creation of mood and atmosphere which bring furtive life to the onscreen events. As is the trademark of the BBC the period recreation is beautifully achieved. The dank, gloomy cutting and its cozy signal box poised on the brim of a gaping pitch black tunnel suggest a place so removed from everyday reality and interaction that anything could happen there. Simple motifs like the steady ticking of a clock, a crackling fire and the darkness steadily encroaching outside have rarely been so expertly handled. The exterior shots of the traveller as he wends his lonely way to and from the inn are also delightfully murky and austere. This attention to detail and environment make many scenes of the piece a shivery indulgence for admirers of this genre. As mentioned previously, whilst the narrative offers no innovation it does still succeed in building a palpable sense of the uncanny and foreboding. The philosophical conversations between the signalman and the traveller yield no answer to what the murky gesturing figure may be or what it wants but it exists nonetheless. As in many great ghost stories and adaptations i.e. “The Woman in Black” the protagonists are overwhelmed by their own profound impotence in being unable to grasp or alter the uncanny events that are unfolding inexorably around them. Denholm Elliot’s harried performance as a man on the borderline of the real and the unreal is perfectly pitched whilst the unnamed traveller who vows to keep him company provides a nice rational balance to the signalman’s increasing nervousness, giving the viewer a character that they can comfortably associate with as events slide into the irrational. As in any ghost story worth its salt there are several well executed scare sequences. The beckoning figure in the mouth of the tunnel is deliciously indistinct (“like a smudge” panellist 2 suggested) whilst the traveller's nightmare at the inn introduces a lovely sharp jolt with an image that has little relevance to Dickens original tale but is shudderingly effective and memorable nonetheless. (You’ll know it when you see it) AGAINST I can’t really find any justifiable criticism regarding the piece itself. It sets out to create an atmosphere of encroaching uneasiness and does it with aplomb...