The Woman in Black (1989 TV film version)

[ElliotJA]

I'm aware that the latest adaptation of Susan Hill's classic supernatural horror yarn The Woman in Black has hit the cinema screens, so I thought I'd watch the TV version produced by the BBC way back in '89, and scripted by Nigel Kneale (creator of the brilliant Quatermass stories). It is very enjoyable, well acted, and scary, but there was just one thing in it that I didn't think made much sense: [spoiler]The presense of the ghost of Nathanial, the Woman's son who drowned when she tried to run away with him. His voice is heard when the solicitor guy (Kipps?) goes into the nursery, and he gives him a little toy soldier. But the reason the Woman was haunting the place and causing children to die was because she had been separated from her son; if he still exists as a ghost, why is she so filled with rage and hatred?[/spoiler]

[edit: spoilers]

[GordonR]

Well, we don't have to bother seeing the current film now, since you've just told us the secret of the ghost.

FFS...

[Professor Bear]

Mod edit for spoilers, anyone?

To answer the question (sort of with a question): [spoiler]how do you know the echoes of her son aren't part of her torment, rather than an autonomous presence?[/spoiler]

[ElliotJA]

[spoiler]I'm not sure her son's voice in the nursery is an echo though, not in the same way the sounds of the cart going into the marsh and the screams of him and his mother are "recorded" in the area around the house, because he gives Kipps the toy soldier. An echo of a past event couldn't do that.[/spoiler]

[CYCLOPZ]

Saw this film on YouTube  Just over a  year ago. Its got a couple of Quite scary scenes in it for a TV movie. There's one scene in particular that is very Grudge like that I thought was a Holy Shit moment. It'll be interesting to see if they manage to pull it off in the new version.

[Richmond Clements]

I haven't read the first post because I haven't seen the movie - but I've asked for another mod who has to put some spoilers on it.

[Emperor]

I haven't read the first post because I haven't seen the movie - but I've asked for another mod who has to put some spoilers on it.

I've not seen the film but I read the OP without realising, so, as it is spoiled for me already, I blanked out the end.