The Stalls of Barchester
1971·TV Movie·45m
7.1
★
Scholar Dr. Black's seemingly mundane assignment of sorting through the assets of the Barchester Cathedral library takes an eerie turn when he comes across the papers of the late Archdeacon, who plotted to gain his position through murder. However, he soon comes to discover something truly horrific about the wooden choir stalls in the church, which are tied to a famous local tree and a sinister local legend.
Directed by Lawrence Gordon Clark
IMDB
N/A
Where to Watch
Cast
Robert Hardy
Archdeacon Haynes
Clive Swift
Dr. Black
Thelma Barlow
Letitia Haynes
Harold Bennett
Archdeacon Pulteney
Erik Chitty
Priest
David Pugh
John
Crew
Lawrence Gordon Clark
Director
Lawrence Gordon Clark
Writer
Lawrence Gordon Clark
Producer
M.R. James
Short Story
Popular Reviews
6 reviews
Kieran
8.0★ · 01/25/25
A Ghost Story for Christmas: 1
Lawrence Gordon Clarke takes the helm and my, does he steer the ship beautifully.
The limitations of TV can wring out extraordinary results (something seen with Song of Summer.) This is a paragon of such restrictive means. Clark’s camera is beautifully intimate in this: each static frame a miniature tableau of gothic atmosphere; small instances of a room captured by candlelight, bordered in darkness; the locked-off effect of each scene, our players moving in and out, drifting between shrouded viewpoints. It’s extraordinarily gorgeous at times, Clark knew what he was doing. The scares are thin, but when they do come, (the scene at the top of the stairs, pre-event) they are chillingly obscured by the darkness, amping up the fright.
I realise this is deemed one of the lesser stories but the central hook worked for me and I always love dips into folk horror, however brief they may be in this.
Lawrence Gordon Clarke takes the helm and my, does he steer the ship beautifully.
The limitations of TV can wring out extraordinary results (something seen with Song of Summer.) This is a paragon of such restrictive means. Clark’s camera is beautifully intimate in this: each static frame a miniature tableau of gothic atmosphere; small instances of a room captured by candlelight, bordered in darkness; the locked-off effect of each scene, our players moving in and out, drifting between shrouded viewpoints. It’s extraordinarily gorgeous at times, Clark knew what he was doing. The scares are thin, but when they do come, (the scene at the top of the stairs, pre-event) they are chillingly obscured by the darkness, amping up the fright.
I realise this is deemed one of the lesser stories but the central hook worked for me and I always love dips into folk horror, however brief they may be in this.
A Ghost Story for Christmas: 1
Lawrence Gordon Clarke takes the helm and my, does he steer the ship beautifully.
The limitations of TV can wring out extraordinary results (something seen with Song of Summer.) This is a paragon of such restrictive means. Clark’s camera is beautifully intimate in this: each static frame a miniature tableau of gothic atmosphere; small instances of a room captured by candlelight, bordered in darkness; the locked-off effect of each scene, our players moving in and out, drifting between shrouded viewpoints. It’s extraordinarily gorgeous at times, Clark knew what he was doing. The scares are thin, but when they do come, (the scene at the top of the stairs, pre-event) they are chillingly obscured by the darkness, amping up the fright.
I realise this is deemed one of the lesser stories but the central hook worked for me and I always love dips into folk horror, however brief they may be in this.
Lawrence Gordon Clarke takes the helm and my, does he steer the ship beautifully.
The limitations of TV can wring out extraordinary results (something seen with Song of Summer.) This is a paragon of such restrictive means. Clark’s camera is beautifully intimate in this: each static frame a miniature tableau of gothic atmosphere; small instances of a room captured by candlelight, bordered in darkness; the locked-off effect of each scene, our players moving in and out, drifting between shrouded viewpoints. It’s extraordinarily gorgeous at times, Clark knew what he was doing. The scares are thin, but when they do come, (the scene at the top of the stairs, pre-event) they are chillingly obscured by the darkness, amping up the fright.
I realise this is deemed one of the lesser stories but the central hook worked for me and I always love dips into folk horror, however brief they may be in this.
Matt LunePRO
6.0★ · 10/25/24
A great little ghost story. I forgot how good Robert Hardy is, he starred in so many things I saw growing up, including the Sherlock Holmes TV series, Frankenstein, Midsommer Murders, Inspector Morse, All Creatures Great and Small. And Clive Swift! Known mostly for being Hyacinth Bucket's long-suffering husband Richard. They both play their parts really well here. It's a slow build as a man is driven mad by the spirits of his own guilt, but a great old fashioned spooky short movie.
A great little ghost story. I forgot how good Robert Hardy is, he starred in so many things I saw growing up, including the Sherlock Holmes TV series, Frankenstein, Midsommer Murders, Inspector Morse, All Creatures Great and Small. And Clive Swift! Known mostly for being Hyacinth Bucket's long-suffering husband Richard. They both play their parts really well here. It's a slow build as a man is driven mad by the spirits of his own guilt, but a great old fashioned spooky short movie.
SamEssss
6.0★ · 12/14/22
While waiting for my copy of Ghost Stories for Christmas: The Definitive Collection DVD to arrive, I manged to find a copy of this to satiate my excitement.
This is all location, location, location! Old school spooky!
This is all location, location, location! Old school spooky!
While waiting for my copy of Ghost Stories for Christmas: The Definitive Collection DVD to arrive, I manged to find a copy of this to satiate my excitement.
This is all location, location, location! Old school spooky!
This is all location, location, location! Old school spooky!
Tyler Dean
6.0★ · 12/02/25
Pretentious
6.0★ · 12/17/24