If, like us, the last encounter you had with The Woman In Black was during your teenage years - seeing it as a play; perhaps with your school, you might remember it as being one of the most terrifying experiences you've had.
And years later, as it's brought to the silver screen by Director James Watkins, nothing has changed. It is still one of the most terrifying ghost stories ever told.
The Plot
The storyline has been adapted slighty from the more familiar version written originally by Susan Hill back in 1983. Now, it's the distinct stamp of Jane Goldman (also known as Mrs Jonathan Ross) that shines out, making the plot more accessible and less complicated.
The story itself still centres around a young lawyer called Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe). Having lost his wife Stella (Sophie Stuckey) during childbirth, now with a young four-year-old son to feed and suffering from financial difficulty, Arthur is given a task of which he must not fail - he must go to Crythin Gifford, an East Coast market town in Northern England, to sort out the estate of the elderly widow Alice Drablow who has recently passed away.
Alice's home, Eel Marsh House, is situated on a causeway named Nine Lives - and when the tide comes in for the night, the house becomes completely separated from the mainland.
Off course, when he arrives Arthur finds the town of Crythin Gifford is less than friendly and the few inhabitants do their best to get him onto the next train back to London. Nevertheless, he manages to find a room at the local inn and befriends a man called Sam, someone he will come to depend on greatly.
Sorting through papers at Eel Marsh House, Arthur discovers Alice Drablow lived there with her husband, son Nathaniel and sister Jennet Humfrye. As he reads further, he also discovers that Nathaniel wasn't actually Alice's son, but instead the son of her sister Jennet, but as Jennet seemed to be suffering from mental health problems, Alice had taken over the duty of being mother. In her letters, Jennet was clearly bitter about having to give up her child, even more so after Nathaniel suffered a tragic accident while crossing the causeway and drowned, in the mud, outside the house. His body was never recovered.
While working late into the night, Arthur begins to hear footsteps coming from the upstairs rooms in the house and as he goes up to investigate, he sees a woman dressed in black. Confused and alarmed he heads to the local police station to report the sighting. But while there, two boys bring in their sister who has swallowed Lye - and she coughs up blood all over Arthur before dying in his arms.
After this, Arthur learns that this girl is not the only child to commit suicide in the town and the townspeople believe the "Woman in Black" comes for their children as revenge for her child being taken from her all those years ago. Apparently, when she is seen, another child is in danger.
And so begins the investigation. Arthur doesn't believe in ghosts, but he knows he has seen the woman. And after witnessing plenty more eerie images in the house, as well as witnessing a number of child deaths in the small village, Arthur realises he can no longer ignore the ghostly happenings. So with Sam by his side, he decides to try to help. Of course, it's not that easy...
The verdict
It's initially hard to image Daniel Radcliffe, best known for his title role in the Harry Potter film series, playing a grown man and father. But give it five minutes and you'll forget he ever carried a wand and pretended to fly on a broomstick.
His quirky charatcer fits well with the slightly awkward ways of Arthur Kipps and his hesitation towards his son after the death of his wife comes through in Daniel's acting. In short, he does an impressive job in a role that's extremely different to anything he has done before.
The story itself is as terrifying as you might remember. James Watkins has created the perfect amosphere within Eel Marsh House, setting it up with creepy wind-up toys and rocking chairs, all of which create the ghostly illusion.
And of course there's Liz White who plays Jenett, The Woman In Black. Perfectly costumed and suitably scary, she does justice to this well-known character we've all learned to fear over the years.
Although a brilliant adaptation by Watkins and Goldman, this isn't for the faint-hearted and if you're not a fan of ghost-stories, you might want to keep away (or at least watch through your hands as I did). But if you don't mind a few creepy encounters and countless jumps (and be prepared, you will[/i] jump), then this is the perfect late night viewing for Winter.
Star rating: * * * *
The Woman In Black is in cinemas now.
