Hammer set to remake The Woman in Black

[batman]

I've not read any of the 'Simon Serrailler' crime stories as of yet.

I have just finished reading the first 'Serrailler' novel The Various Haunts of Men. I did enjoy it but felt it lacked something. The killer was easy to guess right from the off and there a few too many irrelevant descriptive passages which lessened the tension she was trying to create. However, the main character (not 'Serrailler', who is more of a secondary character in this story) and her sidekick were both interesting and the book is worth reading for them alone.

[jaycad]

I have just finished reading the first 'Serrailler' novel The Various Haunts of Men. I did enjoy it but felt it lacked something. The killer was easy to guess right from the off and there a few too many irrelevant descriptive passages which lessened the tension she was trying to create. However, the main character (not 'Serrailler', who is more of a secondary character in this story) and her sidekick were both interesting and the book is worth reading for them alone.

It sounds as though much of Susan Hills work lacks a little something-was 'The Various Haunts of Men' quite a short novel by any chance?

[Irongiant]

I've found her writings to be average at best - she has only achieved 'fame' by the excellent stage and TV productions of The Woman in Black (and I'd still like to know why she has apparently disowned the 1989 TV version - given the huge amount of changes made to the recent movie version, her old excuse of not liking the changes made to the TV version simply won't wash any more).

[Windthrop]

I have just finished reading the first 'Serrailler' novel The Various Haunts of Men. I did enjoy it but felt it lacked something. The killer was easy to guess right from the off and there a few too many irrelevant descriptive passages which lessened the tension she was trying to create. However, the main character (not 'Serrailler', who is more of a secondary character in this story) and her sidekick were both interesting and the book is worth reading for them alone.

I couldn't get away with her crime novels. Might give them another go sometime.

It sounds as though much of Susan Hills work lacks a little something-was 'The Various Haunts of Men' quite a short novel by any chance?

No her crime novels are IIRC the first time she has left the novella format.

I've found her writings to be average at best - she has only achieved 'fame' by the excellent stage and TV productions of The Woman in Black (and I'd still like to know why she has apparently disowned the 1989 TV version - given the huge amount of changes made to the recent movie version, her old excuse of not liking the changes made to the TV version simply won't wash any more).

I quite like her novellas, not that she has done many of late. Regarding the WIB TV movie I suspect she just didn't get a good financial deal on it.

[Irongiant]

I quite like her novellas, not that she has done many of late. Regarding the WIB TV movie I suspect she just didn't get a good financial deal on it.

That may indeed be the case, but the fact that it's not been re-released on DVD is somewhat 'off' (and I have no idea who is preventing it - after all, now would be a great time for a re-release after the success of the latest film).

[faginsgirl]

I have just seen this and thought it was great! It takes a lot to frighten me, film wise, but I was absolutely terrified

[captainfearless]

I thought it was superb, made with great care and attention to detail. Only moment that i found clumsy on initial viewing was Kipps letting go of his son's hand in those circumstances. My first reaction was that would never happen. Anyone on here experience disbelief too? On reflection i feel that the woman in black made it happen using her power over humans, anyone agree with this, or am i viewing it through lifelong Hammer fan rose tinted specs?

[faginsgirl]

I thought it was superb, made with great care and attention to detail. Only moment that i found clumsy on initial viewing was Kipps letting go of his son's hand in those circumstances. My first reaction was that would never happen. Anyone on here experience disbelief too? On reflection i feel that the woman in black made it happen using her power over humans, anyone agree with this, or am i viewing it through lifelong Hammer fan rose tinted specs?

I think it is thesible (sp?) that the boy wandered off, kids do that sometimes so I believe, when you are talking, and all was silent in the station at that point. But yes, I know what you mean, very careless.

Yes, I think it was the woman in black`s supernatural powers that made things happen.

[Tigon Man]

I think it is thesible (sp?) that the boy wandered off, kids do that sometimes so I believe, when you are talking, and all was silent in the station at that point. But yes, I know what you mean, very careless.

Yes, I think it was the woman in black`s supernatural powers that made things happen.

I think you are right Michelle, it was the WIB herself who caused Kipp's little boy to wander off, her revenge if you like dispite all that Kipps had done for her. Honestly some people and ghosts are just so ungrateful!

I thought the film itself was so-so, but with some undeniably scary moments. Daniel Radcliffe was rather boring though.

[classic-odeon]

Watched this on DVD, and must say I thought it was a good yarn, well acted and just the right amount of tension & shocks.

[dremble wedge]

Looks like the reinvigorated Hammer Films are keeping up a company traditon as a sequel to The Woman in Black is on the way.

Woman in Black sequel casts Jeremy Irvine as lead

War Horse actor Jeremy Irvine will play one of the leads in Angel of Death, Hammer's sequel to The Woman in Black.

British actress Phoebe Fox will appear alongside him in the follow-up to the 2012 film, which starred Daniel Radcliffe and was a UK box office hit.

Set four decades later, the sequel will see the haunted Eel Marsh House used by the government to shelter a group of evacuated children during World War II.

Director Tom Harper said Irvine and Fox were "fantastic actors".

"I'm looking forward to working with them both on the film and can't wait to start shooting," said the man behind 2009 British title The Scouting Book for Boys.

Irvine played farmer turned soldier Albert in Steven Spielberg's War Horse movie and Pip in the 2012 film version of Charles Dickens's Great Expectations.

He will next be seen in The Railway Man as Eric Lomax, a prisoner of war who worked on the so-called "death railway" the Japanese built in Thailand during World War II.

Named one of Screen Daily's Stars of Tomorrow in 2011, Fox has been seen in Channel 4 satire Black Mirror and ITV2 drama Switch.

[Irongiant]

What a surprise - not!