A View from a Hill (2005)

Who payed the critics

It is a performances centric movie

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

"A View from a Hill" is a 40-minute live action short film from 2005 and this one is a mix of thriller/horror/drama. It is one of the more recent British movies (Ghost stories for Christmas) based on the work by M.R. James. Director is Luke Watson and the adaptation is by Peter Harness. I cannot say I know any of these or any of the cast members here, but this is probably not the biggest problem. This would be the script. In my opinion the acting would have made for a better film as well and I liked how only very few characters are in the center of it all here. Bit the actual horror elements in the second half of the film were not really to my liking and they really went against the solid build-up against of atmosphere. I personally liked the idea of a stranger in what is a strange new world to him almost and also the small snippets like that they expected him later etc. were okay additions. But it's not enough if the details are strong if the center of it all is weak and forgettable. That's why I five this brief movie a thumbs-down and I only recommend it if you like the much older short stories based on M.R. James works, the ones from the 1970s.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the BBC used to include a ghost story, usually by Dickens or M.R. James, in their Christmas schedules. They rather got out of the habit later on, but since about 2000 have, thankfully, begun doing it again. This is one of the better examples.It tells the story of Dr Fanshawe (Mark Letheren) a specialist who comes down to the moribund country estate of Squire Richards (Pip Torrens) to evaluate some archaeological material. When he breaks his own binoculars, he is given an old pair that somehow enable him to see the local abbey, though it has been a ruin since the time of Henry VIII. He ends up in trouble in a most unexpected way, an experience that, as we see at the end, leaves a lasting impression on him.It's a fairly simple story and the film is only 40 minutes long, but it is surprisingly substantial and gives a rewarding television experience. Good acting helps – Letheren and Torrens are both well cast, and ably supported by David Burke as the Squire's pleasingly dour manservant. The music is good too and there's a kind of dream sequence in the abbey that really carries you along.If this one is anything to go by, the BBC would be well advised to keep up their Christmas ghost story habit. Rating: 8/10

An archaeologist visits a decaying country estate to survey its artefacts, but the artefacts lead him into a dark history.Another slice of MR James alienation, where intellectual curiosity attracts the attention of distant, menacing figures and ends in nothing good.The opening sequence is a little irritating with its slow focuses, but the rapid editing later on in the woods creates good tension. Music keeps the mood bubbling. Actors all excellent, and in the end nothing is explained.Overall - not the spookiest, but confident enough not to deliver pat answers.

I watched this film when broadcast over Christmas with a keen sense of anticipation, being a long time fan of MR James' stories, and having enjoyed the BBC's previous adaptations of his work. I do have to say I was a little disappointed at the treatment. A View from a Hill is one of my favourite James stories and I have to say the film did not convey the story well. The story was made much darker, presumably with the intent of frightening the viewer, and lost the atmosphere of the original. The original was set in summer and conveyed the season well, whereas the film was set in winter with bare trees in dripping woods. I'm not going to give any details away, but I don't think it measured up to the previous adaptations of James' work, particularly The Stalls of Barchester.