The BBC's digital downloads shop BBC Store is releasing a number of chillers in time for Halloween under the banner The Frightmares Collection.
A number of comedians feature in straight roles. The most famous release is Ghostwatch, the controversial 1995 haunted house mockumentary that was thought by some to be genuine when it was broadcast. The cast includes Red Dwarf's Craig Charles. Michael Palin, meanwhile, shakes off his Mr Nice image in Remember Me. See below for more details of upcoming releases. All are available now here.
Ghostwatch (1995) This drama depicting a live TV investigation of a haunting, broadcast on Halloween Night 1992, sent shockwaves across the nation as some viewers believed it was real. Broadcast as part of the Screen One single drama strand, Michael Parkinson, Sarah Greene, Mike Smith and Craig Charles starred as a TV studio team investigating "Britain's most haunted house". The production team behindGhostwatch said their the intention had been not to fool the audience, but to present a powerful ghost story that also asked questions about the media and our response to it. Also available on BBC Store, is Ghostwatch: Behind the Curtains, a documentary which tells the fascinating story behind the drama.
The Mad Death (1983) Three-part thriller imagining a rabies outbreak in the UK. The Mad Death tapped into early-80s fears that one of the most horrific diseases known to man could reach our shores. The outbreak here is triggered by a cat being illegally smuggled into Britain that quickly spreads rabies among the animal population. Soon the disease claims its first human victim, leading to terror on the streets. This is the first time the series has been released for viewers to own.
The Blue Boy (1995) Emma Thompson won critical acclaim for her leading role in this at atmospheric film set in the Scottish Highlands, which was broadcast as part of theScreen Two strand and is exclusive to BBC Store. Thompson stars as a woman haunted by a tragedy from a century ago, which has a terrifying relevance to the present. The pregnant wife of a cheating husband (Adrian Dunbar), she finds a boy-spook coming to haunt her during her staying at a lochside hotel which was once the scene of a tragedy, and which was more recently the scene of her husband's infidelity.
Count Dracula (1977) Louis Jourdan stars in the title role as the Count, bringing a touch of the romantic to this Gothic, sensual and classy production of Bram Stoker’s classic novel which co-stars Frank Finlay, Susan Penhaligon and Jack Shepherd.
The Nightmare Man (1981) An unusual four-part thriller that combined science fiction and horror. Surprisingly sinister The Nightmare Man was based on a disturbing novel by David Wiltshire entitled Child of Vodyanoi. The serial is set on a Scottish island and begins with the discovery of a horrific murder. The victim appears to have been torn apart with superhuman strength. A reel of film holds the only clue.
Remember Me (2014) This chilly mystery was one of the most talked-about dramas of 2014, and a fine return to television for both Michael Palin and for the ghost story. Palin plays Tom Parfitt, a frail, elderly Yorkshireman seemingly alone in the world, whose admittance to a nursing home triggers a series of inexplicable events.
The Living and the Dead (2016) Described as "Thomas Hardy with ghosts", this spooky Wessex tale, set amid the beauty of 19th century Somerset, sees a series of inexplicable events test a rational man’s belief system to the limits. A young couple inherit an old farm and prepare to start a new life together. But their presence in this remote landscape unleashes strange phenomena that threaten their marriage.
