Ghostwatch

Last night a few of the BCPS team decided on the spur of the moment to watch the infamous "Ghostwatch" - the mock-reality/live show, that was broadcast on Halloween 1992 on BBC1.  Wow, watching it after all these years, and the impact of the show can still be felt.  I remember the immediate controversy the days and weeks after the show, the countless complaints to the BBC (the fake phone line received over 30,000 calls during the shows broadcast), the claims that the show caused trauma and stress to young children despite the show starting after the 9pm watershed and even an apparent link to a suicide. This all led to a decade long ban to repeat the programme on BBC television, but it has since been shown overseas and it has been available to buy on DVD (or rent via Lovefilm for all you subscribers to that service).

Watching the show last night, the format and idea for the show clearly shows how it has influenced paranormal-based entertainment since that time - apparently it was a heavy influence for the makers of "The Blair Witch Project" and the format of the show very closely matches that of the "Most Haunted Live" shows.  For a drama it was very well done in my eyes, despite some iffy acting from the two children involved at times, and the far-fetched last act.  Some elements were downright creepy, especially the opening CCTV footage from the girl's bedroom and how the suspense played out with some jumpy moments when you least expect it.  The more I have watched the show, the more I tend to pick up, things I missed before and very clever, subliminal stuff with the ghost character.

I must admit though, the plagiarism of the famous Enfield Poltergeist case has become extremely obvious, to the extent of even (what seems like) replicated photos taken from the case investigated by Guy Lyon Playfair (published in his book about the case "This House is Haunted").  I'm told that he won a legal case over the show and had his name in a credit on the re-released cut of the show as a consultant.  The way this was done did trouble me to an extent, as I can't believe they would go ahead and make the show without the consent of the original family involved in the Enfield case.  It was also a very bold move of the BBC to create the ghost character (one of two possibilities provided during the show) as a possible cross-dressing paedophile, and given the show's focus around the characters of the two young girls.  I'm amazed the BBC went ahead with a 9pm broadcast of the show on Halloween, especially when so many kids want to get in the spirit of things  and parents probably thinking that it was okay for kids to watch given the involvement of the popular children's TV presenter Sarah Greene as the on-location co-host of the show.

To be honest, it is a huge talking point that could be discussed for hours on end.  Now I fondly watch it for how unique it was, how it executed commonly witnessed paranormal phenomena effectively, and for some cool scares combined with a nostalgia factor.  You can read more about it online at various sites, including Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghostwatch

Today I found out that a retrospective feature-length documentary has recently been released called "Ghostwatch: Behind the Curtains" and by jove am I going to get a copy!  The reviews have been great, it features interviews with the cast and looks to be very insightful indeed!  For more information on that (or to buy a copy), visit http://www.ghostwatchbtc.com/

As always, this blog a personal viewpoint only and does not reflect the opinions and beliefs of other members of the BCPS team or the team as a whole.  If you would like more information on the BCPS and what we do, just visit our website at www.bcps.moonfruit.com