November 28, 2004 - 790228 - Shadows from the Grave

[Fizzlestix]

This week's Show of the Week is generously presented for us by Brian1984_2001:

790228 - Shadows from the Grave
Original story by Wilkie Collins, adapted by James Agate, Jr.;
starring Court Benson, Betsy Beard, Kristoffer Tabori, and Fred Gwynne

"Shadows from the Grave... one of my favorites!" ~ Brian1984_2001

Enjoy the show!

[ 06. January 2005, 07:32 PM: Message edited by: Fizzlestix ]

[brian1984_2001]

I hope at least some of you get a chance to listen the adaptation of the Wilkie Collins haunted mansion story. I've been a sucker for the haunted house since I was a little kid. These are my favorite kind of story.

I hope you enjoy it. It's one of my favorites and one I remember from being a kid.

[Texas]

The way this story built up to a third act climax was excellent indeed. I, too, am a sucker for the RMT music and sound effects, and it was well used indeed. This, to me, ties "The white wolf" as best performance for Kristoffer Tabori.

Thanks for the great choice!

[Fizzlestix]

I don't think Himan Brown explored the realm of sound effects and descriptive text nearly often enough in the RMT. Many times the writers leave out a lot of details, probably because of both time restraints and to keep the story moving along.

This tale is a marvelous example of how the use of sound and descriptive commentary just power-packs a tale and takes it to another level.

The scene where the two lead characters are in the library, there's a furious storm outside, and the "creatures" are pressing their faces to the glass window is simply horrifying! Not only are the actors describing this scene with voices caught in terror, but the sound effects of them moving around, the phone voice, the storm outside, and finally the shattering glass of the window (only to have them running for their lives) dropped me right into the scene. The ability to create a scene that takes the listener from inside a brightly lit room with a fire in the fireplace, to a room that has been flushed into darkness, to running for dear life outside in a raging storm is nothing short of brilliance.

An excellent choice, an excellent story, and an excellent production all over the place! A high-five on this one. Nice selection!!!

[Ang]

This was a very creepy one. The story kept me interested, and I am a Fred Gwynne fan! I did not know why Uncle Zenith felt he had to take his life at this point. Is it because he felt Xavier had agreed to his request so he had to go now? Also, I thought he said the Joshua letter would explain what to do if the locks were disturbed, but later it just seemed to explain what was happening more than what to do. I guess blessing his grave was the solution, but they left it to our imagination at the end if it brought the peace ever after. Maybe if these stories didn't relax me to sleep I would have caught the answers :wink:

I looked up Wilkie Collins because I don't know much about him. I found that he was friends with Charles Dickens. I enjoyed this modernized adaptation, and I will also check out Wilkie's original version from his day as well.

[eric margerum]

How do you get the shows to listen to