Whistle and I'll Come to You on BBC Television

Passing somewhat under the radar (at least for many American fans of the weird) this Christmas is BBC television's latest M.R. James adaptation, Whistle and I'll Come to You. The program is closely inspired by James spectral tale with nearly the same name, "Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad!" (easily and cheaply accessed today in Penguin's collection, Count Magnus and Other Ghost Stories). Here's the synopsis from its web page:

A chilling new single drama, Whistle and I'll Come to You is the thoroughly modern re-working of the evocative Edwardian ghost story Oh, Whistle and I'll come to You, My Lad by MR James, adapted for BBC Two by Neil Cross. Cross's adaptation delves into themes of ageing, hubris and the supernatural, with a horrifying psychological twist in the tale.

James Parkin has just left his wife in the care of a nursing home. Pensive and emotional, he travels to their old favourite destination for rambling, an off-season British seaside town. There he encounters an apparition on a desolate beach, which begins to haunt him - with terrifying consequences.

Unfortunately, Jamesian film adaptations are fairly difficult to come by outside the UK. Sinister Cinema's A Warning to the Curious is a rare exception, as are a few other projects currently in the works for DVD release. Film may offer a new path to familiarizing newcomers with James' ghost stories, particularly in international markets. Hopefully, this latest BBC picture will see seasonal reappearances, and then make the leap to DVD and digital formats for download.

-Grim Blogger