As someone who has loved the book for a long time and was affected and impressed very much by the stage play, I first saw this TV film five years ago and to this day I consider it one of the finest ever made of the haunted house genre alongside The Changeling. Recently I saw the recent film, and thought on the whole it was above decent with handsome production values and good scares(with the odd predictable one) but due to the ending and a few scenes that were left out(ie. whistling scene) that could have added so much more to the story something was missing.

The Woman in Black(1989) creeped me out at 14, and it still does, except that not only did I find it a masterpiece of chilling atmosphere but I was also able to appreciate other things about it. It looks great, even with the occasional moment where budget hinders it, with elegant costumes and settings without looking too elegant to spoil the mood of the story, the house surrounded by mist and marshes is especially well done. The photography is good too, brooding without being too in-your-face. There is also a haunting score by Rachel Portman, which enhances each scene but succeeds also in never making it too obvious.

Dialogue is solid, intelligent, thoughtful and true to the prose of the book. The story is timeless, with many telling chapters and a wonderful atmosphere. The Woman in Black(1989) tells the story seamlessly, the pace is slow but I never found it dull. Plus apart from a couple of name changes and a few other small changes it is much truer in spirit to the book than the 2012 film, which as much as I did like it omitted two of the best scenes, had an ending that was underwhelming in comparison and had more jump scares though none were as effective as the single jump scare here, though in its favour it did have a brilliantly choreographed beginning. But it wasn't the story alone that was the main selling point of The Woman in Black. It was the atmosphere.

One jump-scare there may be, but there are several moments that I find creepy even now after seeing it many times since, where my hands are sweating and my heart racing. This is especially true with the whistling scene, Arthur seeing the Woman in Black in the marshes and when Arthur finds the soldier in his hand. The scene of Alice Drablow's funeral, signalling Arthur's first encounter with The Woman in Black is equally telling, and the ending even for people who know it's coming is sad and intense but brilliant. The highlight for me though was the jump scare, involving The Woman in Black hovering over the bed shrieking into his face, which is one of the scariest reveal shots of all time. Plaudits also for creating a sense of loneliness and dread in almost every scene.

Acting is very good. Adrian Rawlins plays Arthur perfectly with the character's state of mind very believable. Bernard Hepton and David Dakar are very good also in their roles, but if there is anybody that The Woman in Black(1989) is memorable for, it's Pauline Moran, who is absolutely terrifying as the chilling titular character. Herbert Wise directs beautifully, and with style and grace while never letting the tension slip. All in all, an atmospheric masterpiece of British television if there ever was one. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Regarded by those who have seen it as one of the scariest films ever made, this subtle exercise in haunting terror is more frightening than any other '80s horror film you might care to think of. If you're a fan of the BBC Ghost Story for Christmas series which ran back in the early '70s and used M R James' stories as a basis, then you'll recognise many elements which are similar here. The period setting, the lone, isolated protagonist, and the seriously spooky black-clad figures are all present and correct. Fans of gore-filled slashers need not apply as this is an extremely slow-moving ghost story which relies on a build-up of atmosphere mixed in with the odd physical shock or two to get your pulse racing. While the low budget is apparent, the attention to period detail is great, as is the authentic acting from a mostly unknown cast. Adrian Rawlins and Clare Holman are, in particular, fantastic, Rawlins utterly convincing as the man slowly driven to the edge by the sinister ghost.

The supernatural events are some of the most spine-chilling ever put on screen. The parts which affected me greatly were the bits where Kidd hears a carriage crashing into a marsh and the screams of the dying; extremely chilling moments. Also there's another jump-out-of-your-seat moment which comes out of nowhere and is guaranteed to give you nightmares. The ending is downbeat and conjures up a nice sense of impending calamity. In a way it's funny to think that over twenty-five years ago Central Television were capable of producing accurate, classic material like this. They certainly don't make stuff like this anymore. THE WOMAN IN BLACK is a modern classic, and a film which lives up to its reputation as a haunting masterpiece - it's just a shame that so few people have actually seen it!

I have a huge love affair with the Woman in Black, in order I saw the stage play first, then read the book, then this version, and finally the Hammer film. In my humble opinion this is the best version, it is incredibly dark, scary, atmospheric, gloriously produced and beautifully acted. Adrian Rawlins is utterly fantastic in the lead as Arthur Kidd.

Pauline Moran adds a mass of fear and terror into the film, her appearances strike true terror into the viewer. The music, lighting and camera-work all crank up the tension and sinister feel too.

This adaptation is shamefully overlooked, it deserves so much to be seen by a much wider audience, it boasts a subtlety that the update, which I really enjoyed, didn't have.

If you've not seen it, do what you can to get hold of a copy, if you've seen it. The woman in Black is my favourite Ghost story of all time, and this is a tremendous adaptation.

Spectacular, atmospheric chiller.

10/10

It's finally getting a commercial Blu Ray release in 2020.