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The Woman in Black
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The Woman in Black

The Woman in Black

The Woman in Black

1989
Horror, Mystery
TV Movie
1h 42m
When a friendless old widow dies in the seaside town of Crythin, a young solicitor is sent by his firm to settle the estate. The lawyer finds the townspeople reluctant to talk about or go near the woman's dreary home and no one will explain or even acknowledge the menacing woman in black he keeps seeing. Ignoring the towns-people's cryptic warnings, he goes to the house where he discovers its horrible history and becomes ensnared in its even more horrible legacy. (imdb)

Directed by:

Herbert Wise
Herbert-Wise
13 total credits
Credits include: The 10th Kingdom, I, Claudius, The Woman in Black, Julius Caesar and Breaking the Code

Writers:

Nigel Kneale
Nigel-Kneale
18 total credits
Credits include: Quatermass and the Pit, The Quatermass Xperiment, The Woman in Black, Look Back in Anger and Quatermass 2
,
Susan Hill
Susan-Hill
5 total credits
Credits include: The Woman in Black, The Woman in Black, The Front Room, Je suis le seigneur du château and The Small Hand (Ghost Story)

Starring:

Adrian Rawlins
Adrian-Rawlins
24 total credits
Credits include: Chernobyl, Breaking the Waves, Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself, Living and The Woman in Black
,
Bernard Hepton
Bernard-Hepton
17 total credits
Credits include: Emma, The Plague Dogs, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, The Woman in Black and Emma
,
John Franklyn-Robbins
John-Franklyn-Robbins
10 total credits
Credits include: Asylum, The Woman in Black, Overlord, The Taming of the Shrew and The Merchant of Venice
,
John Cater
John-Cater
6 total credits
Credits include: The Woman in Black, Dr. Phibes Rises Again, Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter, The Duchess of Duke Street and The Devil's Disciple
,
Clare Holman
Clare-Holman
13 total credits
Credits include: The Woman in Black, Let Him Have It, Killer Heat, Prime Suspect 6: The Last Witness and Afraid of the Dark
,
Fiona Walker
Fiona-Walker
4 total credits
Credits include: The Woman in Black, Far from the Madding Crowd, The Asphyx and Murder Must Advertise
,
David Ryall
David-Ryall
16 total credits
Credits include: Autómata, Quartet, The Singing Detective, The Woman in Black and Truly Madly Deeply
,
David Daker
David-Daker
4 total credits
Credits include: The Woman in Black, The Optimists, Boon and Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd
,
Pauline Moran
Pauline-Moran
2 total credits
Credits include: The Woman in Black and Afternoon
,
Robin Weaver
Robin-Weaver
5 total credits
Credits include: The Muppet Christmas Carol, The Woman in Black, Maigret's Night at the Crossroads, Winterlong and Love Hurts
,
Caroline John
Caroline-John
6 total credits
Credits include: The Woman in Black, Inferno: Episode 1, Spearhead from Space: Episode 1, Doctor Who and the Silurians: Episode 3 and Inferno: Episode 7
,
William Simons
William-Simons
5 total credits
Credits include: The Woman in Black, Heartbeat, Where No Vultures Fly, West of Zanzibar and The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries

Genres:

Horror, Mystery

Country:

UK

Language:

English

The Woman in Black

1989
Horror, Mystery
TV Movie
1h 42m
Your probable score

Ratings & Reviews

Compact view
Compact view
Average Percentile: 62.22%
05 Jul 2022
95
91st
Effectively moody and downright chilling. It doesn't rely on jump scares, but the few it DOES have are doozies. I wasn't expecting a Hollywood ending, but was still surprised by how dark they went. Classic stuff.
10 Feb 2008
86
87th
Two of the best, most shocking, "jump" scenes I've ever laid eyes on. So amazingly shot, framed and paced. The tension builds and builds and builds, right up until the climax. And what an ending?! I hate to imagine the saccharine little bow that an American remake would wrap it up with. Please, never remake this. 2012 EDIT: They did. Sigh. With predictably uneven (at best) results.
11 Aug 2010
75
77th
It takes its time and is all the better for it. Contemporary horror mostly force cheap scares, often using shock tactics based on sudden loud noises as a crutch. This relies on an eerie atmosphere and a creepy story and it has some very memorable scenes. The ending was disappointing. It felt slobby. Especially, I suspect, because the rest of the film is so well crafted.
21 Mar 2016
75
72nd
A quietly effective TV chiller. Tricky to get hold of these days, which is a shame as it's a far more faithful and effective version of Hill's novel than the recent stylish Hammer effort. The small cast is likeable, and the production, although hampered by a TV budget, works in creating a sense of dread. Kneale's screenplay keeps things moving nicely, and the changes to the source material work fine. Crucially, while it changes the ending of the book, the tone is retained. Surprisingly good.
20 Aug 2012
81
65th
A very traditional horror film, and yet surprisingly effective. It takes cues from the Invisible Man, the Innocents, and the Shining, among others, and unfortunately it doesn't set itself apart very much. Still, there's a lot to be said for execution: slowly building dread, an eerie location used to its fullest, and a few very tense, shocking moments.
02 May 2012
9
90th
A good example of how to make a chilling story. So this tv movie overall doesn't quite have the muscle as you'd expect from a cinematic production, but it tells it's story well and doesn't rely on cheap scares to get you jumping. Less is more when it comes to scary films and this demonstrates an understanding for "scary" that the big budget version misses. Best enjoyed with the lights off and the phone off the hook. Wait it out, follow the story... because when it comes, it'll get you good!
10 Feb 2008
86
80th
Soooo creepy. Just when you think something predictable is going to happen, they really make you wait for it. I'm not a horror fan, but this movie is definitely something to watch.
14 Mar 2025
72
70th
Moody atmospheric horror as only the British can provide, so much so that if I'm not mistaken the titular character that haunts the estate was doomed to such a fate solely because she would stand dormant on the left side of an escalator.
10 Jul 2023
75
42nd
If not for the ending which may break a Hays Code rule, this "horror" film is so respectable it could easily have been made in 1940's Hollywood w/ no edits at all. This is not to say that it's bad, but its attempts to scare & suspense are relatively rare. It's so old fashioned it also requires literally no special efx, which is a strength in its plot. But, if not for 1 effective jump scare & the ending which impress simply b/c they're so aberrant in something so staid, this would be forgotten.
19 Oct 2013
83
54th
Way better than the remake in pretty much every way. It's funny that it's a longer movie but because it's more thoughtfully paces, less actually happens.
25 Oct 2011
70
10th
...wasn't even good in fast forward.
07 Mar 2010
85
80th
CREEPY.
10 Sep 2021
75
79th
Impeccable sound quality.
14 Mar 2014
74
48th
74.000

Cast & Info

Directed by:

Herbert Wise
Herbert-Wise
13 total credits
Credits include: The 10th Kingdom, I, Claudius, The Woman in Black, Julius Caesar and Breaking the Code

Writers:

Nigel Kneale
Nigel-Kneale
18 total credits
Credits include: Quatermass and the Pit, The Quatermass Xperiment, The Woman in Black, Look Back in Anger and Quatermass 2
,
Susan Hill
Susan-Hill
5 total credits
Credits include: The Woman in Black, The Woman in Black, The Front Room, Je suis le seigneur du château and The Small Hand (Ghost Story)

Starring:

Adrian Rawlins
Adrian-Rawlins
24 total credits
Credits include: Chernobyl, Breaking the Waves, Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself, Living and The Woman in Black
,
Bernard Hepton
Bernard-Hepton
17 total credits
Credits include: Emma, The Plague Dogs, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, The Woman in Black and Emma
,
John Franklyn-Robbins
John-Franklyn-Robbins
10 total credits
Credits include: Asylum, The Woman in Black, Overlord, The Taming of the Shrew and The Merchant of Venice
,
John Cater
John-Cater
6 total credits
Credits include: The Woman in Black, Dr. Phibes Rises Again, Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter, The Duchess of Duke Street and The Devil's Disciple
,
Clare Holman
Clare-Holman
13 total credits
Credits include: The Woman in Black, Let Him Have It, Killer Heat, Prime Suspect 6: The Last Witness and Afraid of the Dark
,
Fiona Walker
Fiona-Walker
4 total credits
Credits include: The Woman in Black, Far from the Madding Crowd, The Asphyx and Murder Must Advertise
,
David Ryall
David-Ryall
16 total credits
Credits include: Autómata, Quartet, The Singing Detective, The Woman in Black and Truly Madly Deeply
,
David Daker
David-Daker
4 total credits
Credits include: The Woman in Black, The Optimists, Boon and Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd
,
Pauline Moran
Pauline-Moran
2 total credits
Credits include: The Woman in Black and Afternoon
,
Robin Weaver
Robin-Weaver
5 total credits
Credits include: The Muppet Christmas Carol, The Woman in Black, Maigret's Night at the Crossroads, Winterlong and Love Hurts
,
Caroline John
Caroline-John
6 total credits
Credits include: The Woman in Black, Inferno: Episode 1, Spearhead from Space: Episode 1, Doctor Who and the Silurians: Episode 3 and Inferno: Episode 7
,
William Simons
William-Simons
5 total credits
Credits include: The Woman in Black, Heartbeat, Where No Vultures Fly, West of Zanzibar and The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries

Genres:

Horror, Mystery

Country:

UK

Language:

English
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