MovieChat Forums > Paperhouse (1989) Discussion > Children's TV serial ('70's, UK)

Children's TV serial ('70's, UK)

posted 21 years ago by kinoscope
16 replies | jump to latest

I haven't seen this movie but having read the synopsis it sounds very much like an old children's TV serial which aired in the UK probably in the 1970's. The scenario of the sick girl and her drawings is the same but in the series the girl and boy were trapped in the house by 'standing stones' surrounding it. They had a radio in the house which would broadcast the sounds of the stones 'communicating' with one another as they drew fractionally closer to the house each night. Very creepy. In the end they escape to the lighthouse and eventually the girl draws a helicopter which flies away with the boy who I believe was left there as she gets better. I think the implication was that the boy died but I cant remember. Is there any reference to this in the movie credits? I wonder where the original story came from?

[–] Frin 21 years ago

"Escape into Night" - also based on "Marianne Dreams" by Catherine Storr.

http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/escapenight.htm
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0571202128/ref=sr_aps_books_1_1/202-0158467-8139877

--
http://www.soundalikes.com/

[–] kinoscope 21 years ago

Thanks for the info. Glad to see the TV serial has got some recognition somewhere. It was seriously creepy! From reading the book reviews it looks as if there may be some doubt as to whether the movie 'Paperhouse' really does justice to the original idea.

[–] missyamerica18 21 years ago

Was a VHS or DVD of this serial ever put out? I would really love to see "Escape Into Night," but it seems that it was never released on any format. The real question is, was it ever released or is there any intention of releasing it in the future?

[–] jasonay 21 years ago

I'd say that the movie version of Paperhouse does a lot of justice to the original idea. I've never seen the TV serial, but I have read the book and think that the movie was much better in some ways. The diretor took what was basically a kid's book and turned it into a very effective horror film.

[–] missyamerica18 20 years ago

I just finished reading the novel, and I am seriously curious about the ending. Does Mark actually get better as Mrs. Chesterfield says, or does he actually die? It seems that he got better, however, there is an air of myster at the end when Marianne waits on the cliffs for him. I am still a bit confused. Does anyone have any idea what really happened to Mark? Did Mrs. Chesterfield just say that he was getting better to stop Marianne from worrying?

[–] DONNAANDGAZZA 20 years ago

to reply to " missyamerica18" .. does it matter?.. its whatever you want to believe , thats the nice part about endings like this . It bothers me when people have to know exactly what happens at the end . Just be thankful for the mystery . Just like in Quadraphenia , did Jimmy jump over the cliff in his scooter or not ?.. its whatever you preceive I guess.

I believe that this was some sort of finality for Marianne when her parents take her to the seashore for a vacation , and she was able to go to the same lighthouse to find Mark and to imagine that a note was left behind by him stating the helicopter had come for him and taken him away .. had taken him away to a better place perhaps .. away from the paperhouse . , so that Marianne could be content knowing that he was where he wanted to be .

Enough said for me.

[–] missyamerica18 20 years ago

I didn't say that it mattered, but I was curious because the book and the film approach the subject a bit differently. I thought that the ending of the movie was better, however, I was trying to see if anyone else had read the book and could give me their insight. Hey, as a person who has seen this film countless times and then read the book, it is somewhat difficult not to try to compare and question what was the same and different.

[–] slug_of_misfortune 20 years ago

I have watched the movie millions of times and have read the book. It definatly doesn't follow the same lines. I think alot of it was easier to rewrite and change than it was to film it whithout it looking like a somewhat scary children's movie. Somehow in a movie I don't think rocks with eyes chasing them would have been real scary but who knows. I liked both the book and the movie alot and it's still one of my favorite movies.

"I peed in the gene pool"

[–] Gator_MacReady 20 years ago

I do wish that the BBC would release Escape to Night on DVD. It would be an interesting comparison to Paperhouse. We can only hope huh?

[–] JEL66 20 years ago

It might not exist anymore. Might very well have been destroyed in the Great BBC Purge of their archives. Terrible loss if so...just saw the movie for the first time in fifteen years, and this is the first I've heard of the tv production.

[–] andyhurwitz 19 years ago

Although it was a colour production, 'Escape into Night' does exist as b&w prints (incidently, it's an ITV production), so it's unlikely to get a release, but not impossible...

[–] Erik-Bloodaxe 19 years ago

I saw "Escape into Night" on TV and it was EXTREMELY scary!The movie was very good,but not as good as the TV show.

[–] taffy_turner 19 years ago

So ITV also wiped it's colour prints? Something the BBC did for years as well as throwing away everything that was Black & white!

But yes I'd love to see "Escape Into Night" too as it seriously frightened my sister and me when we were kids and even though we haven't seen it since 1972, we still talk about it now!

"Your Only Supposed To Blow The Bloody Doors Off!"

[–] ralph-41 18 years ago

"we're coming....we're coming...we're coming!"

aaaaaAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

I had nightmares for years after that! I absolutely agree whatever company now owns the existing print should release it on DVD.

[–] kevcallahan 18 years ago

I also have been haunted by that series - I was 5 or 6 when it was broadcast in (I think 1972).
I suppose seeing it as an adult may spoil my memory of it though. Even so would love to see it again - may rid some ghosts!
Will see if I can pick up this film Paperhouse and compare it with what I remember.

Kev

[–] taffy_turner 15 years ago

Well 'Escape Into Night' is available from Network DVD. So get a copy now as you won't be disappointed.

It also makes a nice partner to 'Paperhouse'.

http://www.myspace.com/taffy1967