MARTIN'S CLOSE is the latest in the BBC's long-running GHOST STORIES FOR CHRISTMAS series, and once more an adaptation of a short story by M.R. James, one of his less well-known ones for a change. Sadly, writer/director Mark Gatiss has really let himself down this time around. This cheaper-than-cheap production looks like a sketch from a sketch show or alternatively a segment from a historical documentary. The editing is choppy and the scenes all over the place, with not one but two narrators and a distracting Peter Capaldi thrown in for name value alone. The simplistic story feels padded out to half an hour length with random comedy which puts you off, and the ghost, when it does finally show up, does look good but acts in a ridiculous fashion that had me ready to burst into laughter. While I did enjoy THE TRACTATE MIDDOTH of a few years back, perhaps Gatiss should let somebody else take over next time around...
Review of Martin's Close
