The more "Ghost Stories for Christmas" I watch, the more I'm convinced that they constitute some of the horror genre's finest additions. Filmed on modest budgets, these 40-minute short films for television were produced annually by the BBC between 1971 and 1978. Most were adapted from classic M.R. James short stories, but 'The Signalman (1976)' was notably adapted (very faithfully) from a Charles Dickens tale, which is available in an audio reading on the British Film Institute DVD. Directed by Lawrence Gordon Clark, this creepy ghost story is subtle, haunting and atmospheric, the perfect film with which to share company on a cold and lonely winter night. Just like 'A Warning to the Curious (1972)' and 'Whistle and I'll Come to You (1968)' {from a different series, but in the same vein}, this modest British chiller knows all the delicate tricks that can make the unknown seem like the most terrifying thing of all. I can't wait to track down some more of these wonderful short films.Set in the nineteenth century, the story revolves around an adventurous traveller (Bernard Lloyd) who happens upon the post of an eccentric railway signalman (Denholm Elliott, later of 'Indiana Jones' fame). The Signalman recounts the story of a mysterious spectre that has been haunting him this past year, appearing alongside the "danger light" – one arm across his face, the other waving ominously – at the entrance to the train tunnel, uttering the haunting words of warning, "Hello, down there! Clear the way!" These apparition have, on two occasions, been swiftly followed by a railway tragedy, the most unspeakable of which was a head-on collision between two locomotives in the tunnel, where the flames and smoke swiftly stifled the cries of many survivors. The Traveller tries to rationalise these tales, putting the phantom down to an optical ailment, but the Signalman is not to be convinced. The otherwise-judicious traveller is haunted by the lingering image of this apparition, and, by the film's end, he is left wondering if the Signalman might have been sane, after all.Lloyd and Elliott, who basically occupy the entire screen time between them, are both excellent in the main roles, communicating strong personalities than remain in the mind. Andrew Davies' screenplay is fine, but most credit should be bestowed upon a certain Mr. Charles Dickens, whose graceful writing moulds such complex characterisations, even with so few words, that the Traveller and the Signalman were already extraordinarily fleshed-out protagonists. Unlike 'A Warning to the Curious,' which deviated considerably from the M.R. James story on which it was based, 'The Signalman' is largely very faithful to its source material, and, indeed, much of the dialogue is retained. The only major difference is that, in the story, the Signalman's delusions are only narrated second-hand, and so the man's insanity is constantly brought into question – was there really a ghost, or was he just crazy? Television being a visual medium, the viewer is able to witness these frightening apparitions himself. This technique removes a bit of the ambiguity, but also achieves a heightened degree of terror.

A traveller (Bernard Lloyd) on a walking holiday stumbles on a remote signal box situated low down between two steep hillsides and close to the mouth of a tunnel. Its a dark and shadowy place even in daylight, He decides to take a closer look, The Signalman (Denholm Elliot) is at first very wary of the Traveller, but then invites him in out of the cold. They chat for hours on the dull minutiae of daily life in such a tiresome yet stress filled job, The Traveller questions The Signalman about his initial curious attitude towards him, slowly he apologizes and reveals to him that he had mistaken him for a dark ghostly figure that had called out to him on a few occasions, his presence always heralding a terrible event. The traveller is a learned man and tries to assist his new companion by trying to look at his stories with a modern rational eye, giving him solace from his fears, The Signalman listens intently but his fear remains.Another in the "Ghost Story for Christmas" series and the first not to have M R James as the inspiration, this is based on a Charles Dickens short story. Dickens himself was a regular traveller by train and was at one point involved in a train crash, his knowledge of the railway shines through in this work. Clark again helms this moody and claustrophobic adaptation and yet again it's a very spooky thought provoking film. Like other films in the series, its slow to get going, but this is a good point as we are treated to plenty of character development that creates a sense of impending doom, as does the eerily delightful location. Andrew Davies script is very faithful to the original story and succeeds in retaining much of its terrifying premises. Denholm Elliot is superb as the nervous and fidgety signalman, whose fear seems very real and we the viewer are left guessing as to his sanity until the very end. Lloyd is also excellent and is the viewers "in" to the story, he poses the questions we want to hear with a quizzical glee. The final reveal of the film may not be surprising but its delightfully done. This series stands as a benchmark in how to make great ghost stories in a visual medium and still retain the atmosphere fear and apprehension of a reader of these works.

"Please, my friend, you must compose yourself!" Indeed he must, for Denholm Elliot is in full over-acting mode. There is more steam emitting from his ears than blowing forth from the train. He is acting like there's no tomorrow, which, heh, heh, may or may not be the case.This is one of the Ghost Story For Christmas series I missed as a kid. The shrouded figure, either a monk or grim reaper is a familiar motif throughout its run, and shows up here to do some arm waving.As this is a two hander, you know one of the protagonists is soon to be pushing up the daisies. Guessing which and how is perhaps the only modest interest this dated entry will allow.

BBC adaptation of a Charles Dickens ghost story about a lone Signalman (Elliott) who is haunted by the image of man who appears at the mouth of the railway tunnel to warn of impending disaster. One of the best entries in the "A Ghost Story for Christmas" series, the horror is conveyed through Elliott's state of mind after witnessing an horrific mid-tunnel train collission, and is enhanced by bizarre tonal 'music' and a sense of total isolation. Best viewed late at night, The Signalman has stood the test of time and the image of the eyeless screaming phantom (complete with blue skin!) is enough to send shivers down the spine of even the likes of M R James.