VHS : P.R.O.B.E. - The Devil Of Winterborne [1995]

Rating: - "Devil Of Winterbourne� Review
Despite its limited budget and rather clichéd special effects, Mark Gatiss' "Devil of Winterbourne" is written in such a way that the twists and turns of the story keep the viewers on the edge of their sets without the need for a sudden blast of Psycho-esque music or an almost unnecessary attention-grabbing movement of an object previously thought to be inanimate which is normal to specimens of this genre. The impossible-to-predict story line creates the sense of tension necessary to as sci-fi film, and it is so strong that it makes life easy for the actors. Although in some cases the acting is far from perfect, the fine portrayals of several both major and minor characters (namely Reece Shearsmith, Peter Davison and Gatiss himself) are detailed enough to ensure "Devil"'s capacity to betaken seriously by hard-core sci-fi fans and the general viewing public alike. In the context of Gatiss' more well-known role as a member of BBC2's "The League of Gentlemen", "Devil" accurately conveys his versatility and ability to write in a variety of different styles, although his evident love of horror which is at the forefront of "Devil" (and indeed the rest of the P.R.O.B.E. series) has obvious influences in his comedy work. The restricted setting for "Devil" (only the Winterbourne school and occassionally the house of Liz Shaw are shown) does not, in fact, limit the credibility of the film, but successfully increases the atmosphere of intensity, drawing the audience further into the world of Andrew Powell and co. Although shorter than an average film (running time approximately 1hr 15mins), the detailed plot denies any accusations of corner-cutting on the part of actor or director. The unpredictable ending which simultaneously rounds off the story and mysteriously leaves it open for further investigation leads effectively onto Gatiss' next effort and direct continuation, "Ghosts of Winterbourne". Overall, a fantastic use of minimised resources by all involved.