The Battersea Poltergeist
I was unaware of the The Battersea Poltergeist podcast and accompanying online interest during its initial release. Created by Bafflegab Productions and presented by Danny Robins, who is well known in this field with similar shows such as Haunted and Uncanny, it was broadcast on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 4 between February and March 2021 during lockdown. The Battersea Poltergeist is a documentary of a true story with dramatized re-enactments. The show alternates between interviews, discussions and research into the case with short vignettes from a cast of actors recreating events for dramatic effect. It was released episodically and gained a lot of online and press interest at the time. Hence there were additional episodes interspersed throughout the initial run which provided “case updates” and listener feedback and questions.
I was unaware of the The Battersea Poltergeist podcast and accompanying online interest during its initial release. Created by Bafflegab Productions and presented by Danny Robins, who is well known in this field with similar shows such as Haunted and Uncanny, it was broadcast on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 4 between February and March 2021 during lockdown. The Battersea Poltergeist is a documentary of a true story with dramatized re-enactments. The show alternates between interviews, discussions and research into the case with short vignettes from a cast of actors recreating events for dramatic effect. It was released episodically and gained a lot of online and press interest at the time. Hence there were additional episodes interspersed throughout the initial run which provided “case updates” and listener feedback and questions.
The case of The Battersea Poltergeist began in March 1956, when Wally and Kitty Hitchens reported “disturbances” in their rented terraced house on Wycliffe Road in south-west London. Crockery was thrown across the room, bedsheets pulled from the bed and banging sounds emanated from the walls and the floor. At times these were so loud, they could be heard by neighbours. Later, several fires began in the house and words were written on the walls. The police investigated, as did several reporters though none appeared to take the matter seriously. There was also a questionable séance which appeared to worsen the situation .The case came to the attention of paranormal investigator Harold Chibbett, who spent months with the family and made comprehensive notes. At the centre of these activities was 15 year old Shirley Hitchens, who named the unruly ghost Donald.
Medium Harry Hank, centre, conducts an séance with Shirley Hitchens and her father Wally (on the right)
Presenter Danny Robins begins the podcast by telling us: “I don’t believe in ghosts.” He then proceeds to go through Chibbett’s original case file, collate newspaper reports and other public records. Several people connected to the case are interviewed including Shirley Hitchens, who is now 80. The investigations are overseen by several experts including parapsychologist Evelyn Hollow and psychology professor Ciarán O’Keeffe. Bridging the investigative sections are dramatised segments, starring Toby Jones as Harold Chibbett and Dafne Keen as the young Shirley Hitchens. Although somewhat contrived they do add to the show’s atmosphere, capturing the frustration and terror experienced by the Hitchens family. They also highlight the UK class divide of the times and the way the family were perceived by the press and other institutions.
I recently binged all 9 episodes of The Battersea Poltergeist as well as the “case updates” and found the show thoroughly entertaining and interesting. Robins and producer/director Simon Barnard have gone to great lengths to make this podcast engaging and informative. I especially enjoyed the dramatic recreations mainly due to the calibre of the cast. There is also a very atmospheric soundtrack and theme song by Nadine Shah and Ben Hillier. However, I did find some of the dialogue a little too contemporary, often using phrases and idioms that were anachronistic. That aside, the show made a broad attempt to provide balance to both sides of the argument, although this does result in a degree of cakeism.
The Hitchens Family circa 1956
As I expected, the overall results of the investigation are logically inconclusive, affording both sides of the debate to be able to claim victory. The predictably ambivalent and non-commital nature of the series’ conclusion is convenient and beneficial to the production team who ultimately are providing entertainment as well as an investigation. It is an inherent failing of this particular genre, or perhaps a deliberate choice, that the audience is always presented with a binary choice. I personally would prefer a more nuanced approach and possibly a third option, namely that there is insufficient data to draw any definitive conclusion. However, such a stance lacks the passion and potential entertainment that arises from a more adversarial approach. If you listen to The Battersea Poltergeist expecting a clear conclusion then you’ll be disappointed. It’s more about the journey and because of the inherent ambivalence of this case, that journey has the ability to keep going.
Ghost (1990)
Banker Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) and his girlfriend, artist Molly Jensen (Demi Moore), move into a Manhattan loft apartment and begin to renovate. They are helped by Sam's friend and co-worker Carl Bruner (Tony Goldwyn). One night, after attending the theatre with Molly, Sam is fatally shot by a mugger who tries to steal his wallet. Sam is shocked to discover he is a ghost but refuses to move on to the afterlife because of his love for Molly. In the following weeks he observes his funeral and Molly’s unhappiness. However, when the mugger (Rick Aviles) who shot him breaks into their apartment and searches it, Sam suspects that his death was not just a robbery that went wrong. During his travels Sam discovers a fake medium, Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg), who can hear him. Sam desperately tries to convince her to help him as he believes that Molly may be in danger.
Banker Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) and his girlfriend, artist Molly Jensen (Demi Moore), move into a Manhattan loft apartment and begin to renovate. They are helped by Sam's friend and co-worker Carl Bruner (Tony Goldwyn). One night, after attending the theatre with Molly, Sam is fatally shot by a mugger who tries to steal his wallet. Sam is shocked to discover he is a ghost but refuses to move on to the afterlife because of his love for Molly. In the following weeks he observes his funeral and Molly’s unhappiness. However, when the mugger (Rick Aviles) who shot him breaks into their apartment and searches it, Sam suspects that his death was not just a robbery that went wrong. During his travels Sam discovers a fake medium, Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg), who can hear him. Sam desperately tries to convince her to help him as he believes that Molly may be in danger.
Ghost is unusual in so far that it is a mainstream, commercial studio film, that is entertaining, accessible, and well made. Do not be fooled by the PG-13 rating, Ghost is not a twee, overly sentimental family film. It works all the better for the fact that the story is portrayed in a more credible adult fashion. Although ostensibly a supernatural, romantic drama, it is tempered by some clever ideas, genuine tension, and some quite scary set pieces. The casting is sound and there’s a tangible sense of romance between leads. Whoopi Goldberg provides excellent comic relief, but she also gives a good performance as a jaded and cynical con artist. The direction, by Jerry Zucker, is measured and finds the right balance between the lighter and darker elements. This was his first dramatic movie. He had previously made several parody films such as Airplane! and The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
One aspect of Ghost that works well is the lack of explanation regarding the supernatural elements. There is not an excess of religious connotations. Death results in the spirit either moving on to the afterlife or being dragged away by spectral figures. Some spirits, such as Sam, linger in the world for personal reasons. It is also interesting how spirits have limited abilities to interact with physical objects. Ghost also balances the romance and humour with a few solid shocks, such as the sinister figures that claim those who have died and are deemed evil. The villain’s death is also surprisingly shocking. All of which contribute to the film being well rounded and a good example of mainstream, studio filmmaking from the decade. If Ghost were remade today, I suspect it would be bereft of all these positive aspects and more of a cynical marketing pitch to a specific demographic.
