Norfolk Folklore Society: Ghost Stories At Christmas (12A) + Introduction

The nights draw in, the fire burns low and something ancient stirs in the dark...
Join the Norfolk Folklore Society and Reel Connections for a chilling evening of festive ghost stories as Cinema City presents two classic episodes from the BBC's beloved A Ghost Story for Christmas series: The Stalls of Barchester (1971) and A Warning to the Curious (1972).
Adapted from the work of M. R. James, the master of the English ghost story, these haunting films helped define a uniquely British tradition of Christmas horror.
Their tales of buried secrets, ancient curses and unwelcome discoveries continue to unsettle audiences more than 50 years later.
The Stalls of Barchester, the first film in the series, follows a scholar investigating the dark history of a cathedral whose carved choir stalls conceal a terrible secret.
Filmed at Norwich Cathedral, it captures the eerie beauty of East Anglia while bringing one of James's most memorable tales to life.
The second film, A Warning to the Curious, is widely regarded as one of the finest ghost stories ever filmed. Set along the Norfolk coast and shot at locations including Holkham, Happisburgh, Wells-next-the-Sea and the North Norfolk Railway, it tells the story of an amateur archaeologist whose discovery of an ancient crown unleashes something far older and more dangerous than he could ever have imagined.
Before the screening, Stacia Briggs and Siofra Connor of the Norfolk Folklore Society will introduce the films and explore the life and work of M. R. James, who spent part of his childhood in Suffolk and drew inspiration from the churches, landscapes and folklore of East Anglia.
Together they will examine the folkloric themes, local connections and lasting influence of these classic ghost stories, while Shuck Zine artist Matt Willis will be displaying and selling his haunting artwork in the gallery.
Expect ghostly music and a DJ set before the films.
Film duration: 85 mins.