Review for Dramarama: Spooky - The Complete Series

There'll be people in their thirties who will shake and shiver at the very prospects of seeing these superbly chilling 'children's' shows again. More like episodes of more adult series like 'Thriller' or 'Tales of the Unexpected', these herald from an age where it was quite acceptable to expose kids to the terrors of the supernatural.


What's more - they're actually rather good. Far better than I had expected. When they originally sired back in the early eighties, I was a tv-less student so, unlike students today with their endless loop of countdown and Jeremy Kyle, I never actually saw any 'Dramarama' - let alone this expressly spooky version.
There's a generous helping of seven 30 minute episodes (minus ad breaks) on a single disc.


Highlights include an episode where a school-boy who is set to doing some lines in a hall at his school when it becomes apparent that he is not alone. Things start to move, curtains blow in a non-existent breeze and he catches sight of what he presumes must be ghosts but which turn out to be schoolchildren from mid-WWII. Very spooky for kids!


Then there's the one with a young pre-Eastenders Lucy Benjamin (called Lucy something else here in the credits). She does a convincing job as a shy young girl with a wild alter-ego. The whole episode is a little strange as it all seems to be set in the hyper-white 'Clockwork Orange' style studio - which only adds to the general creepiness.


Then there's the one about the arrogant DJ who gets haunted by a Poltergeist who has become fed up with him! A great 'story on a budget' as it is filmed almost entirely with three characters in two rooms.





And what's this? Albert Steptoe as a graveyard caretaker with a guilty secret - and glowing drummer boys a'plenty. The stuff of pre-teen nightmares!!
All in all, even viewing the episodes in a single setting as a fully grown and highly cynical adult, they were wildly entertaining.


So much retro TV merely disappoints on re-viewing. But occasionally a series is even better than memories serve. I imagine for many, it will be a case of the latter. Despite being filmed on video, this looks pretty good here - as good as you are ever likely to see it, and with a sericable mono 2.0 soundtrack. The production  stills gallery (the only extra) shows how wonderful this would have looked had it been shot on film!


As usual, I would like to extend a heart-felt thank you to Network for taking the trouble to licence and master these marginal interest pieces. Before anyone complains about the price-tag, they should remember what is involved in releasing such pieces. Without it being commercially viable, such gems would remain locked away in the archives for eternity!

Thoroughly recommended!

Here's what you get with original broadcast dates:

War Games with Caroline (18 April 1983)
The Exorcism of Amy (25 April 1983)
The Danny Roberts Show (9 May 1983)
The Ghostly Earl (16 May 1983)
In a Dark, Dark Box... (23 May 1983)
The Restless Ghost (6 June 1983)
The Keeper (13 June 1983)