Stigma - A Ghost Story for Christmas (1977-ENG SUB)

Stigma is a short film which is part of the British supernatural anthology series A Ghost Story for Christmas. Written by Clive Exton, produced by Rosemary Hill, and directed by the series' creator, Lawrence Gordon Clark, it first aired on BBC1 on 29 December 1975 (delayed from 28 December), the latest airdate in the series relative to Christmas. Audio in English with English subtitles (Click on CC for subtitles.)

The story concerns a family consisting of Katharine (Kate Binchy), Peter (Peter Bowles), and Verity (Maxine Gordon) who move to a rural cottage from the city. Workmen are brought in to try and remove a large stone which is embedded in the grass outside the cottage, but their attempts appear to unleash a supernatural force which causes Katharine to start bleeding from invisible wounds.

"Stigma" is the first instalment in the series not based on a pre-existing work, and the last to be directed by Clark. Hill, who had been brought on as producer in 1973, favoured contemporary stories as opposed to the period adaptations which had been the norm for the series. Clark's ambivalence to this direction led to his departure, and the series' original run would only last another year before ending.

The production was filmed at Avebury, Wiltshire. The production is unlike the previous films in the Ghost Story For Christmas strand in several ways; it is the first to be an original story and the first to be set in the then-present day. Critical opinion is decidedly mixed, with the decision to move away from adaptations of classic ghost stories the main concern. David Kerekes, author of Creeping Flesh: The Horror Fantasy Film Book: Volume 1, suggested that "the problem is that this is not a ghost story. "Stigma" is a straight down the line horror story. Although it's a perfectly competent television production, it just doesn't fit in with the feel of what a Christmas ghost story should be."

Cast & Characters:
Kate Binchy as Katharine
Peter Bowles as Peter
Maxine Gordon as Verity
Jon Laurimore as Dr. Hall
Christopher Blake as Richard
John Judd as Dave

Next Story - The Ice House
https://rumble.com/v5dvev5-the-ice-house-a-ghost-story-for-christmas-1978.html