M.R. James - The Haunted Doll's House: Read by Michael Hordern

[@adamhughes4442]

The best narrator ever of the work of M R James. Been listening to these stories read by M Horden since the early eighties. Brilliant!

[@stephenwildsmith8594]

Yes I second that - those audio tape readings by Michael Hordern are first and the finest. I don’t know you've watched the readings, here on KZbin, by Christopher Lee and Robert Powell, but I suggest those to you. There's also a reading of The Mezzotint by Michael Bryant. They are edited a little, but only just enough to bring you to the point of the narrative.

[@TheTigersbay]

What an excellent story and read by one of the greatest English icons, Mr Michael Hordern .

[@Krzyszczynski]

That's SIR Michael to you and me ...

[@richaquilastokes]

"And when he said it, he lied in his throat - and knew that he lied." Such a punchy bit of writing delivered beautifully by Horden

[@benwinter2420]

And knew that he died . . to lie

[@grassic]

I love that line too

[@hannahreynolds7611]

You can still visit Horace Walpole's gothic original at Strawberry Hill (near Twickenham) on the outskirts of London.

[@thehangingparsiple5692]

Love Michael Horden in the short film Whistle and I'll Come to You. Enjoyed this, thank you 💕

[@deniseroper9030]

An excellent story . An excellent story teller. More please 👏

[@therealchriswheelie]

Thank you, Denise!

[@kyriakospentheides]

Sir Michael Hordern was definitely one of England's finest (and most underappreciated!) actors.

[@Krzyszczynski]

In case anyone's puzzled by the term "British Vitruvius" towards the end of the story: Vitruvius was a noted Roman architect and engineer who lived from 80-15BCE. He wrote a highly influential book on the subject which remained a standard text for centuries. So the narrator is trying to say that the James Merewether who died in 1786 was at one time a promising architect who could have made an outstanding name for himself, had his life not been derailed by the tragedies that occurred to his children and wife.

[@suzp2265]

Thank you!

[@sarahscyllogis]

Michael Horden...the voice of the original Paddington bear series on TV when I was a lot younger! Loved them!

[@therealchriswheelie]

Have you ever listened to or read this, Sarah? kzbin.info/www/bejne/npe8i2enqat1aLs

[@sarahscyllogis]

@@therealchriswheelie No, but I will...thank you! ❤

[@steerpike66]

'Busy about the truckle beds' is one of James' nastiest bits of understatement.

[@jasonhurd4379]

Indeed! Your mind goes wild imagining what form that 'busyness' took. 😱

[@spikespiegel2246]

the voices on audio books usually annoy me but Michael Hordern is awesome.

[@susanbeesley8299]

Beautifully read and so chilling x

[@Krzyszczynski]

Knowing Mr James's proclivities, I was thinking as Mr Dillet prepared to probe behind the curtains of the miniature four-poster at 8:19: "DON'T"! I myself had just such a moment as Mr Dillet, must be, oh, about 20 years ago now. I was closing the bedroom window (which was hinged at the top) just before retiring for the night. As my fingers were about to close on the outer edge of the frame so that I could pull it inwards, they encountered something warm and yielding .... .... and then a couple of seconds later I recalled to mind the pair of doves belonging to the young girl next door, which had for some strange reason of their own taken to perching on our bedroom window-sill .....

[@billybees3796]

Michael hordem is great!

[@chazbrennan9632]

Lovely Michael. The voice of Gandalf, Paddington Bear, and Badger from 'The Wind in the Willows': a mellow, reassuring, fatherly voice that meant safety and wisdom to generations of children.

[@francoaragosta4285]

​Lovely thoughts beautifully said, Thank you. @@chazbrennan9632

[@BioDieselEstate]

Billy Bees, Yes. Except, it is Hordern.

[@BioDieselEstate]

Chaz Brennan, Echo Franco Aragosta. A succinctly apt description of Sir Michael. I too was one of those children. I am so appreciative of the thoughtful, generous people who post these items. Thank You all so much.

[@catherinedoyle1194]

always will love mrjames ghost stories

[@steerpike66]

One of the weirdest and saddest things about this whole tale is the idea that the Gothic house had completely disappeared and been replaced. It makes you ponder how much of the world around us is simply gone.

[@joseorjuela6897]

I'm guessing most of it?

[@benwinter2420]

Interesting take on what a dolls house is

[@Chattygran]

While watching Kubrick's movie - Barry Lyndon I was surprised to recognise Michael Horden's voice !

[@the701squad1]

Fantastic narration

[@ainemaclir3552]

Still my favorite story from James :)

[@rattyrachel4316]

To hear Michael Hernon’s voice is a treat in itself. Add a M.R. James story, and how can you lose? Thank you!

[@therealchriswheelie]

Thank YOU, Rachel! You might also like this (if you've not heard it already): kzbin.info/www/bejne/npe8i2enqat1aLs

[@stewartlancaster6155]

it is Hordern not Hernon .

[@r4b32t11]

Utterly intriguing.. I have listened to it three times.. 🤪

[@ainemaclir3552]

Me too 😂 I had the book from M. R. James where this short story was in. No idea where the book is though

[@r4b32t11]

@Ashley Hyne That is my conclusion... Its intriguing...!!!......

[@almightycreator123]

God Bless You and Your Family, Please take care because of Corona Virus outbreak

[@jet63919]

Outfake....

[@jonwizard3989]

Brilliant!

[@pharaohanakaris]

damn.. anyone got a take on why the father scared the kids? him just being an absolutely monolithic jerk? I suppose the kids new Grandpa was dead... was dad pretending to be the ghost of Grandpa? That ratchets the intensity of the kids' terror up to 11. It seems like the story built him up as an awful man. What was the purpose of the white robe there? A commonplace piece of clothing just casually there..? I love how James' stories have so many evocative details that seem irrelevant and integral at the same time. amazing and horrible.

[@christosvoskresye]

As for the robe, I suspect it was something like a bathrobe, not, as you seem to suspect, anything occult. Yes, the man was awful, but so was his wife, and frankly, so was the grandfather. I think we can rule out the possibility of him coming back from HEAVEN to murder his own grandchildren; he clearly came from The Other Place.

[@futureteacher7986]

@@christosvoskresye But why did he murder the grandchildren?? Why not the husband and wife?

[@mickho7910]

@@futureteacher7986 I would say it is a greater punishment for a parent to live with the loss of children.

[@artandcard]

Who can explain this part to me? "As he drove out of the village, the hall clock struck four, and Mr. Dillet started up and clapped his hands to his ears. It was not the first time he had heard that bell." Is his driving within a dream and the hall clock wakes him up? If something else, please explain.

[@Krzyszczynski]

The first time Mr Dillet is treated to the "regular picture-palace dramar in reel life of the olden time", he's woken suddenly, immediately beforehand, by "a bell tolling One". I've always taken it that this bell, and the one in the village that you refer to, are one and the same.

[@stewartlancaster6155]

@@Krzyszczynski drama, real life.

[@Krzyszczynski]

@@stewartlancaster6155 I was reproducing exactly the speech of Mr Chittenden, as rendered by MRJ himself in the printed text of the story.

[@stephenwildsmith8594]

Hi, at about 09:56 in the story - at the start of Mr Dillet's live nightmare of the dolls house - a clock bell is striking the hour of 01:00, and story implies the hall clock bell couldn't have come from any place else except for the dolls house. Later, when goes looking for the house I assume that the hall clock striking four is uncannily the exact match of that of the dolls house.

[@Popebug]

So what was the deal with that frog creature? Was it the ghost of the grandfather out for revenge, or just a random monster?

[@therealchriswheelie]

I think the best stories are without a lid. Those open to interpretation and for the reader/listener to draw their own conclusions. That's a great question, BugPope and something I've never even considered - love to know more of your (and others) thoughts of this!

[@raymondlang]

@@therealchriswheelie Time the BBC made more of the other MR JAMES ghost stories for Christmas.

[@steerpike66]

It's granddad: this idea that vengeful ghosts become somewhat monstrous or inhuman, like the withered mummy of Lady Sadleir with her poisoned fangs in 'The Uncommon Prayer Book' crops up in James again and again. The 'scanty grey hair about its head' confirms it.

[@jasonhurd4379]

@@steerpike66 I second your conclusions.

[@kateking3953]

"More like a rabbit going for a ferret than anything else..."@@steerpike66

[@leenobody3249]

Illustration looks like Boris Johnson !

[@therealchriswheelie]

Gazing in bemused horror at The Houses of Parliament.

[@johnb.8687]

I don’t get it, so the cops knew that internal affairs was setting them up?

[@Ann-sj4pt]

Traditional halloween fayre 😊