‘Haunted Ulster Live’ review: Dir. Dominic O’Neill [FrightFest 2023]

On Halloween night 1992, the BBC, with the help of writer Stephen Volk, director Lesley Manning, and talent Sarah Green and Michael Parkinson, pulled off one of the ultimate tricks. Broadcast ‘as live’, Ghostwatch tricked and traumatised a whole generation into believing that ghosts were real with its investigation into a British haunted house. It is a televisual feat that has never been successfully replicated, though recent ‘documentary’ Greg Wallace: The British Miracle Meat came close. The programme was also an early tastemaker for what is now known as the found-footage genre. Even over thirty years later, it is inspiring new filmmakers and projects, though perhaps none more directly as FrightFest First Blood offering, Haunted Ulster Live. 

Written and directed by Dominic O’Neill, Haunted Ulster Live is presented as footage from an old transmission. The opening text affirms this, stating that it was originally broadcast at 9pm on Saturday 31st October 1998 on Northern Ireland Television. This scrawl then fades out and the ‘broadcast’ in its entirety begins to play…

The show is focussed on the McKillen family and features dramatic reconstructions of ghostly incidents. Leading the investigation is host Gerry Burns (Mark Claney), a cheap knock-off version of Eamonn Holmes, who wears his scepticism and feeling on his face throughout. Helping him is DJ Declan (Dan Leith) who is broadcasting from the supposedly haunted attic, and fellow presenter Michelle Kelly (Aimee Richardson). Michelle fulfils the Craig Charles role from Ghostwatch, hanging out with local residents and speaking to experts live from the ‘Ghost Tent.’ Also on hand are psychic Sinead (Antoinette Morelli) and paranormal specialist Stephen (Jay Lowey) who inevitably help to rile up the residing spirit. Although the cast are not as star-powered as the BBC juggernaut, they are recognisable as being versions of those in Ghostwatch. 

In order to work, the audience needs to be well versed in the lore and broadcast of Ghostwatch. O’Neill plants plenty of nods to the inspiration, homaging the original whilst still ensuring his own voice is heard. The switch from BBC to commercial channel means that ad breaks punctuate the transmission. In true live television tradition, some segments overrun and so the little black and white overrun signal appears in the top right corner periodically. This symbol adds a surprising amount of tension as the viewer never knows if what they are seeing will suddenly cut off. By introducing the concept of commercial breaks, Haunted Ulster Live offers the viewer a look behind the production. The presenters’ intentions, motivations and feelings are discussed during these moments of downtime and open up a whole new area of exploration for the audience. 

Although lacking the star power or real transmission components of Ghostwatch, Haunted Ulster Live has a lot of fun with its scenario. Its reliance on the audience being media literate might leave the uninitiated bemused, but for those who are keyed into the joke, Dominic O’Neill has made a rip-roaring good time. 

Haunted Ulster Live was reviewed at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest 2023.