The Spirit of Dark and Lonely Water (1973)

This small film, to inform about the dangers of playing near water, swimming in the wrong place, slipping down muddy banks, etc., is raised from the usual preachy style by a really chilling evocation of the Grim Reaper with a voice-over by Donald Pleasance.

Shot by Jeff Grant in the style of a horror classic, this film stays in the memory for a long time. It gets its message across in an original way - public information films of the time were usually far more mundane (although not uninteresting).

A fondly remembered film - or one which has traumatised children for life ...?