The Stone Tape (1972) @ EOFFTV

Country of Origin: UK
Date(s) of Broadcast: 25 December 1972
Number of Seasons: N/A
Total Number of Episodes: 1
Running Times: 89 mins 23 sec
Format: colour videotape
Sound: colour

CREDITS

PRODUCTION
Production Company: BBC
Producer: Innes Lloyd

SCRIPT
Script: Nigel Kneale
Script Editor: Louis Marks

SOUND
Sound: Tony Millier
Special Sound Effects: Desmond Briscoe, BBC Radiophonic Workshop

CAST
Michael Bryant (Peter)
Jane Asher (Jill)
Iain Cuthbertson (Robinson)
Michael Bates (Eddie)
Reginald Marsh (Crawshaw)
Tom Chadson (Hargrave)
John Forgeham (Maudsley)
Philip Thewinnard (Stewart)
James Cosmo (Dow)
Neil Wilson (sergeant)
Christopher Banks (vicar)
Michael Graham Cox (Alan)
Hilda Fenemore (bar helper)
Peggy Marshall (bar lady)

PLOT SUMMARY

A team of scientists move into an old house to continue their search for a new recording medium. Before long, they're being haunted by strange sounds in one of the basement rooms and the lead scientist believes that a material in the stones that make up the house are acting as the very recording medium they're seeking. But what tragedy happened in the basement room and why are some of the researchers more susceptible to seeing and hearing it than others?

CAPSULE REVIEW

Nigel Kneale again explores one of his favourite areas, the murky land where science meets the supernatural head on, and again does it brilliantly. Though the video medium tends to act against such things, The Stone Tape is genuinely terrifying, thanks to Kneale's outstanding script and fantastic direction from Sasdy. One of British television's finest achievements. (Full Review)

UK
Television Distributor: BBC
Video Distributor: BFI (BFIV099)
DVD Distributor: BFI (BFIVD516)

2000
June
14: UK - shown at the Broadway, Nottingham
15: UK - shown at the Broadway, Nottingham

Sight and Sound vol.11 no.11 (November 2001) p.65 (UK)
DVD review (by Geoffrey Macnab)

The Encyclopedia of TV Science Fiction (3rd edition) pp.670 -671
credits, review, synopsis


	SYNOPSIS \| REVIEW \| PRODUCTION NOTES \| TRIVIA \| PRESS \| QUOTES
	The Stone Tape (1972) Country of Origin: UK Date(s) of Broadcast: 25 December 1972 Number of Seasons: N/A Total Number of Episodes: 1 Running Times: 89 mins 23 sec Format: colour videotape Sound: colour CREDITS PRODUCTION Production Company: BBC Producer: Innes Lloyd SCRIPT Script: Nigel Kneale Script Editor: Louis Marks DIRECTION Director: Peter Sasdy PHOTOGRAPHY Lighting: Robert Wright EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION Videotape Editor: Geoff Higgs SOUND Sound: Tony Millier Special Sound Effects: Desmond Briscoe, BBC Radiophonic Workshop MAKE UP AND COSTUMES Make Up: Maureen Winslade Costumes: Odette Barrow SPECIAL EFFECTS Visual Effects Designer: Peter Day DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION Designer: Richard Henry Graphics: Bernard Lodge CAST Michael Bryant (Peter) Jane Asher (Jill) Iain Cuthbertson (Robinson) Michael Bates (Eddie) Reginald Marsh (Crawshaw) Tom Chadson (Hargrave) John Forgeham (Maudsley) Philip Thewinnard (Stewart) James Cosmo (Dow) Neil Wilson (sergeant) Christopher Banks (vicar) Michael Graham Cox (Alan) Hilda Fenemore (bar helper) Peggy Marshall (bar lady) PLOT SUMMARY A team of scientists move into an old house to continue their search for a new recording medium. Before long, they're being haunted by strange sounds in one of the basement rooms and the lead scientist believes that a material in the stones that make up the house are acting as the very recording medium they're seeking. But what tragedy happened in the basement room and why are some of the researchers more susceptible to seeing and hearing it than others? CAPSULE REVIEW Nigel Kneale again explores one of his favourite areas, the murky land where science meets the supernatural head on, and again does it brilliantly. Though the video medium tends to act against such things, The Stone Tape is genuinely terrifying, thanks to Kneale's outstanding script and fantastic direction from Sasdy. One of British television's finest achievements. (Full Review) AVAILABILITY UK Television Distributor: BBC Video Distributor: BFI (BFIV099) DVD Distributor: BFI (BFIVD516) CENSORSHIP HISTORY UK Rating: PG TIMELINE 1972 December 25: UK - television broadcast 2000 June 14: UK - shown at the Broadway, Nottingham 15: UK - shown at the Broadway, Nottingham 2001 March 13: UK - rated PG by the BBFC August 20: UK - video (BFI (BFIV099)) and DVD (BFI (BFIVD516)) releases REFERENCES MAGAZINES Shivers no.41 (May 1997) pp.22-24 (UK) review (by James Abery) Sight and Sound vol.11 no.11 (November 2001) p.65 (UK) DVD review (by Geoffrey Macnab) Starburst no.278 (October 2001) p.65 (UK) DVD review (DVD File by Ian Atkins) Time Screen no.7 (revised) p.27 (UK) note BOOKS The Encyclopedia of TV Science Fiction (3rd edition) pp.670 -671 credits, review, synopsis OTHER SOURCES screen credits KEYWORDS ghosts, haunted houses, recordings, scientists Last Updated: 1 January, 2009