The sound of horror

October 31, 2015 8:01 AM

The Stone Tape is a television play, first broadcast on the BBC as a Christmas ghost story back in 1972. It was written by Nigel Kneale, best known as the writer of Quatermass. BBC radio is broadcasting a new adaptation tonight (along with an adaptation of The Ring)
posted by fearfulsymmetry (14 comments total)

Ooooooooooh.
posted by Artw at 8:04 AM on October 31, 2015 [2 favorites]

There was a previous Kneale post with the Stone Tape in it but I didn't link back because the links are dead

The Stone Tape was the first DVD I ever watched. And I'm kinda scared for the radio thing back to back with The Ring
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 8:36 AM on October 31, 2015 [1 favorite]

new music from James Cargill (of the band Broadcast)

Well I was in before, but now I'm super in.
posted by Artw at 8:48 AM on October 31, 2015 [2 favorites]

Also, both are in Binaural, which is super exciting to me.
posted by SmileyChewtrain at 10:05 AM on October 31, 2015

The original Stone Tape is a fascinating work on so many levels, from being a period piece (fear the Japanese!) to the anticipation of today's haunted digital media.
Can't wait to see the new one.
posted by doctornemo at 10:07 AM on October 31, 2015

Worth noting that the new one is directed by Peter Strickland, of Berberian Sound Studio and The Duke of Burgundy
posted by Merzbau at 11:51 AM on October 31, 2015 [2 favorites]

I mean, it's in the link, but if that gets even one more person to click through...
posted by Merzbau at 11:51 AM on October 31, 2015

I am so excited about this. Except that it means we'll be sitting next to each other on the couch wearing headphones and not talking to each other. And that just seems...weird.
posted by Katemonkey at 1:00 PM on October 31, 2015

omg omg The Stone Tape and The Ring are two of my most favoritest horror things ever, scary magnetic tape is perfect for the BBC with its dreadful history of recording over old stuff, thank you so much for this post, this made my Halloween
posted by thetortoise at 1:45 PM on October 31, 2015

Also just want to say that I don't know whether it was conceived as a feminist work, but The Stone Tape is right next to the "Remember Me" episode of Star Trek TNG ("If there's nothing wrong with me, maybe there's something wrong with the universe!") as a brilliant evocation of what it's like to be gaslit and second-guessed about your experiences and knowledge, as a woman working with men.
posted by thetortoise at 2:04 PM on October 31, 2015 [1 favorite]

Fuck, that was good. Everything I like in one go: 1970s supernatural/psychological horror produced for broadcast by the BBC, with fantastic vintage design by the Radiophonic Workshop. More recommendations from the crowd, please.
posted by mykescipark at 6:23 PM on October 31, 2015 [1 favorite]

There was The House of Leaves...
posted by 4eyes at 9:15 PM on October 31, 2015 [2 favorites]

And the link works in the U.S., which is nice, though there seems to be a 30 day window to listen to them.
posted by Artw at 11:08 PM on October 31, 2015

Peter Strickland, of Berberian Sound Studio and The Duke of Burgundy

Yeah, I totally overlooked that.. Berberian Sound Studio and Duke Of Burgundy are amazing (the latter. basically my second fave film of the year so far)

Something I noticed earlier when this was announced but forgot to mention is that the narrator of The Ring is Naoko Mori, who played Toshiko Sato in Torchwood.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:56 AM on November 1, 2015 [1 favorite]