A team of researchers from Ryan Electrics move into Taskerlands – an old house which they convert into a research centre. The reason for this scientific research is to find a recording medium which will make tape obsolete and give Ryan Electrics a head start in the new technology.
When they start to move the equipment in, project leader Peter Brock discovers that a room that was meant to be used as a computer storage area has not even begun to be renovated. On investigation, he finds that the builders are refusing to work in this room – claiming that it is haunted. This is regarded as nonsense until computer programmer Jill (Jane Asher) sees a Victorian maid screaming at the top of a flight of steps. Soon, other members of the team begin to feel the chilly atmosphere and hear the screaming maid.
Brock decides to take a scientific approach and throws all his available technology at the problem. Eventually, he begins to formulate a theory that, perhaps, the ghost is a recording – an old imprint held within the stone itself. He quickly realises that this may be the break his researchers have been looking for.
They attempt to ‘control’ the recording but only succeed in wiping it. Angry at his failure, Brock abandons the work and sets his team to their original assignments. He is unaware that by ‘wiping’ the ghost, he has uncovered a lower level of, what is in effect, a multi-layer recording.
Commissioned as a ghost story in 1972 by the BBC, The Stone Tape has gained a kind of cult status, which is as much due to its unavailability as anything else. The story itself was written by Nigel Kneale (writer of Quatermass) and directed by Peter Sasdy and is essentially your ‘common or garden’ Haunted House story. It is approached from a new angle, which I found refreshing, intelligent and thought-provoking. For its time, the sets were good and although the special effects were fairly standard for the period, they did manage to convey that sense of creepiness needed for such a story. Jane Asher steals the show as Jill the hyper sensitive computer programmer. Most of the acting is of a good enough standard to move this story along quite nicely.
The one thing going against this film is that it is a tad predictable. Still, that one flaw does not make it a bad piece of work.
It is available via the British Film Institute who have given it a fine transfer to DVD – a crisp, clear picture and decent sound. It is a touch expensive at £19.99 but this film will probably never be a big seller and, if you like unusual or rare movies then it is often the case that the prices are a bit above the norm.
Simply, and in conclusion, I have to state that this is one disc I will be happy to watch again.
When they start to move the equipment in, project leader Peter Brock discovers that a room that was meant to be used as a computer storage area has not even begun to be renovated. On investigation, he finds that the builders are refusing to work in this room – claiming that it is haunted. This is regarded as nonsense until computer programmer Jill (Jane Asher) sees a Victorian maid screaming at the top of a flight of steps. Soon, other members of the team begin to feel the chilly atmosphere and hear the screaming maid.
Brock decides to take a scientific approach and throws all his available technology at the problem. Eventually, he begins to formulate a theory that, perhaps, the ghost is a recording – an old imprint held within the stone itself. He quickly realises that this may be the break his researchers have been looking for.
They attempt to ‘control’ the recording but only succeed in wiping it. Angry at his failure, Brock abandons the work and sets his team to their original assignments. He is unaware that by ‘wiping’ the ghost, he has uncovered a lower level of, what is in effect, a multi-layer recording.
Commissioned as a ghost story in 1972 by the BBC, The Stone Tape has gained a kind of cult status, which is as much due to its unavailability as anything else. The story itself was written by Nigel Kneale (writer of Quatermass) and directed by Peter Sasdy and is essentially your ‘common or garden’ Haunted House story. It is approached from a new angle, which I found refreshing, intelligent and thought-provoking. For its time, the sets were good and although the special effects were fairly standard for the period, they did manage to convey that sense of creepiness needed for such a story. Jane Asher steals the show as Jill the hyper sensitive computer programmer. Most of the acting is of a good enough standard to move this story along quite nicely.
The one thing going against this film is that it is a tad predictable. Still, that one flaw does not make it a bad piece of work.
It is available via the British Film Institute who have given it a fine transfer to DVD – a crisp, clear picture and decent sound. It is a touch expensive at £19.99 but this film will probably never be a big seller and, if you like unusual or rare movies then it is often the case that the prices are a bit above the norm.
Simply, and in conclusion, I have to state that this is one disc I will be happy to watch again.
