The Stone Tape (1972) – Film Review

Director: Nigel Kneale
Cast: Michael Bryant, Jane Asher, Iain Cuthbertson
Certificate: 12

By Sarah Morgan

If you’ve never heard of Nigel Kneale, you’re missing out on a wealth of film and TV gold.

He made his name in the 1950s by penning a variety of dramas for the BBC, including a landmark adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984 that still has the power to send shivers down the spine.

But it was The Quatermass Experiment that really made his name. This groundbreaking sci-fi series was so popular, it cleared the streets during the summer of 1953, as people raced home to catch the latest instalment. Without it, we may never have had the likes of Doctor Who, Blake’s 7 or even Red Dwarf.

“Something strange”

Kneale wrote sequels to the series, and continued to push boundaries with his other small screen work; his scripts are notable for their invention, logic and uncanny ability to remain topical and thought-provoking many years later.

Among his most celebrated works is The Stone Tape, which is receiving a lavish Blu-ray release that includes a set of art cards, the script and a booklet featuring works by John Doran and Andy Murray, Kneale’s biographer, rather than the ex-tennis player.

The 90-minute drama remains as creepy, thrilling and downright unsettling as ever. It focuses on a group of researchers tasked with discovering a new way to record sound (pre-empting the digital age). They’ve taken up residence in a building newly renovated for their purposes, but computer programmer Jill realises that something about the place isn’t quite right.

Her fears are confirmed when it’s revealed that some of the builders refused to work in a certain room, where she herself sees the ghost of a maid who died in mysterious circumstances. Her colleagues also begin to see, feel or hear something strange, and their boss, the petulant Brock, thinks these events may hold the key to making their research a success. However, his bull-headed determination looks set to have results none of the group were expecting.

“Chilling”

Jane Asher, in arguably her best role, plays the vulnerable and sensitive Jill, with Michael Bryant as Brock. Look out too for Iain Cuthbertson in an unusually gentle role as estate manager Colly, who knows Brock is dicing with danger, while Michael Bates, soon to find fame in a very different role – as Rangi Ram in sitcom It Ain’t Half Hot Mum – also appears as one of the researchers.

The entire cast is impressive, as is the direction of Hammer Films veteran Peter Sasdy, but it’s Kneale’s inventive script that is the real star of the show. Brace yourself for the chilling ending that will haunt you for days.

The release also includes a couple of decent documentaries featuring celebrity fans of the programme, as well as an archive audio commentary involving Kneale himself. Unmissable.