This is another triumph for Nigel Kneale. The writing,acting all combine to create a story that is genuinely creepy and has a brilliant atmosphere. The plot concerns attempts by a group of scientists in investigating a supposed Haunted House. I can highly recommend this one if you enjoy Ghost stories.

The Stone Tape is a creepy film about science attempting to understand the supernatural and the consequences that result. A group of research scientists have set up shop in an old manor house. They discover the ghost of a young woman that appears to be haunting an old room in the house used for storage. Eventually, they come to the conclusion that the image and sounds are not that of a ghost but rather a "recording" of that event. This leads to an investigation of the stones that make up the room as possible alternative recording mechanisms. The scientists' investigations result in the unintentional "erasing" of the young woman's image. What lies beneath that image is, unfortunately, even more terrifying.What makes the final scene so effective is that you anticipate it. There is no "twist", just a very logical conclusion based on the events that occurred before. You even understand it "scientifically" but it doesn't diminish the horror of the scene one whit. As the lead scientist walks into the room for one last time, you know exactly what will happen and you understand all of its implications. You also clearly understand how the inherent weaknesses of the main characters led to this outcome.All in all, The Stone Tape is a very unusual and effective ghost story.

This was a very nicely executed concept of Nigel Kneale's. Effects, directing and budgets had grown up a little since the cash-strapped days of Quatermass in the 1950's. The premise was that if an event impacted upon the human psyche with sufficient vigour, a remanence of the emotional distress was recorded upon the physical fabric of the immediate world. As stone is usually much more resilient a substance than organic materials such as cloth or wood, the remanence would endure in it longest. Of course, the story wasn't quite that simple. Sometimes there were overlays of imparted memory from different ages. Sometimes history not only repeated itself, but was induced to repetition by an earlier memory. The basis of all hauntings. There were lots of subtle plays upon the idea, and likewise the susceptibility of individuals to detect or respond to these recordings. The question was posed; if nobody could see the ghost walk, would it actually walk? Against this scenario, came a team of modern - what might be called boffins - attempting to develop a new type of recording medium. They stumbled upon the haunting and began to research a method by which it might be commercially exploited. For the most part it was intelligently realised. The creepy borderline between human emotional frailty and the timelessness of its seeming persistence on the substance of the world, evolved in a suspenseful - if rather slow - revelation. If I have a criticism of the drama, it is one of Nigel Kneale's in general. Characters were just too emotional at times. Conflicts seemed needlessly exaggerated, arguments and reactions too histrionic. There were occasions when I found myself muttering 'oh, for heavens sake, sit down and stop shouting', or 'why not just talk this over rationally'. As I say, this seemed to be a Kneale trademark, but I found the lack of a 'safe pair of hands' in most of his work tended to detract from the entertainment. But maybe that's just the way I was brought up. If you get a chance to watch it by all means do. However, I saw it when first broadcast, and though I found the evolving conflict between science and supernatural extremely gripping, the strident characterisation rather irritated me even then. If somebody hands me a copy, I'll give it a whizz. But for the most part hysteria just turns me off. It is too often used as a prop for a poor script.

The re-release of this, arguably Nigel Kneale's most effective piece of work, will hopefully give his underrated contribution to horror and science fiction another boost. Made on a low budget, with cheap sets, primitive audio and visual effects, and variable acting from a solid cast of British TV and character actors, it still intrigues all these years later. An original demystifying approach to psychic phenomena which still packs a punch even now. This is intelligent and spooky and a great example of the way TV can be used for this kind of story. Recommended to any horror/science fiction fan with an interest in the history of the genre.