This Saturday (31st October 2015), BBC Radio 4 is broadcasting new radio adaptations of Nigel Kneale’s The Stone Tape and Koji Suzuki’s Ring as part of its Hallowe’en inspired “Fright Night“.
Directed by top British filmmakers of his generation Peter Strickland in The Stone Tape, a team of scientists working on a new kind of sonic drill take over a Victorian mansion only to discover something ancient and malevolent lurking in the walls.
The Stone Tape has been re-imagined by one of the most exciting Strickland with a script by the co-creator of Life On Mars, Matthew Graham and stars Romola Garai, Julian Barratt, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Dean Andrews, Tom Bennett and Jane Asher – the latter playing the lead in the ground-breaking 1972 TV movie.
Talking about the origin of the story in 2003, Nigel Kneale (who died in 2006) said “The Head of BBC Drama asked me if I could write him a ghost story for Christmas.
“I said ‘Yes I probably can” and I worked this thing out.”
He most certainly did. The Guinness Book of Television describes it as “one of the most frightening pieces of television ever made.”
• The full Fright Night line up is here on the BBC web site
Images copyright BBC
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Audio, downthetubes News, Other Worlds