The Stone Tape (BBC, 1972) - 9th December, 2024 (101 Films)

[BarnDoor]

Up for pre-order at Zavvi:



Hopefully 101 Films do a good job with this, since IIRC it was shot almost entirely (if not entirely) on tape. 101's release of Ghostwatch gives me some confidence in this regard.

[CouncilSpectre]

It's 101, so:

[T4ffer]

I can see that coin! That’s a good sign

[CouncilSpectre]

Originally Posted by T4ffer

I can see that coin! That’s a good sign

I used the Criterion version of the GIF, not the Eureka one.....

[Big-D]

I hope the Nigel Kneale and Kim Newman commentary is ported over from the dvd

If they've remastered it in some way, I hope they've reduced or digitally erased some of the shots of when the camera pans from a bright object, it leaves a trail behind (like a lens flare).

[drush9999]

Cool more Nigel Kneale is always welcome.

[darrellmaclaine]

Originally Posted by Big-D

I hope the Nigel Kneale and Kim Newman commentary is ported over from the dvd

If they've remastered it in some way, I hope they've reduced or digitally erased some of the shots of when the camera pans from a bright object, it leaves a trail behind (like a lens flare).

Comet tails, they are part of the original production. Insanely difficult to remove and why would you want to?

[everygrainofsand]

This is showing as Sold Out, at that Zavvi link. Is this because the sale aint yet live; or has it sold out astonishingly fast?

[CouncilSpectre]

Originally Posted by everygrainofsand

This is showing as Sold Out, at that Zavvi link. Is this because the sale aint yet live; or has it sold out astonishingly fast?

The former

[MifuneFan]

Nice. I'm glad it's getting a premium treatment just like Ghostwatch. I'll likely be blind-buying it. Wish it was coming out in the US too (like Ghostwatch).

[Number 28]

Originally Posted by Big-D

I hope the Nigel Kneale and Kim Newman commentary is ported over from the dvd

If they've remastered it in some way, I hope they've reduced or digitally erased some of the shots of when the camera pans from a bright object, it leaves a trail behind (like a lens flare).

Yes, I would hope that as well with regards to the Nigel Kneale and Kim Newman commentary.

I can understand the issue about the comet/flare trails and having them removed. I quite like it as it is of the period, what video recordings used to be like. That temporary flare artifact was characteristic with TV video recordings up until about 1984/85, I very much associate it with the rather depressing, evening news reports of riots in Northern Ireland at night, where someone would throw a Molotov cocktail and the flame of the burning rag would streak across the screen. Street lights and car headlights would cause the same effect.

Fawlty Towers - Kitchen Fire - episode The Germans (1975).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlj0si3MBDI

[MifuneFan]

Now up at 101 films. There's a warning at the bottom making note of it being shot on video tape, and asking for empathy. Never head of a label asking for empathy before

https://101-films-store.com/collecti...imited-edition

SPECIAL FEATURES

Brand new extras:

• ‘Children of The Stone Tape’ Documentary on the lasting legacy of The Stone Tape
• ‘Out of Darkness: A Visionary Manxman’ Short film on writer Nigel Kneale
• Commentary with filmmakers Jon Dear and Sean Hogan
• Limited edition rigid box packaging
• Set of art cards
• Script booklet
• Booklet including ‘Placememory’ by Andy Murray and ‘Weird Science: The Stone Tape at Fifty’ by John Doran

Archive extra:

• Commentary with Nigel Kneale and film critic Kim Newman

The Stone Tape was shot on video tape for broadcast. Please approach the technical quality of this upscale with empathy.

[JoelGoodsen]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Now up at 101 films. There's a warning at the bottom making note of it being shot on video tape, and asking for empathy. Never head of a label asking for empathy before

https://101-films-store.com/collecti...imited-edition

Haha. If they show our wallet some empathy and knock a tenna off the price, we will show them some empathy back.

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Now up at 101 films. There's a warning at the bottom making note of it being shot on video tape, and asking for empathy. Never head of a label asking for empathy before

https://101-films-store.com/collecti...imited-edition

is this restoration in the correct 1080i presentation for European TV stuff?

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Nice. I'm glad it's getting a premium treatment just like Ghostwatch. I'll likely be blind-buying it. Wish it was coming out in the US too (like Ghostwatch).

Maybe it'll get released in 2025 across the pond although the UK release would be a proper transfer & NOT the 50i-to-60i conversion that the US release of Ghostwatch was.

[everygrainofsand]

That's it up at HMV

https://hmv.com/store/film-tv/blu-ra...Y5Ni4wLjAuMA..

[Big-D]

Originally Posted by darrellmaclaine

Comet tails, they are part of the original production. Insanely difficult to remove and why would you want to?

If it's something that's inherent in the technology of that time then fair enough. Although It'd be interesting to see if the director had wanted to keep that original photography as a happy accident? Or would like to have avoided it completely?

The Tripods series is one that suffers badly from the lens flare. It was possible that it was a budgetary constraint, as shooting on film is expensive.

[Number 28]

Maybe not, and I know it's a BBC title, but I wonder if The Stone Tape by Nigel Kneale was a Network title in the works for a future release, as its very much up their street.

[Number 28]

Originally Posted by Big-D

If it's something that's inherent in the technology of that time then fair enough. Although It'd be interesting to see if the director had wanted to keep that original photography as a happy accident? Or would like to have avoided it completely?

The Tripods series is one that suffers badly from the lens flare. It was possible that it was a budgetary constraint, as shooting on film is expensive.

I am sure they would not have choosen to have had lens flare, even if they were using video camera equipment and so one can quite righty say about having it removed digitally, IMO.

In a way lens flare, but to a lesser extent IMO, is like the Gerry Anderson Supermarionation series like Captain Scarlet or Joe 90 which one can still see the marionettes on strings often at times on the recent HD restorations. The strings could have been digitally removed and if Gerry Anderson had the technology back in the day to remove them he would have done so. However, it comes down to originality.

The best solution would be selectable versions, one with the best possible presentation with careful, faithful PQ improvements of the original recordings and an improved version correcting any visual and special effects shortcomings.

[BarnDoor]

Originally Posted by Number 28

Maybe not, and I know it's a BBC title, but I wonder if The Stone Tape by Nigel Kneale was a Network title in the works for a future release, as its very much up their street.

Probably not since 101 Films have long had the title under licence - they released it on DVD as a double feature with Ghostwatch some years ago now.

Also, I'm not sure if Network were especially interested in doing shot-on-tape stuff on Blu-ray. I may be wrong, but I believe most of their Blu-ray TV releases were remastered from film elements of some sort.