The Tolworth Beacon
Huw Langridge @huwlangridge
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (X @cleric20, Bluesky @cleric20.bsky.social) - follow all my film reviews and reaction on Letterboxd (Cleric20)
Inspired by the enigmatic allure of numbers stations those cryptic shortwave broadcasts that have tantalized conspiracy theorists and insomniacs alike, Langridge weaves a narrative that's as much about the mysteries we seek out as it is about those that find us.
Agent Langridge writes with a nice matter-of-fact style which is easy to read and keeps the plot cracking along.
It's a tale that feels like a lost gem from the golden age of 1970s BBC horror, where the line between the banal and the bizarre is deliciously blurred.
For those who crave a story that lulls you into a false sense of security before pulling the rug out from under you, The Tolworth Beacon is your next must-read.
Just be prepared to leave the lights on, you might not ever look at your radio the same way again either...
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I got to ask Huw some Q's...
Matt: If you had to broadcast a code radio station what might it be sending out?
Huw: Certainly nothing as deep as The Tolworth Beacon. I’d probably devise some elaborate treasure hunt and broadcast co-ordinates out to players. Maybe I could make a business out of it! Like a corporate team-building game or something that people would do on a stag party!
Matt: What is the most life-affirming thing you’ve ever read or watched in a book/film of any genre?
Huw: I often revisit the wonderful Cameron Crowe film “Almost Famous”. It’s such a great coming-of-age movie which depicts how fulfilling it can be to be creatively honest. It zooms right in on the emotional journeys of the characters. It has a great soundtrack, including that wonderful scene when they sing Tiny Dancer on the coach, which is a great depiction of how like-minded people can come together despite their differences.
Matt: If you were hired to throw a parade of any scale or theme through the centre of London what type of parade would you organise?
Huw: Well if there’s any truth to the rumours that UFOs are real, then how about Disclosure Day! To celebrate everyone finding out!
Matt: If you could choose to be a fictional character who would it be?
Huw: Commander Norton in Rendezvous with Rama. Not the most well-written character in fiction, but he gets to experience that awe-inspiring moment when the lights come on inside a 40km wide cylindrical alien spacecraft.
Matt: Who or what inspires you most (can be living or dead)?
Huw: Thomas Dolby. A supremely talented musical artist who’s recorded some wonderful albums that have been very inspiring for me, and who has had a pioneering career in the digital/tech world. He’s always had a lens on how technology and creativity come together and is fascinating to listen to when he talks about his career and life.
Matt: There’s a masked assailant with a gun to your head, who is most likely to be under the mask?
Huw: Someone telling me to stop procrastinating and do more writing.
Matt: What is the meaning of life?
Huw: To understand all facets of human consciousness, what it is, and what it can do, as I believe we’ve only scratched the surface of how powerful it is.
Matt: What was the best gift you’ve ever been given?
Huw: My grandparents gave me the money to buy a (quite expensive) Yamaha V50 synthesizer when I was sixteen. I composed and recorded music on it for years, and that creative outlet was joyous for me in the way it helped shape my thoughts and feelings, and helped me channel many emotional parts of my writing in later years.
Matt: If you could have a sidekick of any sort – what would it be able to do for you?
Huw: My sidekick would have the power to pause time for everyone but me, whenever I wanted. I’d no longer be able to use “lack of time” as an excuse to not be writing.
Matt: What would you like written on your tombstone?
Press X to restart.
Matt: Any final words you like to add.
Huw: Thanks for these questions. They really made me think!
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