The good folk of Folklore Tapes are currently crowdfunding their next project: a reimagining and creative expansion of 1969 film The Watchers.

Shot on the moors above Todmorden on 16mm black-and-white film by students of the Royal College of Art, and running at just 26 minutes, the film weaves together themes and stylistic elements that would later become hallmarks of British folk horror — and includes what is possibly the first depiction of an alien abduction in British film. Yet, despite its thematic resonance and creative ambition, The Watchers remains a largely overlooked gem — standing shoulder to shoulder with classics like Nigel Kneale’s Beasts (1976), David Rudkin’s Penda’s Fen (1974), and Alan Garner’s Red Shift (1979), but still waiting to be fully acknowledged.

This new project seeks to highlight this cult film through contemporary artistic interpretation, and share in-depth research hewn together by Kelly Loughlin over several years. 

The Kickstarter campaign forms a crucial part of the funding for three key elements of the project, all set to launch together at the end of January 2026: a reimagined soundtrack to The Watchers, a 100-page, full-colour A5 book, and an immersive live stage adaptation of the film. This project will expand upon the film’s atmospheric legacy, drawing out its folkloric undertones and exploring the cultural and psychic landscape it inhabits.

Folklore Tapes have been based in Todmorden for the past three years, and this new focus on The Watchers builds naturally from their most recent work, The Witches of Eagle Crag (2024) — an LP and live show rooted in a local tale about a witch said to haunt the dramatic rocky outcrop just north of the town.

Find out more, and pledge your support for the project, here.