Emerald Fennell’s new Wuthering Heights film has already stirred controversy, but I want to make the case that the best adaptation of Emily Brontë’s gothic masterpiece already exists and it isn’t on screen. In 1978, an 18-year-old Kate Bush captured the wild, haunting atmosphere of the novel in just four minutes of music, creating a version of Wuthering Heights that has outlived almost every film and TV attempt.

In this episode of The Last Mixed Tape, I explore why Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights is the definitive adaptation: from its ghostly perspective and groundbreaking composition to its cultural afterlife in flash mobs, memes, and even later adaptations. I also share my personal story of hearing the song for the first time as a child and how it revealed music as something magical and otherworldly.

00:00 Intro

00:30 Kate Bush

01:01 Why Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights?

01:53 Brief History of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights

02:38 Emerald Fennell, Olivier, & Ian McShane

04:16 Kate finds Cathy

05:45 The Definitive Adaptation of Wuthering Heights

17:14 Kate’s Cultural Impact

18:59 What do you think?

19:45 Heathcliff…