Retro TV tip: Children of the Stones
Produced as a children’s TV series back in the 1970s, Children of the Stones has stood the test of time as one of the spookiest television programmes ever made!
The series is set in the fictional English village of Milbury (based on and filmed in Avebury, Wiltshire). Adam Brake, an astrophysicist, and his teenage son Matthew move to the idyllic rural setting where Adam is supposed to conduct some scientific research. However, right from the beginning, they realise there is something very wrong about the place: the locals act strangely, almost as if they’ve been brainwashed. As the story progresses, there are various scary events going on, all somehow connected with Hendrick, a local leader, and the mysterious megalithic stone circle – Milbury’s most prominent feature.
The series has only seven 25-minute episodes, each filled with elements of sci-fi, English folklore, and supernatural mystery, aided by the eerie chants and music composed by Sidney Sager. It’s definitely not your typical children’s show! Half a century since it was first broadcast, it still feels very original and wonderfully creepy.
In spite of its enduring popularity and the cult status, it was shown on British television only twice, in 1977 and 1978, but it was made available on VHS in the 1980s with additional DVD releases in the early 2000s. Thankfully, nowadays you can also find the entire series on YouTube, at least for the time being.
If you’re a fan of classic TV, especially with a touch of folk horror and the supernatural, you’ll probably love Children of the Stones! In which case, you can also read the book first published in 1977 or listen to the 10-episode radio drama series available on the BBC Sounds platform.
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#Avebury #ChildrenOfTheStones #England #folkHorror #retro #retroTelevision #retrophile #scienceFiction #television
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