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eerieindianaInspired by envy for the queasy nostalgia evinced in the cracking 'Scarred For Life, Volume One: The 1970s' thread I thought I'd made a similar thread for us millennials.
1970s children's television had that wonderful hauntological pagan vibe with eerie shows like 'The Owl Service', 'The Changes' and 'Children of the Stones'.
Nostalgic memories are always going to carry a trace of the uncanny, but I still reckon that some children's shows of the late 80s and 1990s had their own eerie ambiance.
If 1970s hauntology is rural, then 1990s hauntology is urban and suburban, rooted in the kitschy techno-utopianism of the period and dreary neo-liberalism. Glowing green computer screens in grey concrete buildings.
The Demon Headmaster comes to mind first because of its weird dreariness. Rewatching the first series the children's acting is often really stilted, but it just adds to the impression that the whole school is under deep hypnosis. It's possessed of a specifically British banality, despite its sci-fi themes. In absolute opposition to the 70s shows listed above, it makes the world seem drained of magic.
The first series of The Queen's Nose was somewhat similar in atmosphere, though a little bit more whimsical.
And while it's not British - Round the Twist shared that sense of wrongness rooted in the banalities of everyday life.
Paul Jennings' books (on which 'Round the Twist' was based) are inextricably intertwined with my memories of childhood, as are books by Robert Swindells from the same period and children's radio hour circa. 1996-1997.
Anyone else have memories of similar books or programmes of the period?
I need that creepy nostalgia fix.
Eerie, Indiana was one my favourites at that age, back when channel 4 was still a bit fuzzier than the other channels in our house. Had a similar sneaking something subversive under the radar vibe that Round the Twist had without my pants.
1970s children's television had that wonderful hauntological pagan vibe with eerie shows like 'The Owl Service', 'The Changes' and 'Children of the Stones'.
Nostalgic memories are always going to carry a trace of the uncanny, but I still reckon that some children's shows of the late 80s and 1990s had their own eerie ambiance.
If 1970s hauntology is rural, then 1990s hauntology is urban and suburban, rooted in the kitschy techno-utopianism of the period and dreary neo-liberalism. Glowing green computer screens in grey concrete buildings.
The Demon Headmaster comes to mind first because of its weird dreariness. Rewatching the first series the children's acting is often really stilted, but it just adds to the impression that the whole school is under deep hypnosis. It's possessed of a specifically British banality, despite its sci-fi themes. In absolute opposition to the 70s shows listed above, it makes the world seem drained of magic.
The first series of The Queen's Nose was somewhat similar in atmosphere, though a little bit more whimsical.
And while it's not British - Round the Twist shared that sense of wrongness rooted in the banalities of everyday life.
Paul Jennings' books (on which 'Round the Twist' was based) are inextricably intertwined with my memories of childhood, as are books by Robert Swindells from the same period and children's radio hour circa. 1996-1997.
Anyone else have memories of similar books or programmes of the period?
I need that creepy nostalgia fix.
Eerie, Indiana was one my favourites at that age, back when channel 4 was still a bit fuzzier than the other channels in our house. Had a similar sneaking something subversive under the radar vibe that Round the Twist had without my pants.
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Date: 2017-08-02 05:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-08-02 05:50 pm (UTC)