Normally – by which I mean "in the three previous and indeed only entries in this series of weird old title sequences" – there's been something weird and off-putting about the titles themselves. This week, we're going to be a little different and have a weird and off-putting theme tune instead.
Picture Box was a schools' programme that went out mid-morning during the week and showed a ragbag of international, often entirely silent and quite mesmerising short films introduced by Alan Rothwell IIRC (TV Ark says Dorothy Smith presented in the 60s when it was in black and white). Although you'd be hard-pressed to remember a single one of those films, the really quite eery music played on what sounds like a fairground steam organ will have stuck with everyone who ever watched the show.
Press play and you'll see what I mean if you went to school in the 70s and 80s. Whether you did or you didn't, by the end of it, you should be expecting the grey ghost of an old carnie to beckon at you whenever you look in a mirror.
No Alan with this clip, although you can see him very briefly in this unembeddable version over here.
June 16, 2009 | Reply
The kid being chased by the bear is my sister's biggest fear about letting my nephew play outside in the backyard of their home in Northwest Connecticut. They live right up against a mountain and the bears have come into the yard to rummage for food....
So of course I sent her the clip. Buwhahahahahaha!