The Changes - 1975 TV Series - on DVD
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THE CHANGES – 1975 TV SERIES – ON DVD
The Changes is a British children's science fiction television serial filmed in 1973 and first broadcast in 1975 by the BBC. It was directed by John Prowse. It is based on the trilogy written by Peter Dickinson: The Weathermonger (1968), Heartsease (1969) and The Devil's Children (1970) (the books were written in reverse order: the events of The Devil's Children happen first, Heartsease second and The Weathermonger third).
Cast
Victoria Williams, David Garfield, Keith Ashton, Bernard Horsfall, and Edward Brayshaw.
Background
The Changes posits a Britain where a sudden enveloping noise emanating from all machinery and technology causes the population to destroy them. The resulting upheaval displaces many people and reverts society back to a pre-industrial age where there is a deep suspicion of anyone who may be harbouring machinery. Even the words for technology are taboo. The remnants of modern technology that escape destruction (such as electricity pylons) produce a physical and sometimes violent repulsion among those left in Britain.
The Changes are seen through the eyes of teenage schoolgirl Nicky Gore (Victoria Williams), and the 10-part series, originally broadcast every Monday from 6 January to 10 March 1975, traces Nicky's quest to reunite with her parents and solve the mystery. The serial's theme echoes contemporaneous adult drama series Survivors in which a small group of British people attempt to survive the annialation of the world's population by disease.
Despite its modest budget, The Changes was noted for its extensive location filming in Bristol, the Forest of Dean and Sharpness. Its original premise, downbeat tone and Sikh characters make it an acclaimed example of 1970s British television.
Writer Anna Home later became head of head of BBC Children's Programmes.
The high reputation of the The Changes is partly based on the scarcity of its showings. The first episode, seeing ordinary people smash ordinary objects in fits of seeming madness made a great impact on its young audience, although the pace slowed through the serial and the denouement was rather diluted from the book's original premise.
Described by BBC continuity as "a serial for older children", the TV series was freely adapted by Anna Home from a trilogy of novels by Peter Dickinson. The series took most of its material from The Weathermonger which, together with Heartsease and The Devil's Children has recently been reissued in a single volume in the UK. In the original books, however, the lead character of Nicky Gore appears only in The Devil's Children - the books have entirely separate characters, and Nicky is introduced into scenarios in which she does not appear in the books, mixing with characters from the other two books. Also, the time span of The Changes is considerably reduced from that in the original trilogy.
Episode guide
1. "The Noise"
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First broadcast: 6 January 1975
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A strange noise fills people all over Britain with a violent rage against modern technology.
2. "The Bad Wires"
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First broadcast: 13 January 1975
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Separated from her parents, Nicky joins a group of Sikhs.
3. "The Devil's Children"
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First broadcast: 20 January 1975
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Nicky and the Sikhs settle at Brooker's Farm but are dubbed by villagers as "the Devil's Children".
4. "Hostages!"
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First broadcast: 27 January 1975
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Bandits attack the village and take the children hostage.
5. "Witchcraft!"
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First broadcast: 3 February 1975
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Nicky tries to track down her aunt, while the farm is visited by a witch finder.
6. "A Pile of Stones"
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First broadcast: 10 February 1975
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Nicky is found guilty of witchcraft and sentenced to death by stoning.
7. "Heartsease"
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First broadcast: 17 February 1975
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Nicky and Jonathon escape, pursued by the witch-finder and enraged villagers.
8. "Lightning!"
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First broadcast: 24 February 1975
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Nicky and Jonathon try to escape to sea but their boat is struck by lightning.
9. "The Quarry"
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First broadcast: 3 March 1975
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Nicky and Jonathon set off to investigate a mysterious power source on the other side of the mountains.
10. "The Cavern"
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First broadcast: 10 March 1975
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The protagonists enter a cavern and uncover the cause of the unbalancing of the world.