Creepy Classic Kids TV #6 Picture Box (1966-1993) - and that creepy intro tune.

[@quentinsmirhes2977]

Manège played by Lasry is playing the Crystal Baschet instrument not the glass harmonica. Glass rods that resonate through metal cone and leaf causing metallic dissonance. You can see Lasry and his wife playing it on KZbin

[@jamesllewellyn5191]

Remember watching this at school. I absolutely loved the music, although it was a bit creepy .Happy memories!

[@TBMartin]

I love the theme too. Don't find it creepy or scary at all

[@angelacooper2661]

I didn't find it scary or creepy - Blake's 7 was with the horrible and frightening ending! The Athletics theme was equally sinister.

[@leonarddouglas9693]

I remember watching this when I had a day off school ill

[@soniafrench7895]

Remember this and the creepy music, I've also got one of those trinket boxes that belonged to Mum, very treasured and hearing this takes me back to my childhood, happy memories!

[@cleoldbagtraallsorts3380]

I loved it as a child.

[@Golds174]

Hi Paul, I totally remember this weird programme, and couldn't agree more about the music, it was very unsettling 😮

[@carlsherwin5557]

I'm 52 and had forgotten all about this til now the music is creepy reminds me of tales of the unexpected

[@angelacooper2661]

By Jove, takes me back to my formative years during the 70s and most of the 80s! It finished when I was twenty three - Alan Rockwell presented it.

[@dunk3793]

I remember seeing a pretty close example of the actual picture box in an antique shop in the early 2000s. It was sold as a french presentation case for £40. I wish I got it. Personally I really liked the music, it was a pretty good show too. Fond memories for sure.

[@nickp1548]

I remember watching this in the early to mid seventies. I had no idea that it continued to run until the nineties! I loved the music and i loved the program as it got us out of lessons and into the TV. Room.

[@stevedickson5853]

It wasn't the same though, the creepy intro and jewellery box went unfortunately

[@enrobhcit]

if you want creepy watch the opening of the paris olympics, this program was one of the best growing up, i include in that Rainbow Playschool and not forgetting Mary Mungo and Midge

[@thomaswilliams9431]

Crystal tips and alister, bod, hammy hamster, bagpuss this one gave me the creeps, the herbs. 😮

[@lefthandedspanner]

regarding the theme tune, I think a large part of its creepiness is because the recording is muffled, and the instrument is not easily identifiable, so unless you're familiar with the recording, you don't quite know what it is you're hearing also, the instrument is slightly off-key (sometimes by nearly a full quarter-tone); intentionally or not, strange tuning can cause a strong psychological effect on its own

[@rebirthaudio2023]

Yeah I agree. I also think the sound of the instrument itself has a muffled quality, it sounds like it's coming up from under the ground. The whistly harmonics also add to the strange, disembodied vibe. But for me the creepiest aspect of the tune is the bit just before the end of the "verse", when there's a run of notes that goes up in a major key, and comes down in a minor key, like a clown suddenly turning nasty.

[@stevedickson5853]

Quinten Smirths version of the Picture box intro just has to be seen on KZbin

[@paulturton9755]

@@stevedickson5853 yes I've seen it... Thought it was the original to begin with

[@stevedickson5853]

@paulturton9755 lol same here, except it gets even creepier and darker somewhat ..🤣

[@gavinmartin5151]

@@paulturton9755 No it wasn't, their were 4 opening titles of Picture Box i think .

[@DavidONeill-u3d]

I think it sounds quite pleasant.

[@scrunts666]

I remember this show, I quite liked the music.

[@TBMartin]

I must have been the only kid who loved this theme then lol Brings back good memories whenever I hear it and I thank Matt Berry for recording his own version so we can listen to it on Tidal whenever I want. Thanks for the video

[@fudgemcfc66]

I remember a short kid in our class nearly 50 years ago and we used to say that box was his house.

[@knightofyourlife]

I remember this as a child. It was and still is hauntingly beautiful. But then again I was the child that the other children were unnerved by.

[@lavo-ld4wm]

So… Benjamin Franklin is a villain, as he invented a creepy musical instrument, and wrote an essay about the art of farthing 😱

[@Greenpoloboy3]

I'm sure I'm not the only one, but when I was off school for the day as a teen, in the morning I watched the TV kids shows that the tv guide said were for Under 5's, like Playdays, Tellytubbies. I really enjoyed it

[@splintercast8092]

If you want a children's TV programme that had a creepy theme tune look for Near and Far.

[@GnrMilligan]

There was a short film I remember, and I'm sure it was shown on this programme. It was an animation that started with a boy fishing from a boat in a pool. Then the "camera" zoomed out showing more of the landscape around him. It continued zooming out showing the country, the Earth, and through the Solar System. Then zoomed all the way back in to the original shot. But then carried on zooming in in to a mosquito on his hand/arm. And still further showing the cells in his blood. If anyone knows the name of that film, and where I could find it I would be so grateful.

[@tinofiniquity6083]

My earlier reply doesn’t appear to have posted; maybe because I added a link in it. The animation you mention is here on KZbin and called “Cosmic Zoom”. The photographic film that inspired it, “Powers Of Ten”, of which there are two versions, one in ‘68 and a redo in ‘77 is also on here and both are different enough to be well worth your time.

[@GnrMilligan]

@@tinofiniquity6083 Thank you so much for that. I have not seen it in around 45 years.

[@Womanwolfrider]

Frequency of sound can heal or harm, maybe the later in this case?

[@acerimmer1023]

I loved this music....trippy as hell.....but I was brought up by hippies during the 70's, soooo 🤷🤔🤭

[@dornierdo2172]

Think it was played on the glass harmonium invented by Benjamin Franklin.

[@Ruairí-n7b]

Eerie, really sinister tune

[@jpvaines]

Many thanks. Was there meant to be a sound clip of a Glass Armonica at the end (Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy) - if so it can't be heard sadly.

[@paulturton9755]

@@jpvaines Actually that was my mistake, I didn't delete some of the clips I'd used which were left at the end 😔. Mental note to check, check and check again next time

[@mgthestrange9098]

That bit unnerved me more than the spooky music, I kept skipping forward and wasn’t sure if something was going to happen. I’ve been scarred from you tube screamer videos. 😨

[@ewanbauld607]

I remember this. Was weird and I never really enjoyed it

[@quentinsmirhes2977]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIC4c2Wgg9x9iZYsi=vRR7qfcLFW5_5B8J

[@johndoyle486]

I didn't really find it to be creepy, but I did think it was incredibly bland and soulless.

[@gavinmartin5151]

Picture Box was not Creepy , but the 2 part episode that aired in June 1989 that was Creepy was Ben Rosie & The Bear where the Bear was chasing after the Boy and also The Ben Rosie & The Bear episode was the last one made by Granada TV before Childsplay Productions and Producer Peter Tabern took over , and also does anyone know what the title music used by Picture Box between 1989 till 1993 was called? and plus the opening titles from The Molotov Brothers with Martin Cheek was not Creepy and also Childsplay Productions made 80 episodes of Picture Box for Granada TV not 53 episodes Paul Turton , and to add also is that Peter Tabern is the guy that ran Childsplay Productions that made episodes such as All Change with Frankie Howard for Yorkshire Television. Peter Tabern was credited as Series Producer on the end titles to Picture Box with Adrian Hedley as Producer and Director. So i will say is that The Childsplay version was better then the Granada version of Picture Box

[@bedixon1]

a waist of 5 min with a blank black screen