‘The Clangers’ return for 2015
The Clangers – those little mice-like moon-dwellers – are returning to our screens after over 40 years of radio silence. The cult classic will be remade using traditional stop-motion techniques as used originally by Smallfilms, the company started by Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate that created series such as Bagpuss and Ivor the Engine.
The planned 52 episodes will be screened on the CBeebies channel in 2015. The BBC will oversee the £5m international production, along with other co-partners including US pre-school network Sprout and the original production team from the Smallfilms company.
Executive producer Peter Firmin, now 84, will be joined by his late collaborator’s son Daniel Postgate in production as well as writing storylines and scripts.
The two are excited to bring the classic show to a new generation. Firmin says “”We hope to engage and entertain children of all ages and their families, just as Oliver and I did all those years ago. The new series will include great storytelling with lots of heart. It will also be technically improved.”
The techniques involved will be modernised in order to meet up with today’s standards of film making, but it is a relief to find that they are still using the traditional techniques rather than developing the characters into CGI versions of themselves, as with other nostalgic children’s shows such as Fireman Sam and their Channel 5 co stars also due to be remade and released in 2015, The Wombles.
“The clangers is a programme that has an enduring magic.” Says CBeebies controller Kay Benbow, “The new proposition has been built firmly upon the joyful foundations of the original, and will be produced by a team of exceptional talent, which includes the extraordinary Peter Firmin. We are terrifically excited to bring this out-of-this-world series to our CBeebies audience”
So join Major, Mother, Small, Tiny, Granny and the lovable Soup Dragon on their adventures on the moon-like blue planet, as they slide-whistle undetermined expletives in the completely new animated world. Lets see how the adorable pink fellows tackle the modern world of iPads, iPlayers and iKids and keep the hyperactive little *slide whistles * entertained!