SUNDAY NIGHT THRILLER [18.1.81]
The last Grainer TV theme to premiere before his untimely death from cancer on 21 February 1981 is an eerie organ based work with a strange abstract emotional atmosphere of bound matter and spirit pulling apart and separating into various non physical and physical states.
There is such a strong sense of "it is finished" about the melody line it's as if Grainer realised his final composing task was writing the requiem theme for his own cremation.
The opening and closing film clip is equally mysterious showing superimposed dreamlike images of a clear blue eyed porcelain doll twisting on its spine, falling for no apparent reason into space, hair streaming, arms up and out, head pulling the whole body backwards, images layering, eyes and casing being tossed to the right then the left, head pulling the body forwards in subjection then smashing on the floor an empty physical shell that fades into a white outline with a flare coming from the head.
It is interesting to remember that two of the earliest songs Grainer wrote music for after arriving in England were "Pretty Bird Fly Away " [1953] and "Don't Cry Little Doll" [1957].
For the 1982 second season the series was given a new time slot and name of "Saturday Night Thriller". Directors Christopher Hodson, Paul Annett and Peter Cregeen worked on both versions.
link to IMDb credits "Sunday Night Thriller"
link to IMDb credits "Saturday Night Thriller"
II TAKES A WORRIED MAN [27.10.81]
Starring Peter Tilbury the creator and early script man of "Shelley" this intelligently written comedy series about depression [relationship, work, health and world affairs etc] was first broadcast nine months after Grainer's death and managed to deliver 19 episodes spread over three years without any compromise in quality.
As usual Grainer's theme is very apt for the subject a morose plodding no frills rift played on what sounds like a muted trumpet or a euphonium ending in an optimistic melodic hook after what sounds suspiciously like a deliberate structure destroying "bum" note.
The series title comes an American folk song and given Grainer's "somethings wrong" health situation at the time the Carter family lyrics are especially relevant and the folk songs tune does have an unnerving echo in his "Sunday Night Thriller" theme.
link to YouTube performance of Carter Family folk song "It Takes A Worried Man"
One intriguing aspect of the end credits film for "Worried Man" is the way it counterpoints the general sequence of events used in the "Sunday / Saturday Night Thriller" series end credits movie both clips seemingly illustrating two different types of body disintegration at death.
In "Thriller" the film starts with a separated close up of a pair of calm glazed eyes which proceeds to be overlaid with images of various bodies floating away in various directions ending with an empty shell smashing on a floor.
In "Worried" the credits movie commences with the face and upper torso of a startled male from whom various physical bits break off until the last piece to go is the section containing his eyes.
