John Wyndham - The Midwich Cuckoos 1982


(4.4 stars; 27 reviews)

John Wyndham - The Midwich Cuckoos The classic 1957 sci-fi novel. Adaptation by William Ingram Three 30-minute episodes BBC World Service, first broadcast betwen 9 and 23 December 1982 Directed by Gordon House Music by Roger Limb of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop Episode 1 The mystery deepens when all the residents of the rural village of Midwich suddenly fall into a state of unconsciousness... Colonel Bernard Westcott ...... Charles Kay
 Richard Gayford ...... William Gaunt
 Gordon Zellaby ...... Manning Wilson
 Angela Zellaby ...... Pauline Yates
 Janet Gayford ...... Rosalind Adams
 Ferrelyn Zellaby ...... Jenny Quayle
 Alan Hughes ...... Gordon Dulieu
 Doctor Willers ...... Hugh Dickson 
Vicar Leebody ...... William Ingram
 Colonel Latcher ...... Garard Green
 Captain Beamish ...... Martin Bansley
 Group Captain Harding ...... Peter Tuddenham
 Chief Constable ...... Ronald Baddiley
 Pilot ...... Alex Jennings
PC ...... David Peart 
Base Controller ...... Edward Cast Episode 2 There are moral and security issues when all the women of child-bearing age in the village of Midwich simultaneously become pregnant by an alien force. . Bernard Westcott …. Charles Kay
 Gordon Zellaby …. Manning Wilson 
Angela Zellaby …. Pauline Yates
 Richard Gayford …. William Gaunt 
Janet Gayford/Secretary …. Rosalind Adams 
Ferrelyn Zellaby …. Jenny Quayle
 Alan Hughes …. Gordon Dulieu
 Vicar Leebody …. William Ingram
 Doctor Willers …. Hugh Dickson Episode 3 The mysterious powers of the alien children start to become destructive... Bernard Westcott …. Charles Kay 
Gordon Zellaby …. Manning Wilson
 Angela Zellaby …. Pauline Yates
 Richard Gayford …. William Gaun 
Chief Constable …. Ronald Baddiley
 Coroner …. Nigel Graham
 Doctor Torrance …. Peter Tuddenham 
Mrs Williams …. Katherine Parr
 Girl …. Rosalind Adams
 Boy …. Jill Lidstone
 Man …. Simon Hewitt Cuckoos lay eggs in other birds' nests.... The rather sleepy village of Midwich finds itself becoming even sleepier when one night in September all those in it – and nearby, within a precise circular boundary – fall suddenly into a state of unconciousness that lasts for over 24 hours. In that time, aerial reconnaissance and photographs reveal not only that the affected area is a hemisphere, but also that, at the centre of it, a strange shape can be seen. But as suddenly as the village was affected, everything returns – apparently – to normal. It's some weeks before the realisation grows that all the women in the village of child-bearing age are mysteriously impregnated. Nine months pass and the pregnancies run to their natural term, producing 61 "Children" – all with blonde hair, pale skin and golden eyes. As they start to grow at enormous speed, it becomes clear that they all have telepathic abilities. The clutch that have been fathered by Aliens promise to make the human race look as dated as the dinosaur.... and who is to stop them? [suttonelms.org]

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.

Reviews

A True Classic


(5 stars)

John Wyndham does it again. "The Day Of The Triffids", "The Midwich Cuckoos" are merely two of Wyndham's edge sitting anxiety inducing tales. But, "The Midwich Cuckoos" is betting know as the 1950's classic science fiction movie "Village Of The Damned". After a mysterious even renders the entire quiet English countryside community of Midwich in a strange coma state, upon awakening, every female of childbearing age is just as suddenly & mysteriously found to be pregnant. After even strangely shorter gestation periods, all of these mysterious bundles arrive at one. But, what is delivered falls extremely short of being "BUNDLES OF JOY"! Hell is born in Midwich, and the children are in control!

Title appropriates Cookoo culture


(5 stars)

Needs to be rewritten to stop stealing Cookoo culture. Otherwise it is a great story if you can ignore its blatant phalogocentricism, missogny and raycysm.