Chimera [DVD]

Adapted by Stephen Gallagher from his own novel, this thriller caused a sensation when it first aired in 1991. Having heard the 1981 radio adaptaion, I remember keenly anticipating this production, and was not disappointed. Some have criticised the production for being slow, and compared to today's "shout and run" approach to drama, it must seem so. But this apparent slowness actually allows the drama to develop, the tension mount realistically, and gives the viewer time to appreciate the issues raised. These are big themes - the ethics of mankind's assumed superiority over animals, how far should science go down certain paths, what happens when the science is hijacked by commercial and political interests, and how involved in such interests should the scientists be?I can only point to one performance being a bit wooden but by the second episode that doesn't matter. On the whole the performances are excellent. Emma Gillespie isn't particularly convincing as the young nurse tentatively exploring the mystery surrounding the Jenner fertility clinic, but John Lynch is excellent as her dopey waste of space boyfriend who has to grow a backbone very quickly. His bewildered shuffling at the edges of the action in episode two is spot on as he realises that something beyond his first fears is happening in the remote village near the clinic. Gallagher admits that Lynch's role was underwritten, but paradoxically this gives the actor the chance to display silent acting at it's best. His eyes say more than his script ever could. David Calder pitches his opportunistic doctor just right, his callousness covered by an air of benevolent professionalism. George Costigan and Gary Mathers provide good support as the dogged detective and the grieving husband, both frustrated at being on the periphery of events. Pippa Haywood is a frighteningly convincing ambitious young researcher whose excitement at the commercial possibilities of creatures such as Chad is apallingly recogniseable. The two young children are quite affecting with their understated terror. Their eyes show the haunted look of children caught in a stituation they can't understand or escape. Especially touching is Sebastian Shaw, a fine veteran actor in one of his last roles as Jenner's one time mentor, clinging to the last shreds of his dignity in a dismal nursing home.Kenneth Cranham steals the show however with a masterclass in inhumane officialdom. A brief scene which reveals him to be a devoted father actually highlights his callous approach to his work.The locations are perfect, with the chaotic urban paranoia balanced by the rural scenes, which are moodily ominous. Never have torn bin liners seemed so malevolent.Chad is a magnificent creation, his body shape and face going beyond human or chimp into the disturbingly "unlike". The mask is very well animated, especially in the barn scene in the final episode, where, together with Douglas Mann's brilliant body language beneath the suit, it is almost possible to belive he is showing regret. The fact that this is an actual performance rather than the cgi cartoon creature we would get now lends a fearsome physicality to his prescence, particularly unsettling in his scenes with the children.Thinking back to the way national newspapers were falling over each other to be the first to show images of Chad, the half human half chimp hybrid, it is surprising to find his image so prominent on the DVD packaging. It is also surprising that the shock ending to the first episode is revealed in the blurb. I well remember the continuity announcement that Gallagher mentions in the special features, a perfect moment of light relief after a harrowing last act.This is thoughtful drama, well made and well acted. Not everything has to be shouted while on the run to be gripping.

I remember watching this four (hour long) part TV series as a fifteen year old way back in 1991. Not many things could frighten me but the shocking conclusion of the first episode really did freak me out. The series as a whole is British TV at its best. The story is well written and adapted for the television by Stephen Gallagher and was superbly directed Lawrence Gordon Clark. The first episode especially was full of tension and suspense and would keep the viewer guessing on the strange going-on's at a fertility clinic. The ending of the first episode is reminiscent of Hitchcock's `Psycho' - in more ways than one.After viewing it for the first time I really wanted to see this again and few years later they did rescreen it on TV but sadly in a condensed two hour movie which cut out most of the sub plots, sapping out most of the tension and atmosphere and thus ruining a brilliant production.For a long while I hope to get this show on video at least but to my great disappointment only a VHS of the butchered two hour movie version was released - until now. I am so glad they are releasing the whole series on DVD. For those of you who like horror, science fiction, psychological thriller or a good old fashion British television serial then get this - but don't watch it alone...

Finally after alomost 20 years this masterpeice of british tv is getting a dvd release.I was only about 10 or 11 when this first aired on sunday nights for 4 weeks and i remember being terrified by it and could hardly wait each week for the next instalment.The plot follows a young nurse who applies for and gets a job at a research clinic but she is unaware that some sinister scinetist types have managed to create a "chimera" a human monkey hybrid called chad. One night chad escapes and murders all the people at the clinic inluding the nurse who was set up to be the heroine but was dispatched rather like the janet leigh character in psycho.Soon people are trying to recapture chad who is hiding out on a remote farm with a couple of young kids who refer to their new friend rather chillingly as mister scarecrow.I cannot wait to see this again but i really hope it is the full uncut mini series that is being released and not the butchered 2 hour movie version that was released on video some years ago. Now off to pre order!

It's good to see the whole unedited version after only seeing it once the original airing and then being subjected to the massacred version every other time. It's interesting to see just how far tv has moved on from this. I still enjoyed it but it can be used as evidence against the argument that modern TV is not as sophisticated as it previously was. I don't think a modern day, younger audience could suspend disbelief in the same way I can ( because of my nostalgic feelings for the show), not when viewers are now used to large budgets and slick production values. Worth it for a earlier appearance of Corrie's Roy Cropper who still seems to be the same age!

This is just dreadful. I did not watch it on original broadcast because I struggled to get into it. I assumed my callow youth was to blame, like with The Abominable Snowman or Night of the Demon (both of which I just didn't get as a kid, but love as an adult) and bought this DVD set in the hope that I would be pleasantly obliged by it. Sadly no.Interactions between characters are ludicrous, with virtually no logical progression occurring, only the writer's/director's desire to move the story on in their desired direction, regardless of what was happening on screen. Lots of totally irrelevant flim flam is included that should have been mercilessly (no, sorry, mercifully) ripped from the script long before it was decided to make a four hour series out of it. Add to that comedy (unintentional) police double acts and some of the most hackneyed TV cliches on record and you have this.A dreadful and disappointing piece of rubbish.