Clangers Logo 'The Visitor'
by Oliver Postgate
Clangers

Small Clanger sees something passing overhead in orbit. We do not see it but we hear a suitable noise of its' passing over. Major Clanger comes out. They watch it pass again and the next time they follow it running out of shot. Pan down and zoom in. Cut to trick shot (camera inverted) and continue pan down and out to see them run past upside down on the underside of their planet. They stop on the top side and consult. They lift a lid and shout below. They are answered and up comes Tiny Clanger carrying two see-saws and a huge butterfly net. They set up the see-saws and at an accurately gauged moment Major Clanger jumps from their shoulders on to the first see-saw and Small Clanger is thrown up into the air. He lands on the next see-saw where Tiny Clanger is poised with her butterfly net. She is thrown up out of shot. She has the orbiting object in her net. She tips it out. It is obviously a T.V. set. They approach it. They touch it. It shouts a burst of wild ecstatic applause and cheering. They run. It is silent. They approach it again. They gather round it and touch it. It remains silent. One of them touches a button. It makes a noise of motor-racing with gabbled commentary. They run. It is silent again. Tiny Clanger goes up to it and talks to it softly. She pats it and it plays gentle music. The Clangers like this. They pick up the T.V. set and dance indoors with it. They meet Mrs. Clanger who is wheeling their trolley along to the Soup wells with two jugs on the trolley. They put the T.V. set on the trolley and at once it is silent. Perhaps it is tired or hungry. Tiny Clanger is sent to the soup well with the small jug. She tells the soup-dragon what has happened and brings back some soup which she offers to the T.V. set. It does not respond. The Clangers fear it may be unconscious. They administer the soup by pouring it into the set. It splutters, smokes and sparks. Suddenly it lights up and shines on them. We hear a voice exhorting them in near-French. The Clangers are moved by his eloquence but puzzled. Tiny Clanger accidentally touches a button. The set clicks and bursts into Rolling Stones type pop-music film of zombie-like ecstatics. They are terrified. They hide. Mr. Clanger creeps up on the set and extinguishes it with the big jug. Accidentally he lets the trolley roll and it runs off down the hill to the soup wells and tips over on the soup well's lid. The soup dragon looks out and is pleased by the pop music, She snaps her claws and waves her wooden spoon. She is so pleased that she picks up the set to cuddle it soupily. It gets soup in the works again and sparks and splutters. The shocked soup-dragon retires and closes the lid of its Well. The Clangers approach and knock on the lid of the soup well. They hold a muffled conversation with the soup dragon who is sulking and refuses to come out or give them soup until they have disposed of the treacherous article. The Clangers stalk the silent set and net it. They carry it netted on a pole like a big-game beast. They set up their see-saws and wallop it back into outer space.

Original Conception:
Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin

Scenery and Puppets:
Peter Firmin

Music:
Composed by Vernon Elliott

Filming and Editing:
Oliver Postgate

Film Company:
Smallfilms

TX:
23rd November 1969 @ 5.55pm

Notes:
*This synopsis is the original outline written by Oliver Postgate for the BBC prior to production, and may differ slightly from the transmitted version.

*The Clangers voices were played on swannee whistles by Oliver Postgate and Stephen Sylvester.