If you’re looking for a taste of nostalgia from your childhood, streaming service ITVX is sure to have something for you. Britbox content is available as part of an ITVX Premium subscription, and they’ve been adding ‘Old School Classics’ to their catalogue for many years now. Viewers can experience such highly praised delights as Grange Hill, Press Gang, the 70s Famous Five and Mr Benn among others. The purpose of this article is to highlight some of these gems by focusing on a specific decade.
Much of the content in this category originates from much later, but there are a few shows available from the 1960s. Here is a list of titles, and why you should check them out!
Classic Sooty: Sooty has been a fixture on television for over 70 years, with Harry Corbett being the first person to appear alongside him. This is a selection of classic short films the yellow puppet and Corbett made between the 50s and 70s. They were previously available on a DVD release. If you’ve never seen Harry Corbett’s Sooty, you’re missing out! It is clear to see why they became a favourite, with a fine display of talent. If you’re unsure, try Sooty’s Pottery, Sooty’s Birthday and Sooty’s Bath Night for some classic moments. Once you’ve heard Harry’s infectious laugh, you’ll be hooked!
The Clangers: A surreal series created by Oliver Postgate and Smallfilms. The stop-frame adventures of the little pink Clangers have been favourites for generations. While the animation may look a tad dated, the storytelling has lost none of its charm. This is the original series from the 60s, as opposed to the modern remake. “Oh sod it, the bloody thing’s stuck again!”.
The Trumptonshire Trilogy: Camberwick Green, Trumpton and Chigley are all here. We’re unsure if these are the remastered HD versions, but they look pretty good. Gordon Murray’s trio of series are as charming as ever and offer a brief escape into a rose-tinted past. Brian Cant’s narration is top-notch, and the songs will be in your head in no time.
While there isn’t much else from this decade available in this category, this appears to be the cream of what exists; Many productions from the 1960s would have been lost due to tape-wiping procedures. What would you like to see?
