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Chimera (British TV series)

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Chimera
Written byStephen Gallagher
Directed byLawrence Gordon Clark
StarringJohn Lynch
Christine Kavanagh
Kenneth Cranham
Theme music composer"Róisín Dubh" by Chameleon
ComposerNigel Hess
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producersBrenda Reid
Archie Tait
ProducerNick Gillott
CinematographyKen Westbury
EditorAlan Pattillo
Running time4x60 minutes (TV version)
104 minutes (Movie version)
Production companiesZenith Entertainment
Anglia Films
Original release
NetworkITV
AETN
Release7 July (1991-07-07) –
28 July 1991 (1991-07-28) (UK)
14 June 1992 (1992-06-14) (US)

Chimera is a British science-fiction horror drama made by Zenith Productions and Anglia Films for ITV in 1991. It is based on the 1982 novel of the same name about genetic engineering by Stephen Gallagher. Gallagher had previously adapted the novel as a 90 minute dramatised audio drama for BBC Radio 4 in 1985.[1] The theme music of the TV mini-series was "Roisin Dubh" by Nigel Hess and Chameleon.

Although set in rural Cumbria, filming took place in North Yorkshire with the village of Kettlewell providing the outdoor scenes. The setting for The Jenner Clinic was the nearby Malham Tarn Field Studies Centre, a Grade II listed Georgian country house owned by the National Trust. Studio filming took place at Shepperton Studios in Surrey.[2]

The series was later re-edited for release in the United States, and retitled Monkey Boy.

Plot

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The story focuses upon Chad, a young half-boy, half-chimp, developed by scientists as part of a top secret government operation. However, Chad becomes aggressive, strong and uncontrollable, with the inability to communicate on a human level, escaping from the lab, brutally killing several nurses and scientists in the process. The hunt is on to find and capture Chad before the public encounters this strange and dangerous creation. During Chad's escape, he wrestles with his natural child tendencies after befriending some local children and trying to control his wild primal inner instincts.

Cast

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Release

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The series originally aired in Britain on ITV from 7 to 28 July 1991. In the United States, it aired on A&E Television Networks.[3]

A heavily edited version of the series was released on VHS, with the title Monkey Boy, by Prism Entertainment.[4]

The complete series was released on DVD in the United Kingdom by Revelation Films Ltd in July 2010.[5]

The series was run for the first time on Forces TV on the 19 and 20 February 2022.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Radio - Chimera, StephenGallagher.com. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  2. ^ Screen - Chimera, StephenGallagher.com. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  3. ^ "Company Credits for Chimera". IMDb. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  4. ^ "Alternate Versions for Chimera". IMDb. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  5. ^ "Chimera". revfilms.co.uk. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
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