Play for Today Penda's Fen (1974)

Cast

Get more information about Play for Today Penda's Fen (1974) on IMDb

Genres & Description

Action Comedy Drama

7.4 / 10

Through a series of real and imagined encounters with angels, demons, and England's pagan past, a pastor's son begins to question his religion and politics, and comes to terms with his sexuality.

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Comments on this trailer
Comments may include spoiler!

Derpy Maymayz

thx reddit - @Monday, August 14, 2017 3:12 PM

Jake Wood

The 70s were fucked. Must be all the LSD. - @Wednesday, May 31, 2017 1:20 AM

Sandman

a fucked up trailer - @Thursday, June 9, 2016 7:54 PM

bloodyDeagle77

wut - @Monday, June 6, 2016 5:14 PM

brad

yts brought me here ayy lmao - @Monday, June 6, 2016 4:03 PM

True Winter

Das a goblin - @Tuesday, September 29, 2015 11:01 AM

Atti Cana

I have been thinking more about this programme, which I regard as the finest piece of television drama that I have ever seen. This clip takes us to the very heart of the matter, the intrinsic connection between religion and sexuality. The Book of Genesis makes it clear that our sexuality,however this is understood, is fundamental to our humanity and thus to our relationship with God. You can choose to be celibate or you can choose to turn away from religion.......but sexuality and spirituality will not leave you alone! - @Tuesday, August 11, 2015 10:22 PM

Eye of Horus

.........what?? - @Sunday, March 15, 2015 6:28 PM

Atti Cana

Coming back to this clip after more thought I have this to say...this magnificent television drama raised the elemental point that the SEXUAL and the SPIRITUAL cannot be neatly segregated. The one is fundamental to the other! This point, which goes to the very heart of human existence, is acknowledged in the Bible. When Adam and Eve have eaten the forbidden fruit, when 'their eyes have been opened', the first thing they do is make garments in order to cover their genitalia. What depths of wisdom and insight this passage conveys! - @Thursday, September 11, 2014 10:24 PM

Atti Cana

I watched this play as a teenager when it was first shown on television and it made a huge impact on me. A magnificent piece of television drama, British television at its most intelligent and innovative. The religious message is vague and cryptic, I suspect that even David Rudkin was not clear in his own mind about it. Nevertheless, the basic idea behind the play, that Western civilisation needs some kind of spiritual rebirth is one that I entirely agree with. - @Tuesday, September 9, 2014 9:24 PM

KidTheMedia

Yep :) - @Sunday, October 13, 2013 2:26 AM

doigster9

you have wondered to far into the weird part of youtube. go back now or ull be trapped forever - @Tuesday, October 8, 2013 8:26 PM

Motör Bembel

aww yisss - @Tuesday, October 8, 2013 7:53 PM

KidTheMedia

MEMECENTER FLAG IS HERE - @Tuesday, October 8, 2013 7:39 PM

TeapotMagnet

Why did i watch this at 4am in the morning? - @Thursday, January 3, 2013 5:32 PM

frglee

This was one of the best examples of the BBC commisioning first rate drama - in this case for the 'Play for Today' series [still much missed!]. I remember being very affected by Penda's Fen and even wrote to David Rudkin thanking and congratulating him for it - and got a very nice reply. This excerpt was one of the core pieces of the play and deals here with a gay teenager coming to terms with stuff. Bit it was much more... Elgar, Religion,history,Worcester countryside...well,it's all on wiki. - @Wednesday, November 7, 2012 5:45 PM

Lord Proteus

What is that thing supposed to be? - @Wednesday, October 17, 2012 10:20 PM

Desomorphine

2 SPOOKY 5 ME - @Monday, September 3, 2012 8:35 PM

andgadoline

I WILL NEVER SLEEP AGAIN! - @Thursday, December 8, 2011 5:35 PM

galactica girl

This is terrifying! - @Wednesday, December 7, 2011 11:37 PM

runforthehills707

It's amazing to see such powerful images when you are young and not understand them. These images stay with you and it's wonderful to be able to see them again; even if you still don't fully understand them! - @Friday, June 3, 2011 11:32 PM

IrishClaudius

@MidgeDiabolik I spoke to the writter last night David Rudkin at aspecial showing of the film in Belfast and said the question where is the DVD" must have been asked thousands of times - a question he would like to ask he said but that should be put to his agent. I pointed out to him the British Film Institute said that a DVD is not available "for copyright reasons". I advised Mr Rudkin to ask his agent to seek a showing on American Public Television and then renegotiate his contracts. - @Monday, April 11, 2011 9:28 AM

Midge Diabolik

Gawd bless the internet,. for years i 've been haunted by a couple of scenes in this film and now after some hefty Googling i've tracked it down :). Those scenes being this one, the hand chopping scene, the burning photograph and i *think* one of a sparrow getting crushed by a milk float. I saw it when i was being babysat at about 11 y.o and didn't fully understand it but was just freaked out by the imagery.Hopefully will now be able to track down a full length version of it :). - @Wednesday, March 30, 2011 10:36 PM

scottytrotter

I remember this giving me the heebie-jeebies when I first saw it and have always wanted to see again since. I recall that I didn't really understand it at the time but the scenes of the incubus sitting on the guy in bed and the people having their hands chopped off stayed with me. There were several plays in the same series that were equally as good. Anyone remember the one with the rocking horse in a box that was unearthed on a building site. Or the one with all the dead people in the house? - @Tuesday, February 1, 2011 10:28 PM

Tancred de Beaumanoir

The memory of this play came back whilst I was studying about King Penda today. It was a disturbing play and I was way too young to understand it. Would like to see it again esp as I lived not far from Pinvin at the time. - @Friday, July 10, 2009 5:24 AM

nowpats

I was also terrified by this as a kid - what were my parents thinking, allowing me to watch Play For Today? The most disturbing scene was when the boy comes across an idyllic scene of young people dressed in white in a riverside meadow - who are queuing up to have their hands chopped off. Check out the new video by Florence & The Machine called Rabbit Heart because I'm convinced it's based on that scene from Penda's Fen (with a touch of The Wicker Man also). - @Sunday, June 21, 2009 12:03 PM

mossfitz

One of the most unforgettable TV films ever - was it ´Armchair Theatre` or `play for today´? so unexpected on a wednesday evening in ´74 after school. It would be great if you could post more. - @Saturday, November 29, 2008 9:09 PM

Phil Bullock

Hi there! This was a wierd play - but I hate to admit it, I was in it! Was filmed at Worcester Royal Grammar School and we were used as extras. Do you have any more please - esp the sequence where he is beaten up by the army cadets? Many thanks Phil B - @Saturday, November 8, 2008 9:43 AM