(upbeat music) (projector clicking) - Have you ever wondered where the television signal you're watching is coming from?

♪ I love to go a wanderin' (projector clicking) ♪ along the mountain track - Welcome to True North.

(upbeat music) (mysterious music) - Good evening and welcome to Mainewatch (upbeat music) (projector clicking) Welcome to From the Vault a celebration of 60 years of Maine Public Television On this episode, we truly have something that is one of a kind.

Now, perhaps the best way to describe what you are about to see is to quote from a Bangor Daily News article from nearly 40 years ago.

It's an ancient story told with the help of space age techniques, electronic music and startling color displays of video virtuosity.

And if you have access to a color television set, you are in for a real treat.

Well we are going back to 1983 for Wings of Light, a dramatization of the ancient story of Psyche and Cupid.

It was written, produced and directed by UMaine art professor Michael H. Lewis, who teamed up with the production crew at, then, MPBN to create this work of art on television.

They used every trick in the book to pull off the special effects and with a Moog synthesizer provided the soundtrack which created this magical world.

Maine locations had to stand in for Greece with a stream in Old Town becoming the River Styx.

The stone columns of Carnegie Hall on the UMaine campus doubling as a Greek temple and several scenes taped at locations in Acadia National Park.

Fun fact, the Cyclops was played by student Bob Libbey, who went on to become a producer here at Maine Public and created several of the shows We will be featuring on From The Vault now, since the show was not quite an hour.

We will also feature a little bit from a program featuring another cast member Maine jazz legend and professor of music at UMaine.

Don Stratton plays the narrator in Wings of Light.

In 1981, he recorded a program for MPBN called Maine Stream Jazz.

We will get to see a few minutes from that after our feature presentation, which is from 1983.

This is Wings of Light (spacey music) (spacey synthesizer music) Okay.

Holly, could we have the lights, please?

You ready?

Yeah.

Okay.

Can we start, please?

Once upon a time, long ago, the Roman people believe that the universe was filled with great beauty and power.

They imagined that God is the source of this beauty and called her Venus and looked for her reflection and all things on earth.

Venus lived in the land of the gods with her to help make troubles and havoc she ceased to There also lived, at this time, a king and a queen who had three times.

The youngest was named Psyche, and she was so beautiful that people came from all over the land just to admire.

So they even came to believe that psyche was a new and better Venus She's coming.

So she's coming.

She's coming.

She's psyche.

Psyche.

Psyche.

You're trying to take your sister nine altars are bare, neglected.

What nerve why do you think her beauty will make her immortal?

Does she think it will last forever?

She steals my order.

Send me my son.

Send me Cupid.

Now you must avenge me.

This long fight, he steals your mother's honor.

You must make her fall in love with someone vile, some hideous creature.

Take your magic arrows and go make her feel passionately in love with some monster Hello, Mother, my dear.

Oh, baby.

Oh, my darling.

My child.

Oh, my lovely child.

Psyche is just the key here.

Why don't you like me Psyche?

I feel so worried.

I don't understand your sisters have been married for a long time.

And while you're much loved and much admired, nobody has asked for your care.

Don't call myself?

Things will happen as they should.

I've made up my mind Maya.

Your mother and I will go to the Oracle of Apollo and seek his advice.

So dress your family in mourning clothes.

Bring you to the great moment later on.

A higher up for her husband will not be of the human race.

The butterfly whose heart is so terrible that even his lungs are not subject I know why you.

I want to find oh, no.

Oh, so everything's all right?

Nothing.

Don't cry.

Now you see the true reward of my so-called excellent beauty why did I come to rely on it so we should have cried when everyone told me that I was better than a God.

For surely this is the revenge that Venus takes I've always had a strange feeling about the mountain.

Ever since I was a child.

I'm ready now.

Take me to my feet.

Oh, oh, you oh, you sure you suddenly a gentle breeze came and lifted the startled psyche high into the heavens.

Then gently very gently put her down in a secret valley.

When she looked around, she felt herself to be in a secret palace filled with great treasures.

It was a strange love brightness to everything so that she knew this was not the home of any one.

Me Magic hands guided her into the interior of the palace is this the way the rituals are seen as yours?

We will serve you.

You will not see us I know.

I know what you see us.

Don't.

Don't be afraid.

We will.

Maybe we will be you.

And when your spirit is disappearing, this refreshes the information soon will be utilized she she I don't think so.

Not of my body.

In this place?

No.

I feel almost ashamed for being only immortal.

Thank you.

That was very good.

Who is my husband?

What is this terrible power you will not see why can't I see him tonight?

He will be with you.

You will not see me do not be afraid.

You.

I always will be a very special love.

You Who are you?

I am who I am.

When can I see you?

You will learn to see me with your heart You must trust me Will you love me Yes Yes.

Thank you for three months like he lived at the magical powers and fell ever more deeply in love with her unseen husband.

But she began to miss her family, especially her two older sisters.

Shiki begged her husband, Please let them come to visit me.

If only I could see them just once more.

Psychic beware.

Her husband told her they could do me great harm, but Psyche seems so unhappy that finally her husband had the two sisters brought to the secret mountains.

When they saw all of her richest, they became wildly jealous and wanted to bring an end to psychic happiness.

And gain the treasures for themselves.

You what did you say your husband looks like?

I'm not sure.

I think he may be a God.

What does he look like?

I don't know.

I've never seen him what kind of God is it that can't be seen?

I feel that he is a God.

I know that he loves me.

It is enough she lies about her husband.

Maybe he is a God.

Maybe he is a terrible monster for some rich merchant.

Probably founder on that rock.

And to see.

So to have his way with her, she's so innocent.

You must drive her from her fortune and get these beautiful treasures for ourselves.

Sadly, I fear for you.

Remember the oracle of Apollo your husband must be a truly horrible monster.

He fattens you with gifts and flattery, but he means to destroy you.

No, stop it.

You must listen we will protect you.

But who could love you more than your own family?

We will tell you how to protect yourself.

We will leave this afternoon.

So as not to cast suspicion.

But tonight, while your husband sleeps, take a lamp and a sharp knife and let the light show you his face.

When you see the monster Be brave.

Cut off his treacherous head.

We will return in the morning to help you with your terrible ordeal.

Like he did.

I seem such a piece to you.

Wait Early the next morning, the greedy sisters climb to the mountaintop to wait for the magical breeze to take them to the sacred parts.

When the breeze didn't arrive, they became impatient and leapt to meet it.

They were never heard from again.

Psychic returned to our own land and suffered great hardships looking for her husband.

At last, she resolved to seek out the goddess Venus directly to make her forgiveness and ask for help is what can I really?

Who has done this story?

White.

White is white so finally decided to listen to you in great sorry, sorry, sorry.

What kind of marriage can there be between the more of God having trouble?

My friend takes her a left you know.

Not like that.

Words, words.

You seek forgiveness.

The words There is no other way and diligent and painful effort Venus still in a rage set rules of different colored grades in front of psyche, then mixing them all together.

She screamed her mind.

Tomorrow, what is your message?

And you?

Actually, each time I had self forget psyche.

You worked as hard as she could, but the time passed quickly and she made little progress.

Suddenly a great colony of ants came into the room and in a matter of minutes they had separated the dreams when Venus returned and saw that the task was done, she became furious again.

She now said Psyche and even more dangerous task bring me some of the golden wall from the sheet that live across the river.

Psyche immediately began the journey after she had crossed the river, she heard a strange voice calling to.

She didn't see anyone until she looked closely.

Beautiful flower that grew by the side of the river psyche psyche.

The way our psyche.

When the sun was high, the sheep are ferocious and they'll tear you apart to get near them.

But in the evening, if you walk quietly, you can pick the golden wall of the bushes that they rub against When Venus Psyche returned was a Golden Globe.

She vowed to give her third task so difficult and so dangerous that she could never survive Have you learned nothing?

If you want to be strong, you must expect to be tested today.

But now I must descend into the land of the dead and find a serpent her and ask her to fill this box with a measure of beauty from Venus.

Are you afraid of dying?

There are ways to travel safely in the underworld.

I will help you to discover these secrets.

But when you have received a gift, you must remember one thing and not the curiosity overcome.

You cannot look into the box.

Return it directly to Venus.

You do not have to compete for her future.

You will find a hidden opening.

The breathing place of Pluto, they call it.

You mean it is here that you must enter will need a lame ass carrying would and the lame old man driving him.

The old man will ask you to pick up some sticks and do nothing Once across the River Styx, you will meet some women weaving by the side of the road.

Ignore their requests for assistance.

Also, you will then meet Cerberus, the Three-Headed Dog Got Goddess Penises sent me to bring a measure of beauty for you.

Not for only one day.

How someone you know, I'll just sit here and the gift is ready when you have received the gift again appease the rage of Cerberus with a sweet and then give Karen the other coin in the same manner.

Remember, take the gift directly to Venus.

Its treasure is not for you.

Do not be too curious about divine secrets.

I love you so much.

Will I ever learn from all my mistakes and my one true love you better return the box office.

I will send me as soon I Jupiter to be Jupiter Please can you help Psyche to calm the great anger of my mother?

Venus, it is done Cupid.

I think it is time that you restrain somewhat the passion of your younger days.

You will have this marriage and put an end to using your great power to provoke such wild and I myself and see which is just the way Venus will have no reason to object Psyche drink from this cup of immortality.

Now you are one.

You are equal well, that's the end of our story.

Oh, in due time, a child was born from this you her name fulfillment Welcome to Maine Stream Jazz.

An hour long stereo simulcast featuring Don Stratton's Jazz Band with special guests, Tom Hoffman on guitar and Dave Dempsey on tenor sax (Band playing "It Don't Mean A Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing Gerry Wright on piano Les Richards, les Richards on bass.

John Guptill on drums