Box of Delights - John Masefield

[221b]

Just wondering if anyone else enjoys watching the enchanting DVD of this John Masefield classic at this time of year?

It's a little dated now, made in 1984, but the visual effects such as Chromakey were pretty groundbreaking for the time!

I also adored the haunting soundtrack, courtesy of Victor Hely-Hutchinson's carol symphony. Spookily magical!

A feature film remake is on the cards for release next Christmas, but in the meantime I shall still 'delight' in the magnficent performances of the late Messrs Patrick Troughton and Robert Stephens...

Must dash - the wolves are running....

[221b]

Just me then?

[Kitty]

No, I watched it too - one episode an evening, to conclude on Christmas Eve - wonderful! I love Robert Stephens, John Horsley makes a wonderful bishop, and what's even more amazing, all the children can act

I'm dreading the remake, but want to be proved wrong . I am looking forward to Julian Fellowes' Green Knowe though, and maybe it'll prompt a (legal) DVD release of the 80s version.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I loved the whole atmosphere of The Box of Delights but was left with unanswered questions about some aspects of the storyline. I hadn't heard that there was to be a remake - I'll have to read the book before seeing it. Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising has a similar feel to it, I think. I'm talking about the book, which is the second volume in a 5-book series - not the dreadful (in my opinion, anyway!) stand-alone film adaptation of The Dark is Rising, which could almost be an entirely different story.

Anita

[221b]

***contains mini-spoiler***

Hi Kitty and Anita

I didn't know about the Green Knowe remake - thanks for that, Kitty...

The Box of Delights remake is set to be directed by Mike Newell (of Harry Potter fame) you can read more about it here http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=24535

I own the DVD copy of the 1984 production and there is a nice 'extras' present-day interview with Renny Rye (director) and Devin Stanfield (Kay), talking about the challenges of making the '84 production.

Anita - I'm intrigued to know which aspects of the storyline left you with unanswered storylines? I agree that not everything is always perfect about book-to-film adaptations and I always thought it was a shame that Kay was deemed to have been dreaming throughout (though this was Masefield's choice in the book of course).

I still, however, enjoy the enchanting setting, the sense of magic and adventure and the way children are still allowed to go off exploring on their own in a similar way to Blyton's protagonists.

Happy Days

[Anita Bensoussane]

I'm afraid I can't remember exactly what left me puzzled, Helen, but it might well have just been me being thick! I'll have to get the film on DVD and see what I think of it now. I seem to recall that I found the book slightly confusing too. I haven't re-read it as an adult but I've got a copy sitting on the shelf, which I picked up at a second-hand bookstall some time ago, so I'll have to give it a try in the near future.

Anita

[Tony Summerfield]

I am not too sure about the remake of 'Box of Delights'. The article that you gave a link to was written in April 2009 and it talks about it being out for Christmas, so presumably that meant this Christmas, but in IMDb it is simply listed as being 'in Development', which often means it hasn't even got off the ground yet!

There is also no sign of a release date for the Green Knowe film, 'From Time to Time'. This is not the same as the earlier version as it is based on 'Chimneys of Green Knowe' and not 'The Children of Green Knowe' as the serial was. The film is clearly finished as it was shown at the London Film Festival in October, but I am puzzled as to why it still has no release date.

[221b]

Hi Tony

BoD is scheduled for Christmas 2011 as far as I know...

Here is a different link mentioning the screenwriter as well http://bit.ly/8Pi4np

Film development is a strange beast - oftentimes, there is lots of hullabaloo and then nothing for ages and then the film turns up in a different guise elsewhere: Peter Jackson's current wrangle with The Hobbit or previous incarnations of LoTR are several cases in point...

I shall sit and bide my time!

*twiddles thumbs*

[Tony Summerfield]

Interesting to see that the screenwriter is Frank Cottrell Boyce. Two of his own books have been filmed Millions and Framed, but neither really made the earth move. They haven't even bothered to release Framed on DVD, which means that they didn't think it would sell that well!

[pete9012S]

Interesting to see that the screenwriter is Frank Cottrell Boyce.

In my professional capacity I have worked for Frank for about 15years.He is an extremely pleasant man and has about ten children (at last count!)

One of his children was,I believe, one of the first babies to be born in the new millennium back in 2000..

He told me a few months back that he had been commissioned to devise a performance piece on the River Foyle for Londonderry as part of the UK City of Culture celebrations.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20078497" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[number 6]

Wow! A blast from the past! Yeah, I can just about remember the 80's version. I'm going to watch it on You tube as soon as possible. You've started me on something now, 221b!!

[221b]

Haha! Yes.

It's annual Christmas viewing in my house.

The most Christmassy thing I know of...

I have it on DVD - you're very welcome to borrow if you like - the bonus being a lovely reminiscing modern interview between Renny Rye and Devin Stanfield, and some nice 80s extras of Devin and Patrick Troughton.

Some of the effects are slightly creaky, but I'm very forgiving and just love the Christmassy-dastardlyness of it all

#whenthewolveswererunning

[burlingtonbertram]

Firstly; apologies if it is 'bad form' to revive an old thread, but forgive me because I am still pretty new on this forum. Secondly; I know that discussing this in August is wildly out of season.

Something that I love about any book is being able to spot a reference and pick up on what has influenced an author. So, anyone familiar with Box of Delights can see how Masefield influenced Susan Cooper's 'The Dark Is Rising'. That isn't a criticism, if done well it is actually a pleasure to recognise the continuity.

One series of books that I liked as a child were the Romano-British novels written by Rosemary Sutcliff (Eagle of the Ninth; The Lanternbearers etc.)

I've just read "Puck of Pook's Hill" by Rudyard Kipling (1906) and for anyone who likes Masefield/Cooper/Sutcliff it is a bit of a must. If you are unfamiliar with it, well, it is a collection of short stories such as "Weland's Sword", "Harp Song of The Dane Women" and "On The Great Wall". All the pieces suddenly fall into place and you can see the book that all three of those authors absolutely MUST have read and appreciated.

[Fiona1986]

It's only bad form to resurrect an old thread if you've nothing worthwhile to add so I think you're safe from Anita's moderating stick

[Anita Bensoussane]

Yes - it's great to see an old thread revived when someone has got something meaty to add to the discussion!

I've just read "Puck of Pook's Hill" by Rudyard Kipling (1906) and for anyone who likes Masefield/Cooper/Sutcliff it is a bit of a must.

Puck of Pook's Hill is a book I've been meaning to seek out for years. I believe it influenced E. Nesbit and C. S. Lewis as well.