The Enid Blyton Society

I got it! I got it! I just had the thought to look again right now and finally found a (reasonably) affordable copy of the 1989 series of Tom's Midnight Garden on DVD (in the boxed set with The Demon Headmaster) on eBay, for sale rather than auction. So I bought it.

£30.00 is more than I'd normally be willing to pay, but this version, as we've seen, is extremely hard to get and has been selling for at least twice as much on Amazon. Also, since it includes two different classic programmes, that's really two for £15.00 each - or so I justify it to myself. (And it included free postage, too.)

I'll be so glad to revisit this one! I remember it as very faithful to the book and quite simply but beautifully done.

I'm glad you've got a copy at last, Courtenay! Hope you enjoy watching it again.

The 1989 film version of Tom's Midnight Garden is by far the best one in my opinion. It's great that you have managed to get it on DVD, Courtenay. I only have it on VHS video, but I live in hopes of finding a reasonably priced copy on DVD. I'm sure you'll enjoy revisiting this classic.

My DVDs arrived today! Haven't had time to watch either of the programmes yet, but I'm just thankful to have this version of Tom's Midnight Garden again at last.

I'm still surprised that the BBC has never released it on DVD apart from this one, now rare, Reader's Digest offer - they're missing a trick, to say the least. As the blurb on the back of the DVD case says, "These classic stories from the BBC's archives will thrill children of all ages and provide a nostalgic glow to adults who enjoyed them when they were growing up."

(Adults? It can't be that long since I first saw this show on TV, can it? When did I "grow up"?? )

Watched the whole 6-part series this evening. Just as good as I remembered! No problem, either, with the quality of the transfer to DVD; in fact, it looked much brighter and clearer than I remembered from childhood. (But this may be because I last watched it on our old TV that was notorious for making colours look washed-out.)

There were some problems at some points with the DVD seemingly "sticking" for a few seconds and jumping ahead, but I eventually took it out and realised it was because there were fingerprints all over the surface; once I'd given it a wipe, it worked fine. I will watch it through one more time to make sure, though - I'd hate to think I just blew £30 on a dud!!

I think I've mentioned this before, but at the time I first read the book and saw the TV series (soon after), my young antipodean imagination didn't stretch very well to English country gardens and manor houses. Now that I live in England and have visited many historic estates, I realised I found the TV series more enjoyable than ever, because the beautiful setting (I wonder where it was filmed?) reminds me of so many wonderful places I've now seen for myself.

The 1989 BBC version of Tom's Midnight Garden has stayed in my mind ever since it was first on TV. You're lucky indeed to have found a DVD of it, Courtenay. I was 18 when it first came on TV - makes me feel very old!

Carries War was another great BBC adaptation I remember - much better than the more recent one!

The 1970s Carrie's War is available on YouTube, along with Kizzy (also 1970s) and the 1981 Stig of the Dump. All of them are excellent and very faithful to the books.

Thanks for that Anita - yes, I found Carries War on YouTube, and was surprised to see it came out in 1974. It was obviously repeated, as I remember watching it when I was 8 or 9. I see that The Children of Green Knowe is also available on there.

Like you, I seem to remember watching Carrie's War towards the end of the 70s.

Here is a small appreciation of this fantastic book.

I have tried to compare the various covers produced over the years since the first edition in 1958/illustrations/and an approved sample of the book for those yet to read it!

http://share.pho.to/9wjHh" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Lovely to see all those different covers, thanks, Pete! The first copy I read (at school when I was 10) had this cover, which I didn't much like:



But the copy I now own is a Penguin paperback with the same cover and internal illustrations (by Susan Einzig) as the first edition:



Now you've got me wishing I could have an early hardcover edition with dust jacket, Pete. If I end up forking out a fortune on eBay for it, it's all your fault.

Don't look at these two then!

http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/Searc ... s-_-filter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And they're not even Stella & Rose.

Mind you, that first one is not only a first edition with dust jacket in good condition, but is signed and dated by the author!! In my dreams, yeah, I'd fork out for that, but not in reality.

Stella & Rose have a Folio Society special edition available...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOMS-MIDNIGHT ... 1683970365" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

pete9012S wrote:Here is a small appreciation of this fantastic book.

I have tried to compare the various covers produced over the years since the first edition in 1958/illustrations/and an approved sample of the book for those yet to read it!

http://share.pho.to/9wjHh" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Great link to this wonderful children's novel: one of my all-time favourite books. Thanks for posting it, Pete.