Famous Five 90s Series

[Wolfgang]

I suppose a serious cartoon series (unlike the persiflage "Five on the case") could solve all problems. Children would only have to say lines, after everything was filmed, locations could be modelled according to the books descriptions etc.

[Chrissie777]

I thought it was dreadful. A complete name change for Aunt Fanny (why on earth was she called Margaret?) and it contained little atmosphere. Goodness knows what Enid made of it. I won't even mention (well, just briefly!) the dire Mystery to Solve...

Hi Nigel,

I did not watch "Five have a Mystery to solve" before BFI released it a few years ago. I was disappointed with it as well and was wondering why the director chose that particular FF story instead of "Smuggler's Top", "run away together", "on a Hike together" or "on a Secret Trail"?
"Five on Kirrin Island again" would have made another great movie.

Regarding FOTI, I watched it when I was 7 years old and it was the first of all CFF movies aired on German TV that I watched...I hadn't seen something like that before. That's why I was very impressed with the story, the location, the actors.
For many years when I was in my teens and twenties, I thought I must have dreamed that film, but then Barbara Stoney's Blyton biography was released in 1974 (I didn't find out about it before 1978) and when I was leafing through the book, I discovered both old FF movies being mentioned. And I knew I did not dream it .

[Tony Summerfield]

I did not watch "Five have a Mystery to solve" before BFI released it a few years ago. I was disappointed with it as well and was wondering why the director chose that particular FF story.

I suspect it was Enid who chose it, as it was her latest book at the time.

[Fiona1986]

So, Anita. Just when should I expect this fabulous new series to be on the TV?

Er - the Twelfth of Never?!

Spitty

[Anita Bensoussane]

I suppose a serious cartoon series (unlike the persiflage "Five on the case") could solve all problems. Children would only have to say lines, after everything was filmed, locations could be modelled according to the books descriptions etc.

That would be one way of doing it, though I'd still like to see another attempt at a series with live actors. A cartoon would need to be high quality and endeavour to capture the period feel of the stories. I have a cartoon version of Mary Norton's The Borrowers on DVD, animated by a Japanese company. It's called Arrietty after the main character, and blends Japanese and English elements in an unusual way. The animation is entrancing in its beauty and holds me spellbound, and I get the same dreamy feeling that I get from reading the book(s):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzBBIBSi2Vo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If those animators (Studio Ghibli) got to work on the Faraway Tree and Wishing-Chair stories I'm sure they'd produce something truly magical - much more in keeping with Blyton's originals than the somewhat crude "Enchanted Lands" cartoon series of the 1990s.

[Fiona1986]

I've heard of Arrietty, and thought it looked rather good. I'm not usually a fan on Japanese animations but I love the Borrowers.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I haven't watched many Japanese animations but my children used to like Spirited Away.

I've now re-watched Five Fall Into Adventure and Five Go Adventuring Again. Five Fall Into Adventure is okay except that Anne is irritatingly squealy, the criminals are bumbling rather than menacing and the story seems rushed. Lovely settings. The girl who plays Jo isn't at all like my mental picture of Jo (who is supposed to resemble George) but she does a good job.

I enjoyed Five Go Adventuring Again, though it's not set in winter so I miss the snowy scenes and cosy wintry atmosphere of the book. Mr. Rowland and Uncle Quentin both seem a little on the old side but the story is well-paced and I like Christopher Good's exaggerated eccentricity as Quentin - it makes for amusing viewing.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Watched some more 90s Famous Five episodes while doing the ironing. The first was a 2-parter, Five Go Down to the Sea, which I thoroughly enjoyed. With it being in two parts there is more time for banter, build-up and characterisation. And there are some truly wonderful characters in this story, notably Mr. Penruthlan, Old Grandad and the Barnies. This adaptation really brings out the quirkiness and humour of people's sayings and mannerisms, making me laugh out loud in a couple of places. Yan isn't as I'd imagined - he's not "frit" enough and his love of sweets is somewhat exaggerated - but most things are spot on in my opinion (oh, except for the story being set in Somerset rather than Cornwall!)


On to Five Run Away Together, which is disappointing. Jennifer is too old, Edgar is too young, there is no Stinker (not that I mind that, as I think George and the others treat him cruelly anyway) and I can't look at Mrs. Stick without thinking to myself, "Angie from Eastenders". Uncle Quentin's sandwiches are just silly and, worst of all, some of Julian's most memorable lines (especially the ones where he gets the better of Mr. Stick) are missing completely, as are some of the funny scenes involving Edgar. What a shame to turn such a lively book into such dull TV.

[Katharine]

Anita, if you want to watch some more episodes, but run out of ironing, I've got plenty here you can have.

[Carlotta King]

Five Go Down To The Sea is my favourite adaptation from the 90s series.
I grew up in the area where it was filmed so it feels special.
I thought that Richard Allen (Yan) gave a great performance and old Grandad was just as I imagined him!
Sid and Binks are great, I really like Geoffrey Hutchings anyway so it was great to see him adding a touch of humour. The Guv'nor was also brilliant.
Ian Brimble as Mr Penruthlan was fantastic I thought, he had a real 'presence'; his height and build probably had something to do with that!

My only criticism is the way that there was no explanation for his 'arrrs'. In the book it is because he hardly ever has his teeth in, but in the tv episode there is never any mention of his teeth and he obviously has teeth in, so his 'arrrs' just make him out to be rather odd, which I think is a real shame because it ruins his performance (not his fault!!). They should have either included both the 'arrrs' and the teeth, or left them both out.
He gave a fantastic performance and the lack of explanation for his peculiar behaviour spoils it I think.
Mrs Penruthlan describes him as being 'a man of few words' but the 'arrrs' just make him seem as though he can't communicate properly. No reflection on Ian, it was obviously the directors' choice.

[Katharine]

I like the sound of that version. I was very disappointed with the 1970s version, I felt the characters were all wrong.

[Carlotta King]

I agree about Jennifer, Anita.
She is too old, and she also seems rather a little madam. In the book she is a quiet, terrified little girl with a tear-stained face, but here she just seems, well, a spoilt little madam, can't really think of another way to describe her!

[Carlotta King]

It's fantastic, Katharine. Beautiful scenery, great characters, and as Anita said, because it's a two-parter there is chance for more detail. The wreckers' cove is so atmospheric, both from the clifftop and actually in the cove in the moonlight.

I've watched it so many times I know the script off by heart! I usually have it playing on my laptop if I can't get to sleep, it's relaxing background noise

[Anita Bensoussane]

Anita, if you want to watch some more episodes, but run out of ironing, I've got plenty here you can have.

Sorry, I was Dame Ironalot yesterday. I'm Dame Cleanalot today (*hopes Katharine has already done her cleaning for this week*!)

I was interested to read your thoughts on Five Run Away Together and Five Go Down to the Sea, Carlotta. It is surprising that Jennifer Armstrong is so brattish and I feel sorry that we don't get to see Josephine, Angela, Rosebud and Marigold! Many of the little details that make that book so special are totally ignored in the TV episode. Ah well, at least the story isn't altered out of all recognition as it is in the 1970s adaptation!

Yes, Five Go Down to the Sea is beautiful to watch. Regarding Mr. Penruthlan's teeth, perhaps the producers felt he looked too young to have lost his own teeth? I like the way he is presented as "a bit mad" - it adds a touch of spice and intrigue!

[Carlotta King]

You know, Anita, that is such a good point about Mr Penruthlan's 'madness' adding a bit of intrigue - in all the (probably) thousands of times I have watched it I have never before thought of his madness as adding intrigue, but now you've put the thought in my head I completely agree with you!

I just wish they had shown a touch of madness in another way other than making him grunt as if he can't speak.

There are so many great moments that make him out to be a bit strange and brooding, ie his dark looks at the children, his being out at night and attacking Dick, his rifling through the Barnies' pockets late at night, etc etc, but the 'arrring' just makes him seem as if he has some sort of disability.
It's great to make him a 'man of few words' as that certainly adds to the intrigue but I think they could have portrayed his 'madness in few words' by just getting him to speak the odd word now and again, ie when he 'arrrs' for his wife to get him a cup of tea, and when the children drop a plate and smash it. A chilling madness could be better portrayed by a single word or look, perhaps.
Perhaps even silence and just dark looks would have been more atmospheric, such as when he gets up from the table and glares at Dick before leaving the room, that is very sinister and creepy and he doesn't utter a word.

It seems to me that his madness, which is a great idea, is straying from dark, sinister and suspicious, to some sort of physical disability, and while there is nothing wrong with portrayals of disability in things, I just don't think it seems right in this for the large, sinister character of Mr Penruthlan.