Famous Five 90s Series
- Fiona1986
- Posts: 10527
- Joined: 01 Dec 2007, 15:35
- Favourite book/series: Five Go to Smuggler's Top
- Favourite character: Julian Kirrin
- Location: Dundee, Scotland
- Contact:
Re: Famous Five 90s Series
I also much prefer the 90s series.
"It's the ash! It's falling!" yelled Julian, almost startling Dick out of his wits...
"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
World of Blyton Blog
Society Member
"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
World of Blyton Blog
Society Member
- Courtenay
- Posts: 19275
- Joined: 07 Feb 2014, 01:22
- Favourite book/series: The Adventure Series, Galliano's Circus
- Favourite character: Lotta
- Location: Both Aussie and British; living in Cheshire
Re: Famous Five 90s Series
I've never watched much of either series, but the thing that always bugs me about the '90s one - does anyone else feel this too? - is that their version of Timmy seems far too small. In the books - as illustrated by both Soper and Maxey - and in the '70s series as well, he's a big, strong, burly dog who can easily hurl himself at villains to protect the children. In the '90s TV version, he looks barely bigger than a terrier!
Society Member
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
- Fiona1986
- Posts: 10527
- Joined: 01 Dec 2007, 15:35
- Favourite book/series: Five Go to Smuggler's Top
- Favourite character: Julian Kirrin
- Location: Dundee, Scotland
- Contact:
Re: Famous Five 90s Series
I don't think Connal is much smaller than Toddy really. Timmy isn't a border collie like Toddy, either. I think for both series the producers just found the best acting dog for the role, rather than trying to find one that matched Blyton's description of a large mongrel with an overly long tail and a wide smile.
"It's the ash! It's falling!" yelled Julian, almost startling Dick out of his wits...
"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
World of Blyton Blog
Society Member
"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
World of Blyton Blog
Society Member
- Chrissie777
- Posts: 9446
- Joined: 17 Mar 2012, 16:54
- Favourite book/series: Famous Five, Adventure Series, Valley of Adventure
- Favourite character: George Kirrin, Jack Trent
- Location: Worcester, MA, USA
Re: Famous Five 90s Series
I agree whole-heartedly with Pippa!!!Pippa-Stef wrote:That depends on the person. It certainly captured my imagination more than the 70's series. And a lot of Jemima's fans know her from The Famous Five.
My Eileen Soper illustrated FF books were read in the mid to late sixties. I had seen "Five on a Treasure Island" (1957) on TV. So when I found out that the FF actually will be on TV in a TV series, I was excited and looked forward. I was so disappointed.
However, I didn't appreciate the attempt of the producer/director to modernize the FF and set them in the present time (and to be honest: I hated that song!).
So when the new TV series was on German TV in the mid 90's, I was kind of skeptical that this time it would be done the right way, but I was very pleasantly surprised . I love the actors (according to Soper's illustrations they always use the wrong kind of breed for Timmy, in the 1957 movie, the 1970's TV series as well as the 1990's TV series), the vintage feel, old cars, 40's dresses etc. This is like I imagined it.
Chrissie
Society Member
"For me, the cinema is not a slice of life, but a piece of cake."
Alfred Hitchcock
Society Member
"For me, the cinema is not a slice of life, but a piece of cake."
Alfred Hitchcock
- Chrissie777
- Posts: 9446
- Joined: 17 Mar 2012, 16:54
- Favourite book/series: Famous Five, Adventure Series, Valley of Adventure
- Favourite character: George Kirrin, Jack Trent
- Location: Worcester, MA, USA
Re: Famous Five 90s Series
Courtenay, the dog is always too small in all FF movies/TV series. I wonder why they couldn't find a dog who looks more like Timmy as I've seen this breed from time to time.Courtenay wrote:I've never watched much of either series, but the thing that always bugs me about the '90s one - does anyone else feel this too? - is that their version of Timmy seems far too small. In the books - as illustrated by both Soper and Maxey - and in the '70s series as well, he's a big, strong, burly dog who can easily hurl himself at villains to protect the children. In the '90s TV version, he looks barely bigger than a terrier!
Chrissie
Society Member
"For me, the cinema is not a slice of life, but a piece of cake."
Alfred Hitchcock
Society Member
"For me, the cinema is not a slice of life, but a piece of cake."
Alfred Hitchcock
Re: Famous Five 90s Series
The sight of Julian hobbling around with his leg in plaster really irritated me!
Society Member
- Chrissie777
- Posts: 9446
- Joined: 17 Mar 2012, 16:54
- Favourite book/series: Famous Five, Adventure Series, Valley of Adventure
- Favourite character: George Kirrin, Jack Trent
- Location: Worcester, MA, USA
Re: Famous Five 90s Series
Don't remember that. I have to watch it again.
Chrissie
Society Member
"For me, the cinema is not a slice of life, but a piece of cake."
Alfred Hitchcock
Society Member
"For me, the cinema is not a slice of life, but a piece of cake."
Alfred Hitchcock
- Gary Russell
- Posts: 391
- Joined: 10 Mar 2007, 21:41
- Favourite book/series: FF
- Favourite character: well duh...
- Location: Cold, windy but beautiful Cardiff
Re: Famous Five 90s Series
I thought Timmy was a mongrel. Part Setter, part spaniel.Chrissie777 wrote:Courtenay, the dog is always too small in all FF movies/TV series. I wonder why they couldn't find a dog who looks more like Timmy as I've seen this breed from time to time.Courtenay wrote:I've never watched much of either series, but the thing that always bugs me about the '90s one - does anyone else feel this too? - is that their version of Timmy seems far too small. In the books - as illustrated by both Soper and Maxey - and in the '70s series as well, he's a big, strong, burly dog who can easily hurl himself at villains to protect the children. In the '90s TV version, he looks barely bigger than a terrier!
- Courtenay
- Posts: 19275
- Joined: 07 Feb 2014, 01:22
- Favourite book/series: The Adventure Series, Galliano's Circus
- Favourite character: Lotta
- Location: Both Aussie and British; living in Cheshire
Re: Famous Five 90s Series
Timmy was indisputably a mongrel, but we're never given any definite evidence of which breeds might be in his ancestry. Here's the description from when we first meet him in Five on a Treasure Island:
As Fiona said, the producers were probably focussing more on the dogs' acting abilities than their resemblance to the descriptions in the books.
We did have a discussion some time ago about a breed of dog that somewhat resembles Eileen Soper's illustrations of Timmy: http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/foru ... f=4&t=6311" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; But especially as Enid acknowledged that Soper's illustrations were not exactly like her own mental image of Timmy, it's almost impossible to tell what the author herself really had in mind as his appearance.
Definitely not a Border Collie as per Toddy, but Connal doesn't fit the description any better!...a big brown mongrel dog with an absurdly long tail and a big wide mouth that really seemed to grin... As a dog, Timothy was far from perfect. He was the wrong shape, his head was too big, his ears were too pricked, his tail was too long, and it was quite impossible to say what kind of a dog he was supposed to be. But he was such a mad, friendly, clumsy, laughable creature that every one of the children adored him at once.
As Fiona said, the producers were probably focussing more on the dogs' acting abilities than their resemblance to the descriptions in the books.
We did have a discussion some time ago about a breed of dog that somewhat resembles Eileen Soper's illustrations of Timmy: http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/foru ... f=4&t=6311" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; But especially as Enid acknowledged that Soper's illustrations were not exactly like her own mental image of Timmy, it's almost impossible to tell what the author herself really had in mind as his appearance.
Society Member
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
- Anita Bensoussane
- Forum Administrator
- Posts: 26776
- Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 23:25
- Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
- Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
- Location: UK
Re: Famous Five 90s Series
A dog which was part Setter would certainly fit the bill, I think.Gary Russell wrote:I thought Timmy was a mongrel. Part Setter, part spaniel.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
Society Member
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
Society Member
- Julie2owlsdene
- Posts: 15244
- Joined: 24 Jul 2007, 20:15
- Favourite book/series: F.F. and Mystery Series - Five get into Trouble
- Favourite character: Dick
- Location: Cornwall
Re: Famous Five 90s Series
Yes, I think Enid described Timmy as a mongrel.
In the first book she writes:-
A big brown Mongrel dog with an absurdly long tail and a big wide mouth that really seemed to grin!
And a few lines later wrote.
As a dog Timmy was far from perfect. He was the wrong shape, his head was too big, his ears were too pricked, his tail too long and it was quite impossible to say what kind of a dog he was supposed to be. But he was such a mad, friendly, clumsy, laughable creature that every one of the children adored him at once.
I think if I'd have seen Timmy I would have loved him at once too!
In the first book she writes:-
A big brown Mongrel dog with an absurdly long tail and a big wide mouth that really seemed to grin!
And a few lines later wrote.
As a dog Timmy was far from perfect. He was the wrong shape, his head was too big, his ears were too pricked, his tail too long and it was quite impossible to say what kind of a dog he was supposed to be. But he was such a mad, friendly, clumsy, laughable creature that every one of the children adored him at once.
I think if I'd have seen Timmy I would have loved him at once too!
Julian gave an exclamation and nudged George.
"See that? It's the black Bentley again. KMF 102!"
Society Member
"See that? It's the black Bentley again. KMF 102!"
Society Member
- Courtenay
- Posts: 19275
- Joined: 07 Feb 2014, 01:22
- Favourite book/series: The Adventure Series, Galliano's Circus
- Favourite character: Lotta
- Location: Both Aussie and British; living in Cheshire
Re: Famous Five 90s Series
Perhaps a cross between a Portuguese Podengo Grande (the breed Chrissie suggested) and an Irish Setter would produce the closest match to Timmy?
Society Member
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
- Wolfgang
- Posts: 3121
- Joined: 06 Apr 2008, 05:26
- Favourite book/series: The children at Green Meadows/Adventure-series
- Favourite character: Fatty
- Location: Germany
Re: Famous Five 90s Series
I might be wrong about it, but I think Enid Blyton mentioned that Timmy was based on a real dog, but Soper's drawing didn't do it justice because she had never seen him.
Success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.
Re: Famous Five 90s Series
Yes, good point, Wolfgang. We all think we know what Tim looks like, but most of us use Eileen's image of him.
Society Member
- Courtenay
- Posts: 19275
- Joined: 07 Feb 2014, 01:22
- Favourite book/series: The Adventure Series, Galliano's Circus
- Favourite character: Lotta
- Location: Both Aussie and British; living in Cheshire
Re: Famous Five 90s Series
Yes, I did mention that earlier in this discussion:Wolfgang wrote:I might be wrong about it, but I think Enid Blyton mentioned that Timmy was based on a real dog, but Soper's drawing didn't do it justice because she had never seen him.
Here's the quote I was referring to, as shared by Anita in another discussion:Courtenay wrote:But especially as Enid acknowledged that Soper's illustrations were not exactly like her own mental image of Timmy, it's almost impossible to tell what the author herself really had in mind as his appearance.
As I said in the thread about the Podengo Grande, I wish Enid had at least drawn a sketch of the dog she had in mind for Eileen Soper to work from. It would be so interesting to see exactly what she herself was picturing as she wrote about Timmy! But I guess we'll never know.Anita Bensoussane wrote:Enid Blyton based Timmy on a real dog belonging to a girl she once knew, and she accepted that no artist could read her mind and portray Timmy exactly as the real dog had looked. In The Story of My Life Enid wrote:
...although he was like Timmy (the dog in the book) in character, the artist has not drawn him quite as he looked - but then, she had never seen him, so how could she?
Society Member
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)