Blyton on the Wireless - The Magic Faraway Tree

Discuss the television and film adaptations of Enid Blyton's stories.
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Moonraker
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Blyton on the Wireless - The Magic Faraway Tree

Post by Moonraker »

Georgina is always rattling on about a TV/film version, but BBC Radio 4 have a two part dramatisation, The Magic Faraway Tree, to be broadcast on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve respectively. The names are the updated ones, but it should be worth listening to - if only to complain about it afterwards!
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Re: Blyton on the Wireless

Post by zaidi »

You mean to say Georgina Hargreaves?
Will it be there on you tube?
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Re: Blyton on the Wireless

Post by Moonraker »

I believe there is a 'foreign' version of the BBC iPlayer available worldwide, you will probably be able to access it there. I'm not sure if it is free of charge though. According to the BBC website you can listen to radio programmes without charge.

Most radio programmes are available to listen live or on demand outside the UK, in addition to podcasts, although sporting and other programmes may be subject to rights agreements.
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Re: Blyton on the Wireless

Post by Lucky Star »

This could be interesting. Even if, as Nigel says, we only get to have a good moan about it afterwards. :lol:
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Re: Blyton on the Wireless

Post by poddys »

I ought to set this to record.
I went on some great adventures reading the Famous Five books.
Enid Blyton Creator of The Famous Five
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Re: Blyton on the Wireless

Post by Pippa-Stef »

I assume for those of us who will forget, there will be a chance to hear it on iPlayer if nothing else!
"You're so sharp you'll cut yourself one day!" Hunchy said going to the door
"So my Mother told me that when I was two years old!" said Julian and the others giggled.

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Magic Faraway Tree on Radio 4

Post by Kate Mary »

Episode One is on Christmas Eve at 11.30 and the second on New Year's Eve. It stars Johnny Vegas and Nigel Planer.

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Last edited by Kate Mary on 31 Dec 2012, 23:31, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Blyton on the Wireless - The Magic Faraway Tree

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I just listened to Part 1:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pftbl" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

An enjoyable adaptation despite Dick having become Rick. I liked the way Rick couldn't control his excitement at the thought of climbing the Faraway Tree and kept pointing at every big tree they passed and asking the others, "Is that it?" Unfortunately not many chapters were covered in Part 1 and there's only one more episode to come, so the story is obviously going to be heavily abridged.
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Re: Blyton on the Wireless - The Magic Faraway Tree

Post by Jack400 »

Thanks for the link, Anita, now I'm ready for part 2.
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Re: Blyton on the Wireless - The Magic Faraway Tree

Post by Jack400 »

A pleasant distraction during the washing up! It's good that the BBC decided to embrace Enid's books- I read that they had nothing but contempt for her.
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Re: Blyton on the Wireless - The Magic Faraway Tree

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I've now listened to Part 2 and it was lovely to be reminded of the wonderfully imaginative and surreal touches which these stories have in abundance, such as the witch knitting coloured smoke into stockings or the Saucepan Man panicking because he had already swallowed his chocolate before realising it would turn into a stone.

Talking of the Saucepan Man, to my mind he was singing his "Two" songs in quite the wrong tune! I've had my own tune in my head for nearly forty years and it was strange to hear someone else's interpretation.

At least the pop biscuits were still pop biscuits and not pop cakes, which is what they've become in some modern editions of the books (because the word "biscuits" supposedly wouldn't be understood internationally).

What a pity that so much of the story was cut, including some amazing lands like the Land of Dreams, the Land of Do-As-You-Please, the Land of the Old Woman, the Land of Magic Medicines, the Land of Tempers and the Land of Presents. Because of that, some of the most magical, emotional and alarming elements of the narrative were missing and I felt the audio version only gave listeners a taste of the delights of the original story.
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Re: Blyton on the Wireless - The Magic Faraway Tree

Post by Jack400 »

I found it quite enchanting & wondered whether the chocolate turning into stone has helped get the message about not accepting sweets from strangers across.
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Re: Blyton on the Wireless - The Magic Faraway Tree

Post by Moonraker »

I thought I'd listen to the first part last night - only to find that it was no longer available. Gutted!
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Re: Blyton on the Wireless - The Magic Faraway Tree

Post by joanne_chan »

Anita Bensoussane wrote:What a pity that so much of the story was cut, including some amazing lands like the Land of Dreams, the Land of Do-As-You-Please, the Land of the Old Woman, the Land of Magic Medicines, the Land of Tempers and the Land of Presents. Because of that, some of the most magical, emotional and alarming elements of the narrative were missing and I felt the audio version only gave listeners a taste of the delights of the original story.
I also thought it was a bit rushed cutting too many essential lands out but the effects were good and I guess it can only help to get more interested Enid's work.
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Re: Blyton on the Wireless - The Magic Faraway Tree

Post by joanne_chan »

Moonraker wrote:I thought I'd listen to the first part last night - only to find that it was no longer available. Gutted!
I do have both parts recorded but it's on MiniDisc (I was an early adopter of this Japanese portable medium) and don't have anything to transfer the digital output of my home deck to something to write it in a solid state music player format you'd use on say an iPod.
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