Casting

Discuss the television and film adaptations of Enid Blyton's stories.
User avatar
Soenke Rahn
Posts: 886
Joined: 08 Jul 2011, 06:22
Location: Germany

Re: Casting

Post by Soenke Rahn »

missjetset wrote:Hello I am a film producer and wondered how forum readers would feel if The Famous Five was updated to include a more international looking cast to help make the story accessible to children all over the world? I would love to know your thoughts and who you might want to see cast in these iconic roles. Thanks
I ask myself which production this should be. Country etc.? In German we have had a new production. Part one was really good, the second was not my favorite and the third will be more international through the location, but the first commentaries are not hilarious to it in the moment. A second thing is, they changed the dog after part 2 and so on. But the film will come in-to the cinemas in Jan, 2014 ...

What means an international cast a cast like the Famous 5: On the Case? I suppose this would be a big story
change so that it would be swiftly another group, maybe interesting but not really Blyton's Famous Five.
And so on ... I do not think that it would work good under the Blyton trademark. For a Famous Five
production I suppose it would be realistic and possible to take kids from England, Germany, Netherlands
and Denmark only. So maybe an European production would work. All thinks above seems to be to complicated I think and so on. The important markets are Germany and after it England for the Famous Five. And so on and so on.

The second would be the time period and so on ... how said above.

So I can not say really something to these plans and I did not want, because I will not have something for it I suppose. :D
Last edited by Soenke Rahn on 20 Sep 2013, 15:17, edited 4 times in total.
User avatar
Soenke Rahn
Posts: 886
Joined: 08 Jul 2011, 06:22
Location: Germany

Re: Re:

Post by Soenke Rahn »

Carlotta King wrote:Or perhaps we should all get together and make one of our own? I'm sure we could allocate parts to everyone here, hehe ;) :D
The mind boggles! :D
I would play Jeremiah Boogle, because I am on the end of the 30s and this would fit perfect 8)
User avatar
MJE
Posts: 2534
Joined: 15 Nov 2006, 12:24
Favourite book/series: Famous Five series
Favourite character: George; Julian; Barney
Location: Victoria, Australia
Contact:

Re: Re:

Post by MJE »

Wayne Pyer wrote:I agree totally with my learned friends. A film of this ilk should be treated as all other "Period Pieces", which is the flavour of the month at the moment.
     I guess if you want to make a Famous Five film but "update" it, you will no doubt find people somewhere who will like the idea - but years of posts on this forum pretty well persuade me that here is not the best place to find favourable opinions about this.
Carlotta King wrote:Or perhaps we should all get together and make one of our own? I'm sure we could allocate parts to everyone here, hehe ;) :D
     Well, I think I have absolutely zero acting ability; but if I had to take a part, the only one I can think of that would even marginally suit me would be that of Uncle Quentin!
Carlotta King wrote:The mind boggles! :D
     It certainly does.

Regards, Michael.
Society Member
User avatar
Carlotta King
Posts: 2828
Joined: 15 Mar 2013, 19:01
Favourite book/series: Adventure, Barney, Secret Series, Famous Five
Favourite character: Bill Smugs,Lucy-Ann,Snubby,Mr King,Diana,Kiki,Paul
Location: England

Re:

Post by Carlotta King »

Well there we go, we've got Uncle Quentin, Jeremiah Boogle, I can see Abi as Lucy-Ann with her lovely red hair, we've got a Bill Smugs (hi Nigel!!! ;) ), Poppy has already played George, we're well on the way to some Blyton films :D :D
"Fussy Gussy! Polly, Polly, Polly-gize!"

Society Member
User avatar
Soenke Rahn
Posts: 886
Joined: 08 Jul 2011, 06:22
Location: Germany

Re: Re:

Post by Soenke Rahn »

Carlotta King wrote:Well there we go, we've got Uncle Quentin, Jeremiah Boogle, I can see Abi as Lucy-Ann with her lovely red hair, we've got a Bill Smugs (hi Nigel!!! ;) ), Poppy has already played George, we're well on the way to some Blyton films :D :D
And not forget we have Francis starring Mr Luffy! http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/foru ... 2&start=60 ;-)
User avatar
Carlotta King
Posts: 2828
Joined: 15 Mar 2013, 19:01
Favourite book/series: Adventure, Barney, Secret Series, Famous Five
Favourite character: Bill Smugs,Lucy-Ann,Snubby,Mr King,Diana,Kiki,Paul
Location: England

Re:

Post by Carlotta King »

Ooh yes Soenke of course, I had forgotten about the Mr Luffy discussion! :D :D
"Fussy Gussy! Polly, Polly, Polly-gize!"

Society Member
User avatar
Petermax
Posts: 1183
Joined: 25 Jan 2007, 21:51
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Casting

Post by Petermax »

missjetset wrote:Hello I am a film producer and wondered how forum readers would feel if The Famous Five was updated to include a more international looking cast to help make the story accessible to children all over the world?
Oh dear, how can such a self conscious enterprise such as this ever be a success? The Famous Five consist of three siblings and a cousin, very little scope there for ethnic diversity I would have thought. The Five have always been accessible to children all over the world via the books and of course and the film and television adaptions that have been translated into many languages.

Appealing to an international audience is very laudable, but maybe the best thing for television is a completely original concept and script not derived from a book.
User avatar
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: Casting

Post by Wolfgang »

Petermax wrote:The Famous Five consist of three siblings and a cousin, very little scope there for ethnic diversity I would have thought.
The "Famous Five on the case" come into mind... ;-)
Success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.
User avatar
Petermax
Posts: 1183
Joined: 25 Jan 2007, 21:51
Location: United Kingdom

Re: Casting

Post by Petermax »

Wolfgang wrote:The "Famous Five on the case" come into mind... ;-)
Never got around to viewing this cartoon adaptation. :lol:
User avatar
MJE
Posts: 2534
Joined: 15 Nov 2006, 12:24
Favourite book/series: Famous Five series
Favourite character: George; Julian; Barney
Location: Victoria, Australia
Contact:

Re: Casting

Post by MJE »

     Here are my suggestions for writing a jolly good and very accessible story. On no account should you *try* consciously to be accessible, but just create good, likeable characters, devise a good plot with a few twists, start slow and relaxed and full of companionship like the Famous Five setting out on a lovely holiday, describe the scenery along the way, wind the plot up with ever-increasing intensity, and end with a really exciting climax with lots of danger and narrow escapes in it, and finish up with a wonderful, heart-warming happy ending.
     Avoid obvious racism and sexism or other "isms" you don't like, but otherwise do *not* try to be politically correct, or modern, or anything like that. I think I once read in a "how-to-write" book, "Never try to be politically correct; tell things as they are. Political correctness is the absolute whiff of death to a story." (I'm paraphrasing it, but it was to that effect.)
     If you do all that, I think it will be your best chance of writing a story accessible to young people, and maybe older people too, from anywhere in the world.

Regards, Michael.
Society Member
User avatar
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: Casting

Post by Wolfgang »

Petermax wrote:
Wolfgang wrote:The "Famous Five on the case" come into mind... ;-)
Never got around to viewing this cartoon adaptation. :lol:
There are 12 books with 24 stories available, you don't have to watch them. :-)
Success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.
User avatar
Anita Bensoussane
Forum Administrator
Posts: 26768
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: Casting

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Thankfully you don't have to read them either! :wink:
"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
Katharine
Posts: 12284
Joined: 25 Nov 2009, 15:50

Re: Casting

Post by Katharine »

Petermax wrote:The Famous Five consist of three siblings and a cousin, very little scope there for ethnic diversity I would have thought.
As much as I hate the idea of the FF being modernised, I can actually see that might work. For example, the two fathers could be white brothers, but one marry an Asian lady, the other someone from a Caribbean background. Mr. 'Barnard' could have fathered Julian with wife No.1, then divorced, married another lady from another ethnic background, who has a son - Dick, preferably fathered by someone of yet another nationality, then the two of them have Anne between them. So none of the 4 children would have the same mix of racial backgrounds. Just imagine, a Jamaican George, an Indian Julian, a Polish Dick and an American Anne!

However, I still think the idea of trying to make them appeal to a wide audience is fraught with difficulties. For example, would any references to ham sandwiches or frying sausages have to be removed to avoid upsetting viewers from a Muslim background? If references were made to currency, which country's should be used? Where should the programmes be filmed? Would children from a high rise American city understand shots of leafy English lanes, or waves crashing onto Cornish rocks. Even the language the children use could be difficult. Not sure if the need would arise, but should they talk about cars running on petrol or gas? How many countries would understand the idea of a 'Spook Train' running on steam? Even minor points like which side of the road should cars drive on?

I would say it was practically impossible to film something that would appeal to everyone, so rather than try, best leave the FF well alone in terms of trying to alter it. Either children will like it for they way it was written, or they won't.
Society Member
User avatar
Moonraker
Posts: 22387
Joined: 31 Jan 2005, 19:15
Location: Wiltshire, England
Contact:

Re: Casting

Post by Moonraker »

Katharine, I think it is time for your medication! :wink:
Anita wrote:Thankfully you don't have to read them either!
:mrgreen:
Society Member
Post Reply