90s Five go to Smuggler's Top

Discuss the television and film adaptations of Enid Blyton's stories.
User avatar
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: 90s Five go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Chrissie777 »

Tony Summerfield wrote:All 21 stories were filmed and released on video - the only problem was that one of them was only released in a cardboard cover as a free give away! That is probably the hardest video to find now - Five on a Secret Trail.
Just the one that I love so much! :roll:
Chrissie

Society Member

"For me, the cinema is not a slice of life, but a piece of cake."
Alfred Hitchcock
Tony Summerfield
Posts: 6386
Joined: 26 Dec 2004, 12:20

Re: 90s Five go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Tony Summerfield »

I should point out that the dates that I put on my lists on the previous page were just for the first showing on the ITV regions that actually financed it. When it came to the ITV network showing on all regions the second series suffered a major blow as it had very poor viewing figures and ITV took it off before some of the episodes were shown, so at the time buying the video was the only way that you could see them. Although I can't remember for certain, I think the timing of it clashed with Blue Peter on BBC and Blue Peter won!
User avatar
Rob Houghton
Posts: 16029
Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham

Re: 90s Five go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Rob Houghton »

Wolfgang wrote: Yes, I read it, and that's puzzling me. Why should foreign editions with original English sound track publish more episodes than the English themselves? And I also wonder why you haven't already acquired a complete set? ;-)
Not sure why foreign editions should publish more episodes than in UK - except perhaps that I'm talking about videos, which were out on the mid 1990's, and you're talking about DVD's that have been out more recently - so I guess that's why the promotional video of 'Secret Trail' is now a part of the DVD set.

My videos are all originals from the 1990's but I agree I could update and buy the DVD's. However, I'd really only be buying it for the one episode, as I have all the others! ;-)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



Society Member
Nicko
Posts: 298
Joined: 18 May 2011, 15:44
Favourite book/series: The Five-Find Outers, The Adventure Series

Re: 90s Five go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Nicko »

Tony Summerfield wrote:I should point out that the dates that I put on my lists on the previous page were just for the first showing on the ITV regions that actually financed it. When it came to the ITV network showing on all regions the second series suffered a major blow as it had very poor viewing figures and ITV took it off before some of the episodes were shown, so at the time buying the video was the only way that you could see them. Although I can't remember for certain, I think the timing of it clashed with Blue Peter on BBC and Blue Peter won!
That's very interesting. I didn't know that it had done so badly in the ratings. Am I right in saying that those dates listed mean that the second series was shown on a Sunday in those specific ITV regions?

I could be completely wrong here but I think Blue Peter was shown at 17.10 (just before Neighbours) during that era. CITV finished at that time each day and I would have thought it more likely that The Famous Five would have started at around 16.40 and been up against one of the dramas like The Queen's Nose or The Demon Headmaster or something like that. As I say, I could be wrong and probably am.

I guess the failure in the ratings gives one indication why Chorion may have wanted any adaptation of the Mystery series to have been updated to the present.
Society Member
User avatar
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: 90s Five go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Fiona1986 »

You had Blue Peter then Newsround and then Neighbours in those days. Can't remember the exact times but around 5pm onwards probably. I seem to remember the first series was shown earlyish in the children's programmes - I just had time to finish school at 3.15 and get home, change out of my uniform then sit down to watch it, so it was probably on about 4 I would think. I don't remember anything specifically about the second series, though so they could have changed it all around by then.
"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
User avatar
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: 90s Five go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Fiona1986 »

I did have the bright idea of having a look at the Radio Times archive but it only lists BBC's own channels.
"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
User avatar
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: 90s Five go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Fiona1986 »

Well, at least I can confirm the Blue Peter timings!

Monday 11th September 1995
Grange Hill, 4.35
Newsround 5.00
Blue Peter 5.10
Neighbours 5.35

(Why did I always think Newsround came after BP?)

Tuesday had Byker Grove at 5.05
Wednesday Blue Peter at 5.05
Thursday The Animals of Farthing wood at 3.30 (I LOVED that cartoon so I must have made it home as early as 3.30 quite often) and Byker Grove at 5.05
Friday was Blue Peter at 5.10 again

I think that pattern would have been the same every week and certainly very similar the next year or two when the second series was being shown on CITV.
"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
User avatar
Rob Houghton
Posts: 16029
Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham

Re: 90s Five go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Rob Houghton »

Those were the days when we still had quality children's television and not the 'all day' rubbish on freeview we get today!

I remember through the 1970's rushing home to watch BBC children's TV (rarely watched ITV) - and all the quality drams in particular like The Enchanted Castle, Swish of the Curtain, Box of Delights, Moondial etc.

I was a bit 'too old' for the 1990's Famous Five when it came out - but I did catch a few of them. I'm constantly torn between this series and the 1970's series. For me, I think the 70's series just wins - because I watched it at the time, whereas I mainly saw the 90's version on video. 8)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



Society Member
User avatar
Courtenay
Posts: 19274
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: 90s Five go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Courtenay »

Fiona1986 wrote: Thursday The Animals of Farthing wood at 3.30 (I LOVED that cartoon so I must have made it home as early as 3.30 quite often)
Ooh, me too, by the way! :wink: We had it in Australia as well — I had most of the books (by Colin Dann) too.

I honestly can't remember what time/day/channel the '90s Famous Five were on TV in Australia, as that was during my I've-gone-off-Enid-Blyton phase in my early/mid teens. I was aware of the series, though, so I'm almost certain we did have it. It wouldn't have been up against Blue Peter, though, as we don't have that in Australia. (For some reason, we do have Neighbours. :P )
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)
User avatar
Daisy
Posts: 16632
Joined: 28 Oct 2006, 22:49
Favourite book/series: Find-Outers, Adventure series.
Location: Stoke-On-Trent, England

Re: 90s Five go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Daisy »

Newsround did follow Blue Peter at one time.
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.

Society Member
User avatar
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: 90s Five go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Fiona1986 »

That's good to know, Daisy (assuming it was in my lifetime!)
"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
User avatar
Daisy
Posts: 16632
Joined: 28 Oct 2006, 22:49
Favourite book/series: Find-Outers, Adventure series.
Location: Stoke-On-Trent, England

Re: 90s Five go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Daisy »

:D I can't remember the dates Fiona but John Craven had very dark hair at the time!
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.

Society Member
User avatar
IceMaiden
Posts: 2290
Joined: 07 Jan 2016, 18:49
Favourite book/series: Too many to mention! All of them!
Favourite character: George
Location: North Wales

Re: 90s Five go to Smuggler's Top

Post by IceMaiden »

Fiona1986 wrote:Well, at least I can confirm the Blue Peter timings!

Monday 11th September 1995
Grange Hill, 4.35
Newsround 5.00
Blue Peter 5.10
Neighbours 5.35

(Why did I always think Newsround came after BP?)

Tuesday had Byker Grove at 5.05
Wednesday Blue Peter at 5.05
Thursday The Animals of Farthing wood at 3.30 (I LOVED that cartoon so I must have made it home as early as 3.30 quite often) and Byker Grove at 5.05
Friday was Blue Peter at 5.10 again

I think that pattern would have been the same every week and certainly very similar the next year or two when the second series was being shown on CITV.
The second Famous Five series was on a Monday at 4.15 as there's a video on YouTube. As I used to watch it religiously, I am fairly sure the first series was also on at 4.15 but it was on a different day, a Wednesday I *think*. I can't think why it would have got a poor rating as it would have only been up against cartoonish shows on CBBC at that time, unless people didn't bother putting it on so they wouldn't have to switch over half way through it.

As an aside, as a devout lifelong addict and even more religious follower of Farthing Wood, it's interesting to see your region had it on at 3.30, here whilst it was also on a Thursday, it was on at 4.30 instead.
Society Member

I'm just an old fashioned girl with an old fashioned mind
Not sophisticated, I'm the sweet and simple kind
I want an old fashioned house, with an old fashioned fence
And A̶n̶ ̶o̶l̶d̶ ̶f̶a̶s̶h̶i̶o̶n̶e̶d̶ ̶m̶i̶l̶l̶i̶o̶n̶a̶i̶r̶e̶
Image
User avatar
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: 90s Five go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Fiona1986 »

Those times and dates were for London as those are the only ones given. It's quite possible it was different for me in Scotland actually.
"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
User avatar
Petermax
Posts: 1183
Joined: 25 Jan 2007, 21:51
Location: United Kingdom

Re: 90s Five go to Smuggler's Top

Post by Petermax »

IceMaiden wrote:How come you can get all of the 70's series on DVD but the 90's ones are only available in Dutch and the two parter Smuggler's Top is missing from it? It's not even on YouTube, unlike all the other episodes. Why is this one left out/ not available compared to the others?

As an aside, does anybody know where to get a copy? I have it on video but I want to put it on my computer or a DVD. It seems impossible to track down!
Just belatedly read this post. The Smuggler's Top question pops up on a regular basis. A few years ago I posted some information about the Dutch DVD editions of the 1990's Famous Five series, this may well be of interest to you. Link
Post Reply