Famous Five - which TV series?

[Pippa-Stef]

Personally I prefer the 1990's version, just because I grew up with it I suppose.
I have all the video's bar one (Five on a Secret trail- a very rare item I know, very expensive and a very competive one to find on E-bay)
But Fair's far,
I have sat down and watched the 1970's one, but as a 90's child, they were a bit aloof for me, and i have to confess I did have a few, misplaced Giggles, because in my mind i can't see the Five looking like they did in the 70's.
The Mistake might have been trying to update the stories, the 70's ones i believe will age too fast, where as the 90's will take some time to mature and i feel make more sence.

Another Guitly pleasure in it, I'm afraid, slight crush on Marco Williamson who played Julian.
Jemima Rooper was a brilliant George, and super in Hex (A Bit off topic- Sorry)

[Petermax]

The 1970s series is probably most appreciated by those who were around the age of
12/13 when it first aired in 1978. I have some great memories of the 1970s, I had an
enormous amount of freedom from quite an early age.

Regarding Five on a Secret Trail, I can testify from experience that it is indeed a difficult and expensive tape to track down. However, the entire 1990s series is available on DVD via Ebay. One can buy an entire box set for far less than an Ebay VHS of Secret Trail. The playback quality is fine but I am still unsure as to whether they are official releases or not.

I wrote a detailed post about the Ebay Famous Five 90s series box sets last year, here is the link;

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/foru ... it=#p22438

[Pippa-Stef]

Regarding Five on a Secret Trail, I can testify from experience that it is indeed a difficult and expensive tape to track down. However, the entire 1990s series is available on DVD via Ebay. One can buy an entire box set for far less than an Ebay VHS of Secret Trail. The playback quality is fine but I am still unsure as to whether they are official releases or not.

I wrote a detailed post about the Ebay Famous Five 90s series box sets last year, here is the link;

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/foru ... it=#p22438

Thanks.
I already have both the tapes and the DVD's. The DVD's contains, as I'm sure you know, Five on a Secret trail, but does not contain, five go to Smugglers top.
The DVD's are Dutch, so possibly linked to the German part of the filming company- Zenith North.

[Jeffery Greyling]

I have to say I prefer the 90's version.
I have the 70's series on DVD and it always annoys me the way Uncle Quentin (who is nothing like I imagine him - he is far too young and genial) shows up at the end of so many of the stories - where did that come from?
Besides the 90's version is much more authentic as they stuck with 40s/50s clothes, cars, torches etc. Plus I loved Jemima Rooper as George!

I didn't mind Jemima as George, but I think her hair was far too long and curly, and she was too much of a caricature of George. I think Michele Gallagher was a better George, because she wasn't quite as pretentious. Just my opinion.

That said, I liked Jemima Rooper playing George too! I can't seem to choose between the two.

[Pippa-Stef]

Besides the 90's version is much more authentic as they stuck with 40s/50s clothes, cars, torches etc. Plus I loved Jemima Rooper as George!

I didn't mind Jemima as George, but I think her hair was far too long and curly, and she was too much of a caricature of George. I think Michele Gallagher was a better George, because she wasn't quite as pretentious. Just my opinion.

That said, I liked Jemima Rooper playing George too! I can't seem to choose between the two.

I loved Jemima as George. To me she is/was George. And I didn't have a problem with the hair, because in Five Go to Mystery Moor Enid does say that George's curly hair looked nice with her evening clothes. To Me Jemima was right.

Just my two pennies worth!

[Moonraker]

It is well documented in the vaults that for me Jemima made a wonderful George. I became quite obsessed with her, following her career with interest through programmes such a Hex, Lost in Austen and Agatha Christie's Poirot to name just three. Although playing a lesbian ghost in Hex, Jemima's Thelma Bates retained much of the humour and mischievous traits that she portrayed playing George.

[Jeffery Greyling]

It is well documented in the vaults that for me Jemima made a wonderful George. I became quite obsessed with her, following her career with interest through programmes such a Hex, Lost in Austen and Agatha Christie's Poirot to name just three. Although playing a lesbian ghost in Hex, Jemima's Thelma Bates retained much of the humour and mischievous traits that she portrayed playing George.

Don't get me wrong - I liked her as George too, I'm just undecided as to which actress I prefer in the role. I didn't make myself very clear in the other post - what I meant was that the role of George in the '90s series (to me) felt slightly overdone. Not the actress, just the part. I actually thought she made a great George. With scenes in Treasure Island like the one where Uncle Quention tells them all he's sold the island, I love how feirce she looks when she says "I won't let you, I won't let you sell my island!" Then she storms out of the room looking exactly like George.

With the Famous Five TV series', I've worked it out as this. None of the films or TV series they've made of the Famous Five are exactly like the books. There are changes to the time, the setting, and other subtle changes. If you want the most accurate version of the Famous Five, you can read the books. There will never be a TV series or a film which will stay true to the book in all aspects. If you want the Famous Five set in the 1970s, watch the '78 series. If you want the Famous Five set in the '50s/'60s, watch the CFF productions. If you want the Famous FIve made in the '90s, set in the '50s, watch the '90s series. It all depends on a matter of taste. I like all three different verions of the Five for different reasons.

BTW, did Jemima act in Poirots? Which ones?

[Moonraker]

BTW, did Jemima act in Poirots? Which ones?

She played Norma Restarick in Third Girl, first shown in 2008.

[Pippa-Stef]

With the Famous Five TV series', I've worked it out as this. None of the films or TV series they've made of the Famous Five are exactly like the books. There are changes to the time, the setting, and other subtle changes. If you want the most accurate version of the Famous Five, you can read the books. There will never be a TV series or a film which will stay true to the book in all aspects.

But that can be said about any book being adapted for TV or the Big screen. Prime examples of this are the Harry Potter books, and Twilight to some exents. And then you have the Agatha Christie Adaptations. The New Miss Marples and to an extent the Poirots are now "Based on the Novel" by Agatha Christie, giving the Directors some artistic liscence or so they believe.

BTW, did Jemima act in Poirots? Which ones?

She played Norma Restarick in Third Girl, first shown in 2008.

Which I now have on DVD. You can get it with one of those deals that have the DVD and a magazine with it £7.99. Her portrayal of Norma in this episode of Poirot just shows what an versitle actress she is!!!