adventuregirl wrote:Well, I grew up with the 90s series but I've just been watching some episode from the 70s and i have to say I actually prefer the 70s.
I continue to be surprised at the large number 1970s Famous Five series fans on this forum who were not even born when it first aired (1978) and probably not even around when it was repeated during the early 1980s. The hallmark of a good series is the casting, one cannot imagine anyone other than Marcus, Gary, Jennifer and Michele playing those roles.
adventuregirl wrote: Okay, so it does sometimes deviate a bit from the books (as in the first episode was a 'Treasure Island' and Kirren Island Again' combination and for some reason they seem to have a gardener instead of a cook)
Due to copyright reasons Southern TV could not use Five on a Treasure Island because the Childrens Film Foundation held the film rights. The presence of a gardener instead of a cook was to facilitate the use of German actors as the series was a co-production with a German company. Uncle Quentin was also played by a German actor and Michele Gallagher had German relatives.
Somewhere I do have the script for Treasure Island - we got *that* far before the Powers That Be realised they couldn't make it. A mate of mine called Marek Kurpiel was cast in it even. It was only a couple of weeks off filming before they realised it wasn't going to happen and drafted in KIA to turn that into the first story.
I am ashamed to say that I have never seen the 1990s FF series,though I am a big fan of Jemima Rooper-she is in one of my all-time favorite films "Random Quest",based on a John Wyndham story.
I am however thrilled to say that yesterday I won a 1970s FF video on eBay for £2.95!Its "Five go to Mystery Moor/Five go off to Camp"-one of the several missing from my collection.Needless to say I am gagging to see it.
"Food always tastes SO much nicer out of doors!"
In my teens,I wanted to be Anne from the Famous Five.
In my twenties,I realised I was.
There are already one or two Jemima fans on this forum Tweenid, did you ever see her in Hex?
The 1990s Famous Five series is well worth watching, Jemima Rooper's portrayal of George is very good indeed. However, I doubt if any actress could fully recreate a Blyton/Soper George but Jemima does come very close.
Thats a great clip,thanks for the link Peter.Its certainly whetted my appetite so I will track down the series on DVD.
Another successful eBay purchase of the 1970s versions for me this week-"Five go down to the Sea/Together Again" on mint condition VHS for £2.Its so strange to see Rupert Graves in it!Really good episodes these.Did anyone see the photocard signed by the original actors that went for over £22 on eBay?
"Food always tastes SO much nicer out of doors!"
In my teens,I wanted to be Anne from the Famous Five.
In my twenties,I realised I was.
The Famous Five 1990s series is not available on DVD in the UK but the two Dutch DVD box-sets can easily be obtained via Ebay at a very reasonable price. All episodes are included apart from Five Go To Smugglers Top, you will have to track down that one as an Ebay VHS.
For more details of the Dutch DVD box-sets please view my post from July of this year.
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!
"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.
Fiona1986 wrote: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
Ah yes, Every third episode or so, Uncle Quentin in his trusty Ford Cortina Estate would turn up and give the Famous Five a good rollocking. This would be replied by Scooby Doo style laughter from the children followed by the end credits. A fair amount of poetic licence was used in the 1970s series.
I absolutely detested all that laughter at the end of every episode. I also hated the way the storyline was crammed into about 22 minutes of filming. I disliked the New Forest setting - nothing very Blyton in that, and couldn't see any authenticity in Quentin having a German accent. I can never see why the majority seem to prefer the 70s version, when we all hate any updating of Enid's work.
For me, the 90s series knocks spots of it. Okay, Julian's part was a bit overacted, but at least they dressed properly!
Fiona, I so agree with you about Jemima - a great George and a great Thelma in Hex!
Moonraker wrote:
I can never see why the majority seem to prefer the 70s version, when we all hate any updating of Enid's work.
I do not "hate" updating of her work if it's not exaggerated. Probably I would not like a new FF series in which the children are using computers and mobiles.
But in the 70s version the updating´s level is o.k. for me.
Lots of people prefer the old version because of nostalgia and because it reminds them of their childhood.
But I absolutely understand when others prefer the 90s version because of its authentic look or other reasons.
I have to say that I much prefer the 90s versions - partly because of all the reasons mentioned above, and also because they were the ones that I grew up with, when I had started reading the Famous Five books. The actors were more or less as I had imagined the characters, and I loved the 40s/50s style clothing. However, if i had grown up with the 70s films, I would probably have voted for them, just for the sense of nostalgia, and also because the clothes at least would be the sort that I would probably have been accustomed to wearing, as opposed to too modern for the FF/ too 'old fashioned' for me. Usually the first version of a film etc is my favourite, unless it is very bad , as I then compare everything else by it, but maybe that's just me?
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What a brilliant clip Petermax!
Definitely the best series! A fearsome uncle Quentin, and a much better Timmy (definitely more mongrelish).
The actor playing Dick has somewhat of a lisp which reminds me - I have "Five go off to camp" on a cassette somwhere. It's the same actors but I'm not sure if it was recorded separately or taken directly from the TV show. It has some brilliant bits on especially Jock's over done Scottish accent "Aye I'm a ninny" and "I let the cat properly out of the bag" spring to mind.
Those who are avid fans of the 1970s series were most likely born around the mid 1960s as I was although there are exceptions such as G@K. Our loyalty to this series is undiminished, but perhaps it would be interesting to imagine what would have happened had the series been filmed in its proper time period. Picture the cast in 1950s clothes and with the location moved just a few miles down the coast to Dorset, it may just have worked. Period TV dramas for children were actually all the rage during the 1970s although they were mostly of a Dickensian nature.
Many of the supporting characters in the 70s series were in my opinion superior to the 90s version. Take Sniffer for example, he really looks the part but in the 90s series he is depicted wearing a thick coat of theatrical snot on his upper lip, I can barely watch this, I have to look away! Tinker is more realistically portrayed (more manic) and Sue Best played a far more maternal Aunt Fanny compared to Mary Waterhouse whose portrayal seemed to be somewhat cold.
[Petermax:] Many of the supporting characters in the 70s series were in my opinion superior to the 90s version.
Yes, I'd agree with that. Tinker, Nobby, Sooty and Sniffer (called Sniffy! ) are particularly good in the 1970s version. I also like Lou and Tiger Dan, Curton and Barling. The main characters in the 1970s series come across as more natural too, most of the time (although Jemima Rooper's portrayal of George in the 1990s series is exceptional.)
Anita
"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.
Fiona1986 wrote:The actor playing Dick has somewhat of a lisp which reminds me - I have "Five go off to camp" on a cassette somwhere. It's the same actors but I'm not sure if it was recorded separately or taken directly from the TV show.
This is not the case, Fiona. They used a completely different set of actors on the audio cassettes (I assume you are talking about the 90s series). This got a number of comments when they were first released as the cover picture was taken from the TV series.
For reference sake, George - Jo Thurley, Anne - Scarlett Strallen, Julian - Rowan D'Albert and Dick - Adam Free-Paske
, as I then compare everything else by it, but maybe that's just me?
) are particularly good in the 1970s version. I also like Lou and Tiger Dan, Curton and Barling. The main characters in the 1970s series come across as more natural too, most of the time (although Jemima Rooper's portrayal of George in the 1990s series is exceptional.)