Re: The New Famous Five
Posted: 19 Nov 2008, 23:25
A topical thread, with a range of interesting facts, valid issues, insightful viewpoints, and enlightening links -
Timmy-the-dog wrote:
Moonraker commented:
And how many more kids, etc would then want to move on to reading the original text!
Feel free to rip me and my suggestions apart on this one. One can learn a great deal from other people’s reactions.
‘Aurélien Arkadiusz’
* Hey, why are some of you looking so ill?
Timmy-the-dog wrote:
Julie2owlsdene added:… I just wonder what response there would be today to a 100% accurate famous Five TV series? - original storylines, accurate charaterisations and set firmly in period - The BBC are still known world-wide for their excellent period drama adaptions so there is no doubt they coul;d come up with the goods … I'm sure I would love it
Find-Outer Fan, Moonraker, suggested:I would love to see an accurate 100% version of the Famous Five, set in the same period as the books, and as how Enid wrote them. A good history lesson for todays children surely, on how they had to behave, show respect for their elders and the use of the English language as it should be spoken.
"Now doesn't that sound wonderful my dears!!"
Pippa-Stef asked:Even more of interest to me would be a totally in-period historical dramatisation of a Find-Outer's novel. The sort of programme the BBC are famous for, showing in the Sunday tea-time slot. I would expect it to be serialised, maybe 4 parts of 50 minutes each. I also think that this would show the non-Blyton reading public that there was more to Enid than a wooden doll with a wonky head and the Famous Five. I think the Five have done pretty well over the years with film and tv adaptations. It is time now for Fatty & Co to hit the stage!
LuckyStar commented:Can't we just make all her books into TV series?
Tony Summerfield brought everyone back to earth with the reminder that:Yes an FFO episode would be wonderful if it was done completely faithfully to the books. Sadly the chances of the TV company being able to resist meddling are small.
There is a lot of wishful thinking in this thread, but sadly I think it is a bit of a pipe dream! I would love to see a six-part serialisation of an Enid Blyton book, but I would probably choose a stand-alone novel, such as The Boy Next Door. There is something slightly unsatisfactory about a book being condensed into half an hour and I'm afraid this is what would happen with something like the Find-Outers.
The reality is that these series don't go down particularly well. The second series of the 90s Famous Five got dropped by the ITV Network half way through as it had such poor viewing figures. …..
Moonraker commented:
He then added:I know Tony said that it was all wishful thinking, but this surely borders on the "it ain't ever gonna happen!"
Regardless of which Blyton series or stand-alone book you would prefer to see filmed, it seems to me that there are only three likely avenues by which a totally satisfactory TV and/or Movie Film version could just possibly be made:Which is why I tend to stick to reading the books, Steph. Enid wrote books - not TV films, as with Agatha Christie's appaling adaptations, film and tv adapters have massive egos. They haven't the skills to write novels, so they mess up existing ones. I still watch new adaptations, ever the optimist, but I am usually disappointed.
Why is there the need to watch these stories on a screen when you have a perfectly good one in your head? At least your imagination sees the stories as Enid wrote them.
- 1) by a major producer/director (able to at least partly fund the production) who is already a dedicated Blyton reader;
2) after the copyrights expire, by a small but very talented group of amateur filmmakers, who (by a strange coincidence) are also committed to EB’s books;
3) by the BBC, advised by some of the EB Society members, possibly but not necessarily by ones who post on these boards.
And how many more kids, etc would then want to move on to reading the original text!
Feel free to rip me and my suggestions apart on this one. One can learn a great deal from other people’s reactions.
‘Aurélien Arkadiusz’
* Hey, why are some of you looking so ill?