German "Famous Five" Films

Discuss the television and film adaptations of Enid Blyton's stories.
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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: German "Famous Five" film in 2012

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I've watched the first two German Famous Five films on DVD as a friend very kindly gave them to me as a present. As Dick Kirrin mentioned, the second one has English subtitles - though the bonus features are not subtitled. I have to say I really enjoyed the films. Although modern, they're not too modern and the four main children are very well cast, being natural and likeable. Dick and George are my favourites, I think. Dick's character has been developed in an interesting way - his head is stuffed with all sorts of facts and information and he also has several amusing traits. A couple of jokes revolving around him run through both films. Anne and George both feature prominently, though it seems to me that not quite so much attention is devoted to Julian. Maybe the film-makers wanted to get away from the idea of Julian being dominant and having the final say in decisions? The locations are gorgeous and the stories nicely-paced. Perhaps the villains are a little over-the-top, but that's typical of children's adventure stories.

The first film contains a lot of elements from Five On Kirrin Island Again - with just a touch of The Sea of Adventure! I love the nods in the direction of the 1970s Southern TV series - Timmy, the country tracks, the bikes, the children standing on the trapdoor like in Demon's Rocks and, last but not least, the inclusion of Marcus Harris.

As others have said, the second film is loosely based on Five Get Into Trouble. The pool and gorge where the children camp is spectacular, as are the underground passages. Some parts near the end put me in mind of Indiana Jones but overall it's a good story, entertaining and exciting.

Thanks for the link to the trailer of the third film, Wolfgang. I get the impression that it will be less Blyton-like than the first two as the story appears to be set in an unusually exotic location - perhaps Thailand? Oh, and Kiki has apparently flown into the wrong series! :wink: Is it a completely new story, I wonder, or has it been based on any of the sequels by Claude Voilier, Brigitte Blobel or Sarah Bosse?
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Re: German "Famous Five" film in 2012

Post by Soenke Rahn »

Anita Bensoussane wrote:
Thanks for the link to the trailer of the third film, Wolfgang. I get the impression that it will be less Blyton-like than the first two as the story appears to be set in an unusually exotic location - perhaps Thailand? Oh, and Kiki has apparently flown into the wrong series! :wink: Is it a completely new story, I wonder, or has it been based on any of the sequels by Claude Voilier, Brigitte Blobel or Sarah Bosse?
Yes Thailand, it's a mixture between Five on a Treasure Island and a little bit Five Fall into Adventure - the Joe inpiration, but it was in the near of a new story, and yes more in the direction of Claude Voilier with the exotic ideas, I suppose. Wait a moment I will read the summary ... ;-)
Last edited by Soenke Rahn on 30 Dec 2013, 21:28, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: German "Famous Five" film in 2012

Post by Soenke Rahn »

By the way:

For the third film they have had first the idea to make a film on an exotic place with pirates and then they wrote the script after first plans. On the end the owner of the dog wanted not travel to Thailand so the dog was changed ... [url]compare: http://www.fuenffreundefanpage.at/de_film-3.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;[/url]

So now I have read the summary. Ok, Uncle Quentin seems to has had not the perfect idea for our environment problems (in 5 on Kirrin Island again or the first film), because he will visit an professor in Thailand, which will eliminate the harm of the CO2 with an new invention. So he takes the 5 .... mmm, a new attitudes to the kids. :-) ---- Ok, .... Dick is in love with Joe a little bit more like Five Fall into Adventure, George and Julian are diving and they find a plan to a treasure. The money is important, because Joe's village must payback a sum of money to Mr. Haynes, who will build a new hotel on the place of the village. Beside these similarities one of the haunting villains owns a parrot like Kiki, and there is a shark which want to eat Julian, but later he will be have an bad accident and maybe he will die -- I have not the entire summary.

I hope you have seen me on the first film Anita. ;-) :D
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Re: German "Famous Five" film in 2012

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Thanks for the information, Soenke. The third film does sound rather different. When I watched the first one I became engrossed in the story and forgot to look out for you I'm afraid, but I'll try to spot you next time I watch it!
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Re: German "Famous Five" film in 2012

Post by Francis »

As an aside, I wonder how Timmy254 is getting on - she is such a charming young lady and always kept us up to date with German developments. At least Soenke has kept us fully informed in the last year or two - thank you so much, Soenke.
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Re: German "Famous Five" film in 2012

Post by Dick Kirrin »

Although modern, they're not too modern and the four main children are very well cast, being natural and likeable. Dick and George are my favourites, I think. Dick's character has been developed in an interesting way - his head is stuffed with all sorts of facts and information and he also has several amusing traits. A couple of jokes revolving around him run through both films. Anne and George both feature prominently, though it seems to me that not quite so much attention is devoted to Julian.
Yes, that's what I like about the films, too. Modernized but not overdoing it.
Not so sure I like what they did to Dick, but I must admit it is amusing and well done. Justus Schlingensiepen (the boy who plays the role) does a good job.

Not sure I'd agree about Julian receiving not so much attention. In the second film he gets a fair share of it. In the first film there are some prominent scenes and then there is a lot of team play.

And finally, yes, the 1970s TV series seems to have had an influence...
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Re: German "Famous Five" film in 2012

Post by Wolfgang »

I just finished reading the book of the third Famous Five film. It seems it took many elements of the Voilier books, it's more an adventure than a Famous Five story. Sarah Bosse wrote the novelization of the film. I'll probably watch it when the DVD is coming out, but I can't say I was impressed.
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Re: German "Famous Five" film in 2012

Post by eagle.owl »

In my opinion,the first film was successful orientating at the breath of an Originals' conglomeration
The second one was a very interesting story, sensational indeed but George had changed her look.
It's more feminine
Hope she was sent to a hairdresser before shooting Level 3 and Dick has got a fresh pair of socks. :lol:
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Re: German "Famous Five" film in 2012

Post by Soenke Rahn »

eagle.owl wrote:In my opinion,the first film was successful orientating at the breath of an Originals' conglomeration
The second one was a very interesting story, sensational indeed but George had changed her look.
It's more feminine
Hope she was sent to a hairdresser before shooting Level 3 and Dick has got a fresh pair of socks. :lol:
For me the look was not the problem. The hair was longer but good on the edge. For me, the story was to esoteric. :D
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Re: German "Famous Five" film in 2012

Post by Dick Kirrin »

Esoteric? The second film - or are you referring to the third one?
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Re: German "Famous Five" film in 2012

Post by eagle.owl »

The first two films had a great story, marvellous landscapes and the children did a great job. But the complete works are made for a younger public. This series has got its own charme!
It's not my world. It has nothing but really absolutely nothing to do with the old books and their actions written by Enid Blyton.
But I will buy the DVD of FF 3 when it's available. I'm so nosy. :wink:
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Re: German "Famous Five" film in 2012

Post by Soenke Rahn »

Dick Kirrin wrote:Esoteric? The second film - or are you referring to the third one?
The main Story of the second was inspirated by the Sankara Stone of Indiana Jones but with a sect, named the people of Mathilenen, seems to be, that they live in the neighborhood, and so on. But the piano riddle was also not so logical for me, how I wrote above. --- Ohh, and the priest on the beginning performed like a theatrical theater hero and the contrast of the black cat performer, who played "beside him" like the hero Aragorn of the Lord of the Rings Movie. No, I suppose the third will not go into this direction again. This time a little bit Pirates of Caribbean. (The daughters of Jack Sparrow http://www.filmreporter.de/stars/interv ... er-immer/2 ;-) ).
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Re: German "Famous Five" film in 2012

Post by The 6th Find Outer »

A few days ago the plot of the 4th German Famous Five film has been revealed.

Here is a link:
http://www.presseportal.de/pm/12946/281 ... d-tunesien" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I translated the article, especially the plot, in English:

A legendary pharaoh´s grave in the middle of the desert, a greedy secret society and mysterious mummies - the Famous Five experience a new and tumultuous adventure in the mystic world of the pharaohs.

Today the final take for the 4th part of the successful series was shot in Tunis. The shooting started at the end of june in Munich and was continued with breathtaking views in Tunisia.

This summer holiday history is on the program: Bernhard, the father of Julian, Dick and Anne, is organizing an exhibition about the ancient egypt. During a private guided tour George (VALERIA EISENBART), Julian (QUIRIN OETTL), Dick (JUSTUS SCHLINGENSIEPEN), Anne (NEELE MARIE NICKEL) and Timmy the dog catch a burglar tampering with a more than 5000 year old mummy. The burglar manages to escape, but inside the mummy the FF find a golden amulet, that once belonged to "Tutalun I.", the legendary very first pharaoh, whose priceless treasures are lost. The amulet indicates Tutalun´s hidden pyramid.
Together with Bernhard and his Egyptian colleague Elena the FF fly to Cairo to hand over their discovery to Farouk, the director of the institute of antiquity. Suddenly Bernhard gets arrested. He is accused of having stolen the amulet and having replaced it by a copy. It is obvious to the FF that they have to find the true culprit to prove that Bernhard is not guilty. Together with the likeable pickpocket Auni they start the quest and get in the way of a corrupt secret society. The trace leads them into the "valley of the snakes" in the middle of the desert where they get trapped. Will the FF manage to escape and save Bernhard from a longtime imprisonment?

The following passage is about the production company, the director and the actors. Besides some new actors playing the adult parts there are obviously no changes since the former films of that series.
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Re: German "Famous Five" film in 2012

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Thanks for the details, though it doesn't sound very Famous Five-ish.
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Re: German "Famous Five" film in 2012

Post by The 6th Find Outer »

No, it really doesn´t.
My first thought when I read about that setting was "River of Adventure without the river".

I still can´t really imagine the FF being in Thailand either (third film), but I assume the "classic" Blyton-Fan isn´t the target audience anyway.
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