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Magic Faraway Tree set for cinema?
Posted: 22 Oct 2014, 08:30
by pete9012S
Enid Blyton's Magic Faraway Tree books are being adapted for cinema for the first time.
The books are being developed for a live action film version by Sam Mendes' production company, Neal Street Productions.
The stories follow a group of children and their adventures at the top of a tree in an enchanted forest.
Blyton, who died in 1968, wrote the four books in the series between 1939 and 1951.
The characters in the stories included Silky the fairy, Moonface, Dame Washalot and Saucepan Man.
'Much loved'
"The Magic Faraway Tree is one of the most loved children's books series from an iconic author whose work has been adored by generations, " said Neal Street Productions' Pippa Harris.
"To be able to adapt these for the big screen is incredibly exciting."
Marlene Johnson, head of the Enid Blyton Estate, said: "Enid Blyton was a passionate advocate of children's storytelling, and The Magic Faraway Tree is a fantastic example of her creative imagination.
"It's a much loved title, so we're very excited to announce we've signed an option agreement for development with Neal Street Productions.
"Many generations have grown up with The Magic Faraway Tree and today's news provides a great chance to share the wonder of these stories through a new medium."
Blyton is one of the world's best-selling children's authors and her books have sold in excess of 500 million copies.
The four novels that have been optioned for film adaptation are The Enchanted Wood, The Magic Faraway Tree, The Folk Of The Faraway Tree and Up The Faraway Tree.
Previous films from Neal Street Productions include Oscar-nominated Revolutionary Road, Starter for Ten and Jarhead. It also makes Call The Midwife, The Hollow Crown, and Penny Dreadful for TV.
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I have never read the book.Should I watch the film first in case it spoils it for me??
Re: Magic Faraway Tree set for cinema
Posted: 22 Oct 2014, 08:39
by shadow
Just watching BBC breakfast and they will be discussing this at 8.55 uk time.
Re: Magic Faraway Tree set for cinema
Posted: 22 Oct 2014, 08:44
by Anita Bensoussane
Thanks, Shadow.
The film could be a long time in the making. If I were you I'd read the books first, Pete, so you can form your own impressions of the Faraway Tree and the characters without being influenced by what's shown on screen. Whether the film will come anywhere near to capturing the enchantment and charm of the books remains to be seen.
Re: Magic Faraway Tree set for cinema
Posted: 22 Oct 2014, 09:10
by Daisy
Well that was quite interesting - and a reasonably positive slant on Enid Blyton. I would have liked them to have shown the original book covers as well as the most recent cartoony versions. A wonder how long we will have to wait for the film!
Re: Magic Faraway Tree set for cinema
Posted: 22 Oct 2014, 09:15
by Anita Bensoussane
Just watched the clip on BBC Breakfast. Not much is known about the film yet but it was great to see those who were interviewed speaking so enthusiastically about Enid Blyton's stories. They acknowledged that many modern children's writers have loved and been inspired by Enid Blyton. Contrary to what was said on the programme, it's rather more than 60 years since Enid Blyton created the Faraway Tree. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the publication of The Enchanted Wood!
Re: Magic Faraway Tree set for cinema
Posted: 22 Oct 2014, 13:58
by Courtenay
Just read the news article myself a short time ago - yes, it'll be interesting to see what they make of this!
Re: Magic Faraway Tree set for cinema
Posted: 22 Oct 2014, 18:37
by Lucky Star
This could potentially either be brilliant or a major disappointment. We will have to wait and see. If it actually gets made then it should at least provide some massive publicity for Enid Blyton. That at any rate would be positive.
Re: Magic Faraway Tree set for cinema
Posted: 22 Oct 2014, 19:20
by Courtenay
I guess it depends on whether they really capture the spirit and joy of the original books, or turn it into some completely different creation for the sake of catering to what are seen as modern tastes. Unfortunately there's been a big tendency, in recent years, to take children's classics and make them into films that might be exciting and cinematically brilliant, but that bear very little resemblance to the original stories. (I'm thinking of the Narnia films in particular, or the new film of Paddington Bear, among others.)
Re: Magic Faraway Tree set for cinema
Posted: 22 Oct 2014, 20:21
by Francis
The program raised the usual canard about her books racism, sexism etc and this was just accepted without debate. Still it will be interesting to see how the film turns out. I will keep my fingers crossed!
Re: Magic Faraway Tree set for cinema
Posted: 22 Oct 2014, 22:12
by Courtenay
Considering that I can't think of anything in the Faraway Tree books that could be construed as racist or sexist (though it's over 25 years since I last read them), I'm not sure why the issue even comes up!
About the only controversy I can think of with these books is the renaming of the child characters from Jo, Bessie and Fanny to Joe, Beth and Franny (and, in the second book, Dick to Rick). It always mystifies me how those names were seen as expendable while Dick and Aunt Fanny in the Famous Five remain sacrosanct...
Re: Magic Faraway Tree set for cinema
Posted: 22 Oct 2014, 23:30
by Rob Houghton
I'm presuming that the characters will be called Joe Beth and Franny rather than the original names...which would be a shame. Also wonder if Dame Slap will appear...even though she's been removed from the books.
I think it can only be a good thing, even if they change it beyond recognition story-wise (lets face it - its pretty episodic and they will probably concentrate on the 'save the faraway tree from Trolls' aspect) it will still be a major production with Enid Blyton's name on it - and that has to be good.
It will be interesting to see how things are interpreted...we all have our own special version of the tree in our imaginations, I'm sure, so it will always be hard to please everyone!
Re: Magic Faraway Tree set for cinema
Posted: 22 Oct 2014, 23:58
by Courtenay
The saving of the Faraway Tree from the trolls was always my very favourite part of the books - it was the moment where the story moved from charming little episodes to a thrilling drawn-out drama as the fate of the Tree (and of all its inhabitants) hangs in the balance. I hope they will definitely make that a big part of the story.
Re: Magic Faraway Tree set for cinema
Posted: 23 Oct 2014, 11:38
by Anita Bensoussane
The part about saving the Faraway Tree from the trolls was always one of my favourites too, for the same reasons.
Robert Houghton wrote:I'm presuming that the characters will be called Joe Beth and Franny rather than the original names...which would be a shame. Also wonder if Dame Slap will appear...even though she's been removed from the books.
It would be brilliant if they could reinstate the original names but I suppose they'll want to keep in line with the current editions of the Faraway Tree books. Dame Slap has become the tamer-sounding Dame Snap and she just shouts at people. In the 1990s BBC cartoon series
Enid Blyton's Enchanted Lands she was Dame Tickle and she tickled people with a large feather.
Re: Magic Faraway Tree set for cinema
Posted: 23 Oct 2014, 11:44
by Courtenay
So long as she doesn't turn into Dame Slap-and-Tickle...
Honestly, though - "Dame Tickle" sounds ridiculously pathetic and not threatening at all, even sillier than Dame Snap. Of course, they may well leave her out altogether. I'd really prefer that rather than having these absurd watered-down censored versions of Blyton's creations perpetuated any further.
Re: Magic Faraway Tree set for cinema
Posted: 23 Oct 2014, 12:03
by Daisy
I would much prefer something to be dropped rather than mangled and spoiled by reducing the impact, such as changing Slap to Snap would be. I think the troll episode was one of my favourites too - I can still remember feeling as bad as the children on first reading that the Faraway Tree could be dying.