Treasure Island which version ?

[billy bentley]

My youngest boy has just started reading Treasure Island and so when he finishes, the family will at last be able to watch a dvd of it. What are or options ? Obviously there's the Disney Robert Newton (AKA Keith Moon) version, but I would imagine there's something better, no ?

[John Llewellyn Moxey]

name='billy bentley']My youngest boy has just started reading Treasure Island and so when he finishes, the family will at last be able to watch a dvd of it. What are or options ? Obviously there's the Disney Robert Newton (AKA Keith Moon) version, but I would imagine there's something better, no ?

There was a wonderful version Directed by Victor Fleming in 1934. Wallace Beery as Long John, and Jackie Cooper as Jim. Worth a look if you can find a decent copy.



John

[Lord Lionheart]

name='billy bentley']My youngest boy has just started reading Treasure Island and so when he finishes, the family will at last be able to watch a dvd of it. What are or options ? Obviously there's the Disney Robert Newton (AKA Keith Moon) version, but I would imagine there's something better, no ?

That brings back memories, Treasure Island was one of my first books, if not my first.



I remember being rivited and somewhat scared by blind Pew, the black spot and the wind blowing the sign on the Admiral Benbow Inn. I was Jim Hawkins



Have never seen a movie vesrsion of it some 35 years or so later. No movie is as vivid or fertile as a young boys imagination.



Good luck finding a good movie version though

[will.15]

The Disney and the 1934 are the best, but for a few laughs there is the Muppets version.



[ame]www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvUbbYX9BMs&NR=1[/ame]

[darrenburnfan]

For me, the 1949 Walt Disney Technicolor version filmed in England with Robert Newton as Long John Silver and Bobby Driscoll as Jim Hawkins can't be bettered. It's a true classic, even though the ending is different to that in the novel. Despite popular legend, nowhere in the film does Robert Newton say "Arrrrrrr, Jim lad." Although he does call the boy "Matey" a few times.

[CaptainWaggett]

name='darrenburnfan']For me, the 1949 Walt Disney Technicolor version filmed in England with Robert Newton as Long John Silver and Bobby Driscoll as Jim Hawkins can't be bettered. It's a true classic, even though the ending is different to that in the novel. Despite popular legend, nowhere in the film does Robert Newton say "Arrrrrrr, Jim lad." Although he does call the boy "Matey" a few times.

I think most of the folk memory of Cap'n Robert Newton comes from Tony Hancock impressions rather than the actual film

[dremble wedge]

I've always found the 1990 version with Charlton Heston as Silver and Christian Bale as Jim Hawkins to be excellent. Plus you also get Oliver Reed and Christopher Lee as pirates...

[batman]

Check out (link) Treasure Island (1990) with Charlton Heston, Christian Bale, Oliver Reed, Christopher Lee, Richard Johnson and Pete Postlethwaite. It is a brilliant film and definitely my favouite among all the film versions. It is also known as Devil's Treasure.



Edit - DW beat me to it while I was finding the link

[Windthrop]

name='darrenburnfan']For me, the 1949 Walt Disney Technicolor version filmed in England with Robert Newton as Long John Silver and Bobby Driscoll as Jim Hawkins can't be bettered. It's a true classic, even though the ending is different to that in the novel. Despite popular legend, nowhere in the film does Robert Newton say "Arrrrrrr, Jim lad." Although he does call the boy "Matey" a few times.

name='CaptainWaggett']I think most of the folk memory of Cap'n Robert Newton comes from Tony Hancock impressions rather than the actual film

Its only in Blackbeard the Pirate that Newton goes OTT.



Agree with JLM about the Beery version thuogh haven't seen it since I was a child in the 70s. The closest version I seem to remember was the Charlton Heston one which was made for TV. Though it has its failings it does have its compensations in Christopher Lee as Blind Pew and Oliver Reed as Billy Bones.



Avoid the Harry Alan Towers versions

[batman]

name='Windthrop']

Avoid the Harry Alan Towers versions

Go on, admit it .... you know you have a sneaky liking for the Welles version .... I know I do.

[will.15]

name='Windthrop']Its only in Blackbeard the Pirate that Newton goes OTT.

Haven't seen it, but some reviews indicate he may be OTT in the sequel, Long John Silver. He also starred in a TV series. I saw one episode on a mixed series DVD. He was having a fine time.

[Harbottle]

If you can find it the 1977 BBC Treasure Island starring Alfred Burke as LJS is a superb adaptation I think. Released only on VHS, though it has been uploaded to one of the usual places fairly recently

[Windthrop]

name='will.15']Haven't seen it, but some reviews indicate he may be OTT in the sequel, Long John Silver. He also starred in a TV series. I saw one episode on a mixed series DVD. He was having a fine time.

Once he moved to Hollywood the drink really did take hold



[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uraOiXPzdm4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uraOiXPzdm4[/ame]

[darrenburnfan]

Actually, I remember a BBC Television Sunday teatime serial of Treasure Island in 1957 when I was 10 years old. It starred, if I remember correctly, Bernard Miles as Long John Silver; Richard Palmer as Jim Hawkins and Clive Dunn as Ben Gunn. I remember being particularly impressed with the pirates attack on the stockade. Probably all done at Lime Grove studios. The serial was transmitted live and, even if a telerecording was made of it, I suspect such a recording would have been destroyed years ago.

[CaptainWaggett]

name='darrenburnfan']Actually, I remember a BBC Television Sunday teatime serial of Treasure Island in 1957 when I was 10 years old. It starred, if I remember correctly, Bernard Miles as Long John Silver; Richard Palmer as Jim Hawkins and Clive Dunn as Ben Gunn. I remember being particularly impressed with the pirates attack on the stockade. Probably all done at Lime Grove studios. The serial was transmitted live and, even if a telerecording was made of it, I suspect such a recording would have been destroyed years ago.

Sadly it looks like you're right. Bernard Miles had an earlier shot at Long John in 1951 which presumably was live.

[darrenburnfan]

name='CaptainWaggett']Sadly it looks like you're right. Bernard Miles had an earlier shot at Long John in 1951 which presumably was live.

That's a terrible shame, Captain. I hope at least that some production or publicity stills have survived...the kind of things that would have been published in the Radio Times of the day. Apart from that, the serials are just a distant memory and will remain so.

[charliekane]

name='will.15']Haven't seen it, but some reviews indicate he may be OTT in the sequel, Long John Silver. He also starred in a TV series. I saw one episode on a mixed series DVD. He was having a fine time.

Yes the tv series turns up occasionally on some peculiar satellite channel (Open Access ?) but I remember it from when I was a wee lad - Robbie is certainly unstoppable in it from the first time you see him in the introduction on his one leg and shouting a mighty (ha-haaarrrrr !). Not much to do with Treasure Island, but huge fun though - 'Pass me a noggin, Purity !'

As for the film sequel - are there two ? Possibly the same tv channel has run 'Return to Treasure Island' a few times recently but it doesn't seem the same as one called 'Long John Silver' that I saw only once many years ago and in which Long John is sent to the gallows at the end for a crime he didn't commit, although he philosophically tells Jim Lad that it's only what he deserved after a life of up to no goodness.

[billy bentley]

I'm intrigued by the idea of Orson Welles as long John Silver, is the film not very good ?

[Lord Brett]

I recall it being a pretty decent version - it was directed by John Hough, who's no slouch.

[christoph404]

name='billy bentley']I'm intrigued by the idea of Orson Welles as long John Silver, is the film not very good ?

Its watchable enough, though Welles' dialogue is completely re voiced and dubbed in by Robert Rietti who does a very passable rendition of Welles' own speaking voice. Thats a trade secret thats not widely known even within the industry so keep it to yourself!