Two Enid Blyton serials - Restored on new BFI DVDs

[julian_craster]

Famous Five: Five on a Treasure Island

certificate U

1957 (DVD: Sep 2010)

B&W

UK

Ratio 1.33:1

Runtime: 121 mins



Director : Gerald Landan



The holidays have finally arrived and Julian, Dick and Ann are looking forward to spending a long hot summer with their feisty tomboy cousin Georgina - or George as she prefers to be known. But picnics and bike rides are put on hold when George and her new pal Timmy the dog share the secret of a mysterious shipwreck with the others. An exciting discovery is in store for the intrepid Five - but they are not alone.



Adapted from the first of Enid Blyton's popular Famous Five stories this ripping adventure tale in eight thrilling instalments is great fun for all the family. Enid Blyton herself was on hand to cast the film which follows the Five as they investigate the secret of the wreck. Chock-full of cliff-hangers and mystery, the popular Children's Film Foundation serial remains close to the spirit of the book. With enthusiastic performances from some well-cast young actors, these are delightful films which every Famous Five fan will want to treasure.



Extras

Fully illustrated booklet with newly commissioned essay by Enid Blyton expert Norman Wright, character biographies and more



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Famous Five: Five Have a Mystery to Solve

certificate U

1964 (DVD: Sep 2010)

B&W

UK

Ratio 1.33:1



Director: Ernest Morris



When the Famous Five are asked to look after Wilfred, a lonely orphan with a magical ability to communicate with animals, they have no idea of what exciting adventures lie in store. Wilfred is determined to investigate rumours of dastardly deeds at a supposed animal 'sanctuary' on the mysterious Whispering Island with four-footed Famous Five member, Timmy the Dog. The rest of the gang are not far behind, but will they be in time to save the day?



In this second splendid Famous Five cliffhanger adventure from the Children's Film Foundation, villainous gamekeepers, perilous cliffs, secret passages, hidden treasure, buns and cocoa await the Kirrin cousins as they join forces with

animal- loving Wilfred to explore the mysteries of eerie Whispering Island. Never shown on television, or previously released on video or DVD, this is essential for Blyton aficionados.





Extras

* Fully illustrated booklet with newly commissioned essay by Enid Blyton expert, Norman Wright, character biographies and more

[Onedin]

Oh wow, Julian..............I read all the books when I was a little girl (in Dutch).





Thanks for that.............keep 'em coming.

[didi-5]

I saw Five Have a Mystery to Solve at NFT and it was really quite good. Will be buying these in due course.

[darrenburnfan]

My DVD of Five on a Treasure Island arrived this morning from amazon uk. A truly wonderful CFF serial, fast paced and exciting. I've just finished watching all eight episodes and I'm very pleased with it. I highly recommend it. It's many, many years ago that I was running this at the Plaza Saturday children's matinees. An excellent transfer and the booklet is excellent, too. A5 size, 22 glossy pages packed with information and stills...although I was expecting to learn from it what became of the four child actors in the serial. Richard Palmer; Rel Grainer; John Bailey and Gillian Harrison. However, it doesn't say. They seemed to have completely disappeared. As it was made over 54 years ago in the summer school holidays of 1956, I think it's safe to assume that the dog is no longer with us.



John Bailey, who is wrongly credited as John Baily on the IMDb, is mixed up on there with an adult actor who was making films years before the CFF's John Bailey. John looks to be about nine years old in the serial, so, if he's still with us, he'd be my age now...63. The lack of information in the booklet about what became of the four child actors may not have been an oversight on the part of the BFI, as so little information has survived about the child actors in CFF films...especially films of this vintage.

BELOW: John Bailey as Dick; Daga the dog as Timothy; Rel Grainer as George; Gillian Harrison as Ann and Richard Palmer as Julian,

wave goodbye to us at the end of the serial.

[Geoffers]

name='darrenburnfan' timestamp='1285094868' post='476256']

My DVD of Five on a Treasure Island arrived this morning from amazon uk. A truly wonderful CFF serial, fast paced and exciting. I've just finished watching all eight episodes and I'm very pleased with it. I highly recommend it. It's many, many years ago that I was running this at the Plaza Saturday children's matinees. An excellent transfer and the booklet is excellent, too. A5 size, 22 glossy pages packed with information and stills...although I was expecting to learn from it what became of the four child actors in the serial. Richard Palmer; Rel Grainer; John Bailey and Gillian Harrison. However, it doesn't say. They seemed to have completely disappeared. As it was made over 54 years ago in the summer school holidays of 1956, I think it's safe to assume that the dog is no longer with us.



John Bailey, who is wrongly credited as John Baily on the IMDb, is mixed up on there with an adult actor who was making films years before the CFF's John Bailey. John looks to be about nine years old in the serial, so, if he's still with us, he'd be my age now...63. The lack of information in the booklet about what became of the four child actors may not have been an oversight on the part of the BFI, as so little information has survived about the child actors in CFF films...especially films of this vintage.

As far as I know, this was Rel Grainer's only screen appearance. She is the step-daughter of composer Ron Grainer, although in 1957 he had not begun his own career in TV and films. Her mother, Margot, Ron's first wife, managed the Bristol-based instrumental pop group, The Eagles.