Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

[Rowdon]

This used to be one of my favourites when I was young - I remember being thrilled up to that cheeky intermission, and then carried along right to the end ... at least, I think I remember that happening...



only I've recently tried to show it to my kid (last year, when at just 4, with no success,) and this week, at 5, with, let's say, limited success. By which I mean I've had to cut it up into chunks because the dear thing just won't stay still for it (depsite being hypnotised by Mary Poppins though, right through.)



Watching it now, it's full of great bits, but 145 minutes?!!? With editing it could have fairly belted along, but with my kid at my side I keep thinking "Oh no, not another SONG. We haven't got time for another SONG!!!".



It's a great cast, beautiful car, and the famously ropey special effects are quite good enough, I think, but the missing ingredient may be pace.



That's the clear advantage of cinema: back then, I had to stay to the end, and over the years I remembered the good bits, making me want to see it again and share it with my offspring...



Has anyone shown it to kids with success? how old were they? Is there a 90 minute cut?



Having said all that, I still love it. Magical.

[CaptainWaggett]

It made a huge impression on me at the cinema when I was small but I was amazed on an adult viewing to realise how long it takes before the car flies and something actually happens. I suspect my six-year-old self just slept through the first 90 minutes and woke up for the Child Catcher

[Number Six]

It made a huge impression on me at the cinema when I was small but I was amazed on an adult viewing to realise how long it takes before the car flies and something actually happens. I suspect my six-year-old self just slept through the first 90 minutes and woke up for the Child Catcher

My daughter has just turned seven and she absolutely adores the film! Her favourite bit is when the 'toys' begin to sing and dance in the castle at the Baron's birthday party. Great film!

[darrenburnfan]

I love the bit when the Baron spies the car on the beach through his telescope and exclaims: "I vant it! I vant it! I VANT IT!"

[Dave Rattigan]

Lovely film.



I always assumed it was a Disney film until I watched it from beginning to end for the first time last year (after a lifetime catching bits here and there) and realized it was MGM.

[Nick Dando]

When I saw it at the cinema there was an intermission just as the car was seemingly plunging straight into the sea after Professor Potts had driven off the cliffs.



Nick

[Rick C]

Lovely film.



I always assumed it was a Disney film until I watched it from beginning to end for the first time last year (after a lifetime catching bits here and there) and realized it was MGM.

It was always originally a United Artists picture. The MGM ownership only came in a few years ago when it bought up the defunct UA stock for their library.

[Rowdon]

When I saw it at the cinema there was an intermission just as the car was seemingly plunging straight into the sea after Professor Potts had driven off the cliffs.



Nick

When showing the DVD to my daughter, I was surprised to see that the intermission is still there - "Intermission. Entr'Acte" comes up on the screen for a few minutes ... weird, but nostalgic. Totally meaningless to new viewers, but it was such a great joke at the cinema, why cut it out?



Coupe of things though ... Granddad Potts' uncooked egg turns out to be hardboiled - or was that the joke? And G Potts (again) says "on behalf of her majesty the queen..." when he arrives in Vulgaria ... So what year was it supposed to be in? I always thought 1911 or so, since the Grand Prix races shown were 1908/1909 ... or ami I taking the whole thing too seriously?

[billy bentley]

My kids watched the VHS tape over and over and over again. My youngest could not have been older than four when he first watched, his older brother being four years older. They liked "Mary Poppins" so much and this just seemed to slot right in after it ! We went and saw it on the big screen one time and we are surprised how cropped the VHS image was - we had been watching a flick with about a third of the screen missing. I can still do a reasonable version of "The Posh Posh Travelling Life" after a couple of light ales and "I'm off to see The Maharjah" used to be a catchphrase in our home.

[Carl V]

When showing the DVD to my daughter, I was surprised to see that the intermission is still there - "Intermission. Entr'Acte" comes up on the screen for a few minutes ... weird, but nostalgic.

There are a number of DVD releases which included the "intermission", including The Sound Of Music, Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines, Ben-Hur and The Ten Commandments; I can't think of any others off the top of my head. The latter even has a prelude for a few minutes before the film commences, and also "exit music" at the very end of the film. Not sure how long that lasts as I've never sat through it all.



I think Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was produced by the same people who did the James Bond films (I may be wrong). A great film for the kids, no doubt about it.

[darrenburnfan]

We went and saw it on the big screen one time and we are surprised how cropped the VHS image was - we had been watching a flick with about a third of the screen missing.

Actually, the pan and scan VHS and DVD versions cut off at least 50% of the image at any one time. You could either see the middle of the image, or the left or right of the image, but not the whole image at the same time. Thank goodness that the days of the pan and scan, so-called "full screen" DVD versions of wide screen films are fast becoming history.

[Rick C]

There are a number of DVD releases which included the "intermission", including The Sound Of Music, Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines, Ben-Hur and The Ten Commandments; I can't think of any others off the top of my head. The latter even has a prelude for a few minutes before the film commences, and also "exit music" at the very end of the film. Not sure how long that lasts as I've never sat through it all.



I think Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was produced by the same people who did the James Bond films (I may be wrong). A great film for the kids, no doubt about it.

Ian Fleming was of course the story creator. In my bizarre mind (I do have one!) I'm trying to concoct a mix between CCBB and one of the Bond movies. You Only Live Twinks maybe?

[billy bentley]

Cheers darrenburnfan, I was going to post half the image was missing, but thought I might be exagerating. Apparently not !

[christoph404]

Ian Fleming was of course the story creator. In my bizarre mind (I do have one!) I'm trying to concoct a mix between CCBB and one of the Bond movies. You Only Live Twinks maybe?

Well there is quite a big Bond connection, CCBB was produced by a certain Albert. R. (Cubby) Broccoli and the production design was by Ken Adam.

[Rowdon]

And wasn't James Bond known as Mr. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?

[christoph404]

And wasn't James Bond known as Mr. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?

I like it. Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang has a better ring to it though.

[Dave Rattigan]

It was always originally a United Artists picture. The MGM ownership only came in a few years ago when it bought up the defunct UA stock for their library.

Aha. Thanks for clearing that up.



I'm sure United Artists would be delighted I thought it was Disney, since with Dick Van Dyke and a score by the Sherman Brothers, it was certainly their intention to look like a Disney picture.

[Rick C]

They also did a gay version called "Chi Chi Bang Bang"



(An aquaintance with Jamaican language will be a bonus for that one)

[darrenburnfan]

The difference in picture area between pan and scan and full 2.35:1 CinemaScope / Panavision.

[Rowdon]

Just goes to show - until I saw the widescreen version the other night, I didn't even know that Potts had any kids!!