Posted by Ed Kiser on October 01, 2017 at 09:04:16 user Kisered.
In Reply to: Re: 2016 S&A film offer posted by Ross on September 18, 2017 at 12:28:17:
Saw AMAZON.COM (USA) offering the new SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS, so I ordered it. I watched it all the way through, but do not think I want to make that mistake again.
For BBC movies, being an American, I need English Subtitles. The Potter series had that, and it was a big help to SEE what those kids were saying. Adults come through ok for the most part, but young people just don't project the words so I can get them. Lord of the Rings had English Subtitles that were a big help there also. But this S/A had FRENCH, no English subtitles. The old two seemed to talk ok, but the younger two had a problem with me hearing their words.
As for the PLOT, it had so very little to do with what I read as a child and had come to LOVE. The older two are TOO OLD. Not much difference apparent between the ages of Susan and her Mother. So much was added that just was not in the book, and even those moments similar to the book were so distorted from what I expected.
Only two visited the Charcoal Burners, and that was to get fire. Like the book, Mother had to remind them to take the matches, which (not in the book) they lost overboard with their food. John throwing a rock at the houseboat, and getting yelled at by its occupant. In the "war" don't think they looked anywhere but in the Beckfoot boathouse. No digging on Cormorant Island to find the stolen chest. And that "secret harbour" is a pitiful jury rigged resulting from sticking a few rocks upright off some shore. No real HARBOUR with protection from winds. Nothing like the Peel Island southern end which has come to be believed as the Real Secret Harbour. Anything else is just not right. The usage of that title is a gross misleading heading. A brief scene where someone is studying MORSE code, a tool that never came up again, unused, and not in the book. Where did THAT come from? Why put that in?
It was very disappointing. To appease my anger, I dug out my 1974 VCR tape and thoroughly enjoyed that version where my only serious complaint was NO STORM to blow down the tents. Those kids were of realistic ages. The Amazons looked reasonable, not made up Halloween monsters.
This new DVD? Back into the box, to the back of the top shelf, where hopefully it will be forgotten. So little of the real story is there, and that is what I was looking for.
John holding a revolver to some guy's face - Not the JOHN that I grew up with as my childhood playmate, and a good friend for the rest of my life.
Shy can't that story be properly put into a movie without totally screwing it up?
Waste of good money.
Thanks for letting me VENT...
Ed Kiser, Kentucky USA
Post a followup (Only if you agree to the Terms and Conditions)