Posted by Duncan on January 11, 2002 at 09:04:09 from 64.12.104.166:
In Reply to: Re: That film again,,,,,,, posted by Ian Wright on January 11, 2002 at -1:47:03:
I've always loved the film and I've seen many a child absolutely spellbound by it. The locations were great, the cinematography was beautiful, the child actors were surprisingly natural and understated and the boats were fantastic. There have already been debates about Ronald Fraser as Captain Flint - I'm not going to add to what I've already said on that - but overall: what would you do with the Harry Potter budget? I suppose, now, most of it would be spent keeping modern sailing dinghies and speed boats off Coniston and Windermere for a few months of shooting...
I imagine we could get together and make a film of - well, let's say WD as it's been suggested, although the rather claustrophobic nature of most of it being set on a small boat in a storm isn't perhaps as cinematic as some of the others that have their characterful locations - where would you spend the money? Getting 'stars' to play Mother, Daddy and Jim Brading? You could do, but there probably wouldn't be any need to. Good production values, fair enough. Location to Holland?
What we need to consider here is that ARs books are magical because of their romantic realism (if there can be such a thing!) and from the sparkling narrative and dialogue, likeable characters and vivid - almost real - locations. Deciding to computer generate Wild Cat Island with modern technology so that you can stick bits of Peel Island, Blake Holme and Ramp Holme together, delete any new housing from the lake shores, recreate Swallow and Amazon, digitally recreate the boatbuilders' sheds around Rio Bay... might be a lot of fun, but I think filming real boats, real kids in real places has made a film that people will be watching a lot longer than they watch the Harry Potter film - engaging and impressive though it was.
I feel as though I've been uneccessarily sarcastic there - but anyway, I've said it now!
Duncan