Listening to Chris Evans this morning, I learnt that there is to be a new series of three books based on Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, written by the brilliant Frank Cottrell Boyce.
Straight away I was swept back through the decades, to my childhood.
Straight away I was swept back through the decades, to my childhood.
I can't actually remember seeing the film at the cinema, though I'm fairly sure we did have a family outing to see it. My memories may have been erased due to the trauma of the child-catcher scenes!
What I do remember are the two Chitty Chitty Bang Bang jigsaws which my Mum bought me to while away the time when I was stuck at home convalescing from one of the childhood illnesses we all had to suffer in those days. I think it was mumps. I have a brilliant couple of photos of me taken at this time looking rather like a hamster...
One of the jigsaws showed the car and Potts family, plus Truly Scrumptious of course, cut off by the tide.
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| Image courtesy of Unsinkablecork.com |
Lots of devilishly difficult water to piece together!
The second showed Truly Scrumptious as a doll on a giant musical box.
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| Image courtesy of Unsinkablecork.com |
The musical box and its reflection were a real challenge!
I loved those puzzles, maybe because I secretly wanted to be Jemima Potts, what with living in a windmill, that amazing breakfast-making machine...
...and all those adventures in a pretty and pristine white dress, or maybe because I wanted to grow up to be Truly Scrumptious with that beautiful hat...
...and all those adventures in a pretty and pristine white dress, or maybe because I wanted to grow up to be Truly Scrumptious with that beautiful hat...
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| Image from Pistonheads.com |
...and didn't her Dad own a sweet factory?
My brother had a very covetable Chitty Chitty Bang Bang model car, with pop-out wings and removeable figures, which I'd sometimes borrow.
My brother had a very covetable Chitty Chitty Bang Bang model car, with pop-out wings and removeable figures, which I'd sometimes borrow.
So, fond childhood memories!
The new trilogy features a modern family and a souped up VW Camper Van. So it's a sequel rather than a remake, which I'm glad about. There may be some things get better with repetition, but I can't help but think that any ideas about remaking such a classic film would be a mistake. If a film has been a great success, let future generations enjoy the original with a re-release or DVD edition, not a remake. I would hate to see the following tampered with...
It's a Wonderful Life
The Sound of Music
The Great Escape
Doctor Zhivago
Grease
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Gone with the Wind
What film would you hate to see re-made?
Ooh the child catcher!!!
ReplyDeleteY'know another lifetime ago when I was at uni, an American friend showed me a photo of her horrid step-mom and I almost fell over as she was the spit of the child catcher. Imagine?
Also my wedding cake was made by a company called Truly Scrumptious, how could I not get my cake from them?
I would hate to see Whistle Down the Wind re-done, or Harvey or Angels with dirty faces or On Golden Pond. Loads of films in fact.
xx
Oh I'm with you I'd hate to see remakes of any of those.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Chitty, I remember going to the pictures to see it! (note I didn't say cinema!) They shouldn't remake any films! xxx
ReplyDeleteHello just popped by from Vintage at the corner house and so glad I did. I love the hat, why have hats gone out of fashion? chitty chitty bang bang was a true classic.
ReplyDeletePlease pop by if you are passing would love to see you every one is always given a good welcome.
Take care, keep safe, be happy.
Beverley
I think I've seen a remake of Doctor Zhivo...but nothing can beat those glorious eyes of Omar Sharif. I saw the origional again recently.
ReplyDeleteI like the remakes of Oceans 11 and The Thomas Crown affair but agree some classics should be left alone.
I love Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ! I saw it on stage with Alvin Stardust playing the child catcher !
Oh yes - Omar Sharif! You're right - I think it was TV version. Watched a bit, but it didn't match up...
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