| Author | Message | ||
     John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 90.208.214.16 |
Bath are showing this as part of their Jean Cocteau day (the programme calls it 'Cocteau for Kids') to be followed by La Belle et La Bete (of course). This weird TV show has quite a cult following but I was born a little too late to see it. Anyone know if it's worth me spending the afternoon at The Little Cinema watching it in its original language with an explanatory narration? | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.177.115.127 |
Hard to say - it's certainly strange. The Fast Show did a spoof of it (at least I think it was the Fast Show). Das Singingen Ringingen Tree or somesuch. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 90.208.214.16 |
You're right Mick it was The Fast Show who did The Singingeg Ringingen Bingingen Plingingen Tingingen Plinkingen Plonkingen Boinging Tree. Reports say the original was quite nightmarish for kids' TV but I don't know anyone who's actually seen it. | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 149.254.218.26 |
Me! See it. | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.177.115.127 |
And me! | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.241.143 |
I remember watching La Belle et La Bete alone in the Tyne Cinema, a small arthouse cinema in Newcastle, one Sunday afternoon many years ago. It blew me away. Haven't seen The Singing Ringing Tree but have seen clips on memorabilia TV shows. | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 79.70.76.114 |
Got it! | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.241.143 |
Got what? A penchance for non sequiters?  | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 79.70.76.114 |
Title of the thread obviously Zed - you muffin. John you should definately go and see The Singing Ringing Tree - I asked for it as a birthday present a couple of years back. | ||
| Stephenw (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 82.4.20.22 |
I have 'The Singing Ringing Tree' on DVD along with the very similar 'The Tinder Box'. Weird 1950s (yet in colour) European TV shows based on fairy-tales. They have the same otherworldly colour saturated look as David Lynch's 'Blue Velvet' and are at least as weird - nightmarish even (especially the evil dwarf). Watching them is like experiencing a dream. In a word Wonderful! | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 79.70.126.53 |
I've always loved The Tinder Box too Stephen. The thought of the dogs with large saucer eyes comes to mind. | ||
| Stephenw (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 82.4.20.22 |
The dogs were cool and there was that (only briefly glimpsed) creepy old witch at the start! Apparently there were a whole series of those shows with the same dream-like (some would say camp) quality that went under the banner 'Tales from Europe'. I've only seen those two but there were also versions of 'Rumpelstiltskin', 'Snow White', 'The Golden Goose', 'The Devil's Three Golden Hairs' & 'The Story Of Little Mook' - maybe more? Czech filmmaker Jan Svankmajer's 'Alice' (as in Wonderland) & 'Little Otik' (again based on a fairy-tale) work kind of the same way as well. | ||
| Simon Bestwick (Simon_b) Username: Simon_b Registered: 10-2008 Posted From: 86.24.165.182 |
For anyone who who's not seen it yet, the Fast Show version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XqMF5ou7hE I do vaguely remember Singing Ringing Tree- very strange and wonderful. The Beeb had a fondness for buying up East European stuff back then. Does anyone remember The Secret Of Steel City? It was a Czechoslovakian adaptation of a Jules Verne novel (The Begum's Fortune) which was pretty atmospheric. | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 79.70.126.53 |
Little Otik left a lasting impression on me. Ive long admired Jan Svankmajer. | ||
| Stephenw (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 82.4.20.22 |
'Little Otik' virtually traumatised me the first time I saw it! Seen most of his films after falling in love with his animated shorts shown on Channel 4 back in the 80s. Still reeling here from the news of J.G. Ballard's death though... { :-( ) | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.177.115.127 |
Svankmajer's great, as are the Quay Brothers... | ||
| Stephenw (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 145.229.156.40 |
I keep hearing how good the Quay Brothers are but haven't seen any of their stuff and know next to nothing about them. This must be rectified!  |