Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Details

Based on 007 Ian Fleming's novel & adapted by Roald Dahl & director Ken Hughes, this is one of the great children's movies. Panned when it first came out this is extremely popular today with children AND adults.

The story centres on eccentric inventor Caractacus Potts (Richard Van, this time without his awful accent) & his two children. They plead with him to restore a run down former triple Grand Prix winning automobile. Thrown in are Sally Ann Howes as adorable Truly Scrumptious, her rich father; James Robertson Justice, Grandfather Potts (Lionel Jefferies) & the wickedly evil

Baron & Baroness Bomburst (Gert Frobe & Anna Quayle).

The story then revolves around the Baron trying to get his hands on the car & the family trying to rescue their grand father. A strange story in many ways, the banning of children in Vulgaria never really being explained, it has a dark, edgy side to it. The child catcher, played by Robert Helpmann, is truly nightmarish, made more so by his lithe, balletic, creepy movement (Helpmann was a ballet dancer himself). More than anything the childcatcher (influence of Dahl's no doubt, as seen in The Witches) & the great songs stick in the mind.

Standout songs include; 'Truly Scrumptious', 'Toot Sweets', 'Hushabye Mountain', 'P.O.S.H.', 'Me Old Bamboo', 'The Roses of Success', 'Coochi Pair' & title song. Worth noticing are; Gerald Campion, Michael Darbyshire & Stanley Unwin (trademark 'Gobbledegook' at the ready).

I loved this, as if you couldn't possible tell & is a great antidote to the Harry Potter & Spy Kids stuff, which reliy too heavily on CGI & smart alec brats.

The dvd extras include a featurette about the man who actually bought the original 'Gen11'. This should be watched, loved & cherished by the whole family.

Thought I had ordered the film

Bored

I thought it was the film but the making of the film was tedious