Alexis Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Really!Did you see in the paper and on the telly yesterday that The Magic Roundabout film is coming out?Boing!Did anyone by chance read the Libération last friday and know why the presenter of France 2 found it impossible to carry on presenting it? Something to do with revelations of his personal life. I have tried looking but didn't find anything.....Curious? Moi? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piprob Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 “Only people with things to hide ‘come out’” said Dougal.“We’d all like to know what you’re hiding underneath that coat” Dillon said in his best supercilious.“All?” replied Ermintrude, “Speak for yourself!”“Bet someone around here know what’s under it,” Dillon persisted, “and her name’s not Zebedee.”“No class, some people” mumbled Dougal.“No future either,” said Zebedee, “this conversation isn’t going anywhere.”“Neither am I” Dougal sniffed, “stuck with you lot."“What goes round comes round, man;" yawned Dillon,"we need excitement. We need exposé.”“Save us” groaned Dougal. “Anyone seen Florence?” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Posted January 31, 2005 Author Share Posted January 31, 2005 Stop teasing...........! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piprob Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Alexis. I cannot believe we're the only Magic Roundabout fans on this site. I have always found the programmes extremely amusing, and seem to remember hearing they were made abroad somewhere? With so many repeats showing constantly on TV, its about time they appeared again - in a time slot for grown-ups! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaligoBay Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Well, I'm a big fan of the Magic Roundabout (when I'm not reading War and Peace backwards), and I can't wait to see the fillum. I reckon we'll even make a special trip to the Diagonal Cinema to see it in English.You know the odd thing about it? Although it was indeed French in origin, the French don't have that warm fuzzy feeling inside about it. Obviously it improved immensely when it crossed the Channel. There - a reason to be proud to be British! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 You're certainly not the only fans here As I recall it, it began in the early 1960s when Serge Danot, who worked in a Paris advertising agency, approached a colleague with an idea for a children's TV series. The colleague was English-born Ivor Wood, who was working on animated TV commercials at the La Comète agency, and would later bring the Wombles and Postman Pat, among others, to the screen. Wood and Danot worked together in their spare time, and the resulting programme, Le Manège Enchanté, was shown on French station ORTF in 1964. In the French version, Dougal the dog was called Pollux, and was a pompous Captain Mainwaring type character, with a suitably strong English accent. Florence was called Margote, Dylan the rabbit was called Flappy and was Spanish (always taking a siesta), Brian the snail was Ambrose. Ermintrude the cow was Azalea, Zebidee was Zébulon, and Mr Rusty was Father Peony. The story was that Father Peony's roundabout had lost its magic so he invited Margote and her friends to play in the garden to restore the magic.It wasn't until the BBC made an English version in the following year that it really took off though. Eric Thompson (Emma's father) was given the job of translating it - but rather than translate the French, he made up his own stories to fit the animations, and renamed the characters to appeal to a rather less whimsical English audience which included many adults. A revival, made for Channel 4 after Eric Thompson's death, was narrated by Nigel Planer, but was never quite the same.When the English version became a cult, there were all sorts of myths about the French version being a political satire, or that it was an allegory for illegal substances. But I'm sure in reality the original was just straightforward, innocent entertainment for the pre-potty trained.There was an earlier film, made by Danot in 1970, called Pollux et le chat bleu, but it flopped.That's about the total of my knowledge - no idea what the scandal was behind the French TV2 presenter. Edit - found out a little more, the French version didn't have a presenter in the same way that Eric Thompson narrated the English version, but many of the voices, including that of Pollux/Dougal, were provided by singer/actor/comedian Jacques Bodoin. He recorded several songs based on the series, as well as 'la leçon d'anglais' and 'la table de multiplication'. He is described in a French encyclopaedia as 'le roi de l'humour britannique adapté à notre langue'. No idea what happened to him. Apparently the myth about the French political satire arose through the similarity between the names Dougal and de Gaulle - conveniently forgetting that Dougal was of course Pollux in the French one, and was English anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistral Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 I got quite excited seeing posters for manege enchanté in marseilles, but I've now realised that it is a French film so it will be based on the French version of the proçgramme and not the English version (so it's probably going to be less sarcastic and cynical) my husband remembers it as being a children's programme a bit before his time, but nthing exciting (not like casimir) and I'veseen a group of French adults quote castor or pollux or any of the others, or even sing the theme music (something they will happily do for île aux enfants or goldorak)I'll take the kids to see it some time. According to FR3 mediteranée, it was made in marseilles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 >>Pollux et le chat bleu, <<<The English version of that film was memorable to me as the only time I have ever gone to sleep in a cinema.....however one expression from the film was sort of adopted by our family 'oooh you'd be better of in Barnsley' Oh well - time for bed said Zebedee.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Posted January 31, 2005 Author Share Posted January 31, 2005 When I was being educated we had a telly room and after supper/tea we all used to rush in "to watch the Six O'clock News"... Once the Magic Roundabout had finished, it was amazing how many people said "Is that the time?" and disappeared! Me being the first. Pub opened at 6.30... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piprob Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Will, you are a veritable encyclopedia. Very interesting. With you around I think I can safely throw away my old ones. And thank you for raising the subject Alexis. Just the job - and long overdue. Its what I call proper culture. And, it turns out, so Francais! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 Serge Danot made all the TV versions in a studio created inside a picturesquely italianate former light-industrial building on the banks of the river Sèvre Nantaise near Clisson (SE of Nantes).Not a lot of people know that...Angela (UK & 85)www.the-vendee.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaligoBay Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 <<I got quite excited seeing posters for manege enchanté in marseilles, but I've now realised that it is a French film so it will be based on the French version of the proçgramme and not the English version (so it's probably going to be less sarcastic and cynical) my husband remembers it as being a children's programme a bit before his time, but nthing exciting >>Mistral, once again you're spot on. It's RUBBISH in French!!!!!!! Just a kid's cartoon, no cynicism or sarcasm to be detected at all, nor any of the old "you can watch it on two levels" stuff. One level only. I felt seeeeeeeriously weird in the cinema, surrounded by about a million 4-yr-olds. Ah well. Retrieved some street cred by watching La Chute, which is NOT for the faint-hearted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRT17 Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 Well I was at the cinema (U.K) the other day and saw a trailer for the English version, it will be shown locally next week. I am not sure whether I will get there. I am waiting to see "The very long engagement" starring Audrey Tatou.Not to be missed, if only for a good laugh is "Meet the Fockers" sequel to "Meet the parents". (which BTW has nothing to do with France!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 My all time favorite of Magic Roundabout was one done by Jasper Carrot at the folk club at R.A.F. Brize Norton, when I was in the R.A.F. It was before he became famous and it was great! Totallt full of inuendo, but no muck, swearing or anything. The only problem was that I missed half of it because I was convulsed with laughing on the floor. The same expression stuck with me too "Boing, Time for bed said Zebedee!" Talk about naughty but nice?John (those were the daze!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 If you want to hear the rest, Jasper recorded that spoof - it was on the other side of Funky Moped, his one hit record. I suspect that Magic Roundabout was really intended as the A-side, but it was banned by the BBC. It was very funny though. Better still live - I remember seeing him in Brighton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Hi Will,The record was dummed down A LOT! The live version was really,really,really good...... Sorry, just keeping in the theme of the post? Where'z me pills? (beer)John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trishaa<P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"><EM>Trisha<EM><FONT><P><P><IMG height=198 src="http:www.gifmania.co.ukDisneyWinniejpoohlef.gif" width=133><P><P> <P> Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 As a little girl I loved the Magic Roundabout and remember watching it with my dad. For me it was just a lovely program but he used to giggle and I never knew why. Now I'd love to see the originals again to find out what tickled his funny bone. I wonder if the film hits the spot again with the adults. Sadly dad passed away so I can't even find out what amused him. Have they made a DVD of the originals yet?Trisha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 I remember watching 'Le manège enchanté' when I was little!... Any bets when that was?My siblings and I would come back from school, have our '4 heures' usually a slice of bread and jam and a cup of chocolat. Then do our homework.. A real chore that was for me. I'd botched it and run to the garden. Meanwhile Mother would cook the evening meal (no turkey twizzlers or chips in sight!) and it would be ready at 7pm ON TIME to watch Pollux, Margot et Compagnie. After that was the regional news bulletins for which, us children were not allowed to utter a word as Father was listening! and giving his own heated comments... Once that over, a sharp look from him meant we had to go to our bedrooms and not to be seen till next morning ready for school.But eh! he could rant and rave all he liked as I would memorise everyword spoken during the 5 minutes of 'Le manège enchanté' as next day it was going to be the topic of conversation at school! and we would re-enact the whole episode and imagine the next evening's episode... Serious arguments in the school yard! Not much changed and remember my own children being fed a diet of 'Postman Pat' and doing the same next day at school. 'The Wombles' are a little bit before their time. The Wombles, incidentally taught me a fair amount of english! amongst lines and reams of Shakespeare, Dickens and Jane Austen...Pas tout a fait une vache folle! mais presque!... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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