The Borrowers (TV 2011)

[Beate]

Watched this tonight at the BAFTA HQ on Piccadilly. It will be on BBC at 7.30pm on Boxing Day so if you have nothing better to do...

We didn't know we were supposed to stop at reception to get ticked of the guest list so bypassed it by going in the lift up to the screening room. Found ejwrank + daughter and canadian_turtle but not many other people yet. The last two rows were reserved so we took the row before them. It very slowly filled up and at 6.30pm (the supposed starting time), a lot of people spilled in at once, and I guess a lot of them were cast and crew. Robert Sheehan (Spiller) and Aisling Loftus (Arietty) were there, and I believe I saw Charlie Hiscock who plays little James. Stephen Fry didn't grace us with his presence, he probably was too busy tweeting or something.

I thought the film was very enjoybable, and not just for the fact that Quality Street strawberry creams play a major role in it. They are my favourites, together with the orange ones. I wouldn't mind some little people under my floorboards! They'd give OH someone to talk to during the day. Whether he'd share his Quality Street with them is another matter. Stephen Fry was very good as Professor Mildeye. I haven't read the books but it looks like this is a kind of modern-day version, incorporating the internet etc. James' Dad is played by Shaun Dooley, who pops up everywhere these days in a capacity of grieving Dad/war veteran (South Riding, The Awakening to name a few). Unfortunately he has a bit of a thankless role.

The screening room did not have much legroom and consequently we couldn't scarper quietly after the film, so just stayed put for the Q&A which droned on a bit, to be frank. Interesting to know though that the BBC films their productions in South Africa as it's cheaper!

7.5/10

[ejwrank]

Daughter and I were disappointed with this version of the Borrowers. We remember the excellent also BBC
teatime drama of this back in the early 1990s. Yes, I know that was a lot of episodes and set in the same time frame as the books but was so much better. This new one seemed so full of unnecessary gimmicks.

The Q&A wasn't particularly enlightening (think the young boy Charlie might have livened it up if he had been asked to join them on stage). But I was glad to see Robert Sheehan at the Q&A after having just seen him The Playboy of the Western World. The writer should have named the stars of the 1990s series correctly -- Ian Holm and Penelope Wilton.

However, we were happy to have a screening in BAFTA which was a new experience for us and many thanks to Beate for sharing her winnings with us. There was a big AbFab party going on and on our way out we passed an actress who was once in Holby City -- I've just googled to find her name -- Patricia Potter.

[evilzadi]

Arietty doesn't have a brother in this one does she? I liked him in the old version, i think his name was pea-something?

[canadian_turtle]

No she doesn't. I was too tired to write a review last night I'll do so at work today.

[Octopus]

I went to the preview too, and enjoyed the film. Or maybe I enjoyed the fact I entered the BAFTA for the first time...
The actors were great, and yes it was funny, yet the audience's reactions surprised me a bit. I was surprised by how English people laughed so hard for little jokes (ah, don't blame me, I'm French! But I laughed too!).

I saw 'Le Petit Monde des Borrowers' in 1997, I guess in English it's just 'The Borrowers' ( and honestly I couldn't remember it very well but I know I friggin' enjoyed it. I probably didn't enjoy last night's film as much as that one, though it is very well directed.

I too think that Charlie ('James') should have been asked to come on stage, but maybe he's too shy and asked not to be called... The Q&A was ok, I liked the fact they explained they filmed in South Africa for financial reasons and not tried to find other excuses.

Should I give a mark?.... if yes: 7/10

[Beate]

Well I had nothing to compare it to, having neither read the books nor seen any previous adaptations. I guess that a mini series would be more suited if there is a lot of story to get through but I enjoyed it, and I guess people laughed so much because they had to do with the production (an amazing amount of people knew each other last night and did that kissy kissy and "how good to see you" thing).

[canadian_turtle]

I've been to a few previous events at Bafta and it was nice to see that people who worked on the production were scattered around the audience for the duration of the showing again. I guess for many it was the first time seeing the completed work too. The writer was sitting two seats down from me and the kid playing the main boy in the movie "James" was in front of me. Actors Robert Sheehan and Aisling Loftus were present too, though sadly Christoper Eccleston was MIA.

I was suprised it was a movie by the way as I assumed it was a mini series of 3 episodes and we would only get to see the first one. I think it may have worked better if they had split it up in several shorter parts as even though it was only 90 minutes, it felt quite long.

It's always tough to not compare an adaptation to the original source material (the books in this case) or previous successful adaptations, but I do try to see them as different works as the original novel is always better, putting the new film at a disadvantage before it has even had a chance.

As a stand-alone movie I really enjoyed it. It was a fun family movie, not too complicated but still interesting, suitable festive, and (for the most part) the attention to detail was fabulous (such as huge zippers on the clothing). I loved the modern day additions into the film as well as the visualisation of the underground that still gave the story a very classic feel. Stephen Fry (Professor Mildeye), Christoper and Robert were fabulous, the boy (Charlie Hiscock) was really good too, but Aisling sadly had an annoying open-mouthed stunned expression on her face for the duration of the film. Thankfully that didn't spoil the movie too much for me as I was too busy looking at the fab sets and props.

There are plenty of issues with the film though, such as [spoiler]the easy dismissal of Professor Mildeye's theory and declaring him a laughing stock in his field. He's had two of the Borrowers in his lab for quite some time, are you telling me he did not one take a photo? Make a video? And on that note, were the Borrowers stuck in that glass jar the entire time? No need for bathroom breaks? I'm sure there are plenty more faults, but I tried not to think about it too hard and just enjoyed it for what it was.[/spoiler]

7.5/10

The Q/A sadly wasn't as good as it could've been. The director seemed to have a lot of trouble putting his thoughts into words and since he was the one mostly speaking this made the talk drag on. Some of the tid bits mentioned were interesting, but it all could've been said a lot more to the point. It was a shame they didn't get Charlie on stage as well but as he was sitting in front of me I afterwards told him that he was really great. He and his father seemed to appreciate this

There was a big party going on afterwards and I saw Robert posing for photos and signing things. Normally I would stick around and check it all out, but I was too tired to do so, so I just left.

[Beate]

http://www.cultbox.co.uk/news/headlines ... of-misfits

http://www.cultbox.co.uk/news/headlines ... adaptation

[valda]

Stephen Fry is touring Australia with QI at the moment

[elski]

Just watching it on TV now, quite enjoying the new modern version.