HOME   News   Reviews   Adv Search   Features   My DVD   About   Apps   Stats     Search:
  Directed by
  Starring
  Specs
  • Widescreen 2.35:1
  • 16:9 Enhanced
  • Dual Layer ( )
  Languages
  • English: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
  Subtitles
    English, Hebrew, Greek, Portuguese, English - Hearing Impaired, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish
  Extras
  • 2 Theatrical trailer
  • 6 Featurette
  • Isolated music score - Sherman Demos
  • Photo gallery
  • 5 TV spot
  • Booklet
  • Karaoke
  • DVD-ROM features
  • 2 Interactive game

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: SE

MGM/MGM Home Entertainment . R4 . COLOR . 140 mins . G . PAL

  Feature
Contract

I’d always thought this a Disney film, but nope, nothing of the sort. A big budget epic from MGM that is surprisingly as cogent today as it was when first released in 1968.

From the same pen that brought us the world’s favourite misogynist in James Bond, Ian Fleming’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a fairly wonderful musical set in the early quarter of last century. It details the life of a decrepit racecar and a family named the Potts (no relation to Jim Russell’s comic strip family of the same name). When Caractacus Potts, an eccentric inventor raising his two kids Jemima and Jeremy solo since (we assume) their mother passed away, invents a musical candy by chance, he tries to sell it to the Scrumptious Candy Company. He is trying to get the money together so as to buy a derelict old car for his kids to play in, but it fails and he makes enough money by accident at the local fair. He buys the car and restores it and takes his children to the beach for the day, bumping into one Truly Scrumptious, the daughter of Mr. Scrumptious (the Candyman).

"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang we love you!"

After much singing and dancing, the pair start to fall in love when the kids demand a story about Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (that’s so hard to type over and over… let’s get modern and call it C2B2). So Caractacus tells a story about Baron Bomburst and his desire to steal the car out from under them. So begins a fantastic tale that takes them across the sea in C2B2 to rescue a city of lost children. And Benny Hill’s in it as a toymaker and he only once clutches the top of his head and winces while closing his legs.

I didn’t expect this to have as much appeal as it did, but this film is a truly warm film the whole family can enjoy. Sure there are some awful moments with overly-syrupped songs that leave us with diabetes (the Truly Scrumptious song is the most guilty) but otherwise this is a film harkening back to a bygone era of family entertainment. There’s even the smooth joke delivered with a claw hammer in Truly Scrumptious’ name. Yes indeedy, this was written by Ian Fleming and Miss Truly is but a pace away from Pussy Galore and the host of other humourously named leading women that James Bond gets to shag before eventually firing out of a cannon.

However, this has been restored magnificently and holds a monster swag of value and appeal for the family and as a family release I will go on record as having recommended it. It’s funnier than I thought and it’s a tad more eccentric, having the screenplay written by the director Ken Hughes and one Roald Dahl really brings it to the screen in magnificently fun fashion. Caractacus’ crazy inventions have all been created by Roland Emett, an English cartoonist renowned for his whimsical inventions and illustrations. In fact, due to this movie he quit illustrating and began creating his inventions for real as props and such. Which is a bizarre sort of twist really. It would be a neat job though.

‘So what do you do?
‘I invent and then make crazy inventions for movies and television.’
And so on…

  Video
Contract

This is a sterling restoration and transfer job for a film nearing its forties. The colours are brilliant without being oversaturated and lines are crisp and sharp. The wide shots of C2B2 flying over the European forests are awesome and delivered using the full 2.35:1 aspect ratio with anamorphic flying carment. Admittedly some of the special effects here are looking a little dated, but some are surprisingly good even for the late '60s. There’s even an intermission included for the benefit of little bladders from 80:09–81:16. Neat. It was just what I needed.

  Audio
Contract

A broad ranging Dolby Digital 5.1 surround setup here keeps the music rolling on and on (and bloody on) but for the most part the songs aren’t too painful (except the Truly Scrumptious one noted above). The subwoofer does well to deepen the music and stays in constant work throughout. The soundtrack from Richard and Robert Sherman is good fun and clinically chirpy, but does manage a level of warmth without too much treacle. There are some more Chaplinesque moments in here too that suit the text nicely given the feeling of the film as well.

Dialogue is okay and well enunciated, though I had some trouble with the levels between studio recorded songs and the lip synching for the film. The sound quality there is very distinct, possibly due to the cleanliness of a digital treatment, and while it doesn’t offend, it is noticeable in half the songs. That is, you can tell they were recorded elsewhere. This isn’t really too big a problem and we’ve known Hollywood has done that for years, so it’s my guess the youngsters couldn’t care or won’t notice anyway.

  Extras
Contract

Well, strap yourselves in, there’s a swag to get through here. Firstly there’s the very nice metallic foil packaging that includes a 32 or 34 page booklet (depending on which part of the sleeve you believe). It’s unfortunately glued into the DVD case which is a shame, but would no doubt be a good children’s read before bed. There is also a fun illustration of the landscape the adventures take place in and some nice animated menus modernised with a good 3D model of C2B2 in full flight.

Disc One holds the film in its full widescreen aspect of course, plus A Phantasmogorical Motorcar, a 9:43 featurette with the car’s current owner Pierre Picton. Picton mugs for the camera in a very journalist-type human-interest story and describes his work on the film and what he does with GEN 11 as it’s known today (see the number plate).

The vintage advertising gallery holds an enhanced 1.85:1 theatrical trailer that’s pretty dinged up, followed by ze French trailer which runs slightly longer in French sans enhancement. Then come five soft as marshmallow TV spots that are worth watching for their historical value only. These are about a two out of ten for quality.

To round out Disc One we have a singalong feature that puts the song lyrics into the film for any crazy wild-eyed youth who may wish to do so.

Moving along to Disc Two, our first piece is a featurette entitled Remembering C2B2 with Dick Van Dyke (or to modernise him a little, DVD… ). This was shot fairly recently and old DVD looks amazing for his age (presumably around 120). It runs for an interesting 25:58 in which DVD talks about everything from the kids to Sally Anne Howes to the car to his own stunts and dance routines and everything. He seems like a fairly genuine fella too.

Next up is The making of C2B2 the Musical, running for a just long enough 9:59 and narrated by Sally Anne Howes herself (though we don’t get to see her). This shows some of the amazing journeys undertaken in bringing the film to the stage and ruins itself by stamping a big Available to buy now on video and DVD! across the end.

Vintage featurettes are the kind of cheesy things they stopped making years ago; the ones that sound like newsreels with an over enthusiastic voiceover apparently narrating the images to weak effect. This is also the coming of the Film Artefact Apocalypse.

The first is The Real Caractacus Potts, a 9:42 piece about Roland Emett, the previously mentioned cartoonist turned crackpot.

Second is a Press Interview which sees the young DVD sitting in C2B2 and answering some of the most standard and lamearse questions from empty-headed pressmen I’ve ever heard.

Lastly there’s On Set with the Potts Children, a thankfully brief 2:57 poorly scripted and cheesy bit showing the kids wandering around London doing anything but being on set.

A short photo gallery plays itself out for 2:21 and shows various promo and behind the scenes images, while the Sherman demos follows, featuring the original audio recordings of the scorers as they wrote the film’s music. This is but audio stuff here and goes for a lengthy 30:30.

Fun and Games holds four fun things for the rugrats with the first being a read along of the storybook with Jeremy Potts. Not sure if it’s the same kid or not (I doubt it somehow) but there’s also the non-narrated version.

One Person’s Junk is Another Person’s Jalopy is a poorly named game that isn’t too bad, though perhaps a little tricky for the younger set. Identify items in the junkheap of Caractacus to build various items. After becoming a Third Grade Inventor, we get a secret surprise gift! Neat. Love it when they make it worth our while. Here the prize may not appeal to all, but as an illustrator it appealed to me.

Toots Sweets Delivery Game is next and fairly straightforward; fly C2B2 over the children and drop sweets to them. Count up your score at the end. Not so difficult a game this time.

Finally, there’s some DVD-ROM content in a printable colouring book for your computer to deal with.

And as if that's not enough, there's even an Easter egg you can scurry on over to our Egg Wing to read all about. Truly, a wide bag of extras that’s bound to keep the younger members of your gang busy and entertained until the C2B2 Playstation game comes out anyway (if ever).

  Overall  
Contract

This is a brilliantly put together two disc set that represents pretty sound value for money. While the package hasn’t been put together in quite the best way it could have, it is still a nice gathering of special features and an incredible transfer of the film from its original big screen print. A fun film that still has a lot to offer nearly 40 years on and one that the kids will most likely have a good time watching. I enjoyed it anyway and that’s saying something I suppose.

Well worth the investigation for parents who remember the film fondly and wish to share it with their kids today (or maybe grandkids, I dunno).

Truly Scrumptious. (Hands up who could see that final note coming?)


  • LINK: http://www.dvd.net.au/review.cgi?review_id=4014
  • Send to a friend.

    Cast your vote here: You must enable cookies to vote.
  •   
      And I quote...
    "Well, it was made in 1968 and there’s little doubt it looks better than it ever has… Truly Scrumptious, one might say."
    - Jules Faber
      Review Equipment
    • DVD Player:
          Teac DVD-990
    • TV:
          AKAI CT-T29S32S 68cm
    • Speakers:
          Teac PLS-60 Home Theatre System
    • Centre Speaker:
          Teac PLS-60 Home Theatre System
    • Surrounds:
          Teac PLS-60 Home Theatre System
    • Subwoofer:
          Akai
    • Audio Cables:
          Standard RCA
    • Video Cables:
          Standard Component RCA
      Recent Reviews:
    by Jules Faber

    Narrow Margin
    "Gene Hackman as an action star? It happened… "

    A King in New York: SE
    "Taking a poke at too many demons makes this film a little stilted and not among his best works"

    A Zed and Two Noughts
    "Is it art or is it pornography? Who cares? Both are good."

    Blake's 7 - The Complete Series One
    "Performances are fine, but the flimsy sets, the crappy props and the undisguisable late 70s hairdos are just too much."

    Heavens Above
    "While not amongst some of Sellers’ more confident roles, this one is still up there amidst the more subtle of them…"

      Related Links
      None listed

     

    Search for Title/Actor/Director:
    Google Web dvd.net.au
       Copyright © DVDnet. All rights reserved. Site Design by RED 5   
    rss