Robinson Crusoe - Rescued Again - Documentary - About Classic TV Series
Ойын-сауық
Here's a fascinating BBC Radio documentary about the wonderful definitive1960's TV Series "The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe" Which starred the Austrian actor Robert Hoffmann which you can now buy beautifully restored on the Network DVD Boxset.Glenn Mitchell examines the impact of the French television series The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe along with its extremely popular and iconic music score.
The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (French: Les Aventures de Robinson Crusoë) was a French children's television drama series made by Franco London Films (a.k.a. FLF Television Paris). The show was first aired in Germany in October 1964 under the title Robinson Crusoe as four 90-minute episodes by co-producers ZDF television, and syndicated in the USA the same year. It was first aired in the UK in 1965 as a 13-part serial. This English dubbed version produced by Henry Deutschmeister also had a new musical soundtrack composed by Robert Mellin and P. Reverberi which gave the serial a more strident and appealing theme tune than the music composed by Georges Van Parys for the French/German original. The production concentrated not only on events on the island but included Crusoe's other adventures, told in flashback.
The series was based on the first of Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe novels, but is perhaps best remembered for the haunting theme music composed for the English-language version, recreated since by bands such as The Art of Noise. According to the radio commentator Glenn Mitchell, "The theme tune, with its rumbling introductory notes suggesting the rolling waves of the on-screen title sequence remains distinctive, as does the full incidental score, comprising numerous cues that in each case represent some part of Crusoe's existence. The score combines the maritime idiom of the late 17th and early 18th centuries with some very 1960s influences-(later, composer Gian Piero Reverberi's Rondò Veneziano re-imagined Vivaldi for the 20th century, a recognisably similar project.)".
For at least three generations of UK children, this was the definitive TV version of Daniel Defoe's classic novel. After its debut in 1965, it soon became a staple part of the BBC's school summer holiday schedules. Often shown Mondays to Fridays, in the mid '70s, it was last screened in the early 1980s, after which the BBC's contract for repeat screenings expired. It is the story of a young Englishman's struggle for survival on an unknown desert island, and his recollections of his adventures prior to the shipwreck that brought him there, in particular his involvement with slave traders. He has his pet dog Dick, a parrot and a goat for company. In the latter half of the story a group of cannibals arrive on his island; he repels them by means of explosives, and in the process rescues a native from becoming their next meal; he names him Friday. In the end he comes to terms with his less than exemplary past, and becomes a better man thanks to his experiences on the island, befriending Friday and putting his life in order.
The serial was filmed on Gran Canaria, the 3rd largest of the Canary Islands, off the coast of Morocco. Robinson's Island locations were shot at Playa del Ingles on the southern tip of Gran Canaria; the Moroccan scenes were filmed further along the coast at Playa de Maspalomas and the Dunes of Maspalomas; the small village of Tejeda located inland at the notional centre of Gran Canaria was used as the location for Robinson's Plantation in Brazil. Most of this footage was shot mute because of the lack of dialogue and the time it saved on location, the sound being dubbed on later. The English locations (York/Hull) were shot in Normandy, France. The filming took four months to complete. For the Gran Canaria footage a small 11 man film crew was used, all of whom also played small parts in the serial, such as assistant director Luc Andrieux who took the part of Kasir the fishmonger. This was Austrian, Salzburg-born,[2] actor Robert Hoffmann's first professional acting job after leaving the French actors school in Paris in 1964. (In Defoe's novel Crusoe is only 27, and his father a German émigré from Bremen, surnamed Kreutznaer, so that Crusoe is an anglicization of this name.)
Franco London Film made three different cuts of the show available (four-part, six-part and thirteen-part versions) to accommodate the broadcasting requirements of countries buying the serial.
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Today, children’s tv is 24/7, back in the 1970s you got about 60 minutes a day, during school holidays, in that hour you got the adventures of tin tin, Robinson Crusoe and some other programme that I can’t remember. A golden hour during depressing times.
Probably the best TV series soundtrack ever written.
@briancarr4607
3 жыл бұрын
Without doubt
@andrewbowdidge6006
2 жыл бұрын
Yes best composed TV score and so evocative. Every piece is so uplifting!
Oh my god how brilliant this was I'm 57 years of age and the music takes me back 50 years brilliant series
Long school summer holidays, b+W tv, my parents, innocence and playing out all day until dusk, bath and bed 🛌 🥲👍👍🇬🇧
That theme tune is my childhood wrapped up in a box. Every time I hear the score my reaction ranges from a lump in the throat to floods of tears. Incidentally, for those of you with a technical/musical bent, that "twang" is the top end of a bass guitar played trough a 12" spring reverb.
@andrewbowdidge6006
2 жыл бұрын
Very well summed up by you. I totally agree!
Well , I'm 57 and agree with every comment I've read. But, the real power of this series was surely the music, that's the dog whistle for those of us who grew up with it. Lets not mention " The Singing Ringing Tree " that traumatised us, while Gerry Anderson inspired us. Good luck my brothers and sisters , may your voyage through this life continue until you no longer wish to travel, and let us be thankful for the company of those who's journey ended before ours.
Takes me back to the 60's when as a 5 year old boy I was transported to another world, made even more special by the music.
i loved this show and still do. Very fond memories watching in in the 60's during the school holidays in Scotland. This and Belle and Sebastian were definitely my favourites. I was able to get a dvd of the series The adventures of Robinson Crusoe and re-lived my childhood! As good as the series was, for me it would have been nowhere near as good without the beautiful and inspiring music. Bloody brilliant!
Totally loved this series as a youngster. The music gets me every time.
Wonderful series, I am 54 now and theme music takes me straight back to Saturday mornings with my younger brother, sadly no longer with us. They really were good times in the 1970's for kids, we also loved Randall and Hopkirk and The Double Deckers. Wish I could turn back the clock
@videocurios
7 жыл бұрын
I am right back there with you such happy days
@iloveNathalie1
7 жыл бұрын
Not forgetting Herge's Adventures of TinTin! Robinson Crusoe was the best kids' programme ever. That music!
@sharoncarter4086
7 жыл бұрын
Helen McCauley you are spot on. love Robinson crusoe and randel and hopkirk. better times, memories and happiness.
@beckynelson6786
4 жыл бұрын
❤️
@jackies3245
4 жыл бұрын
Also White Horses. They knew how to write a good theme tune then.
OMG...Robinson Crusoe and White Horses together....Happy Days.
This series had a major impact on me. For a start I decided to buy an island right back then. I achieved that in my 40s in Panama (20 acres) where I camped a lot, which I enjoyed for 10 years. That also meant I chose a career that was high enough paid to buy it - I even have a graph from age 10 where I drew how long it would take to save for one (my father told me the typical price) on the basis of two different careers. It also had wonderful classical music with an orchestra. It also had historical issues in it and philosophy. Even now I feel the same - nothing is as good for me as being alone and in nature.
As a young teen,I had a major crush on this handsome young actor.I loved the music and the way the story was presented.
@jazzman1626
3 жыл бұрын
I knew some girl would have had a crush on him lol. I used to wish I was as good looking as him ha ha. My crush was on the girl who played Julia in The White Horses, the theme song of which was sung by Ms Jackie Lee in 1968.
Memories such as this are the sweetest thing ...yet only those who share the same memories will understand...it makes perfect strangers have something wonderful in common... Forever etched in my mind....
@videocurios
7 жыл бұрын
Thanks Karl i share your sentiments exactly
@karlinguk
7 жыл бұрын
videocurios - Great memories...thanks
@jazzman1626
3 жыл бұрын
Karl BHX What a very nice way of putting it 👍.
@chrisj1906
3 жыл бұрын
Beautifully put
Quite simply, as someone who first watched this magnificent series back in 1965, this production particularly with it's wonderful score, has been a must-see each year since I purchased the DVD about 20 or so years ago. The best-ever musical score allied to being the best thing ever shown at the 5pm (ish) slot, makes "The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe" one of the true wonders of television.
I was nine years old when I first watched this series - it inspired me to learn to sail and travel the world ... now 50 years later, I still find it magical.
I feel deep emotions well up in my heart 💓 when I hear this music & see this footage after so long...wonderful but somehow makes me feel sad 😢 special childhood memories 💞 love it so very much... 🥰
The score brings me to tears, every time. Not sure why, except that it evokes innocent times and my love of this programme. I also wanted to be on a desert island, though again, can't think why. Maybe a lot to do with the music underpinning the whole programme.
@nigelmellows1
6 жыл бұрын
me too
@richardtupin7543
5 жыл бұрын
The score was terrific Pauline. I bought it on a CD from Amazon several years ago.
@jazzman1626
3 жыл бұрын
Pauline Rowley For me, my emotional reaction to the music is in response to the fact that, I know that I can’t leave these terrible times behind and go back to that innocent time we crave so much. Music is a very powerful trigger to our emotions, especially when it is linked to our memories of nicer times. It also evokes sweet memories of our parents. For me, that memory is of my sweet, gentle mother smiling as I watched the program. I miss her smile so much and making her laugh, like when I sung Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman” but in my Scottish accent and words, sung “ Pritty Wummin” instead lol. She remembered and chuckled at that all of her life after that. Sorry, I forgot to stop rabbiting ha ha. Wishing you good health, love and happiness.
@lesallison9047
3 жыл бұрын
Me too.
@irw4350
2 жыл бұрын
.. and me - but its the music itself, not the memories
Wonderful unforgettable music that takes me back to wonderful childhood memories couldn’t wait for the next episode to see how the story unfolded and years and years later it’s still as magical ❤️
I was witness of this great series in 60s.. I was born 1960 ..and this series was part what was described very accurately along with flashing blade ..white horses .. bell and Sebastian The strange ..the singing ringing tree. I think was Russian . when British tv was so great not that any thing on tv today really matches it’s magic and great early building blocks of world tv .. the evidence speaks for itself ..great memories as well as Gerry Anderson supermarionation for me captain scarlet remains a personal favourite great job documentary.
I loved this version of the Robinson Crusoe story The music is absolutely beautiful. May have inspired me to travel so much as an adult.
Brings back happy memories of watching the black and white TV series on BBC1, way back in about 1971 with my now late mother. Thanks
Loved this, and the singing ringing tree, blue Peter, white horses, used to go like hell to get my paper round done, on the days they would be on 👍😄
How wonderful the internet is. I've just researched Lee Payant who narrated the series. He was in his 40s when he did this. His boyfriend of 26 years (until Lee died) was the black actor Gordon Heath. He was the first black actor on British TV (he played Othello). They ran a music club in the trendy area of Paris in the 50s & 60s. Some of their songs are on KZread. Brilliant.
@TryptychUK
2 жыл бұрын
His voice was not overly American, but gentle and warm. He was as much a part of the show as the music.
This classic TV series was one of my earliest childhood memories. I would have been six years old at the time, the music has made an indelible impression on me. I managed to get a copy of the music on CD, produced by Silva Screen Records. More than fifty years on, the music and memories still remain !
I have the fondest memories of this series in the early 70's. It stayed in my mind (and in my heart too!) throughout my adult life. Fast forward many, many years and I was surprised with the remastered 13 part dvd as a Christmas gift - I was delighted! Oh, the beautiful music took me right back to my childhood! The best, just the best tv series ever... oh... I forgot Star Trek LOL! Okay, Star Trek is second best!
Soundtrack is brilliant i have It on dvd.
It was shown regularly during school summer holidays in the UK, at least in the seventies. Really terrific!
Thankyou , that was wonderful ! Like others here I just hear the music and I am transported back in time ….What a joy to learn that Robert Hoffman went on to ' live the life ' , too often childhood heroes disappoint , but somehow hearing about him gave some small bit of re affirmation to the child I was who watched this show and dreamed that life could be magic .
Always watched this as a kid but never saw the last few episodes untill I got the DVD (also got the soundtrack on cd)
Great memories from the 1960s i loved this series
I can remember watching this in NZ when I was a boy..... I really think all boys have a bit of Robinson Crusoe in them. I loved Robert Hoffmann as the lead and the theme music was another favourite. I have watched other RC movies but they have never matched the original. I have bought the boxset and my grand kids love to sit down with me on their visits. It's an oldie but a goodie.
This is one of my favourite shows of all time, so glad to have seen it from the beginning in 1965 as a young child, and the music is so beautiful, means such a lot to me, many thanks for this wonderful post..
Great memories. Loved the holidays. And I remember it repeated in the afternoon at school time. I wouldnt go back to school until Id watched the episode. Great rtmes
Ahhh! THAT theme .... & Black Beauty
Sweet joy of blue remembered hills.
A beautiful series great choice by bbc to air it.
I watched the first series with my mother in 1965 and was captivated by it from the start. As I remember, it went out mid morning, and I was always shouted in, "its started", when I would run in and lay in front of our old Phillips B&W T.V. About seven years ago, I got the C.D soundtrack, and that Christmas I got the re-mastered DVD as a gift from my mother, which brought back many happy memories, especially now as she passed away earlier this year. Great respect and fond thanks to all those involved in its restoration, and I wonder what next? A colourised version perhaps?
@videocurios
9 жыл бұрын
Brad Brassman Thanks Brad for your lovely memories I used to watch it with my brothers and its still a joy to watch yes Network did an amazibg job of restoring this beautiful series.
@BradBrassman
9 жыл бұрын
+videocurios They did indeed! And I am attempting to get my grandkids into it!!
@markstanton63
7 жыл бұрын
Brad Brassman Happy memories
@jazzman1626
3 жыл бұрын
Ha ha “ It’s started” is a very familiar call that was probably shouted in many homes at the same time back then. And to think how small our tv sets were compared to the ones we have now but we loved it, horizontal hold and all 😀.
How could the BBC just throw British Entertainment away in a bin? All the original 35mm quality film was thrown away.
I too came home from school and watched this classic programme and, just loved.
This was landmark tv series great stories every week supported by great acting and production values and of course the fantastic theme music. all in all very memorable and enjoyable.
Such memories. Thanks so much for posting this great documentary.
Really enjoyed listening.
I had just started school 5 /6 weeks previous to this, what memories.
Interesting to watch the Deutsche version on KZread. It's the 35mm version & is SO clear !!
I bought the DVD as well, it brings back fond memories for me, I was a teenager and loved the series. I seemed to be able to relate to his isolation and later The Prisoner was also a favourite of mine. I think the black and white gives it a great atmosphere. Don't know what it is about black and white, I always loved films without colour, maybe its just nostalgia as when I was a child most films seemed to be made without colour. I think sometimes it spoils the original when they dub colour on top but I think Robinson Crusoe might be an exception and I would like to see it done in this way as well as black and white.
Excellent post, remember this all too well.
Just brill
rediffusion
Yes, brilliant series. Stupid commentry - at 9 minutes they say that girls might have watched it to look at the handsome men. For goodness sake - it was an adventure series, we watched it for the adventure. And the music. All summer we'd watch it in the morning, then go and act it out on the beach all afternoon....
@irw4350
2 жыл бұрын
I feel very much the same watching Jennifer Lopez....................................... NOT !