hyped garbage

From my favorite movies..

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

This Halloween challenge is giving me the opportunity to catch up with a lot of horror-themed movies I missed out on as I was growing up and this genteel but utterly charming children's ghost story is yet another one such instance. Two young kids who have inherited 30,000 pounds (a fortune in 19th Century England) are about to be done in by their half-brother' (James Villiers)'s nasty in-laws – a grotesque couple almost unrecognizably played by Diana Dors (complete with funny speech impediment) and David Lodge (playing a brain-damaged ex-boxer). Unfortunately, their pleas for intervention to both Villiers and their solicitor Mr. Blunden (Laurence Naismith) fall on deaf ears, but the latter becomes so guilt-stricken that he reappears a century later and 'wills' a modern-day couple of kids back into the past to save his charges from a fiery death! The film is highlighted by a literate script (by director Jeffries), a meticulously-detailed production (for what it's worth, the early setting in London's Camden Town brought back memories to my visits there in January 2007, highlighted by my attending an all-star Rock concert!), an evocative score (by Elmer Bernstein) and good performances by all concerned. Ill-fated Lynne Frederick is one of the children, Hammer starlet Madeline Smith plays Dors' child-like daughter, while Graham Crowden appears briefly as the newest partner in Blunden's firm whose name the old man can never remember; incidentally, the cast list isn't given at the film's beginning – rather, Jeffries has the actors introduced at the end and bowing down to the audience just like in a stage play! Incidentally, former actor Jeffries (where he specialized in eccentric, bubbly types) had a reasonable directing career (with a penchant for children-oriented, though not necessarily kiddie, fare): even if his first effort – THE RAILWAY CHILDREN (1970) – is generally the best regarded of the lot, this one's definitely a close second.Though not genuine horror fare as such, the ghost and time-travel devices here are enough to grant THE AMAZING MR. BLUNDEN a deserving place in this Halloween challenge; even so, the Leonard Maltin Film Guide's comment regarding its "muddled plot line" probably refers to the children going forward in time before the fateful accident (the boy even says, "You can be a ghost but you don't have to be dead") – yet, in the modern-day (1918) setting, we can clearly see their graves (which are no longer there by the end, having been replaced by a monument dedicated to Mr. Blunden who has now died in their place)! In conclusion and, just for the record, my viewing of the film was unfortunately slightly – but, thankfully, not too obtrusively – hampered by the jerky motion associated with the DivX format.

Like many films made by the British film industry at it's nadir in the 1970s, the Amazing Mr Blunden could be overlooked, but those willing to make the effort will find a gem. There's the wonderfully English setting of the film, mixing the nostalgia of a Georgian England of Mr Blunden and Langley Park, with the Edwardianism of Jamie and Lucy's world. Mixed with good background music and wonderful setting amongst a stately home and a traditional village and the film is playing to all the traditional strengths of British film and drama. Adults will perhaps prefer these aspects to the plot, but children will enjoy the 'good vs. evil' aspect of the children's fight to save the lives of Georgie and Sara against Mrs Wickens (played excellently by Diana Dors who steals the film). Sadly, the film misses much 'fun' that could be made out of the stark characters of Mr and Mrs Wickens and the rest of the cast (particularly the dandy-ish uncle played by James Villiers). There's also one cringe-worthy moment too - when all the actors and actress wave goodbye at the end. They don't make things that this anymore....

I loved this film as a kid - aside from the cheesy " Goodbye, hope you enjoyed it" from the actors, coming out of character at the end of the movie ( very much a Lionel Jeffries signature - also did it in "The Railway Children") - which I HATED (!) this movie still holds the same magic for me now as it did when I first saw it.The premise has been described many times before but I will just add the fact that all the atmospheric ingredients are there - the mist on the open lawns, the cawing of the crows, the suitably haunted looking old ruin and a musical score that really captures every emotion that it needs to in the wonderful story telling. Laurence Naismith is every inch the "actor", whose casting in this role was genius. Lynn Frederick, whose troubled life was ultimately cut short, was a little miscast as Lucy - already 18 and obviously a woman, it was difficult to see her as a little girl. However, Rosalyn Landor was perfect as, what turns out to be, Lucy's Great Grandmother.David Lodge and Dianna Dors were superb in their roles as Mr and Mrs Wickens although James Villiers looked a smidgen uncomfortable as the 1816 children's wicked uncle.However, it is the story and the atmosphere that Jeffrie's evokes in this movie along with the wonderful score. I have just ordered this again on DVD as it is many years since I last saw it and I cannot wait. It really is a childhood favourite and I am looking forward to the nostalgia buzz that it will, undoubtedly evoke.

This movie is a classic fantasy film about two children who travel back in time to save the lives of two children who died in a fire 100 years ago. Two siblings, Lucy and Jamie, get the shock of their lives when they encounter the ghosts of two children in the garden of the home there mother is overseeing. Sara and Georgie are two young ghosts that died in a fire at the house nearly 100 years ago. They desperately need help and cannot find it in their own time so they find a recipe that enables them to travel back in time. They ask Lucy and Jamie to make the potion in order to travel to their time to help save their lives. This movie is also nice because it has an interesting plot twist at the end and it is also one of the few movies in which you get to see Diana Dors act instead of just look nice. It is a thrilling movie but out of print and hard to find. I highly recommend it.