Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - Blu-ray

[camaj]

One of my favourite films as a kid. Never owned it on VHS or DVD though my brother and I wore out a copy we'd taped off ITV. Looks like it'd finally coming out on Blu-ray. For me it rivals Willie Wonka and the chocolate factory as best Roald Dhal film/musical ever.

[The Boogerman]

Perhaps its an age thing being an older forumite, but Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) both evoke wonderful childhood memories for me of a simpler age. That both their principal filming locations seemed at the time to belong to a different world (and are in southern Bavaria, where I've ended up living for the last seven years, is very interesting. Bavaria still has that wonderful charm.)

I hate musicals, but love these films. The child catcher is still one of the most scary villains. I look forward to buying this on blu-ray.

Camaj - did you really mean Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005 with Johnny Depp) or Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971 with Gene Wilder)?

[S_K_N]

Yeah its certainly one of the best musicals ever along with Oliver.

I grabbed the collectors edition of it from Amazon around a month ago for £4-5 and was well chuffed with it. I don't know what the Blu comes with but the CE on DVD came in a massive well presented box with felt lining inside, a nice book, 2 disc special edition of the film in a kind of pop up book style box, original cast recording CD and a corgi car of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

[Raigmore]

I too like CCBB but never owned it as VHS or DVD. With the DVD format, the nasty fullscreen edition was the only one available for so long that I had lost interest by the time the proper widescreen version came out. I am glad that I did cos I can now get it on Blu-ray.

What I would love is for It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World to come out in Blu-ray in the full Roadshow version. I heard that the compilers have found almost all the lost components.

[camaj]

Originally Posted by The Boogerman

I hate musicals, but love these films.

Camaj - did you really mean Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005 with Johnny Depp) or Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971 with Gene Wilder)?

God no, I meant Willy Wonka not that awful Tim Burton crap. I've always thought of it as C&TCF, probably because that's what the book is called. Really the film should have been called the same because it really is about Charlie not Wonka. I suppose "Willie Wonka" is a more eye-catching name and that's why they did it.

I hate musicals too, but yes Oliver has some great songs but I've never actually seen the film.

[jroadley]

Originally Posted by camaj

God no, I meant Willy Wonka not that awful Tim Burton crap. I've always thought of it as C&TCF, probably because that's what the book is called. Really the film should have been called the same because it really is about Charlie not Wonka. I suppose "Willie Wonka" is a more eye-catching name and that's why they did it.

I hate musicals too, but yes Oliver has some great songs but I've never actually seen the film.

The title got changed as there was a company in the US wanting to promote the "Wonka" bar and were putting the money up for the film.

I think they pulled out last minute but the film still got made - friend of the director put up the money (I think) anyway there is a history there as to why title got changed - and Dahl wasn't really happy with it either I think.

It is in my top 5 of all time for me.

As per OP - Day 1 purchase for me

[camaj]

Thanks for the info, where did you hear that? I would have imagined Warner would have funded it though.

[jroadley]

Originally Posted by camaj

Thanks for the info, where did you hear that? I would have imagined Warner would have funded it though.

It's on the Willy Wonka Blu Ray - will try and re-watch and get a more accurate info.

[jroadley]

Originally Posted by camaj

Thanks for the info, where did you hear that? I would have imagined Warner would have funded it though.

From the Wiki:

The idea for adapting the book into a film came about when director Mel Stuart's 10-year-old daughter read the book and asked her father to make a movie out of it, with "Uncle Dave" (producer David L. Wolper) producing it. Stuart showed the book to Wolper, who happened to be in the midst of talks with the Quaker Oats Company regarding a vehicle to introduce a new candy bar from their Chicago-based Breaker Confections subsidiary (since renamed The Willy Wonka Candy Company and sold to Nestlé). Wolper convinced the company, who had no previous experience in the film industry, to buy the rights to the book and finance the picture for the purpose of promoting a new Quaker Oats Wonka Bar.[1]

It was agreed that the film would be a children's musical, and that Dahl himself would write the screenplay.[1] However, the title was changed to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in order to promote the aforementioned candy tie-in.

I got my original facts slightly wrong, but hey read the wiki!

[camaj]

Okay, back to Chitty (sorry Wonka fans!)

From Thedigitalbits.com
Fox and MGM have set Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for release on Blu-ray+DVD Combo on 11/2 [2nd of November to us](SRP $34.99). It'll be available in both DVD and Blu-ray packaging. Extras will include 5 documentaries and featurettes (Remembering Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with Dick Van Dyke, A Fantasmagorical Motorcar, The Ditchling Tinkerer, Dick Van Dyke Press Interview and The Potts Children), a photo gallery, a vintage advertising gallery with rare trailers and TV spots, rare Sherman Brothers song demos, a Music Machine, a Sing-a-long version of the film, the all new interactive Toot Sweet Symphony melody maker and Chitty Chitty's Bang Bang Driving Game. The film's audio has also been remixed in 7.1 DTS-HD.

[camaj]

I happened to be messing around on Youtube earlier and found italian versions of some of the musical numbers from the film. Fantastic, it didn't occur to me the songs would be translated too.

I just saw the UK release is earlier and cheaper than the US release, you can order it here

What worries me now is there seems to be no foreign audio, just English. It also comes with a DVD. Weirdly, on the cover it says "DVD of The Sound of music"! I'd accept a copy of CCBB on DVD as a comprimise on the languge thing but I wouldn't be happy with TSOM unless it's a misprint or you get two films on DVD (unlikely)

EDIT: Ok, that's weird, American Dad just did a big CCBB joke

[spearce8]

Happened to notice this on Sky HD yesterday (I think it was its first showing) having never really seen the film before I watched a bit, image was ok, colours were nice, overall it felt a bit soft though, watching it reminded me slightly of The Great Escape, in that there's room for improvement, no reflection on the up and coming Blu version I'm sure