Fungus the Bogeyman (2004) (TV)

Director:

Stuart Orme

Writers:

Raymond Briggs (book)
Mark Haddon (screenplay)

Release Date:

28 November 2004 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title

Awards:

5 nominations

Cast

Martin Clunes	...	George White
Fay Ripley	...	Jane White
Tom Goodman-Hill	...	Tony
Clare Thomas	...	Jessica White
Mak Wilson	...	Fungus / Stench
Jordan Metcalfe	...	Mould
Fiona Hogan	...	Mildew
Alice Connor	...	Mucus
William Todd Jones	...	Gunge / Scab
Kate Lynch	...	Septic
Andrew Shim	...	Grot
Charlie Hicks	...	Tom White
Jeff Nuttall	...	Patterson
Alakina Mann	...	Katie
Brett O'Brien	...	Katie's Mother

Runtime:

150 min (3 parts)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:G

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Consider watching this in three sessions, one a day

This is to say that I could not relate to this when I watched all two hours of it in one sitting, it felt weak and visually flawed.

Watching this in three sessions should remind me that this was made as a short series for younger children, three episodes, with a lower production budget than for a big screen feature. In that context and not all viewed at once this could be very effective indeed. My FAQ of chapter headings gives my guess re episode breaks.

Second viewing, yes yes yes. But some of the younger might need their hand held during the first ten minutes of their first viewing.

*

Bogeyman.

I first heard this term between 1950 and 1952. Our street, being English, had an annual street bonfire on the land next to a drain at the end of our street. Some people collected scrap wood to make for a really big fire, then the day before the city council came and took it all away, safety reasons, to use the wood for a fire at a public park. Someone mentioned that the drain was dangerous because there were bogeymen there at night. Next day, another pile of wood had grown, eventually becoming as big as the first, it even looked the same. An okay bonfire night.

I used to like bonfire night, but now I accept that it started because someone was annoyed with English politicians so much that they went and did something that made English politicians suggest that the public having an annual burning of a guy might be a good idea.

I now consider bonfire night to be sick.

England is not the healthiest country to try to live in. To some it is as if most everyone is a bogeyman at times.

This feature is fictional, not factual, and shows an entertaining side to English bogeyman legends.

*

Ouch Ouch Ouch.

Clare Thomas who plays Jessica 15ish. This is the Phyllis of The Railway Children 2000. Even more, this is the Aggie of Madeline 1998. To some Madeline fans this DVD might be a must. Clare has a big role in this.

Ouch Ouch Ouch.