Two years after the success of the BBC children's TV series FIVE CHILDREN AND IT, adapted from the works of Edith Nesbit, came this follow up. The original book sequel proved too expensive to shoot so this is a made-up storyline that feels in some instances like a rehash of the first film's storyline.
Once again we get a group of four children who come to stay with a relative and discover a Sand Fairy living in the local sand pit. He grants them a number of wishes, and once again they discover the difficulties with getting what you wish for. This six-part show is rather episodic, but the adventures remain amusing. An evil twin, invisibility, and a rather cool trip to the future (i.e. the early 1990s) are on the menu this time around.
The children aren't quite as good as in the first series, but we do get the delightful Anna Massey as the aunt and she certainly makes up for any problems elsewhere in the cast. As usual, the incredibly intrinsic animatronics used to animate the Psammead make him a scene-stealer in the most literal sense, and Francis Wright continues to provide his excellent vocals. The Psammead would come back one final time in THE PHOENIX AND THE CARPET, although sadly this third series hasn't yet been put out on DVD.
Once again we get a group of four children who come to stay with a relative and discover a Sand Fairy living in the local sand pit. He grants them a number of wishes, and once again they discover the difficulties with getting what you wish for. This six-part show is rather episodic, but the adventures remain amusing. An evil twin, invisibility, and a rather cool trip to the future (i.e. the early 1990s) are on the menu this time around.
The children aren't quite as good as in the first series, but we do get the delightful Anna Massey as the aunt and she certainly makes up for any problems elsewhere in the cast. As usual, the incredibly intrinsic animatronics used to animate the Psammead make him a scene-stealer in the most literal sense, and Francis Wright continues to provide his excellent vocals. The Psammead would come back one final time in THE PHOENIX AND THE CARPET, although sadly this third series hasn't yet been put out on DVD.