Customer Reviews

The Box of Delights [Region 2]

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The Box of Delights is a fantastic television programme. As a little girl, I remember watching the programme every christmas in Britain and was a childhood tradition. In Canada, however, it is not available. The show is brilliant, full of magic and myth. Both parents and children will love this programme, I definitely recommend The Box of Delights for anyone who enjoys Arthurian Legend or British/Celtic mythology.

I taped this mini series off tv in 1984, and every Christmas season my family and I love to watch this. (I bought newer better copies when they became available.) Set in the English country in the early 1930's, it is very charming. A young boy's magical experiences and how he saves everyone, including the town's 1000th Christmas celebration in the Tatchster Cathedral. It's alot like an early Harry Potter, but with the snow and Christmas music. I have found 3 different versions of this movie---depending on how much they edit and shorten it. I prefer the long version, 165 minutes, with all the details, quirky characters, quaint scenery and settings, and lots of charm.

I have been waiting for this for years. I, too, taped the original broadcast, and we also watch it year-after-year. The tape is degraded, and the DVD is here just in time!

Wonderful story, produced magically. Christmas isn't Christmas without The Box of Delights.

Not widely known in the USA, BOD is a fantastical piece that revolves around a boy entrusted with the Box of Delights vs. a mob of villans. This series is traditional viewing in England. Anyone seeing it when young still looks forward to it's viewing each year, essentially, the US equivelent of A Charlie Brown Christmas or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in popularity. For it's time the VFX were of notable production value.

"The Box of Delights" is based on a childrens' novel by John Masefield. This BBC production was shown in the US decades ago. I managed to catch a few episodes then and was mightily intrigued. Recently I got my hands on a recording and saw it all.

While the production quality is good, the special effects are rather old-fashioned. No CGI here; fantastic creatures are either costumes, or cel animation superimposed into the live action. But it holds up, and kids won't mind.

As for the story . . . it's a about a boy whose holiday vacation is complicated by a plot by a evil magician to muck up the Christmas festivities at a local cathedral. In the first of the six half-hour episodes the young hero meets up with werewolves disguised as clergymen, a 1000 year old Punch & Judy man (Patrick Troughton, "Dr. Who" number 2), a pagan witch, a shapeshifting ancient warrior, and a phoenix. What's not to like?

When I was growing up, I always looked forward to them playing this on wonderworks. When I grew up and wonderworks was no longer around I would go to the library and borrow it. I am hoping to eventually be able to own this movie. If you enjoy magical movies this is definately one to watch!

THE BOX OF DELIGHTS features Patrick Troughton, who played the second Doctor Who, in this magical BBC Christmas fantasy. If you enjoy good fantasy, the BBC version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, or classic Doctor Who, you will enjoy this wonderful film. PLEASE NOTE: the Simon and Schuster edition is only 120 minutes long and has been cut by 43 minutes. Get the BBC Classics version which is 163 minutes (see the blue cover in "other images" for this item.