Early Films

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Yesterday was Matthew’s birthday, and he, Tess, and Poppy will be flying to New Zealand on Christmas Day. That is why Jackie drove us to Upper Dicker and back. I just had time yesterday to publish a taster in the form of a picture of the sunset from one of the flat windows.

Train crossing

Although Berwick is a very small station with few trains passing through, we always seem to have to wait at the level crossing just a few miles from our destination. This time was no exception. We sat patiently behind this young man as the transport trundled past. We were caught again on the way back home.

 

The Birthday Boy and his family were pleasantly surprised. After Becky and Ian joined us, Matthew opened his birthday presents and we all unwrapped our Christmas gifts from each other.

 

Several people noticed a deep pink sunset, so I nipped into a bedroom and poked my camera through a window.

Later, Tess ordered the delivery of a truly excellent Indian takeaway meal. We shared plentiful pilau rice, onion bhajis, vegetable samosas, and naans. My main choice was lamb naga, and Mat gave me the whole green chillis from his jalfrezi. Peroni and a good Chateauneuf du Pape were imbibed. Poppy chose orange juice.

As always, we turned to reminiscing. Knowing that Shane is my all time favourite film, Mat told me he had just seen this masterpiece from the 1950s and agreed that it was an excellent production.. Our son had not known why I had enjoyed it so much, so I enlightened him. He then told us of his earliest remembered film,

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx_4C1cyUZA&w=560&h=315]

and why it was also a favourite. This was because I had collected him from school and taken him to see it. The singer on this clip is the late great Roger Miller.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmOe27SJ3Yc&w=560&h=315]

Coincidentally, one of my favourite songs is by this performer.

Becky’s early memory was the 1975 Disney film ‘One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing’. I don’t appear to have had an input to this. It was, however, very topical, because Poppy really likes dinosaurs and we had given her a toy one which she had immediately identified as a triceratops, which was more than I could have done.

This afternoon I enjoyed studying the Victoria & Albert Museum’s 2016 production of The Twelve Days of Christmas, beautifully illustrated by Liz Catchpole, who has incorporated William Morris’s designs. This was one of the presents given to me by Mat and Tess.

Here I feature the decorated front board and two of the spread sheets of the text.

For our dinner this evening, Jackie produced succulent pork chops topped with sage and onion stuffing, pork sausages, new potatoes, firm Brussels sprouts, and crisp carrots, with meaty gravy. I drank Somontano Pyrene 2011.

 

52 comments

  1. Sounds like a fun time! Happy birthday, merry Christmas, and all that jazz. The first movies I remember are 101 Dalmatians and The Sword in the Stone. I am quite a bit older than your son. 😉

  2. I am entranced by the fact that as a family we also often share things like favourite movies, songs, books etc etc. Sometimes on birthdays we do things like make up playlists of songs/music to meet different criteria: songs I love that you might too, songs you wouldn’t expect me to like, music that reminds me of you….. etc etc Obviously we have far too much time on our hands!! 🙂

    Happy Birthday to Mat, happy travels to all, it’s a good summer to be coming into!

  3. Nothing beats meandering down the memory lane, especially the childhood days, with people close to your heart. Your post is a testimony to the favourite human indulgence. Lovely shots of sunset.

  4. I am now caught up with you again, Derrick and Jackie. I remember that song “King of the Road”. I’m going to have to look up Roger Miller on YouTube.

  5. I loved the Robin Hood clip and showed it to Bill also. He was addicted to the television show as a youngster. One of the tracks we line dance to is King of the Road sung by The Proclaimers. It’s hilarious to hear this Roger Miller standard sung in a Scottish accent. Thurrrrrd bocxar indeed! Looks like a fun family get-together and do hope Matthew and Co have a good trip to the Antipedes.

  6. Shane? Alan Ladd? You’re joking.
    This bloke had to stand on a box when he was filming with Sophia Loren, so that he could look down and kiss her! I couldn’t stand the man nor his pictures,
    A precursor to that bloke that helps run Scientology and married Nicole Kidman Tom something or other…………………

    Must admit that I like the song though so it’s not all bad 😈

  7. I hope your son and his family’s trip to New Zealand goes well. I was looking at the 12 Days of Christmas book the other day – it’s beautiful isn’t it?
    Happy Christmas to you and yours, Derrick!

  8. Swedish television shows a piece of Disneys Robin Hood every year among with other classic Disney movie scenes. I never get tired of them.

  9. A lovely post about birthdays and happy memories, Derrick, and your photos say it all – including those of that magnificent sunset. My children all loved that version of Robin Hood, too. It was a fun film and the characters were hilarious, especially Prince John.

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