Two April 2018 DVD releases from Film Movement proves that good-quality foreign indie films are not just for adults anymore. The April 3, 2018 release of an expertly filmed York Theatre Royal and National Railway Museum live-stage production of the Edith Nesbit 1905 children's book "The Railway Children" is a perfect example of both an incredibly staged production and a story that truly appeals to EVERYONE from 8 to 80.
This broad likability relates to "Railway" being an adorable well-acted presentation with great humor. Much of this amusement relates to the cast regularly breaking down the imaginary fourth wall that separates them from the audience. The best example of this is a character commenting on a perverse expectation of the audience being incompatible with this "family entertainment."
Movement follows up this release with an April 10, 2018 DVD release of the Australian film "Jasper Jones," which tells the tale of any everymate young teen simultaneously getting involved with the local outcast and the mystery regarding the disappearance of a teen girl. A review of this one will be posted soon.
The titular "Children" are three youths in turn-of-the-century England. Level-headed and bossy eldest daughter Roberta (Bobbie) is roughly 13, typically whiny Peter is 10, and youngest child Phyllis is roughly eight. These siblings keeping to themselves and having adventures evokes moderate thoughts of the Belcher kids on the current Fox animated series "Bob's Burgers."
The actors portraying the siblings in the play are roughly 10 years older than their characters at the time of the events of the production. Watching a 20 year-old man act like a pouty pre-adolescent is particularly amusing.
The narrative begins with the children and their parents living a happy and comfortable upper-middle-class existence in London. All that changes when two men show up and initiate proceedings that lead to Father becoming a guest of the monarch. The sheltered kids only know that he is away on an extended journey.
A resulting need to economize necessitates moving to a rented cottage in rural Yorkshire. The encountered hardships on arriving in their new community immediately show the children that they are not in London anymore.
The title refers to the habit of the children going to the station each day to wave at the London-bound train each day; their objective in doing so is to send their love to their father, whom they believe to be engaged in important business.
The railway also prominently figures in the adventures of the children throughout the film. These include a heroic act that leads to a ceremony that charmingly shows that boys will be boys. We also see the family separately take in two notable strays. An equally constant element is "the old gentleman," who becomes an increasingly prominent individual in the life of the family.
This being a children's book ensures there being both more major life lesson and a happy ending.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Railway" is strongly encouraged to email me; you alternatively can connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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