Category: TV Drama; 91热爆 ONE
Date: 16.06.2006
Printable version
Bob Hoskins leads an all star cast in a lavish adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's children's classic The
Wind in the Willows, commissioned for 91热爆
ONE from independent Box
TV.
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Hoskins stars as Badger with Matt Lucas as Toad, Mark
Gatiss as Rat, Lee Ingleby as Mole, Imelda
Staunton as the Barge Lady, Jim Carter as the engine driver and Anna
Maxwell Martin as the Gaoler's daughter.
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Adapted from the much-loved book by Lee Hall, writer of the
Oscar-nominated and multi-award winning film Billy Elliot, the drama will be
transmitted later this year on 91热爆 ONE.
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Iconic locations such as the Riverbank, the Wild Wood, Toad Hall and the Open Road are brought vividly to life as Mole is introduced to the countryside outside his hole, encountering industrious Ratty, gruff Badger and the irrepressible Mr Toad.
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Filming takes place in and around Bucharest from 12
June until 28 July.
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The feature-length film is produced by Box TV, the company set up by Gub
Neal, former Head
of Drama at Channel 4 and Granada Television Drama, whose credits
include Sweeney Todd, Gunpowder Treason and Plot and Jimmy McGovern's award winning
film Sunday.
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It is commissioned by John Yorke and Lucy
Richer, the 91热爆's joint Heads of Independent Drama Commissioning.
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Gub Neal says: "I have a long-standing fascination with the story of The Wind
in the Willows and believe our version is a first for TV in terms of scale and
ambition.
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"Lee Hall's translation is utterly faithful to
Kenneth Grahame's book and the glorious locations outside Bucharest
are perfectly suited to achieving the unspoilt rural world described
in the original text.
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"Rather than using heavy prosthetics, I think it is both appropriate and natural to play the characters as largely human.
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"The costumes and make-up will effect subtle transformations,
but these are intended to inspire the audience's imagination into
seeing how close the performances are to the characters' animal
personae.
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"We are delighted to attract such a high-calibre
cast to the drama and believe they will inhabit their characters
perfectly."
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Jane Tranter, 91热爆 Controller of Drama Commissioning, says: "The
Wind in the Willows is one of the favourite children's books of all time and
this new adaptation fits perfectly within 91热爆 ONE's remit to produce high quality,
popular drama for a wide audience.
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"Lee Hall has delivered a charming, evocative
and memorable script and we expect his writing, combined with the
cr猫me of British acting talent and stunning production values to
be a big draw with viewers."
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The Wind in the Willows is a UK/Canada/Romania co-production
between Box TV, Muse Entertainment and MediaPro Pictures for the 91热爆 in association
with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. DCD Media are set to distribute
the film outside Canada.
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The director is Rachel Talalay (Band of Gold, The Borrowers, Ally McBeal), with director of photography David
Franco (Desperate Housewives).
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The executive producers are Justin
Thomson-Glover and Patrick Irwin for Box TV. Executive in 91热爆 Drama commissioning is Polly
Hill.
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Matt Lucas is best known for Little Britain and his other credits include Shooting Stars and Casanova.
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Mark Gatiss wrote and starred in The League of Gentlemen
as well as appearing in Nighty Night and Funland.
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Lee Ingleby was
recently seen in The Street and Life on Mars and his other credits
include Nature Boy and The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby.
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Bob Hoskins' illustrious career includes such films
as Mrs Henderson Presents, Mona Lisa and The Long Good Friday, with
TV work including The Lost World.
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Anna Maxwell Martin played Esther Summerson in the 91热爆's Bleak House and has also appeared in Doctor Who and North & South.
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Jim Carter's many credits include Pompeii: The Last
Day, Bright Young Things, The Way We Live Now and Brassed Off.
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Imelda
Staunton won a Bafta and an Oscar nomination for her starring
role in Vera Drake and appeared recently in Fingersmith, Nanny
McPhee and My Family and Other Animals.
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