Robert Hoffman. [2004]

INDEX

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THE ORIGINAL CD TRACKS LIST (1990)

1.Opening titles. [0.25]

2.Main theme. [2.14]

    3.Friday. [1.55]

4.Crusoe's youth remembered. [1.10]

5.Away from home. [2.11]

6.Adrift. [2.11]

7.Solitude. [2.24]

8.The shelter. [1.56]

9.Scanning the horizon / Flashback - escapades in York. [1.28]

10.Cannibals. [2.29]

11.Wild goats. [2.22]

12.Palm Trees. [0.55]

13.In search of rescue. [1.44]

14.A civilised man. [2.02]

15.Distant shores. [0.32]

16.Alone. [2.54]

17.Catching dinner. [1.47]

18."Poor Robinson". [1.58]

19.Danger! [1.54]

20.Closing titles. [0.46]

From 1990 CD sleeve notes.....

The BBC lost the prints of this classic series. (They were literally dumped in a skip!!) How many other great programmes of the past have suffered the same fate? Luckily the last remaining English prints turned up in a French film archive some years after the last showing on UK TV, and so, no thanks to old Auntie Beeb!

This cosmopolitan production was made in 1964. Shot in B&W in the Canary Islands and orginally in French starring handsome Austrian actor Robert Hoffman as Robinson. The series was ultimately dubbed into English, with the narrative spoken by a North American, as the voice of Robinson. "The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe" was purchased by the BBC and received its first screening in around 1965. Every year onwards until the mid-Seventies, the series was part of a staple TV diet for millions of British schoolkids, throughout the summer holidays. It was still shown sporadically at odd times of the day by the BBC up to about 1982, when they finally dumped it, literally I'm afraid!

The haunting musical score by Robert Mellin and Gian-Pero Reverberi is one of the best ever heard. Particularly, bearing in mind the production was not high budget. Many modern performers including The Art of Noise, have re-created the main theme in their own styles. The original music is still available to buy in its own right on CD, (check Silva Screen Records: See the index below). I recommend it strongly.

As for seeing series again on video, it brings back many happy memories of my childhood. The series actually stands the test of time pretty well, of course, helped by the music! OK, the lip movements of the actors don't exactly fit the new English/American voices, but what the hell, this was 1964, no multi-millions of budget here. So ignore those little faults, and lose yourself in nostalgia, and a genuinely excellent dramatization of Defoe's great story of beating adversity. (2006) Check with Amazon, or eBay, but I do know that the video is out of print now. (See the index below)

By the way, did the end of the final episode make you cry? I bet!!

THE CD CREDITS

The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe.

Executive producer for Silva Screen Records Ltd: Reynold da Silva.
Album release supervised by David Stoner and James Fitzpatrick.
Consultant to Sila Screen Records: Jonathon Staines / Big Moose Enterprises.
Album compiled and mastered at Copymasters, London.
Layout design and artwork: The One Hand Clapping Company / Stephen Pettman.
Ornamental headpieces are exact facsimilies of those used in the first edition of Robinson Crusoe, 1719.
Line illustrations from the 1904 edition.
Stills © Franco London Films.
Music published by Franco London Music.
Published 1963 Robert Mellin.
© 1990 Silva Screen Records Ltd.
Thanks are due to the following people who have helped in the preparartion of this album..
Robert Mellin, Dave Read, Mike Preston, Margaret Kirby, Andy Marriott, Maggy Kent.