I have a feeling this is going to be a popular choice in today's Scarlet read-along task, but my favourite Robin Hood is totally the Disney one. When I was a kid, my family would rent movies every Friday night and I always asked for Robin Hood. Finally my sister put her foot down and insisted on something different, so that weekend we got a Strawberry Shortcake video as well. Note I said 'as well' - actually going without Robin Hood for a weekend was out of the question; my sister was simply allowed something in addition to it.
Another Robin Hood from my childhood, which not many people outside the UK will have heard of, is Maid Marian and her Merry Men. This was a British comedy kids' show in the late 80's/early 90's where Robin Hood was depicted as a vain fool, the merry men were completely incompetent and the real hero was Marian. It was very funny, a nice slice of girl power and had a smashing theme tune:
Reading Scarlet has definitely sparked a desire in me to watch other Robin Hood portrayals. I have only vague memories of Prince of Thieves and Men in Tights, but I'm planing to revisit them as soon as possible. Any other recommendations would be much appreciated!
Oh, yes, I remember Maid Marian And Her Merry Men. A Tony Robinson creation and very funny it was, too. You'll need to see Prince Of Thieves before Men In Tights, because the latter is a sendup of the former, although it also has a scene taking off that one in the Errol Flynn film where Robin arrives at Nottingham castle carrying a deer and throws in on the table. But in case you hadn't noticed the POT sendup, Cary Elwes as Robin says,"Unlike other Robin Hoods, I can do it with a British accent!"
ReplyDeleteMy definitive Robin was Richard Greene. I bought the lot on DVD and still love it. The scripts, interestingly, were written by Americans who had fled to England during the McCarthy witch hunts, so were rather left wing.
I also loved Robin Of Sherwood, which seems to have started this craze for giving Robin a Saracen in his band!:-)
I've heard so much about Robin of Sherwood from my mother, although her love of it has a lot to do with Michael Praed as Robin! I've been meaning to check it out on DVD. There are a couple of episodes of Richard Greene's Robin Hood series on YouTube, so I might check those out, too. Oh, and I have a feeling a Prince of Thieves/Men in Tights double feature is going to turn up in my weekend plans!
DeleteHearing about your Mum loving ROS makes me feel old!;-) Michael Praed was very good, but I actually preferred his successor, Jason Connery, who was closer to the "jolly Robin" of the ballads. You can get that, and the Richard Greene ones on DVD. A lot of well known actors wandered through the RG ones, and Robin's friend Sir Richard of the Lea is played by the actor who was King Richard in the Errol Flynn movie. Do check it out!
DeleteThe movies we always come back to frequently are always the best ones. :) I hadn't heard of Maid Marian and her Merry Men. I must check this out later tonight after work! :D
ReplyDeleteThe Disney one is my favorite too! That was a staple of my childhood. My favorite book version is Outlaws of Sherwood, by Robin McKinley.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I love your story about the Disney version. I'm pretty sure we rented it every week too...that and Sword in the Stone. Years later I asked my mum why we didn't just buy it and she said she guessed people didn't really buy movies in the late 80s/early 90s, you just rented them. When I finally did get it on VHS, I nearly wore it out and I have it on DVD now too.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of Maid Marian and Her Merry Men, but I'm going to have to look into it, it sounds amusing. Reading Scarlet had ignited a renewed Robin Hood interest in me too...I've been searching for books and movies. I've never seen Robin Hood Men in Tights, and I don't think I ever saw Prince of Thieves either. Is that the one with Kevin Costner? I'm going to have to do a search at my library!