Toonhound - The Talking Parcel (1978)

   "Moon Carrot Pie, Moon Carrot Pie
     It'll liven you up, bring a gleam to your eye..."

    One day, Penelope discovers a talking parcel washed up on the sea shore.
    Inside is a very chatty parrot, who is quick to point out that he's is not just
    "a" parrot, but "the" parrot. But what ever he is, Parrot has work to do, and
    they need transport. All too soon our duo have taken up with a French flying
    train called Hortense, and they're whisked away to the strange land of
    Mithologia on a quest to rescue HH Junketbury, the wizard, who is being
    held captive in a castle by a horde of horrible cockatrices...

     Ethelred in "The Talking Parcel"     Penelope and the talking parcel in "The Talking Parcel"

    This whimsical feature was adapted from the book by Gerald Durrell. It was
    Cosgrove Hall's first feature-length production (though quite a short one).
    The opening song "Moon Carrot Pie", sung by Parrot (Freddie Jones),
    sets the tone for a slim but colourful tale that features sea serpents,
    werewolves, a cockney toad and a horde of weasels - as well as those
    mythologically horrible cockatrices.

   The titular book was first published in October 1974, and naturalist-come-
   author Gerald Durrell is probably best known for his biographical tale
   "My Family and other Animals", which featured on many school
   curriculums, back in the day...

     Hortsense the flying train in "The Talking Parcel"

   Broadcast info

   The film premiered on Boxing Day, 26th December 1978 on ITV...

     director:         Brian Cosgrove
    producers:   Brian Cosgrove, Mark Hall
    adapted by:    Rosemary Anne Sisson
                         based on the book by Gerald Durrell
    music:           Woolly Wolstenholme, Davy Rohl
    animation
     director:        Keith Scoble
    voices:          Lisa Norris (Penelope)
                        Freddie Jones (Parrot)
                        Mollie Sugden (Hortense the Flying Train)
                        Roy Kinnear (Ethelred)
                        Edward Kelsey (HH Junketbury)
                        Windsor Davies (Chief Cockatrice)
                        Michael Horden (Oswald the Sea Serpent)
                        Peter Woodthorpe (Werewolf)
                        Harvey Ashby (Duke Wensleydale)
                        Raymond Mason
                        Daphne Oxenwood

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			The Talking Parcel (1978) producers: Cosgrove Hall Productions Ltd animation: cel animation run time: 40 mins
		"Moon Carrot Pie, Moon Carrot Pie It'll liven you up, bring a gleam to your eye..." One day, Penelope discovers a talking parcel washed up on the sea shore. Inside is a very chatty parrot, who is quick to point out that he's is not just "a" parrot, but "the" parrot. But what ever he is, Parrot has work to do, and they need transport. All too soon our duo have taken up with a French flying train called Hortense, and they're whisked away to the strange land of Mithologia on a quest to rescue HH Junketbury, the wizard, who is being held captive in a castle by a horde of horrible cockatrices... This whimsical feature was adapted from the book by Gerald Durrell. It was Cosgrove Hall's first feature-length production (though quite a short one). The opening song "Moon Carrot Pie", sung by Parrot (Freddie Jones), sets the tone for a slim but colourful tale that features sea serpents, werewolves, a cockney toad and a horde of weasels - as well as those mythologically horrible cockatrices. The titular book was first published in October 1974, and naturalist-come- author Gerald Durrell is probably best known for his biographical tale "My Family and other Animals", which featured on many school curriculums, back in the day... Broadcast info The film premiered on Boxing Day, 26th December 1978 on ITV... director: Brian Cosgrove producers: Brian Cosgrove, Mark Hall adapted by: Rosemary Anne Sisson based on the book by Gerald Durrell music: Woolly Wolstenholme, Davy Rohl animation director: Keith Scoble voices: Lisa Norris (Penelope) Freddie Jones (Parrot) Mollie Sugden (Hortense the Flying Train) Roy Kinnear (Ethelred) Edward Kelsey (HH Junketbury) Windsor Davies (Chief Cockatrice) Michael Horden (Oswald the Sea Serpent) Peter Woodthorpe (Werewolf) Harvey Ashby (Duke Wensleydale) Raymond Mason Daphne Oxenwood On the web No links right now... index » previous » next »
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