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People & Places In The News
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Having brought a very British character to a worldwide audience with the television series, Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends, and its US spin-off, Shining Time St at ion, Britt Allcroft was surely the obvious per- son to write and direct a big screen version of the story.
because of that I’m proud of what we’ve been able to achieve.
“But one of the things I hadn’t realised until quite recently was that, for millions of kids the world over, this is going to be the first feature film they’ll ever see. That was a big responsibility.”
Uniting the worlds of Shining Time Station and the more familiar domestic
adventures on the magical Island of Sodor, Thomas & The Magic Railroad offers a simple fable, colourfully told.
As the head of the compa- ny that bears her name, Britt Allcroft’s stable of characters extends beyond Thomas the Tank Engine. An experienced writer and director before she even crossed paths with a cer- tain useful engine, her career could have gone down an alto-
gether different track.
But, one suspects, Thomas remains
the most cherished of the characters she
deals with, and the one whose continued success gives her the most pleasure.
“There are things that I do, and other things the company does,” she explains, “all sorts of things that I have a hands-on control over. But I’ve mothered Thomas through all these years, and I don’t see that stopping now.” ■ Anwar Brett
www.thomasthetankengine.com
Back in the 80s, when Thomas was affectionately regarded as a rather English, even slightly dated children’s character, Allcroft – a one-time child extra in the movie Oliver! - literally bet her house on its potential, re-mortgaging her home and devoting every available resource to make it work.
The show has gone on to play in 123 countries, with 15 million Thomas videos being sold worldwide.
Yet the decision to re-cast her char- acters for the big screen still represent- ed something of a leap into the unknown both for the bubbly Allcroft - as well as for her young audience.
“It was an extraordinary experi- ence,”sheexplainswithasmile, “butI think it was a natural progression. Cinema is such a wonderful storytelling medium. Ipromisedmyselfatthevery beginning that I would enjoy each moment, and I have. Everybody, in front of and behind the cameras, has given of their best and more, and
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You are never too old, it seems, to share your experience with a new generation. Which is one reason why veteran cine- matographer Jack Cardiff is planning to embark on his latest fea- ture this October at the age of 85.
Having most recently shot a short film for Paul Merton, Cardiff - an Oscar winner for Black Narcissus, and a man acclaimed for work on such films as A Matter of Life & Death, The Red Shoes and The African Queen - will light Sabina Anima for first-time director David Ness.
Based on the true story of Sabina Spielrein, a Russian-Jewish woman who
was a patient of both Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, the film reveals her impact on the masters of psychoanalysis.
While the indefatigable cinematog- rapher might look around the cast - set to include Elina Lowensohn, Simon Callow and Diana Quick - and crew in vain for a familiar face, there will at least be one. His son Mason, who is co- producing the film.
“That’s a big plus,” Cardiff enthus- es. “Mason has been with me on so many films since he was a baby and has worked in various departments, but this is his first film as co-producer. I just hope he doesn’t boss me around too much.” ■ Anwar Brett
O