Gabrielle and the Doodleman

Gabrielle and the Doodleman is a children's film, that was released in 1984 and directed and written by Francis Essex.[1][2][3] It was produced by the Elstree (Production) Company Ltd for the Children's Film Foundation (at that time renamed the Children's Film and Television Foundation).[4][5]

Premise

The story is about Gabrielle, a wheelchair bound little girl, who gets involved in a life and death battle with characters from her computer game (she can be seen playing "Space Invaders" at the beginning of the film[6]), in particular "Doodleman", that help her through a difficult time. Matthew Kelly played a James Bond like character "Doodleman", with Eric Sykes as the Genie, Windsor Davies as the characters Ringmaster, Black Knight and an Ugly Sister. Prudence Oliver played the main character Gabrielle and Anna Dawson played the Wicked Witch.[7] Singer-songwriter Lynsey de Paul, played the characters Miss Moneypocket (a Miss Moneypenny type character) and Dandini.[7] Gareth Hunt played Mike as well as the King and Baron Hardup. Comedienne Josephine Tewson played Mrs. Briggs and the Fairy Godmother. Bob Todd (real name Brian Todd) was Merlin and Ugly Sister and Pierre Picton, the last surviving clown from Bertram Mills Circus, played the Clown.[7]

Production

De Paul wrote and performed the fitting, electronic-tinged, theme tune "You're Alright as You Are" which was performed by Matthew Kelly and she composed, arranged and played all the music that is featured in the film.[8]

The producer was Greg Smith (film producer) and the associate producer was Roy Goddard.[9] The budget was £202,097.[10]

Release

It was released on VHS video and it has been shown on U.K. terrestrial TV network for the first time on ITV on 30 December 1988.[11] The TV Times review called the film "a junior version of Tron[12]

References
  1. "Gabrielle and the Doodleman (1984)". Bfi.org. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  2. "Gabrielle and the Doodleman". Sky UK. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  3. British Film Catalogue: Two Volume Set - The Fiction Film/The Non-Fiction Film edited by Denis Gifford, ISBN 9781579581718 Published July 9, 2001 by Routledge
  4. British Film Catalogue: Two Volume Set – The Fiction Film/The Non-Fiction Film, edited by Denis Gifford, Routledge publisher, ISBN 978-1579581718
  5. The Children's Film Foundation: History and Legacy by Robert Shail, 2016, ISBN 9781844578603
  6. "Gabrielle and the Doodleman (1984)". IMDb.
  7. "Gabrielle and the Doodleman (1984)". IMDb. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  8. Laing, Dave (2 October 2014). "Lynsey de Paul obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  9. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0311175/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_cl_sm
  10. "Back to the Future: The Fall and Rise of the British Film Industry in the 1980s - An Information Briefing" (PDF). British Film Institute. 2005. p. 23.
  11. page 105, TV Times, 17 December 1988 - 1 January 1989
  12. page 9, TV Times, 17th December 1988


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