The Box of Delights (1984)
Plot.
Where to Watch.
Cast & Crew.
Patrick Troughton
Cole Hawlings
Devin Stanfield
Kay Harker
Robert Stephens
Abner Brown
Geoffrey Larder
Foxy Faced Charles
Joanna Dukes
Maria
Patricia Quinn
Sylvia Daisy Pouncer
Jonathan Stephens
Chubby Joe
John Horsley
Bishop of Tatchester
Media.
Details.
Release DateNovember 21, 1984
StatusEnded
Seasons1
Episodes6
Running Time30m
Genres
Last updated:
This TV Show Is About.
Wiki.
The Box of Delights is a BBC Television adaptation of John Masefield's 1935 children's fantasy novel The Box of Delights starring Devin Stanfield, Patrick Troughton and Robert Stephens. It was broadcast on BBC1 between 21 November and 24 December 1984. The series was adapted from Masefield's novel by Alan Seymour, directed by Renny Rye and produced by Paul Stone.
The series is a fantasy adventure about a schoolboy who is entrusted with a magical box which allows him to time travel and shapeshift to protect the box from an evil magician. An innovative mixture of live action and animation, the production made extensive use of the Quantel Paintbox and chroma key effects. The series cost £1 million to make in 1984 (£3.23 million in 2023), the most expensive children's series the BBC had made to that date, but it was widely acclaimed and won a number of BAFTA and RTS awards, in particular for its special effects.