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The Trap Door [1984]

RRP: £19.99
Our Price: £4.97 (subject to change)

Hilarious! Never has a blue blob of plasticene had so much character!
Review date: 2008-05-27 Rating: 10 out of 10

I think the other reviewers have said it all. I just want to agree with them on how good this is. For some reason I remember this as being shown on Channel 4 in the middle of the night, or early hours of the morning! I think it used to come on after The Tube, which was on Channel 4 until 4 in the morning, and maybe The Trap Door came on after that or was on BBC and I had changed channels by then, I seem to recall that The Clangers, and The Moomins were also sometimes shown in the middle of the night, which I thought was strange for kids tv. But then it was probably meant to be classed as early morning television and I was still up! I only wish they'd made another series. As it is, it was interesting to see on the dvd, that the 2nd series was not quite as good as the first, and the set was remade with different plasticene and Berk looked decidedly different, as did Boney. (As much as a blue blob and a skeleton head _can_ look different that is! But they do nevertheless). I loved the theme tune and it would have been nice if each story was presented exactly as it would have been in its original tv broadcast, but I'm just grateful to have it on dvd at all, but maybe they could do another release along with some extras too, and make sure that each story is presented with the theme tune. They did it with "Willow the Wisp" and those stories are only very short, yet they still included the theme tune with each one, so they could do it with this one too for a future release.

Reviews

Absolute classic
Review date: 2006-11-20 Rating: 8 out of 10

I remember watching this back when I was little and feeling the delicious shivers creep up and down my spine as the theme music started. I was overjoyed to see that it was finally out on DVD - more than that, it still holds up pretty well if you want to watch something that isn't too demanding and doesn't try to be adult like a lot of animation nowadays. Seems to have a bit of social commentary going on with the 'orrible Thing Upstairs having a blatant Cockney accent while Burk speaks with West Country vowels and Boney sounds like a baritone Kenneth Williams. But never mind that, revel in the joy of plasticine models, the sheer absurdity of Drut being male and having babies, and the wonderfully inventive monsters which come out of that trapdoor. It's a pretty good metaphor for the psyche, now I think about it: superconcious, ego, id.

Warning: as others have stated, this DVD does not include the opening and ending theme for each episode. The opening theme is included separately, which seems pointless as it is very much an introduction to the episode and doesn't really stand on its own. That's the only reason I gave this four out of five stars.

"Stay away from that trapdoor, cause there's something down there..."

An 80s Classic
Review date: 2006-10-10 Rating: 10 out of 10

When I added this to my wishlist I knew it was one I remember and would really enjoy. What I didn't realise was how much I would enjoy it! TV as it used to be, TV as it is supposed to be!

Stay away from that trap dooooooor... cos there's something down there!

Cannot recommend this enough!

A show that could never be today.
Review date: 2006-09-07 Rating: 8 out of 10

If The Trap Door were to debut in 2006 then it would be low-grade CGI crap with no atmosphere or icky moments. What does that tell you about the current crop of PC-trash children's programming?

As it is, The Trap Door was an icon of 80s children's television. 'ooever knew that plasticine models could be so effective? But it wasn't just that. The castle that Berk and Boni (and the Thing upstairs) lived in was such a brilliant, atmospheric set. The 'owling winds, the dead trees and the constant dark and fog really did add a lot to it.

Berk was some kind of blue creature and was also a butler/servant to the ever-unseen cockney-voiced Thing, 'oo would always complain about the noise or being 'ungry. Whenever Berk would turn his back an 'orrible monster would creep out of the Trap Door in the basement. The Trap Door led directly into the catacombs beneath the castle where an infinity of worms and diabolical nasties dwelled. They'd cause no end of trouble for poor ol' Berk. You'd think he'd learn to keep it shut.

The theme song, despite sounding very 80s, was pretty damn cool too. One particular episode devoted its entire running time to an extended version of it. But that's one of my gripes. The running time was only 5 minutes (barely) for each episode, which was a bit annoying since it always seemed to end just as it was starting.

It only lasted for two seasons for some reason. But even though they only made a handful of episodes, The Trap Door has remained popular for over 20 years and that more than you can say for children's TV of today.

A blast from the past
Review date: 2005-07-12 Rating: 10 out of 10

I remembered watching Trap Door during the 80s - I think it was on around teatime and was recommended to me by a friend who was also on the dole! The DVD itself would benefit from having the theme music at least for the first episode (although I believe it is included in one of the episodes later on). I actually had a tear in my eye when watching the last episode!

Product Details/Specifications

Actor(s):
William Rushton

Director(s):

Recording label: Universal Pictures UK
Manufacturer: Universal Pictures UK
EAN: 5050582324662
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2005-02-21
Audience rating: Universal, suitable for all
Region code: 2
Running time: 200 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1984
Language: English (Original Language)

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Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV

The Trap Door [1984]

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