I HEART 80s

The Box of Delights is a children's novel written by the English Author, John Masefield and was published in 1935.  The BBC's 1984 television adaptation formed the central part of their Children's TV schedule in the run up to Christmas in that year.  Starring former Dr Who Patrick Troughton as Cole Hawlins, and Sir Robert Stephens as the villainous Abner Brown.  Devin Stanfield played young hero, Kay Harker.

In a nutshell, Kay Harker is travelling home on the train at Christmas time.  In so doing he gets mixed up in the machinations of Abner Brown and his cronies in their quest to own a magic box which enables its owner to shrink, fly and to travel into the past.  Of course the current owner of the box, Cole Hawlins - an ancient Punch and Judy man, is keen to avoid Brown obtaining the box.  He therefore entrusts the box to Kay.  After many trials and tribulations - an unbelieving policeman; a car that can fly and best of all, Nick Berry as a rat - good triumphs over evil as Kay eventually prevails against Brown.  If it wasn't a Children's story, I'd call it a rollicking good adventure.

I love The Box of Delights.  Of all the Children's TV series from the 1980's, it sums up Christmas the best for me.  The snow and the Christmas music / imagery is extremely evocative.  If the special effects look a little clunky from our twenty-first century perspective, well too bad, to a greater or lesser extent its part of the charm.

	The Box of Delights: BBC Radio 4 Full-cast Dramatisation (BBC Radio Collection) List Price: £16.34 You save: £8.70 (53%)
	Description When Kay Harker meets an old Punch and Judy man on his way home for Christmas, he little realizes that he is about to be plunged into adventure. The old man entrusts Kay with a magical box that transports him through time and space, where he battles against terrifying forces.

	The Box of Delights [DVD] List Price: £14.99 You save: £5.00 (33%)
	Description United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, SYNOPSIS: The British made-for-TV production The Box of Delights begins during the Christmas season, when young Devin Stanfield returns home from boarding school...

	Box of Delights List Price: £6.99 You save: £4.16 (60%)