One of the things about my pre-DVD childhood (who am I kidding - pre-betamax. Three channels. Well, two really as ITV wasn't educational enough) was the rolling around of Disney films in the cinema, in particular Mary Poppins. Dick van Dyke's eclectic approach to cockney vowel sounds, the whirling excitement of 'Step in Time' and the utter heartbreak of 'Feed the Birds' - I really thought London was just like that. Pretty much up till I moved there in the late 80's and learned the hard way about paintings on pavements.
Anyway. These rare cinema outings and the odd Christmas telly airing were always wrecked by my dad. Professional Northern Socialist, the whole Edwardian upper middle class thing was a personal affront, and not one he took quietly - as the policeman returned Jane and Michael "bloody toffs, can't even look after their own kids" - Glynis Johns huskily parading her suffragette credentials "Clear your throat you stuck up tart" - the children sweetly describing their ideal nanny "Christ, give me STRENGTH" and Mr Banks going proudly off to work "bastard".
I sat down recently for some bot-bonding over the Disney TV show that features a pair of foppy-haired muppets.I had a pretty lukewarm reception. What? They grimaced a bit then, in VERY silly voices, said "get a haircut, you two". "What, they live in a HOTEL? Blimming Americans, got no handle on reality". "She's based on Paris Hilton, you know. Vacuous little madam"
Oops.
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Please leave a comment if you can be remotely bothered - anything you have to say is valuable and I absolutely love hearing from you all. Elizabeth