Arabela

I think it is a must for any child! I remember it very well, as I was a young man at the time it aired in my country, Romania (I was in my twenties then). Therefore, I was truly able to appreciate the actors' play, the great director, the witty and imaginative writer and the incredibly astute special effects it displayed. I would be extremely happy to have my grandchildren see it on DVD! Am STILL waiting for it! As in Romania foreign films have always aired and were always showed in theaters or TV with subtitles (never dubbed!), I was also able to learn some Czech words watching it! Great movie, great actors! A special mention for the late Mr. Vladimir Mensik, whom I also remember from numerous other Czech children and mainstream movies.

This is such a warm, wonderful and lovely series. The screenplay, actors and the location are just perfect. This serial connects the "real world" with the world of the well-known fairy tales. A land ruled by a fairy king who rules over Little Red Riding Head, Cinderella, the Sleeping Beauty and many more. The king who has two daughters, vain Xenia and sweet Arabela. Everything is perfect until one day an actor (Mr. Mejer) is asked to read fairy tales on TV. He finds a secret bell and by ringing it, he orders Rumburak, a 2nd grade sorcerer. At first Mr Mejer refuses any wish - in the end he wants to learn how to shoot, as he always makes an idiot of himself at the fairgrounds. So Rumburak takes him to the fairy world (with the help of a big coat) and there, the unfortunate Mr Mejer accidentally shoots the Little Red Riding Head's talking wolf. Of course the king is very enraged about this, as it disturbs the fairy tales. From then on, everything starts. Different persons are beamed into the "other world" by the help of a magic ring. So when some of the fairy characters end up in the real world, they have a real Crocodile Dundee feeling. Marvelling at watches, collecting plastic bags, etc. A wonderful series.

The story begins when Mr. Majer,an actor who reads fairytales on a children's tv show,finds a little bell.He rings it,and Rumburak appears,a wizard from the land of fairytales,who takes him to this wonderland - where he by mistake shoots the wolf from Little Red Riding Hood!When he's back in the human world,Rumburak is for punishment transformed into a wolf - order of the king and queen of the fairy-tale land!But Rumburak gets help from two witches (one is from Hansel and Gretel!)...and he cries for vengeance!He wants to conquer the fairy-tale land and become king...as husband of the beautiful princess Arabela!This smart girl flees into the human world,where she meets the undergraduate Petr,the son of Mr. Majer,and falls in love with him... But Rumburak doesn't give up that easy! Not only many famous figures from the fairy tales,but also Mr.Majer and his family have to fight against the bad wizard...magic rings,cloaks and a suitcase play important roles in this wonderful series,people get transformed,the fairy tale-people don't know our world and get in strange situations,our world can't accept or understand that there's something that we CAN'T understand,that's not logic,just magic... It's a pleasure to watch this famous czech TV series, which is for a long time a classic and an evergreen! An intelligent,delightful plot between fairy and reality,great actors,pretty costumes,funny gags,but also moments of melancholy make this series to one of my favorites!

magic, escape, chain of two worlds, memorable Rumburak and his ring, fragile princess Arabela, extraordinary metamorphosis and Peter as bridge between myth and reality. a series out of age and full of good memories. a tale in perfect sense. and universe of Narnia, Neverending Tale in basic measure, without complicated recipes or strange parables. the reality of Czekoslovakia was present in each part of Communist puzzle. so, it was not only movie for children but , in same measure, image of a society for who many windows was just walls. not political satire; only suggestions. innocent, nice, soft. and the circle is OK. nothing fake, far from special effects or 3D, only marmalade for Sunday. a freedom exercise. nothing else. naive, childish, picture book. and, yesterday was enough. maybe, today too.

This is a wonderful series that I remember from my childhood. Magic is the word here. All the actors are great but I especially remember Vladimir Mensik. Let's have the DVD now - with English subtitles please!