In this episode of Vintage Animation Millennial, I gave my thoughts on the Blu-Ray release of the FilmFair adaptation of Paddington Bear, which was released in late 2024 by Fabulous Films. The episode was initially uploaded to YouTube in January 2025! It forms part of a regular series in which I give thoughts on vintage animation.
This episode follows on from my previous one, which gave my reaction to the news!
I was delighted with this physical media release, as the 1970s stop-frame animated version of Paddington Bear is one of my all-time favourites. It originally ran on the BBC between 1976 and 1980 for 56 episodes and was narrated by British actor Michael Hordern. It was based on the books by Michael Bond and directed by Ivor Wood (Postman Pat, Magic Roundabout, Wombles). I was blown away by the picture quality of this Blu-Ray, which was fully remastered from the best available film elements.
It is fair to say that the series has never looked better, with much clearer details (and cleaner white backgrounds) than ever before! When I watched “Please Look After This Bear” for the first time, it felt like viewing it fresh!
Alongside the original TV series, which looks better than ever, the TV specials from the 1980s are also included. Aired between 1980 and 1987, the specials include: Paddington Goes to the Movies (1983), Paddington Goes to School (1984), and Paddington’s Birthday Bonanza (1987).
In addition to this video for the Vintage Animation Millennial YouTube channel, I also gave a full review on this website. The Blu-Ray set can be ordered from Fabulous Films. It is also available to order on DVD.
I would like to thank the official Fabulous Films account, which chose to share this episode on their social media. I’m glad to know that my thoughts were appreciated! I have found their recent output of classic children’s output, fully remastered in high definition, of extremely high quality. My enthusiasm cannot be contained for what may come next!
Your thoughts…
What are your memories of the 1970s’ Paddington series? Have you bought the release from Fabulous Films? Let us know all of your thoughts in the comments below, or via social media!