jboothmillard Review of The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm

The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm (2014 TV Movie)

The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm

[5/10 · 15 January 2015]

I had not really seen the star and writer of TV Burp do any acting, only in his self-titled movie, which was not very good, but at Christmas time I saw the advert for this TV made film based on the popular children's books, and I was looking forward to seeing how it would be. Basically in the town of Great Pagwell, Professor Branestawm (Harry Hill) is a most eccentric and absent-minded inventor always working in his "Inventory", many of his bizarre inventions often either malfunction or work in unexpected ways, his friends and allies are Colonel Dedshott (Simon Day) of the Catapult Cavaliers, and his housekeeper Mrs. Flittersnoop (Vicki Pepperdine). He is a man of simple tastes with a shiny bald head and five pairs of spectacles – one for reading, one for writing, one for out of doors, one for looking at you over the top of and a fifth pair for looking for the others on the frequent occasions when they get lost, and he makes a new friend and apprentice in schoolgirl Connie (Madeline Holliday). Professor Branestawm is however thought of as a menace to the peace and wellbeing of the town, especially by officious local councillor Harold Haggerstone (David Mitchell) who questions the legality of his experimenting and inventing, and businessman Mr. Bullimore (Ben Miller) who wants to destroy his workshop and build a giant munitions factory, right in the middle of town. Professor Branestawm and Connie, while continuing to invent new-fangled creations, with some of them causing chaos to the townspeople, try to find a way to prove he is permitted to remain in Great Pagwell, with a signed deed to appeal to Haggerstone and The Mayor (Charlie Higson, also writing), in the end, with the appearance of invented liquid that brings photographs to life and a mad robotic father figure in the scene, the permission is approved. Also starring Miranda Richardson as Miss Blitherington, Sophie Thompson as Aggie and Adrian Scarborough as The Vicar. Hill being naturally bonkers is a great choice for the leading character, the supporting stars like Day, Mitchell and Miller do well in their parts also, filled with some special effects and magical events, strange things going and created and plenty of slapstick and oddball jokes this is something all the family can relax in front of, a fun comedy fantasy. Worth watching!