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Original poster

For being disappointed in the bear hunt adaptation?

98 replies

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 24/12/2016 19:58

Was so looking forward to seeing it on Tv, but it was well rubbish really. I know the original story had little to it, but why the need to add in Grandpa do we really need to be miserable at christmas? It's supposed to be a cute happy adventure story and I feel like I've just sat and watched a sob story? Was it just me?

OP posts:
Talluahlu · 24/12/2016 22:05

No tears here and we enjoyed it. We have always talked about the last page in Bear Hunt to read the bear ended up lonely because he just wanted to play. I liked the bit with the sandwiches in the cave. 'it veered from the story'- eh? It's a pre-school picture book, the kids go on a bear hunt, it's not the world's most complex narrative and I'm always a bit hacked off when they pick it to read if I'm totally honest.

LanaorAna1 · 24/12/2016 22:11

Bored, depressed, then gobsmacked at the sadness of the poor bear.

MsHybridFanGirl · 24/12/2016 22:11

Watched it with DD (11) and we both loved it! However DD is obsessed with vampires and fantasy culture etc and anything out of the norm.

We thought it was much more interesting than the book, which is a bit boring in my opinion.

MrGrumpy01 · 24/12/2016 22:14

I thought it was a bit off. It was all a bit strange.

And I have never thought about the bear being sad because he wanted to play, he is just walking home.

Willow2016 · 24/12/2016 22:16

No we didnt like it either.
DS and I sat down to watch it as we read it over and over when he was little and they totally changed it, never included half the rhyming parts which was the fun part for kids. And the end... just too sad. Even my 11yr old was furious and was close to tears.

PoisonousSmurf · 24/12/2016 22:17

The bear wanted to be accepted. But it was shunned and made to live in a cave. Maybe it way a methaphor for our treatment of unemployed/homeless/ill people.
We are not saints!

Merry Xmas!

witsender · 24/12/2016 22:22

I wondered how they would pad out a really very uneventful book tbh. Glad we didn't bother now.

stiffstink · 24/12/2016 22:23

I've always thought the book was a load of squelch squelch crap building up to a non-event. I don't recall ever seeing the actual bear in it though?! Maybe I've got a dud with pages missing.

Anyway, I won't be watching it if its actually sad. I've been known to cry at the sight of the Countryfile calendar.

Batteriesallgone · 24/12/2016 22:23

My gosh. Glad I didn't watch it. My interpretation of Bear Hunt is maybe a bit unique...

I always thought it was a dog walk the dad was trying to make fun, what with the forcing them to walk through streams and mists but hey, it's an adventure! like the Caitlin Moran thing where she says there's a Disney Store at the top of the mountain

Then they see a cave and hey, why not, let's go in SHIT A BEAR A REAL BEAR

All dash home bear sees them off his land like an old westcountry farmer then stomps home grumbling about bloody humans these days can't give you five minutes peace can't even call your cave your own etc.

Clearly I have misjudged the whole book and it has sadness and depth Confused

Eevee77 · 24/12/2016 22:26

Ds has had me reading the book at bedtime every night this week since he saw the to ad. I've always enjoyed the book. He doesn't normally sit down for 5 minutes but he easily sat down for the 30 mins and wanted to watch it again the second it finished. He's is 3. But perhaps too young to understand the grandad references, he hasn't experienced a close death in the family.

I cried but I still loved it. Who ever said about the teddy bear being the bear in the end - I like that idea. Opening the door to find teddy.

daddyorscience · 24/12/2016 22:30

Glad I read this, it's recorded on the PVR... Might make an excuse instead.. I've also recorded cannonball run 2.. They might like that..

PicnicPie · 24/12/2016 22:31

Another household with a 4yo who was crying by the end feeling sorry for the bear.

Saucery · 24/12/2016 22:34

Looking forward to next year when they totes Grim Up Burglar Bill or Peepo.

Peepo! Imagine how they could transmawk Peepo ffs! Shock

Rubydarling · 24/12/2016 22:43

I knew there would be a thread on this!
Thought the xmas eve timing was a bit off. Let the kids stayed up as a treat after their baths, two happy little faces all excited about tomorrow and then by the end one child in tears and the other one (who never knew either grandfather- both dead before she was born) just sat there looking all wtf. Then we had to be all cheery, "night night kids, off to bed now! Santa might come if you are good!" - bit of a bloody gear change.
The reviews said it was bitter sweet, I thought it was just very odd and shoe horned in, with little that was sweet at all. Saw the stage show and that managed to pad it out to a sensible length without weird bereavement and abandonment subplots.
Good old Channel Four.

CockacidalManiac · 24/12/2016 22:46

The bear wanted to be accepted. But it was shunned and made to live in a cave. Maybe it way a methaphor for our treatment of unemployed/homeless/ill people

Knowing Michael Rosen's sympathies, perhaps it's an analogy for Corbyn.

Hermagsjesty · 24/12/2016 22:51

To be fair, I haven't seen the film - and might avoid it with my very sensitive 5yo old having seen this thread - but I'm not surprised they made it sad. I think I've read somewhere before that the book is a metaphor for grief/ sadness with the 'can't go under it, can't go over it, got to go through it' bit. And I've always thought the end with the Bear is sad in the book too.

malificent7 · 24/12/2016 22:58

The timing is off absolutely but it is important to teach kids emotiobal resilience and gelo them to cone to tetms with bereavement ..... just not on Christmas eve!

Tbh my reading of the book is that bears are dangerous wild animals and should be left alone by humans... or that humans are dangerous wild animals more to the point!!

malificent7 · 24/12/2016 22:58

Typos.... Cava... phone... agggrrr!

CotswoldStrife · 24/12/2016 23:03

Saucery that has made me roar! I didn't see it, and I'm quite glad reading the MN reviews!

weeblueberry · 24/12/2016 23:04

We didn't really like it either. 3yo found it pretty sad at the end although we knew where it was heading from reading the book 82652778 times...

minesapintofmulledwine · 24/12/2016 23:04

My fil arrived before the end so maybe Im glad we didn't see the bear. I'm going to have to see it again to assess the bears sadness.

Im currently watching Die Hard 4 Xmas Grin

FindoGask · 24/12/2016 23:06

"The timing is off absolutely but it is important to teach kids emotiobal resilience and gelo them to cone to tetms with bereavement ..... just not on Christmas eve! "

Well, absolutely. Very sadly, my 6 and 9 year old know plenty about bereavement anyway, they don't need a lesson tonight.

Alorsmum · 24/12/2016 23:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SantasJockstrap · 24/12/2016 23:11

I thought it was depressing. there was no dead grandpa in the book! they have totally fucked it

amammabear · 24/12/2016 23:12

I just felt absolutely awful for the poor bear!!!