--- product_id: 56748865 title: "My Family And Other Animals [DVD][1987]" price: "VT19080" currency: VUV in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.vu/products/56748865-my-family-and-other-animals-dvd-1987 store_origin: VU region: Vanuatu --- # My Family And Other Animals [DVD][1987] **Price:** VT19080 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** My Family And Other Animals [DVD][1987] - **How much does it cost?** VT19080 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vu](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/56748865-my-family-and-other-animals-dvd-1987) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Adaptation of the classic memoir by naturalist and conservationist Gerald Durrell, telling the story of his childhood years before the Second World War when his mother took the family to live on Corfu. Exploring a new world of fascinating animals and insects, the young Gerald (Darren Redmayne) also makes friends with some of the more colourful characters on the island, including local taxi driver Spiro (Brian Blessed). Review: Delightful - This is a delightful series, based on fact, of course. The more I watch it, the more I rate it alongside "La Gloire de mon Père" and "Le Château de ma Mère", for, like the films of Marcel Pagnol's boyhood, it so magnificently evokes a time long gone. And it provides so many smiles and laughs, and perhaps some tears. The landscapes of the island of Corfu are more green and luscious than those of Pagnol's Provence, but both provide beautiful backdrops for the activities of somewhat eccentric families and the childhood of exploratory boys. "My Family" has the additional glory of rocky coastlines and glorious seascapes, not to be missed. Yes, I know, the Durrell family were well off financially, and this story is not at all typical of families in the 1930s. But what's wrong with enjoying the idiosyncrasies of a good humoured and delightfully dysfunctional middle class family? Brian Blessed is excellent as the Greek taxi driver, Spiro, who takes them under his wing. There are just two occasions when we hear the full power of his famous stentorian voice. Hannah Gordon gives an understated but insightful portrayal of the somewhat scatty mother. I'm not sure whether or not I prefer her to Imelda Staunton's portrayal in the other, shorter filmed version of the story. Darren Redmayne is very good as the boy Gerald, although I suspected in a couple of sequences that he needed just a little more coaching in the delivery of his lines. There are, however, some beautifully observed exchanges, such as those between him and the naturalist, Theodore, who takes him under his wing for a while. As another reviewer has implied, you'll quietly smile every time you hear someone say: "As you know..." These exchanges are sometimes the skilful work of the screenwriter in adapting the original wording of Gerald Durrell's book. Some characters and sequences have been omitted, and others expanded, with no loss to the delightful tale. And let's not forget the maggenpies, the dancing pigeon, the pregnant mantis, and the scorpions. The background music is lovely, too. It is in some ways reminiscent of the well known music used in "Picnic at Hanging Rock, though without the quivering menace. The whole thing is enhanced by remarkable footage from the BBC Natural History Unit. Anyone who has, like me, worked with gifted children will find a lot more of interest in this series, too. Review: Excellent product - Absolutely brilliant series so close to the books written by Gerald Durrell. The new series is good too but this is superb. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Contributor | Anthony Calf, Brian Blessed, Darren Redmayne, Hannah Gordon, Peter Barber-Fleming, Sarah-Jane Holm | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 300 Reviews | | Format | Colour, Full Screen, HiFi Sound, PAL | | Language | English | | Manufacturer | Second Sight | | Number of discs | 1 | | Runtime | 4 hours and 10 minutes | ## Product Details - **Colour:** Colour - **Contributor:** Anthony Calf, Brian Blessed, Darren Redmayne, Hannah Gordon, Peter Barber-Fleming, Sarah-Jane Holm - **Format:** Colour, Full Screen, HiFi Sound, PAL - **Language:** English - **Runtime:** 4 hours and 10 minutes ## Images ![My Family And Other Animals [DVD][1987] - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51vMwzxOd9L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Delightful *by B***T on 11 March 2009* This is a delightful series, based on fact, of course. The more I watch it, the more I rate it alongside "La Gloire de mon Père" and "Le Château de ma Mère", for, like the films of Marcel Pagnol's boyhood, it so magnificently evokes a time long gone. And it provides so many smiles and laughs, and perhaps some tears. The landscapes of the island of Corfu are more green and luscious than those of Pagnol's Provence, but both provide beautiful backdrops for the activities of somewhat eccentric families and the childhood of exploratory boys. "My Family" has the additional glory of rocky coastlines and glorious seascapes, not to be missed. Yes, I know, the Durrell family were well off financially, and this story is not at all typical of families in the 1930s. But what's wrong with enjoying the idiosyncrasies of a good humoured and delightfully dysfunctional middle class family? Brian Blessed is excellent as the Greek taxi driver, Spiro, who takes them under his wing. There are just two occasions when we hear the full power of his famous stentorian voice. Hannah Gordon gives an understated but insightful portrayal of the somewhat scatty mother. I'm not sure whether or not I prefer her to Imelda Staunton's portrayal in the other, shorter filmed version of the story. Darren Redmayne is very good as the boy Gerald, although I suspected in a couple of sequences that he needed just a little more coaching in the delivery of his lines. There are, however, some beautifully observed exchanges, such as those between him and the naturalist, Theodore, who takes him under his wing for a while. As another reviewer has implied, you'll quietly smile every time you hear someone say: "As you know..." These exchanges are sometimes the skilful work of the screenwriter in adapting the original wording of Gerald Durrell's book. Some characters and sequences have been omitted, and others expanded, with no loss to the delightful tale. And let's not forget the maggenpies, the dancing pigeon, the pregnant mantis, and the scorpions. The background music is lovely, too. It is in some ways reminiscent of the well known music used in "Picnic at Hanging Rock, though without the quivering menace. The whole thing is enhanced by remarkable footage from the BBC Natural History Unit. Anyone who has, like me, worked with gifted children will find a lot more of interest in this series, too. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent product *by A***R on 24 February 2026* Absolutely brilliant series so close to the books written by Gerald Durrell. The new series is good too but this is superb. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Wonderful entertainment *by M***L on 30 November 2009* I remember my wife and myself watching this series when it was originally broadcast and thinking how enchanting it was. We often spoke of it and my wife often said rather wistfully she wished it would be repeated. Imagine my delight when I discovered it was available on DVD. I bought it for her birthday and she was thrilled to receive it. We sat down to watch it with some trepidation in case it was not as good as we remembered it. I am pleased to say we were not disappointed. It was funny, amusing, entertaining, beautifully acted, informative, and evocative. My wife especially liked the theme music of this enchanting series. I can highly recommend this extremely cheap DVD set. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vu/products/56748865-my-family-and-other-animals-dvd-1987](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/56748865-my-family-and-other-animals-dvd-1987) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vanuatu* *Store origin: VU* *Last updated: 2026-06-04*