When Nicolas Winding Refn, the director of cult violent films Pusher and Drive, was announced as one of the creators of the BBC’s new version of The Famous Five, it left members of the Enid Blyton Society spluttering into their ginger beer.
Yes, the Danish film-maker is “reimagining” the adventures of Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog for a “progressive new audience”. True, he’s a Cannes award-winning auteur with a reputation for onscreen hyperviolence. Granted, he once declared “I’m a pornographer” in an interview for his Ryan Gosling vehicle Only God Forgives. But fans can rest assured that they’re set for something magical this Christmas.
