Blu-ray Television Review

The Box of Delights (1984) • 40th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray [BBC] — magical storytelling in a beloved Christmas TV classic

A young boy finds himself drawn into a world of magic and danger when he encounters an old Punch & Judy man.

There’s not much made in the 1980s that can be described as timeless, but, for many, the BBC adaptation of John Masefield’s 1935 novel has become as integral a part of the festive season as sending cards or decorating the tree. The six-part children’s television production originally aired in the winter of 1984, scheduled so that the final episode aired on Christmas Eve. Even 40 years after its first broadcast, a community of thousands across the UK and beyond will be settling down to their annual rewatch of The Box of Delights.

Having missed it the first time around, I was about 10 years late for the train when, to create a festive atmosphere in the video rental store where I worked, I screened the omnibus edition. I was enchanted by its distinctive imagery and intrigued by the dreamlike narrative…