Around the World in Eighty Days

I remember the catchy theme song to this colourful cartoon series.The villain was Mr Fix and the heroine that Fogg travelled the world for was dinky Belinda Mayes ! each episode Fogg and his companion Passportou were in a different country and Mr Fix was like a Dick Dastardly character who kept trying to foil the journey but was always outdone by the travellers.

Around the world in 80 days with Passportou. Around the world in 80 days with Passportou. So Fogg may marry Belinda Mayes, Passportou. Fogg may fail, because of Fix. Unless Fogg fixes Fix's tricks. Around the world with Passportou !

Catchy huh ?

Around the World in 80 Days was a rather unique show for Saturday morning, in the 70s. It was produced by Air Programs International, an Australian studio, who would become an Australian branch of Hanna-Barbera and produce several cartoons for them, including many for their Famous Classics Illustrated series of holiday specials. The show was further unique in that it advanced the story (sort of) each week, with Fogg and Passepartout inching closer to their goal. It featured an aphorism each week, reinforcing a life lesson, while constantly reminding the viewer to always be prepared. Beyond that, the gags were rather standard, with Mr. Fix trying to put a monkey wrench into the pair's travels, while Passepartout keeps a frantic lookout for Fix, exclaiming "Fix Tricks!" at every passing. The plots were kept simple and might be rather hard to endure for an adult or older child; but, the series was always inventive. Definitely worth viewing for the younger child.

For some unknown reason, this cartoon was released on Soviet Central Television in 1981, and re-ran for several years throughout the 80s. Only 11 out of 16 episodes passed censorship (the one taking place in China didn't make it, but the US ones did). It quickly became a staple for most inquisitive kids of my generation, and opened up the world for many of us. From there, I've learned about many places, such as New Orleans, San Francisco, Mount Fuji (which shows just how little educational children's programming about geography beyond the Iron Curtain existed in those days). The dubbing and translation was first rate, and the Russian version of Passepartout, while having the same tone of voice, was somewhat less annoying than the original. It's hard to say how the show would hold up with today's internet-raised kids, but I have very fond memories of it, and can definitely trace my wanderlust to those 11 episodes.

This adaptation of the great work by Jules Verne is light, smooth, comical, yet contains important life lessons for children and families. The show is funny, and its attitude is optimistic. It is just an adaptation, yet it remains fairly faithful to the classic work of Jules Verne. This show will please everyone: animated movie lovers, fans of Jules Verne, children, teenagers, and adults.

I became fascinated with this television series as a child. I could not wait till the next episode, and this fascination is still within me, even though now I am an adult and a medical doctor by profession (movie lover in heart).

Great family entertainment. I simply love it!

People who made the new animated movie for new generation which is also called around the world in eighty days with animals as characters won't beat the original thing that we used to watch when we were kids back in the day. Some say it's way ahead the book but it's filled with fun and hilerious scenes that we won't forget. So if some of you who read this cooment, do me a favor, show your children so they could know about this, because on my opinion new cartoons that are made for children these days are so stupid, so please if you don't wan't your child not to know about what you've used to watch when you've been a kid, so please do it.