''Escape from the Dark'' (American title: ''The Littlest Horse Thieves'') is a 1976
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...
produced by
Walt Disney Productions
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
, directed by
Charles Jarrott
Charles Jarrott (16 June 1927 – 4 March 2011) was a British film and television director. He was best known for costume dramas he directed for producer Hal B. Wallis, among them ''Anne of the Thousand Days'', which earned him a Golden Globe ...
and starring
Alastair Sim
Alastair George Bell Sim, CBE (9 October 1900 – 19 August 1976) was a Scottish character actor who began his theatrical career at the age of thirty and quickly became established as a popular West End performer, remaining so until his ...
(in his final film role),
Peter Barkworth
Peter may refer to:
People
* List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* Peter (given name)
** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church
* Peter (surname), a su ...
and
Maurice Colbourne
Maurice Colbourne (24 September 1939 – 4 August 1989) was an English stage and television actor who starred as Tom Howard in the BBC television series ''Howards' Way''. He is also known for roles in other television series such as ''Gangster ...
.
The film was released in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
on May 26, 1976. In the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, it was released under the title ''The Littlest Horse Thieves'' on a
double bill
The double feature is a motion picture industry phenomenon in which theatres would exhibit two films for the price of one, supplanting an earlier format in which one feature film and various short subject reels would be shown.
Opera use
Opera ho ...
with ''
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
''The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh'' is a 1977 American animated musical anthology comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Buena Vista Distribution. It is the 22nd Disney animated feature film and was first rel ...
'' on March 11, 1977.
Plot
Set in 1909, a coal mine in
Yorkshire, England
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...
has used
pit ponies
A pit pony, otherwise known as a mining horse, was a horse, pony or mule commonly used underground in mines from the mid-18th until the mid-20th century. The term "pony" was sometimes broadly applied to any equine working underground.English ...
to haul coal for many years. When they are to be replaced by machinery that will speed up production and increase profits, three children – Dave (Andrew Harrison), Tommy (Benjie Bolgar) and Alice (Chloe Franks) – learn the ponies are to be slaughtered so they team up in a scheme to steal the horses and give them their freedom.
Cast
Locations
Filming took place in 1975 around
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by National parks of the United Kingdom, national parks, including most of ...
and
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
such as
Arkengarthdale,
Langthwaite
Langthwaite is one of the few villages in Arkengarthdale, North Yorkshire, England. It is north of Reeth and sits above sea level. It is the main settlement in the dale and is one of the most northerly settlements in the whole of Yorkshire D ...
,
Ripley Castle
Ripley Castle is a Grade I listed 14th-century country house in Ripley, North Yorkshire, England, north of Harrogate.
The house is built of coursed squared gritstone and ashlar with grey slate and stone slate roofs. A central two-storey block ...
and
Oakworth railway station
Oakworth Railway Station serves the village of Oakworth, near Keighley, and within the City of Bradford Metropolitan District, West Yorkshire, England.
History
The station was built by the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway (KWVR) and opened w ...
. Also at
Thorpe Hesley
Thorpe Hesley is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, lying east of the M1 motorway at junction 35. The village has been included within the boundaries of Rotherham town since 1894, having previously be ...
pit in South Yorkshire.
Home media
The film was released on
VHS as ''Escape from the Dark'' (UK) and ''The Littlest Horse Thieves'' (US) by
Walt Disney Home Video
Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc., doing business as Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, is the home entertainment distribution arm of The Walt Disney Company. The division handles the distribution of Disney's films, television series, an ...
in the 1980s.
In June 1999,
Anchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment (formerly Video Treasures and Starmaker Entertainment) was an American home entertainment and production company. It was a subsidiary of Starz Inc. Anchor Bay Entertainment marketed and sold feature films, television ser ...
released the film on
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...
for the first time in widescreen (1.85:1)
aspect ratio and full-frame presentation without bonus features; Anchor Bay re-released the film on DVD on January 21, 2003 but only in full-frame presentation.
On July 28, 2009, ''The Littlest Horse Thieves'' was released by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment as a Disney Movie Club exclusive
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...
, available only to club members for mail or online ordering.
References
External links
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*
*
{{Charles Jarrott
1976 films
1977 films
1970s historical drama films
British children's drama films
British historical drama films
American children's drama films
1970s English-language films
Walt Disney Pictures films
Films directed by Charles Jarrott
Films produced by Ron W. Miller
Films scored by Ron Goodwin
Films set in the 1900s
Films set in 1909
Films set in Yorkshire
Films shot at Pinewood Studios
Films about horses
Films about mining
1970s children's drama films
American historical drama films
1976 drama films
1977 drama films
1970s American films
1970s British films