"Castle Duckula: Open to the Public"

Children half price if accompanied by at least 3 parents.

Season 1 Episode 10 (episode 10 overall)

Original broadcast date: 8th November 1988

Writer: Peter Richard Reeves
Additional voices: Sviatoslav/Dr. Von       
                               Goosewing/Nigel        
                               /Japanese   
                               tourist/American   
                               woman/American man:
                               Jimmy Hibbert
                               Dmitri/Nigel's Dad: Brian 
                                                           Trueman
                              Girl on skates: Ruby Wax

Castle transport visual not used.

Duckula decides to open the castle to the general public in an attempt to make some money. This allows for an episode ripe with satire and some really ghoulish humour.

It's a recurrent theme throughout the series that, although the Count possesses a title, a castle and is generally held in awe by the local populace, he is almost never portrayed as being particularly wealthy. It's a common enough trope in popular culture, but it can't be an unheard of situation in real life either. At any rate, it makes the Count's dealings with the 'normal' people a little embarrassing for him, because despite being 'so very common', they're always seen to be doing better financially. The situation also highlights how faithful Igor and Nanny are. They seem to stick around despite apparently not being paid much if at all.

It's bath night, and after Duckula narrowly escapes a scrubbing from Nanny (seriously Nanny, I think he may be old enough to do it himself now!) Duckula decides he's hungry. There's an amusing thread as Igor tries to avoid giving Duckula any food options. This culminates in him confessing that there is nothing in the cupboard except the skeleton of the milkman who has evidently passed on while waiting to be paid!

Nanny meanwhile, has a bout of amnesia (she fell down the stairs earlier) and expresses surprise that they are in a castle. Her memory gets restored via electro-therapy and Duckula now has the idea to open the castle to tourists. Igor is dead against this idea right from the get-go. He even suggests "there's nothing to see", which is unusual considering he's usually so proud of the old pile. It's not out of character though, as he's very willing to stretch the truth or outright lie when he doesn't like what's going on.

It's not long before the tourists and sight-seers arrive. I like how the young, modern Duckula does a really cringey Japanese impression right in front of some Japanese tourists (this was still OK in the 80s?) whereas elderly, old-fashioned Igor, actually shows them a little more respect! Well, kind of, we'll find out what he has planned at the end. An annoying girl in roller skates shows up without paying (Ruby Wax in her first Duckula role) and a REALLY annoying little brat (called Nigel, of course) gives the Count grief along with his very large, very aggressive father. Even Von Goosewing turns up, having had a (not very subtle) poster fly straight into his face while sailing the skies in his airship earlier. He uses the chance to try slay the Count rather than look through the castle of course. Setting up his new invention, which he exposited to 'Heinrich' earlier, he hopes that the inverted mirror will show up the vampire's reflection and the stake will home in on it. Clever? Well, sort of, in that it only half works. The mirror shows up Goosewing's reflection clear as day, so the stake fires and does a U-turn. It will continue chasing him throughout the remainder of the episode. Then again, maybe it does work and VG actually is a vampire after all and he doesn't know it? Now that'd be a twist.

While Duckula conDUCKts a guided tour (including the eldritch abomination in the cellar, the games room, and a messy high tea - it's also worth noting that Duckula details a couple of portraits, but averts mentioining any vampric elements, unlike Igor's usual portrait gallery tours.), Igor keeps not very subtly mentioning the ancient and historic 'gymnasium and sauna'. After a few more sights, we finally get to see it. It's the dungeon, where Igor has been gradually locking up all the customers. Naturally Duckula is not too keen on this and has to release everyone, who all demand their money back. Igor's happy though, because now all the annoying guests have gone and the Count's not eager to try again. We close on Goosewing and the rollerskater lost in the never-before-seen (and will never-be-seen-again) maze, whilst still trying to escape the persistent stake!

This was a fun episode with some good social commentary as well as being one of the heaviest for dark humour. The sympathy is very much with the central characters. How many of us find ourselves hating the general public? Even though we are part of it ourselves?

Animation is by the Spanish team and is full and expressive. A lot of my favourite visual styles for the characters are in this episode. Look out for some nice little extra touches, like Igor's tutting and beak licking. They didn't have to include these, but they're a nice bonus that makes the show as a whole stand up to repeat viewings.

Music
Title - 'Clowneries' (Roger Roger). Clock bats - 'Vamp Til Ready' (Wally Asp - track 88). 'Stealth by Night' (Track 24 Dick Walter) - Igor putting up posters. 'Games Played in the Dark' (Richard Alan Harvey) is heard briefly when Igor approaches the cash register. 'Eastern Magic (F)' (Dick Walter - Track 30) is heard when the Japanese tourists arrive. 'Big Bad Giant' (Paddy Kingsland) for when Nigel's delightful father reasonably states his views. 'Sinister Street No.2' (Peter Franklyn) when VG uses the stake gun on himself in error. 'Valse Daft' (Track 1) Plays during the 'tea up' scene and 'The Chase Continues' (Dick Walter) during the cake fight. Victor and Hugo fans will recognise this as the theme of le naughty doggie. 'Victorian Mystery - A' (Paul Lewis) plays during the dungeon segment. 'Finger of Fear' (Frederick Bayco) opens and closes.

Backgrounds and pans
This has been mentioned on this blog before but here's another example. Sometimes in animation, in order to save costs, long pans over static backgrounds are used. Obviously, the most notable examples in this series would be the intro and outros, but there's a legitimate reason for them as they are setting the scene. They're not used as a shortcut all that often in this series. However, sometimes the opposite would happen. There's a lovely overhead shot of Igor in the village, that we're teased with for a second before cutting away. They certainly do this sort of thing on purpose because it really makes an impression. Thankfully in this day and age, we can slow that right down and take a better look! There's not actually many pans in this one at all, certainly no clear ones other than the intro/outro.

Is that Pee-wee Herman among the throng?

Trivia

• Another title with the word duck in it, technically. Shares words with the next episode title in the series.
• Episode starts with Duckula's screaming and ends with Goosewing's screaming. 
• The bath scene seems to have inspired this bubble bath that was available at the time. Don't think it produced quite as many bubbles though!

  

  Photos from eBay

• Some of the animation of Nanny approaching Duckula to get him back into the bath would be re-used in 'Amnesiac Duck.'
• The milkman has been waiting since July 1963. Given the episode's airdate, that's about 25 years!
• Sviatoslav acknowledges Nanny by referencing her directly. He says Dmitri's name immediately before. Both Nanny and Dmitri are played by Brian Trueman.
• 1st time Igor is seen to be in the village. The next would be in 'The Lost Valley.'
• Another appearance of Von Goosewing's blimp and references to 'Heinrich.'
• Goosewing curses: "Oberammergau und Westphalia!" (Bavarian alp town and a region in North/West Germany respectively) Goosewing inventions: "Super Transversifying Exterminator" that is, a reverse polarity mirror and homing stake gun.
• Duckula still appears to be aware of the werewolf in this one. 
• There seems to be an extra, inner door set after the short corridor from the main one. Only seen in this episode.
• 1st appearance for Ruby Wax in the series, although she is not credited, in direct contrast to 'A Mountie Always Gets His Duck' right near the end, where she is credited, but does not appear.
• First of two times Jimmy Hibbert plays a character called Nigel. The next would be in 'The Lost Valley.' 
• Two of Jimmy's characters have their initials visible - VG on Goosewing's blimp, N on Nigel's jumper. Always seems to be Jimmy's characters who use this trope, as it happens.
• Goosewing makes reference to crows and vultures (feet) when looking at his eyes in the mirror.
• Only appearance of "It", the eldritch abomination in the cellar.
• For this episode only, the castle appears to have a maze in it. Toad of Toad Hall (Wind in the Willows) had one too, though it was more of a plotline than a bonus feature. 
• Hibbert is credited as script editor.
• Nigel, his dad and the Japanese tourist appear in the Count Duckula Joke Book, by Jonathan Clements.
  

  

  I guess Nigel's dad is a blacksmith then.                                                                 Broody Herr....

  
  
  

  

  Ancient and historic gymnasium and sauna. The layout is similar to what's used in the episode. (see above)

Goofs and Nitpicks

• VG's leg is partly uncoloured for a single frame when he opens his bag. His pinz-nez also disappears as he gets shocked.
• The Japanese tourists' beaks are yellow instead of pale orange in one shot during the food fight.
• Igor's eyebrows colour flicker a tiny bit right near the end.

To close off, here's a pic' my missus did of the Count and Nigel's reasonable dad calmly debating the issues of the day.