The Great Fire of Pontypandy is a 60-minute movie that was made as part of the CGI series. It was released on 9 November 2009 in the UK and sometime in 2014 in the US, after making its television debut on Sprout in 2012. The film starred the cast of the CGI series. It takes place between Series 7 and Series 8.
Production[]
On 22 March 2007, S4C announced they had sold their 50% share in Fireman Sam to HIT Entertainment. On the same day, the broadcaster announced that that development for a sixth series was underway with a DVD special and a 60-minute special, the latter of which would be sold for a 2009 delivery. Despite the sellout, S4C would continue to remain on board as an executive producer for the new series and would retain all Welsh-language rights to the property.[1]
The franchise's first 60-minute movie was released straight-to-DVD in March 2010, and introduced a new character - Chief Fire Officer Boyce, a Chief Officer who hails from Newtown, and a new location - the Lighthouse.
Plot[]
Norman, Derek, Sarah, James, and Dilys go pioneering with Trevor Evans in the forest. Norman Price and his cousin, Derek, want a campfire to cook sausages and try to light a fire by rubbing sticks together. The trouble is, Dilys calls them away and the fire gets going without them realising it and the "Great Fire of Pontypandy" starts!
Summary[]
During a fierce storm at the cliffs, Charlie Jones tries to reactivate the lighthouse himself, but he doesn’t succeed. However, the door unexpectedly opens due to the strong wind. He tries to pull the door shut, but the strong wind blows him out of the lighthouse and left hanging from the balcony, as Charlie has to call Fireman Sam as a result. Sam and Elvis are called and with a lot of effort, they save Charlie and help warn the ships about the rocks using Jupiter's high beams, while Sam and Charlie try to reactivate the lighthouse, in which they succeed.
One month later, Sam is rewarded with a medal for his actions by Chief Fire Officer Boyce. While on his visit from Newtown for the occasion, Boyce gives Sam a form ten, offering him a double promotion past crew commander to the position of Station Officer at Newtown on the new rapid response fire unit. Before Sam can sign it, he is called out to help Mike Flood who has fallen off the boathouse roof whilst fitting a weather vane.
After saving Mike, Penny finds out about the job offer and says that Sam will be missed. Sam is also clearly worried about it and is having second thoughts. He then meets Trevor who is passing by in his bus and tells Sam that he is taking the Pontypandy Pioneers camping in the forest. Sam warns him that there can't be any campfires because the forest is too dry and is very hot. Trevor promises Sam that won't happen before heading off. Meanwhile, Norman, Dilys and Derek are getting ready to go on the camping trip. Dilys has packed lots of things, but Trevor, who is in charge of the trip, says that they can't bring anything because the Pioneers are attempting to get their survivalist badges. As they leave, Norman takes a pack of sausages, not wanting to eat bugs and berries because he wanted proper food in that forest. Meanwhile at the Flood's house, Mandy is upset because her mum's car won't start and misses the bus. Mandy then complains that her dad, who was supposed to fix her mum's car, is too busy to spend time with his family. Helen decides to take Mandy on foot, and she agrees. Helen and Mandy try to find the campsite when Helen suddenly steps in a mantrap that Trevor set up minutes earlier. Sam and Penny leave the station to rescue Helen, but as Elvis and Radar are already there, Helen is rescued. The rest set up the tents and go out, Norman and Derek get out the sausages and make a BBQ (ignoring the warnings that the forest is too dry to start fires). Dilys finds them and Norman and Derek complicatedly tells her that they were having a tinkle, but Dilys fails to notice the fire, leading to the “Great Fire of Pontypandy”.
Meanwhile at the lighthouse, Mike Flood forgot his phone and hammer and locks himself in the lighthouse. Then he sees smoke coming from the forest and his mobile phone is locked outside the lighthouse. He uses the lighthouse to spell "FOREST FIRE" in Morse Code, but actually spells "FOREST FIRT". Sam reads out the letters before Penny spots the smoke coming from the forest. They inform Station Officer Steele about the situation and heads to the forest in Venus whilst Boyce radios through to Newtown to assist. The campsite group smell the smoke and Dilys ends up leading them because Trevor is in complete panic. They then leave the campsite to get out of the forest. The fire reaches the campsite setting it on fire. Elvis and Radar find the group and Sam asks him if he has found them which he has. Station Officer Steele then arrives on the scene in Venus as Elvis can hear Venus’ siren, so Sam tells him to gather everyone up and follow Venus' siren to get out of the forest before the fire engulfs the whole place, in which they do. Tom Thomas attempts to dampen the forest down in his helicopter, but has no effect. Station Officer Steele warns everyone that if they cannot contain the fire, they will have to evacuate the town. Norman suggests that they should call other fire engines from Newtown, but Station Officer Steele tells him that they're already fighting the fire on their side of the forest and that the fire has completely cut them off as the fires already spread along the coast, so they are now on their own. Sam suggests that everyone can help by flattening the grass at the edge of the forest and keep the heat down with the hoses to cut off the fire's fuel supply. The fire then reaches the edge of the forest, so now the four firefighters attack the fire with their hoses, but it's no use. Suddenly, a branch snaps and nearly injures Sam, but luckily Elvis comes to the rescue, diving and pushing Sam out of the way. Station Officer Steele then tells everyone to retreat and to collect Chief fire officer Boyce at the fire station and go straight to the harbour as the fire is completely uncontrollable, and the safest thing they can do is go out to sea and unfortunately let Pontypandy burn for good. They take one last look at the fire station and set off for the harbour. All the vehicles drive to the harbour as Sam looks at the stormy clouds pleading them to come towards the fire. As the people are aboard Charlie's boat, the rain pours down and puts out the fire, much to everyone's delight. Then Radar finds the sausages in Norman's bag after he threw it up in the air in celebration. Everyone is shocked, Station Officer Steele scolds Norman for setting the forest on fire and Dilys says that she will make sure Norman is properly dealt with.
Elvis is awarded for saving Sam and the group and the Pontypandy pioneers are rewarded their survival badges, except for Norman and Derek. Derek, angry at not getting his badge blames Norman for bringing sausages and setting the forest on fire while Norman blames Derek for wanting sausages. Mike finally makes time to spend with Helen and Mandy. Sam decides to reject the Chief's promotion and chooses to stay in Pontypandy since he sees the town that they need him much more. The town has a huge party to celebrate. The song He's Our Friend then plays as the credits roll during the song.
Characters[]
- Fireman Sam
- Elvis Cridlington
- Penny Morris
- Station Officer Steele
- Trevor Evans
- Dilys Price
- Norman Price
- Derek Price
- Sarah and James
- Bronwyn Jones
- Charlie Jones
- Mandy Flood
- Mike Flood
- Helen Flood
- Tom Thomas
- Radar
- Lion
- Woolly
- Lambykins
Character Introduced[]
Vehicles[]
- Jupiter
- Venus
- Wallaby 1
- Neptune
- Trevor's Bus
- Charlie's Fishing Boat
- Mike's Van
- The Skiff
- Nurse Flood's Car
- Rapid Response Unit (mentioned)
Cast[]
UK[]
- Steven Kynman as Sam, Elvis, Norman, James, Derek, and Charlie
- David Carling as Station Officer Steele, Chief Fire Officer Boyce, Trevor, Tom, and Mike
- Su Douglas as Dilys, Mandy, and Helen
- Tegwen Tucker as Penny, Sarah, and Bronwyn
US[]
- Andrew Hodwitz as Sam and Elvis
- Jonah Ain as James
- Margaret Brock as Bronwyn
- David Carling as Tom
- Lily Cassano as Sarah and Mandy
- Jacob James as Charlie
- Scott Lancastle as Mike
- Ashley Magwood as Penny
- Joe Marth as Fire Dept Chief Boyce
- Dave Pender Crichton as Fire Captain Steele
- Mike Pongracz as Trevor
- Becky Shrimpton as Helen
- Sarah Lynn Strange as Dilys
- Carter Treneer as Norman and Derek
Song[]
Trivia[]
- This is the first hour long special of the series.
- This special takes place between the seventh and eighth series.
- Chief Fire Officer Boyce is introduced to the series in this special.
- Stock footage from Cat Magic is used at least twice during the special.
- While it had been established that Station Officer Steele's first name is Basil such as in Telly Trouble, but at least two times, Chief Fire Officer Boyce refers to him as Norris.
- This is the last time in which Steven Kynman voices James. John Hasler took over the role since the eighth series.
- This special marks the first (and so far only) time a fire has been deemed "out of control" in the entire series.
- This is the last time Sam says his catchphrase, "Great fires of London!" ("Great fiery chimneys!" in the US version). Steele would later say it in The Moon Men Are Coming.
- This is the only special to have the full theme song from Series 5.
- The Cartoonito promos in 2010 had John Sparkes to provide the voiceover.
Goofs[]
- When Trevor plays his ukulele, it actually makes the sound of a banjo.
- Considering he is unable to remain calm in the event of a fire, it appears Trevor has forgotten most of his training as an auxiliary firefighter.
- When everyone gets out of the forrest and when Sarah and James run up to Sam, he remains unanimated.
- In the scene where all four vehicles are driving in the town, Venus and Jupiter's front wheels turn too early.
- When the vehicles were leaving the fire station, Jupiter's rear wheels don't move in the correct direction.
Gallery[]
.jpg "Elvis driving Jupiter (The great fire of Pontypandy).jpg (413 KB)")
Videos[]
UK version
US version
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GkmXACBd03E&list=PLIzglI2Ip7v-_5lHdZwsKWbmbF3HbL6Fq&index=1