Smurfs turn 50!

herekitty · #1 01-17-2008, 10:54 PM

AFP: Smurfs preparing big 50th birthday celebrations

Quote:

Smurfs preparing big 50th birthday celebrations

3 days ago

BRUSSELS, Jan 14, 2008 (AFP) — The little blue cartoon Smurfs are planning to celebrate their 50th birthday this year with a new TV series, books and a film, with UNICEF among the beneficiaries, their human promoters said Monday.

Throughout 2008, 20 European cities will be flooded by the minute characters "three apples high" who are all -- except for ancient Papa Smurf -- officially a hundred years old.

But Europeans were only introduced to them in October 1958, when Brussels-born cartoonist Peyo (Pierre Culliford) first launched the "Schtroumpfs" onto an unsuspecting Belgian public.

"The invasion will begin on January 20 and end in October," said Hendrick Coysman, head of the Belgian-based IMPS group which holds the rights to the cartoon characters and is controlled by Peyo's widow Nine and children Veronique and Thierry Culliford.

The sale of tens of thousands of small figurines will benefit the United Nations Children's Fund, Coysman said.

A much larger Smurf statue, decorated by an unnamed celebrity, will be auctioned off on October 23, the 50th birthday date, with the proceeds also going to the UN's children's fund.

The Smurfs are also to head back to the big screen with a co-production with the US Paramount film group, Coysman said.

In an apparent nod to gender parity, new female characters will also be introduced to the Smurf village to help out Schtroumpfette, the only female.

The cartoonist Peyo died in 1992 at age 64. Since then, his family and collaborators have continued his work "in the same spirit of humour and creativity," IMPS said in a statement.

Since their humble origins in the Belgian children's comic-strip magazine Spirou, the Smurfs have sold 25 million cartoon albums worldwide in 25 languages.

A testament of their enduring popularity: One million Smurf DVDs were sold last year alone, Coysman said.

I'm definitely making a cake.
But I'm confused- it's their 50th bday but they're turning 100 according to the article? Is that a typo or are 2 smurf years = to one human year?

Doesn't matter. definitely have to dye something blue this year to mark this occasion.

bort · #2 01-18-2008, 01:08 AM

Well I guess the smurfs were already 50 years old when they were first drawn? They're still Belgian, and vaguely communist, and I'm never quite sure if I should approve of that!

Anti · #3 01-18-2008, 03:54 AM

nono... they mean that in the cartoon all smurfs are 100 y old except for papa smurf..

bort · #4 01-18-2008, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anti

nono... they mean that in the cartoon all smurfs are 100 y old except for papa smurf..

If they're turning 100, they presumably weren't 100 previously.

Anti · #5 01-18-2008, 04:24 AM

they are not turning 100, the cartoon is turning 50 and all smurfs are 100 years old even if they would make new episodes for another 250 years they would still be 100y old.