Castle Duckula: Open to the Public

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Summary:

Count Duckula decides to open Castle Duckula to the public for some extra cash after encountering some financial difficulties. However, things do not quite go according to plan when some irritating tourists and Dr Von Goosewing, an eccentric vampire hunter, find out that Duckula's castle is open to the public and decide to pay a visit.

At the beginning of the episode, Igor, Duckula's butler, expresses his opinion that a place such as Castle Duckula should not be open to paying customers. Near the end of the tour, Igor decides to take the tourists to the "gym and sauna", which later turns out to be the castle's torture chamber. At the end of the episode, all of the tourists demand their money back from Duckula, who says that they are in an even worse financial state than when they started.

Background Piece Music

• "Vamp Til Ready" by Wally Asp
• "Games Played in the Dark" by Richard Alan Harvey
• "Big Bad Giant" by Paddy Kingsland
• "Sinister Street No.1" by Peter Franklyn
• "The Chase Continues by Dick Walter
• "Finger of Fear" by Frederick Bayco

Trivia:

• The first group of tourists to visit Castle Duckula are clearly Japanese. Their portrayal in this episode can be considered rather stereotypical in this day and age.
• Dr Von Goosewing's symbol on his dirigible (airship) looks like Danger Mouse's badge. 'Danger Mouse' (1981) was another British animated television series produced by Cosgrove Hall Films for Thames Television.

Quotes:

• Count Duckula (on Castle Duckula): "The public will flock to see this wonderful, old building. They pay to see Versailles, Windsor Castle, the Taj Mahal, don't they?"
• Igor: "All this jollity and fun, Sir. It's not right!"
• Duckula: "No more cobwebs, no more dust. Castle Duckula is a tourist must!"
• Igor: "Should I dim the lights and turn on the central dampening system, Sir?"
• Igor (to the Japanese tourists): "Gentlemen, please. If you must stare at feet, try these rather noble ones. They belong to the current head of the family, Duckula."
• Duckula: "Now all I've got to do is figure out what I'm going to do with two hundred dozen guillotine toe-nail clippers."

Photos:

File:Open to the Public Igor.png

Igor putting up all of the posters to advertise Castle Duckula to the public

File:Open to the Public Tea with the Count.png

Duckula's so-called highlight of the tour - "tea with the count"

File:Open to the Public Tourist Boy.png

A spoiled child asking Duckula whether there are any executions

File:Open to the Public Japanese stereotypes.png

Japanese tourists visit Castle Duckula

File:Open to the Public Souvenir Stand.png

Nanny's souvenirs stand

File:Open to the Public Torture Chamber.png

The Castle's "gym and sauna"

Credits

• Voices: David Jason, Jack May, Brian Trueman, Jimmy Hibbert
• Narrator: Barry Clayton
• Written by Peter Richard Reeves
• Script Editor: Jimmy Hibbert
• Music: Mike Harding
• Vocals: Doreen Edwards, Mike Harding
• Storyboard: John Stevenson
• Layout: José María Zumel, Ricardo Machuca, Miguel Angel Aisa, Manolo Almela, Juan Antonio Serrano, Miguel Angel Fuertes
• Design: Chris Randall, Dan Whitworth, Margaret Riley, Paul Salmon, Vincent James, Edmund Williams
• Animation: Mariano Rueda, Ignacio Amero, Emilio Luján, Valentín Caín, Julian Tarrago, Edward Sasu, Pedro Molina, Vicente Rodriguez, Amaro Carretero, Juan Antonio Rojo, Luis L. Varela, Bujor Estefanescu, Ezequiel Martín, Chris Doyle, Francisco Tena, Alberto Conejo, Angel Jariego, Julio Diez, Pedro Mohedano, Roberto Marcano, Ventura Rodriguez, Javier Gutierrez, Russell Brookes, Manuel Galiana, Fernando Jariego, Ramon Sanchez, Juan Antonio Serrano, Marivi Rodriguez, Rob Stevenhajen, Valentín Doménech, Carmen Chenza, Paca Moreno, Manuel Doctor, Miguel Angel Fuertez.
• Backgrounds: Igashi Taruma, Felix Cascajo, Milagros Banares, Miguel Angel
• Supervised by Carlos Alfonso
• Painting: María Del Mar Fernández, María Fernández, Margarita Pina, Teresa Diego, María José Álvarez, Loli Torres, Paco Villanueva, Angeles Sanz, Julia García, Delia Hernandez, Lourdes Santos, Susana Díez, Ángeles Vacas.
• Supervised by Paloma Antón
• Xerox: Jose Luis Aisa, Andres Palacios
• Camera: Santiago Gomez, Victorio Gonzalez
• Special Effects: Carlos Alfonso
• Animation Line Test: Eva Moreno
• Production Control: Bob Burrows
• Film Editor: Zyggy Markiewicz
• Assistant Editor: Bob Ashton
• Dubbing Mixer: Ted Spooner
• Animation Directors: Carlos Alfonso, Juan R. Pina
• Associate Producer: Chris Randall
• Executive Producer: John Hambley
• Produced by Mark Hall, Brian Cosgrove
• Directed by Chris Randall
• © Cosgrove Hall Productions MCMLXXXVII

Copyright Gag

Despite this episode being broadcasted in 1988, the roman numerals in the copyright credit reads 'MCMLXXXVII' as it is dated in 1987.