The New Adventures of Black Beauty

This series updates the classic story of a girl and her horse, transplanting the Victorian roots of the Anna Sewell tale onto New Zealand soil, and moving twenty years ahead. Each of the four episodes on the two-tape set is 30 minutes long. The opener, "The Old World," takes place in England and sets the scene for the move to New Zealand. In "A Horse Like Beauty," the young heroine's family leaves for New Zealand where they find their house in shambles, a boy living in the barn and building a flying machine, and the new Black Beauty. "Breaking In" finds Vicky (the young heroine) trying to train Black Beauty when a greedy rancher demands his wild horse back. In "Ride a Black Horse," Vicky challenges the rancher to a race for ownership of Black Beauty. The wonderful New Zealand coast is reason enough to warrant purchase, but you also get fine British acting, good stories and an updated sensibility. Sure to be popular. Recommended. Aud: I, J, P. (C. Dratch-Kovler)