Cigars of the Pharaoh is a two-part episode of The Adventures of Tintin, produced by Ellipse-Nelvana, based on the book of the same name by Hergé.
Changes from the Book[]
In the TV episode, Tintin's cruise is transported from the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean and scenes showing the criminal boss writing orders already hint at the boss being Rastapopoulos by his voice and by clothes matching his preceding appearances. As per the chronology of the books, Tintin doesn't know Thompson and Thomson while in the TV episode, he knows them. Also, the dream sequence when Tintin and Snowy pass out in the tomb is made more frightening.
Unlike in the book, after being rescued from the Red Sea by the gunrunner, Tintin and Snowy are put ashore in Egypt. In the Comic on the other hand, Tintin and Snowy are put ashore in Saudi Arabia. The gunrunner's role was much reduced.
Other cuts are made solely for time. Tintin finds the cigars in Colonel Faud's office and is caught that moment in the book. However, in the TV episode, Tintin also reads a note kept in the box of cigars. The execution is shown almost differently. When Tintin flies away to India via plane, the guards accompanied by Faud shoot from the ground in the episode while in the book, he followed by fighter planes while Faud is in the quarters. Also, upon arriving in India, Tintin does not encounter an elephant whom he cures of his thirst. He instead finds Sarcophagus a few minutes after crashing in the jungle. Consequently, their meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Snowball and Dr. Finney in the bungalow occurs on the same day as Tintin's arrival in India, not a few days later. The poet Zloty and Reverend Peacock are absent in the episode. Dr. Finney instead explains about the madness poison and gives him a letter to be given to the Asylum's superintendent.
In the mental hospital in India, the cell is a padded cell, while in the book it has a bed. Tintin is not recaptured by the asylum; instead, he is found by the Maharaja's son. Also, while Snowy is searching for Tintin, unlike the book, he does not attack a holy cow and hence was not captured by Hindus who wanted to sacrifice him. Instead in the episode, Thompson and Thomson wearing Indian outfits find him wandering the railway and "arrest" him.
In the TV episode, Dr. Finney is a member of the gang and wrote the letter saying that Tintin was mad. In the book, the fakir copied the doctor's handwriting and rewrote the letter. In the comic, Sarcophagus ends up in the asylum, while in the TV episode he does not. In the comic an unnamed Japanese man is a member of the gang while In the TV series, he is replaced by Allan, whom Tintin recognizes as per the chronology of the episodes.
Voice cast[]
- Colin O'Meara - Tintin
- Susan Roman - Snowy
- John Stocker - Detective Thompson, Mr. Snowball
- Dan Hennessey - Detective Thomson
Trivia[]
- Roberto Rastapopoulos' scenes only showing his hands and hearing his voice were inspired by the portrayal of Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the James Bond films From Russia with Love and Thunderball.
Production errors[]
- In one scene when Tintin is talking to Dr. Sarcophagus, his socks disappear.
- In part one, when Tintin and Snowy walk into the tomb, Tintin clips off screen.
- In part two, Tintin refers to Dr. Sarcophagus as a professor at one point.
- In part two, as Tintin shouts "You're making a mistake", the hospital director seems to walk through the wall as he turns the corner in the corridor.