The Kate Bush Efteling special is a collection of 6 tracks from Kate’s debut album The Kick Inside. One of the reasons why the film maker choose The Efteling as the location, isn’t that hard to guess ! Kate’s First album was released on Feb. 17, 1978, Unlike The Netherlands, she had already made her tv debut on UK and German tv.

The Efteling had just finished building their new theme park actraction The Haunted Castle. At that time it was quite an expensive investment,with an estimated cost of 1.6 million Euro. But the end result was stunning! 18 months of hard work, an area of 1.200 square metres, and a capacity of 1.500 viewers in one hour.

The Efteling was very keen to welcome Kate Bush to the park, two days before the official opening ceremony of the Haunted Castle.

A great oppertunity for Kate Bush to promote her new album in The Netherlands, and for The Efteling a chance to get the news out. Most of the songs were of course filmed in and around the haunted castle, but The man with the child in his eyes, and Them heavy people were filmed at different locations in the park. The night of May 12, 1978 the Music special was broadcasted on Dutch tv by the

Dutch broadcasting  corporation The Tros. For many years Kate Bush fans were very eager to obtain a copy of the recordings. A few years ago a well preserved copy of The Efteling special, came to the surface when a group of Kate fans  from the USA , The love hounds, released a 2 dvd set called Eat the video, including the Efteling special in a picture quality never seen before !! Rumours are that EMI Holland sent a  Vhs copy of the special to Kate’s record company in the Usa, to promote Kate’s debut album there, but it was never broadcasted  on American tv.

Although the special was broadcasted on New Sealand  televison some time later.

Inquiry at the Dutch broadcasting corporation about the original recording were not successful, sadly enough ! In 2021 the Efteling

Special turned up at You Tube!! The  Dutch broadcast company  The Tros does stilll own a spare copy, with reasonable quality ,

Rumours are that a fire in the archives , destroyed the original recordings….although many believe that it is still out there somewhere………...

At this picture you’ll see the film-crew at work, filming Kate Bush while she’s performing Moving at the court-yard of the Haunted castle. The cameraman did a fine job! Kate was very happy with the end results, and gave the cameraman a very special gift  when the work was done. It took 2 full days to finish the special!

Kate Bush performing Wuthering heights. Filmed inside the Haunted castle, where the main show takes place.

!

Kate Bush in front of the Haunted castle

Perforeming Moving.

 

Bedankt    Efteling  voor  deze foto !!

This sign at the entrance of the Haunted castle is saying that in 1978 Kate Bush wasn’t afraid of ghosts.

They didn’t scare away kate Bush!

The man with the child      Strange Phenomena         Wuthering Heights               Moving             The Kick Inside         Them HeavyPeople

Mr.  Henk Gulikers was the camera man of the film crew that made the Kate Bush Efteling special.

Kate was very pleased with the results, and gave this very personal gift to the cameraman!  He still owns this record to date.

Mr. Gulikers is now a retired camera man, living in France.

For dear henk,

The one who is very much alive behind the dead camera

Thank you  Lots of Love,

Kate Bush

The final video seems to have been more carefully worked out; at any rate it reflects its song's narrative far more directly than the others. It features Kate as the doomed heroine of The Kick Inside, dressed in black and veiled. She lip-synchs the vocal while lying in a coffin--more properly, a death-barge--and at the end of the song, she sails slowThe Lady of Shalott, classic poetical figures of Arthurian ly down a placid river, evoking images of Elaine and legend. Kate is memorably made-up in this video: her hair has been painted white (or perhaps platinum-blond). The result is striking.

Two  beautiful photo ‘s  of Kate Bush doing the dance routine for The man with the child in his eyes, at a lake side in the park. The swans behind her seem to glide across the water, making it ever more magical!