This is a wonderful film. I am an ardent lover of period dramas, but deep down I have to admit that I often disappointed by them. There is so often something undefinable lacking from the love story, I suppose because I am a girl of my time, and am therefore not satisfied by anything that isn't rated MA. That's not really true, but I do know that often, the deliberate understatement of the character development often leaves me wanting more and my stomach doesn't drop into an abyss as it does with things I really adore, such as North and South. And when my stomach doesn't take leave of absence, it often means that this is a show/movie I liked, but will not be watching again.
Rebecca, based on the novel written by Daphne Du Maurier, has been adapted many times, and here we are referring to the version directed by Jim O' Brien, starring Charles Dance and Emilia Fox. For those of you who saw the version with Lawrence Olivier, this one is a real improvment, as we may actually emphatize with Dance's character. Shot in Cornwall, the movie is a mixed blend of astonishing beauty and dreadful memories that seem to have taken the best of Maxim De Winter. Just recovering (in a tentative manner, to tell the truth) from the recent passing of his first wife, De Winter set out to Monte Carlo, in an attempt to washed away his previous life with the first Mrs De Winter. There, he met the soon-to-be second Mrs de Winter, played by Emilia ... Read More:
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I liked the series. Well done. Actors play in an amazing way, and indeed Rufus Sewell did an amazing job impersonating Charles II in a magnificent way, much better than he probably was.
The opening episode is great. The execution of Charles I is produced quite well!
The costumes and the whole design, staging were fantastic.
The only reservation that I have is the over-reliance on Antonia Fraser's work which is toooo royalist, too much inclined to idealize the Royalist cause. Henrietta Maria did not live up to what I had read about her. Here she was too nervous and hysterical. I never thought she was. I think it would have been better to take into account other sources when preparing the plot.
But all in all, a good movie!!!
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I have some of them already but i just had to buy this amazing set of 17 DVD for, what i call, a bargain price. Does anybody know what languages are available for subtitles? I cant seem to find anything about that...
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For years I never watched this film as people often cast the thought of George Lazenby aside when they think of Bond, but actually this is a fantastic film, and Lazenby makes a great Bond.
The film may look a bit dated in places and has a proper baddy who is after world domination, but even so the film is fantastic from beginning to the sad end.
Plus there are loads of extras too!
A must see Bond film, often forgotten about which is a crying shame!
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My nan bought this film on video when i was a little nipper and i would put it on whenever i went to visit her. Me and my cousins would sit and sing along with the songs and knew the whole script! The video is still going strong and my cousins 3 and 8 year old daughters sit and sing along to it too. Was very happy to find it now comes on DVD. An absolute classic!
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Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot is challenged to locate a missing jewel. To do this he must go to a small island. Guess who has a tendency to get seasick? He requests his fee in guineas (a guinea is equivalent of 21 shillings.)
Naturally someone/s is unexplainably dispatched. Of course the island is loaded with the usual suspects. Everyone has a motive and an alibi. By this time you have completely forgotten how the movie started.
Speaking about the movie, they pulled out all the stops with expensive locations, costumes, and actors. And Cole Porter tossed in for ambiance. There was even an appearance of Roddy McDowall who played Alan "Mollymauk" Musgrave in "Lord Love A Duck".
As I was studying this book so as you can imagine that I kind of needed all the help I could get, especially as I had to accept a 80 or so year old man being pushed to the brink of insanity. It was hard to imagine when reading the play that any of this could possibly happen but when I watched Oliver on screen I was absolutley certain it could. Oliver brings to life firstly a self-conceited and deluded King who by the gods plotting is humbled by the hands of his two eldest vicious daughters. The passionate scenes that were very important - i.e. those of the storm where Lear (Oliver) questions everything in the universe even his own existence were absolutley amazing to behold. I came to truly appreciate why many critics call Oliver 'the greatest interpetor of Shakespeare in the 20th century.'
Nonetheless, ... Read More:
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It was not easy taking over from Connery especially for a model rather than an actor. Geroge Lazenby's biggest screen presence up until this movie was as the Big Fry man in the Fry's chocolate adds. Based on that lack of experience it is hard to credibly argue that this is anything less than a triumph for Lazenby.
There are a few who have commented on the woodeness of his acting but this just doesn't work as an argument when the same people praise Roger Moore, whom I think eventually retired due to woodworm. The reason for all the special effects and gadgets, that became such an integral part of the Moore era Bond movies, was that him acting ability only stretched todelivering a one-liner whilst raising his eyebrow. Considering that Moore had already featured in estabilished television series, such as The ... Read More:
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It was not easy taking over from Connery especially for a model rather than an actor. Geroge Lazenby's biggest screen presence up until this movie was as the Big Fry man in the Fry's chocolate adds. Based on that lack of experience it is hard to credibly argue that this is anything less than a triumph for Lazenby.
There are a few who have commented on the woodeness of his acting but this just doesn't work as an argument when the same people praise Roger Moore, whom I think eventually retired due to woodworm. The reason for all the special effects and gadgets, that became such an integral part of the Moore era Bond movies, was that him acting ability only stretched todelivering a one-liner whilst raising his eyebrow. Considering that Moore had already featured in estabilished television series, such as The ... Read More:
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