Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere

Starring:Gary Bakewell, Laura Fraser (II), Hywel Bennett, Clive Russell, Paterson Joseph, Trevor Peacock, Elizabeth Marmur, Richard Leaf, Sean O'Callaghan, George Jackos, Geraldine McNulty, Damien Lyne, Peter Capaldi, Tanya Moodie, Amy Marston, Nick Holder, Michael Culver, Tamsin Greig, Morgan Johnson, Freddie Jones
Director: Dewi Humphreys
Studio: A&E Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Whether you view it as an alternate reality or the illusions of demented mind, Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere is an intriguing place to visit. The Sandman creator's first TV miniseries suffers from the same traditional shortcomings that plague all British "telefantasy"--namely, micro-budget production values and slapdash direction that betrays a conspicuous shortage of rehearsal time. And yet, within those limitations, Gaiman and director Dewi Humphreys have crafted an ambitious exploration of "London Below," a vast, subterranean capital, far below "London Above," where office drone Richard Mayhew (Gary Bakewell) unwittingly finds himself after rescuing Door (Laura Fraser), an underworld dweller determined to learn why her parents have been killed. Gaiman teases the viewer with hints that Richard may be insane, but Neverwhere maintains its imaginative ambiguity, and presents a dark, dangerous domain of baronies and fiefdoms, bearing familiar British nomenclature but decidedly unfamiliar landmarks. Once you've visited, you might prefer to stay. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

Descend Into The Shadows Of London Below

Richard Mayhew is about to embark on a dark odyssey. On his way to dinner with his fianc e, he sees a wounded girl on the sidewalk, and his efforts to help her end the life he knows. The next morning, he is a cipher, erased from existence and consigned to the subterranean world of danger and shadows that is London Below.

System Requirements:
Running Time: 180 Min., Color
Copyright 2003 A&E Home Video.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Pleasantly surprised.......2007-06-08

I have to admit to being disappointed by the production quality when I started watching. But then I got sucked in by Gaiman's storytelling and just went with it. The Marquis is fabulous and Mayhew is the whiny character I remember from the book.

It's also interesting to see the original form for the story since the book came after.

Like a lot of those who reviewed Neverwhere before me, I am a huge, although recent, Gaiman fan. The man can seemly write anything. But even if this were my first exposure, I think I still would have enjoyed it.

Fun and fantastic.......2007-05-14

Love Gaiman's work and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the "original" version of Neverwhere. Read the book too!

Not the Best Visual Quality, But Neil Gaiman's Imagination Saves It.......2007-04-07

I'm a Gaiman fan. Truth is, it's always a better bet to read his stuff than watch the dramatizations. If you wanted to watch something from Neil's head, MIRRORMASK, with some outstanding visuals and some very cool music, is a better bet. However, the plotting here is easier to follow, and Richard is more sympathetic and likable than the gal-lead-character in MIRRORMASK.

Basically, this is the story of a man whose Good Samaritan act gets him in big, big, big trouble--life and death kind of trouble. The story takes place in two Londons--London above, which is normal London, and London Below, which is where things magical and mystical and dark and scary take place. It's ever so much less safe than London Above, even with all the perils of Big City living.

This is a quest story. You know how that goes, someone wants something desperately, others come with skills and gifts band together to journey to the ultimate place of questing, each wanting something desperately; and then we follow them as they undergo ordeals, evade villains, battle monsters. And we hope they obtain their desires. Or at least, hope the good ones do. Like any quest story, some secrets are withheld, some allies are surprising, and the bad guys are very bad indeed. And someone always has to die, right? But who?

The novel is creepy and funny, in the way that Gaiman manages to be creepy-funny. And you get a sense of Wizard of Oz gone very wrong.

The DVD, which is video-quality, with some exceedingly dorky effects, is not gonna win any awards. Some of you may hate it. But if you concentrate on the likability and charisma of some of the actors (likable: Bakewell/charismatic: the guy who plays Carabas/lovely if disheveled: Laura Fraser), and how much you'll want the bad guys to get their comeuppances, you can enjoy this series. You just have to cut some slack for production quality and effects and sound. Just surrender to the cheesiness.

However, if you want the full effect of scary-suspenseful-magical-sarcastic-amusing-fast-paced fun, buy the novel. It's a nifty urban fantasy from a master of modern fantasy.

Mir

You don't wanna know...........2007-03-03

Are you sure you want to know about London Below? I'm not sure you want to know that. Because if you know about London Below, then you are invisible to the people of London Above, who will ignore you and forget about you the instant they turn away from you. I won't tell you that Mr. Coup and Mr. Vanadarmarr are looking for someone named Door. I shouldn't be telling you that Richard Myhew helped someone he shouldn't have even noticed..much less, help. And I really shouldn't tell you about Hunter and the Marqie De Carabras that went along with Door and Richard to solve who killed Door's parents.

Oh, dear. I think I said too much....oh well then...descend into London Below and I hope you don't run into any velvets.

BBC does it again.......2006-03-03

My friends and I have been Gaiman fans for quite some time. When we heard that Neverwhere was on DVD and produced by BBC, we wanted it instantly. Neverwhere was the first book of his that I read and I fell in love with it instantly, so I had high expectations when I finally got the DVD. I knew that with the book so wonderful, it had a lot to live up to.

My first impression upon seeing the very first scene was to burst out in hysterical laughter. With the hand-held lights and the dramatic, "Ooh! Drama! So dark! So spooky! Look! I suddenly appear and disappear! I'm out to kill you!" feel to it, who couldn't laugh? As it continued, my friends and I came to the conclusion that you had to be on some sort of drug or medication to watch it, it was that trippy. There are many times throughout the episodes where the situation stuck us as hilarious even when it really shouldn't have.

However, I will say this for it. It's an excellent source for entertainment. The Marquis de Carabas is absolutely brilliant and on the mark, a perfect casting; Richard Mayhew can't stop complaining, true to character; and the Angel Islington will have you nearly screaming. Watch out for that age-old song, "Heaven, I'm In Heaven," it'll haunt even your nightmares and send them screaming. It definitely has that Neverwhere feel to it, and though at times it can be corny and you can definitely tell what era it was made in, I was greatly satisfied with it and would gladly watch it again.

It also wouldn't hurt to watch the Gaiman interview in the Special Features. It gives insights into the book and episodes that you wouldn't have known before unless you did your homework. And it is equally entertaining, guarenteed.

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