Nicholas' Gift

Starring:Jamie Lee Curtis, Alan Bates, Hallie Kate Eisenberg, Gene Wexler, Isabella Ferrari, Anita Zagaria, Roberto Bisacco, Ennio Coltorti, Jeremy Zimmerman, Giorgio Biavati, Nazzareno Costantini, Daniele Pio, Manrico Gammarota, Carlo Cartier, Alberto Gimignani, Massimiliano Pazzaglia, Franco Fantasia, Consuelo Ferrara, Matteo Chioatto, Antonio Bonanotte
Director: Robert Markowitz
Studio: Blue Steel Releasing
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Misguided stepmothers, romantic betrayals, secret marriages--these are not just the makings of modern soap operas; this is what makes the BBC's delightful four-episode miniseries Wives and Daughters come to life. Sweet Molly Gibson (played artfully by Justine Waddell, who communicates more with a squint of her eyes than most actresses can with pages of dialogue) was living life pleasantly when her widowed father (Bill Paterson) decides that, for the good of his daughter, he must remarry. In comes Claire, played to screeching perfection by Francesca Annis. Molly's life is turned upside down by the usually well meaning but off-the-mark Claire, who insists on things being done the proper way. Added to the stew is Claire's beautiful, educated daughter, Cynthia (Keeley Hawes), and the Hamleys, a well-to-do family headed by a squire (Michael Gambon) who is not happy about the romantic interests of his sons.

As is typical with BBC miniseries, the quality writing and lush sets add to the overall appeal. Andrew Davies, who adapted Pride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones's Diary, penned the marvelous screenplay (based on Elizabeth Gaskell's unfinished novel). It's impossible not to compare this to the ever-popular Pride, and Wives and Daughters measures up. --Jenny Brown

Description

From the team that brought you "Pride and Prejudice." Set in a richly portrayed society well-stocked with eccentric nobles and gossipy villagers, the story centers around 17-year-old Molly Gibson, the only daughter of a respected country Doctor.

Customer Reviews:

family friendly.......2007-07-05

The DVD arrived much earlier than expected. Wives and Daughters is an excellent example of the right kind of daughter & Wife verses the wrong kind. I really enjoyed the movie and now I expect to read the book. Ireta C.

Jane Austen Fan Converted to Elizabeth Gaskell Also.......2007-06-13

This is a wonderful 300 minute movie! It is very clean and tasteful! If you enjoy Jane Austen books/movies I'm sure you will enjoy Elizabeth Glaskell ones too. I highly recommend BBC's "North and South" by Gaskell also. These two movies like the A&E production of "Pride and Prejudice" are romances with plots. The emotions, situations and personalities of the characters are true to life and we can still relate to them in this century. Though they might be thought of as "Chick Flicks", the story lines have enough depth to them to hold the attention of my "macho" husband!

Followed the Book.......2007-06-11

I bought the movie because I liked the book and was not disappointed. The movie followed the book very closely. The author of the book, Elizabeth Gaskell, died before finishing the last chapter of the book. I think she was headed in a different direction than the movie took with the ending. It was still a touching ending and I'll watch the movie again and again.

A Sweet Slice of Victorian Life.......2007-06-08

Glossy and grand coming-of-age story following the only daughter of a widower and her relationships with those who shape her life. She has to put up with a new stepmother and wayward step-sister, a handful of guys and a town full of gossips. It's sweet slice of Victorian life in northern England. Although its gentle pace can feel a little slow at times, we feel immersed in the past. The setting is sumptuous and the costumes are superb. Lady Harriet is fabulous and Michael Gambon as Squire Hamley is a treasure.

Lovely story.......2007-06-02

This is a beautiful love story. I really enjoyed watching this period piece.

Nightmares & Dreamscapes - From the Stories of Stephen King

Average customer rating:

Hit and Miss as with many "anthology" series . . . This one . . . Mostly a Miss
not so nightmarish or a escape from dreams
Great Stephen King adaptations.
Hypocrites having a field day
Pretty Cool!

Nightmares & Dreamscapes - From the Stories of Stephen King
Starring: William Hurt , William H. Macy , Eion Bailey , Ron Livingston , and Jeremy Sisto
Director: Brian Henson , Mikael Salomon , and Rob Bowman
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000GYI340
Release Date: 2006-10-24

Amazon.com

Filter a Twilight Zone vibe through Stephen King's brain and you get Nightmares & Dreamscapes, an uneven but generally entertaining collection of eight tales that originally (2006) aired on TNT. There is no unifying theme here; although King's short stories provided the source material, there are six directors and seven screenwriters represented, so the episodes offer a variety of looks and styles, with content ranging from monsters to mind games, from pure fantasy to pulp fiction, from genuinely scary to merely unsettling. Still, a certain ineffably "King-ian" sensibility, combining elements of horror, terror, suspense, and whimsy, is always in evidence, as are the popular writer's own preoccupations (with authors who may or not be stand-ins for King himself, rock 'n' roll, and guys who won't ask for directions while their wives complain, inevitably leading them into very nasty situations).

Among the highlights: In "Battleground," a merciless hit man (William Hurt) offs a toy manufacturer and then finds himself attacked in his own apartment by a battalion of indefatigable toy soldiers; directed by Brian Henson, the episode has no dialogue and some terrific effects work. In "Umney's Last Case," William H. Macy is amusing as a crime writer who cruelly toys with his literary alter ego, an arch, fedora-wearing gumshoe (also Macy); it's an acting tour de force and a story that takes some deft and intriguing turns. "The Road Virus Heads North," with Tom Berenger as a horror novelist who finds himself pursued by… well, by a painting (guess you had to be there), is perhaps the scariest of the lot; it's also the best shot, with a cool jazz soundtrack and a nifty ending. Less successful is "Crouch End," set in a sinister part of London where "thin spots" in the earth lead to creepy new dimensions (nice premise, but it's overwritten and fails to sustain its Twilight Zone weirdness), while "You Know They Got a Hell of Band" is only fitfully effective in its depiction of Rock & Roll Heaven, Oregon, a town where Elvis is mayor and the rest of the living dead range from Hendrix and Joplin to Duane Allman and Buddy Holly. The three-disc set's decent if unexceptional special features include "inside looks" at the making of several episodes, actor interviews, and more. --Sam Graham

Description

This hair-raising miniseries is comprised of 8 mind-bending stories each featuring an all-star cast and cutting-edge special effects. Each episode is adapted from on of King's short stories and will feature such notable performers as Oscar nominees William H. Macy, William Hurt, Tom Berenger and other favorites as Kim Delaney, Steven Weber, Henry Thomas, Samantha Manthis, Claire Forlani and others. The series will premiere this summer in a 4-week television event on TNT starting July 12, 2006.

DVD Features:
Additional Scenes
Featurette
Interviews
Production Sketches

Customer Reviews:

Hit and Miss as with many "anthology" series . . . This one . . . Mostly a Miss.......2007-06-05

All anthology series like Twilight Zone: The Complete Definitive Collection and The Outer Limits - The Original Series, Season 1 have hits and misses and the endless parade of stars don't always promise a successful episode and don't compenstate for poor writing. I am a long time Stephen King fan and sad to say much of his work has translated poorly to the screen because adaptors of his work only seem to focus the the physical world of King and not his more thoughtful and moral side which doesn't always translate well to the large or small screen. This series typifies that criticism.

"Battleground" is the most engaging, facinating, and compelling episode of the whole 8 episode series and it's accomplished without a single word of dialogue. "Autopsy Room Four" is also very clever and different. However, the rest of the episodes range from mildly interesting and even funny, to silly and incomprehensible. It's not what it could have been and that is all too typical with Stephen King adaptations.

not so nightmarish or a escape from dreams.......2007-05-08

I saw the previews for this quite a few times last spring, in the threatre,prior too its airing on tnt network(i think).Well I missed the whole series on tv debute,so when i seen it on sale in Amazons gold box I
jumped too it.I am sorry i did.The multple stories play like a cross between twilght zone and tales from the crypt. Without a host & lacking the suspence:that usally makes up for the gore in a tv series.It's been almost a month sence i struggled through this set of stories.Here are two show that stand out right now the best and the worst.What i thought was the best is"They have a Hell of a Band"This story is about a not so happy couple.The guy really diggs the 50's &60's rock era.He has the car&style too show for it.He's a real Manly/Man ,He shows his girl freind he don't need a map or direction too correct the wrong turn he made on there drive.This great sense of direction brings them too the town,rock and roll heaven-right out of a 50/60 show(think back too the futurish set).Relcutent girl gives in too the prositent guys wims.The plan grab a bite and a couple of slivoniers.This leads them too being trap for all time.The Idol look likes are pretty good to really good.The easyest reckonized
; I thought was:Buddy Holly.The worse was Elvis .Speaking of the worse.The show that gets this award is the one (forgot title)staring the guy who played johnboy on the waltons(whats his name).He's a big time office man in the big city,while in the back woods of a (think it was florida) golf course,hes bit by a snake-declared dead by a doctor who looks way too old too be praticing still.As a result he spends the day in the morgue.Fortunetly the woman in charge is more interested in the guys who are suppose too be her aids.We get too watch a half hour of two people in denile of there feelings-debate on what happened too this apparent dead guy,who in the meantime,is giving a rather droll narretive.Besides being bad this show deos not say much for small southern health care.Inconclusion I whould really give this series a 2.5 but out of almost a cross between fan & respect toward king's work in general i round it painfully up too a3.BUYER YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!!

Great Stephen King adaptations........2007-03-15

Very well done series. Very good to the source material. These short films rock. They do the written works justice. Great performances by all, well written, well shot, and great execution. I would recomend this to all who like good Stephen King adaptations and to fans of this genre. You'll love it. I did.

Hypocrites having a field day.......2007-02-22

This show has only one problem - but, to me at least, it's big enough to deserve a loss of two stars. In the interviews provided on the DVD you can listen to directors, screenwriters and actors alike who all praise Stephen King and his story-telling power. They all but fall on their knees when they talk about his short stories. Yet they're hypocrites because they felt the deep need to IMPROVE said stories. It's like: "Well, of course the stories are good, but look, WE can make them better!" Therefore, a true King fan will incredulously watch a different (and often WORSE) version of the story he knows, wondering why these changes were made and how anyone could possibly believe they could improve the author's original.
The ridiculous Rambo-doppelganger in "Battleground"? Not in the story. The wife driven to suicide, whose jump from a high building can mysteriously be seen in two worlds in "Umney's Last Case"? Not in the story. Or, worst of all, the completely brainless ending of "Crouch End", with a twist that is so senseless that you can only call it embarrassing. There's more: Kinnell's portrayal as a possible cancer patient gives "The Road Virus Heads North" a totally new direction not intended by King - this climaxes with the villain's words 'I'm what you don't know: I'm your fear' - if you believe it or not.
So why are there even three stars? Because the casting and the acting are great (with the exception of the nurse in "Autopsy Room Four", who I found to be completely unconvincing), the setups and the atmosphere are worthy of King and because I do support the idea of finally filming these great stories. I hope for a continuation of the series - but with the aim to film the stories, not to improve them for the worse.

Pretty Cool!.......2007-01-23

Having read a bunch of reviews which were less-than-complimentary, but being one who will try any Stephen King adaptation for the screen, I had to grab a copy anyway.
No, it is not the best bunch of King adaptations around, but it is entertaining, clever, and full of those King-isms that I for one have grown to anticipate and love, particularly when Mick Garris is behind the camera!

There are Eight stories here, all around 45min each. I am two-thirds of the way through the bunch, so I'll spare you any major breakdowns of each story. Many other reviewers have covered this ground already, anyway.

All I would like to really say is that if you are a fan of Stephen King's TV and big-screen adaptations, it would be a good idea to give this one a look!

Agatha Christie's Miss Marple - The Classic Mysteries Collection

Average customer rating:

Bad Batch?
The only dramatization that faithfully presents AGATHA CHRISTIE'S Miss Marple
Love em all.
Little Elderly Lady
Classic!

Agatha Christie's Miss Marple - The Classic Mysteries Collection
Starring: Joan Hickson , Juliette Mole , David Beames , Mona Bruce , and Nicholas Blane
Director: Martyn Friend , John Davies , and Christopher Petit
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000CRR36K
Release Date: 2006-02-28

Product Description

Return to post-war England for mystery and a cup of tea with Agatha Christie s most popular creation. The consummate prim and proper crime-fighting spinster, Miss Jane Marple sets down her knitting needles to unwind the most ingenious crimes. As she travels from city to countryside and even the Bahamas, murders, missing bodies and haunted dreams have a habit of falling across Miss Marple s path--which is precisely when, "tail up and head down," the beloved aunt and godmother goes into action. Digitally re-mastered and faithfully adapted from Agatha Christie s best-selling novels, THE CLASSIC MYSTERIES COLLECTION features Joan Hickson (Christie s personal choice to play the spinster sleuth) in over fifteen hours of suspense, misdirection, rich period detail, and the cleverest solutions imaginable. DVD Features: Complete Index of all Miss Marple Stories; Agatha Christie Bio; Joan Hickson Biography/Filmography; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

System Requirements:

Running Time 936 Mins.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Joan Hickson is the epitome of Agatha Christie's spinster sleuth in this DVD boxed set of nine Miss Marple movies from British television. "Little grey-haired cobra," mutters Detective Inspector Slack (David Horovitch), the hard-slogging policeman who finds himself humbled, again and again, by the frail woman's shrewd insight and dogged determination. Whether on a tropical island, in a grand hotel, or on a bus tour of historic sites, Miss Marple never fails to uncover the buried secrets, illicit affairs, tangled finances, and boorish Americans that abound in Agatha Christie's mysteries. Hickson is said to be Christie's own choice for the role (though when Christie told her this, Hickson was taken aback, as she was still fairly young at the time), and it's easy to see why: Hickson is physically unassuming, a perfect village busybody, yet her eyes contain a constant flicker of curiosity and keen intelligence.

This set includes all but three of Hickson's outings as Miss Marple: A Caribbean Mystery, in which an old bore's death on an island resort sets the plot in motion; The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side, which features an aging movie star and sumptuous marble bathrooms; in 4:50 from Paddington, the launch of Sputnik is accompanied by a strangling on a train; The Moving Finger begins with poison pen letters, but poison and bludgeonings soon follow; At Bertram's Hotel is one of the most unusual stories, as murder doesn't happen until more than 3/4 of the movie has unfolded, and the ending features a dynamic rooftop chase; Murder at the Vicarage, a definitive village mystery which finds Miss Marple solving a killing on her home turf; Nemesis, in which a wealthy old friend of Miss Marple's orchestrates, after his own death, the investigation of a murder long gone cold; Sleeping Murder, one of the best, starts out as more of a ghost story than a mystery and culminates in genuine suspense; and They Do It With Mirrors, in which misdirection--the cunning art upon which any murder mystery depends--is part of the plot itself.

There are a few famous names sprinkled among the casts (among them Donald Pleasance, Halloween, Jean Simmons, Spartacus, and Joan Greenwood, The Importance of Being Earnest, who has one of the most wonderful voices in the history of British cinema), but these BBC dramas depend mostly on solid, enjoyable character actors--actors much like Hickson herself, who labored for decades in bit parts before finding her plum role. The compression necessary to turn a book into a movie sometimes makes sussing out the murderer simpler, but fans of the genre will still be delighted by Miss Marple's perceptive investigations. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Bad Batch?.......2007-06-27

I ordered this DVD set and we were looking forward to many hours of enjoyable viewing. Some of the DVD's in the set, however, had digital scrambling problems, so we did the Amazon return thing, requesting that a replacement set be sent. When we received that replacement set, we were very disappointed to see that the digital scrambling was exactly the same as in the first set. I don't know if we got two from the same bad batch, or what, but now we don't have the set we were looking forward to placing in our video library.

The only dramatization that faithfully presents AGATHA CHRISTIE'S Miss Marple.......2007-06-01

In "An Autobiography," Agatha Christie wrote, "Miss Marple insinuated herself so quickly into my life that I hardly noticed her arrival. I wrote a series of six short stories for a magazine, and chose six people whom I thought might meet once a week in a small village and describe some unsolved crime. I started with Miss Jane Marple, the sort of old lady who would have been rather like some of my grandmother's Ealing cronies--old ladies whom I met in so many villages where I had gone to stay as a girl. Miss Marple was not in any way a picture of my grandmother; she was far more fussy and spinsterish than my grandmother ever was. But one thing she did have in common with her--though a cheerful person, she always expected the worst of everyone and everything, and was, with almost frightening accuracy, usually proved right...."

Later, Christie added, "Miss Marple was born a the age of sixty-five to seventy--which, as with Poirot, proved most unfortunate, because she was gong to have to last a long time in my life. If I had had any second sight, I would have provided myself with a precocious schoolboy as my first detective; then he would have grown old with me."

There you have the most authoritative pronouncement on the nature and character of Miss Jane Marple--and here, in this series, we have that fussy and spinsterish old lady's most authoritative portrayal.

Major actresses have offered famous performances of a mystery-solving elderly lady named Marple--Margaret Rutherford, Helen Hayes, Angela Lansbury and, as I write this, Geraldine McEwan. Some have been quite good in their versions of Miss Marple. Margaret Rutherford, in fact, was simply wonderful.

However, not one portrayed Agatha Christie's Miss Marple. None of these fine actresses was able to resist the urge to twinkle--to give just a hint of knowing glee, to be lovable. Agatha Christie's Miss Marple does not, and never did, twinkle. Though a cheerful person, you see, she always expected the worst of everyone and everything, and was, with almost frightening accuracy, usually proved right; there wasn't a twinkle in her.

Joan Hickson never twinkles, not once. She is Christie's fussy, spinsterish old lady down to her bones. She is sometimes Nemesis and someetimes, as Detective Inspector, later Superintendent Slack so acutely points out, a grey-haired cobra. Joan Hickson inhabits the character of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple so completely that I find it shocking when I see her in another role, for she usually portrayed brassy, hard-edged women who couldn't possibly have been more unlike the old maid of St. Mary Mead.

Joan Hickson is the pearl in this oyster, but these BBC productions from the 1980s have other merits. Wholly unlike the current series that is so carelessly stomping on memories of Christie and Marple, alike, the writers in the 1980s actually seem to held Dame Aggie in respect. Practical considerations did not allow them to transfer Christie's every word and situation to the screen, but they did manage to transfer her spirit and tone with remarkable fidelity. These dramatizations of Christie's novels almost always feel right, even when they depart from the originals.

Just as there is a tone in the writing, there is a tone in the acting. At some time in pre-production, it must have been decided that all parts would be played straight. No character was to be a "type" or caricature--not the half-ga-ga clergyman at Bertram's Hotel nor the superannuated Bright Young Thing also in residence there, not the huntin' and shootin' local squire who awakes to be informed that there is a dead body in his library, not even the kindly village rector with the corpse littering his vicarage. The decision made, it was obviously rigidly enforced, for none of the fine British actors, some of them notorious hams, ever steps out of character. The gap between this approach and that taken by the current, McEwan series could not be wider.

Finally, there is the matter of the setting. Both the Hickson series and the McEwan series are notionally set within a year or two of 1955. The current series forcefully thrusts the era into the laps of its viewers. In the recent version of "4:50 from Paddington," for example, there is a wholly gratuitous scene in which Noel Coward (no less) is performing at the piano for a small party in his digs at which Lord Mountbatton ("Dickie") is present. The Hickson series is infinitely more subtle; there is an underlying and pervasive air of the era's austere scrimping and saving as part of the daily routine. It is hardly noticeable--and all the more effective for that reason.

Other reviewers have brought up matters of interest with regard to edits and formats, so there should be a buyer beware warniong, at least for some purchasers. My own reaction to this version of the Hickson series is that it perfectly acceptable to my personal requirements. Others might feel differently.

My rating relates to the writing, production and acting found in this series: five stars without doubt or hesitation.

Love em all........2007-05-11

I enjoyed all and have watched them all twice now.
The only thing I do not like is that there is no close captioning. The actors all talk in a accent and mumble. I had to had the tv turned up to hear them. Plus trying to figure out their slangs. I would've really have enjoy it even SO much more with close captioning.

Little Elderly Lady.......2007-03-28

Miss Marple is a joy. Her ability to solve intriguing murders using her maturity will keep you guessing.

Classic!.......2007-03-08

These classic Miss Marple movies are excellent. A real window into the past and a more genteel society (except for the murders!)

Joan Hickson is priceless. Interesting to compare her Miss Marple to the new interpretation of Geraldine McEwan. Both are wonderful but very different. I have tried but I cannot define a clear preference. Each is enjoyable in its own right.

Star Trek VI - The Undiscovered Country (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Great w/Rifftrax
Promising premise gives way to cliches and blendering
Nice send off to our old time favorite crew!
The Undiscovered Country - The fitting end, and the fitting DVD for it
An Excellent Final Film With The Original Cast

Star Trek VI - The Undiscovered Country (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: William Shatner , Leonard Nimoy , DeForest Kelley , James Doohan , and Walter Koenig
Director: Nicholas Meyer
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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Star Trek - The Motion Picture: The Director's Cut (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)

ASIN: B0000UJL96
Release Date: 2004-01-27

Amazon.com

Star Trek V left us nowhere to go but up, and with the return of Star Trek II director Nicholas Meyer, Star Trek VI restored the movie series to its classic blend of space opera, intelligent plotting, and engaging interaction of stalwart heroes and menacing villains. Borrowing its subtitle (and several lines of dialogue) from Shakespeare, the movie finds Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) and his fellow Enterprise crew members on a diplomatic mission to negotiate peace with the revered Klingon Chancellor Gorkon (David Warner). When the high-ranking Klingon and several officers are ruthlessly murdered, blame is placed on Kirk, whose subsequent investigation uncovers an assassination plot masterminded by the nefarious Klingon General Chang (Christopher Plummer) in an effort to disrupt a historic peace summit. As this political plot unfolds, Star Trek VI takes on a sharp-edged tone, with Kirk and Spock confronting their opposing views of diplomacy, and testing their bonds of loyalty when a Vulcan officer is revealed to be a traitor. With a dramatic depth befitting what was to be the final movie mission of the original Star Trek crew, this film took the veteran cast out in respectably high style. With the torch being passed to the crew of Star Trek: The Next Generation, only Kirk, Scotty, and Chekov would return, however briefly, in Star Trek: Generations. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Great w/Rifftrax.......2007-05-07

The folks from MST 3k are running a great new service where they provide audio tracks to go along with... quesionable... movies. This is one of them, and the commentary is funny, and the movie is actually watchable (unlike, say, Firewall).

As far as the movie itself - I remember going to see it on the opening weekend, and probably the most memorable and entertaining part of the experience was the local chapter of Serious Trekkies had their own section of the theater roped off, and the place was just swarming with people in spandex and velcro shoes. As far as the movie itself, its probably one of the worst Star Trek films, though it is just about cheesy enough to be entertaining in its own right.

I think that a one-eyed shakespeare-spouting klingon dude should just be a staple of every sci fi movie from now on.

Promising premise gives way to cliches and blendering.......2007-04-03

In my opinion, the film gets off to a strong start with a Cold War allegory. This 6th feature film in the series controversially continues to alter Spock's character to become increasingly emotional and human, but it seems to work pretty well along with the portrayal of Kirk's famous heroism being similarly reinterpreted as being possibly too militaristic and even bigoted. This is a great theme to explore, and I'm pleased that the filmmakers thought of it and put it on-screen.

HOWEVER:

The film's second half veers abruptly away from this strong start, instead devoting almost all of the remaining screen time to standard genre material instead of building upon the premise it introduced. In short order, we are treated to the heroes' imprisonment and escape (complete with, of all cliches! a villainous quip about "Well, since you're going to die anyway, I might as well tell you..."), a stock mystery scenario (including a totally misplayed Vulcan character, Valeris, who seems to be brimming with emotion and who engages in a bizarre and reckless act of vaporizing a kitchen pot with a phaser in what has to be one of the most ridiculous scenes in any of the Trek films, apparently thrown in merely because it's more cinematic to demonstrate something in rather than simply explain it), and the old stock plot element of racing to prevent an assassination in the nick of time.
Director/co-writer Nicholas Meyer tries to claim that he saved the film franchise with his brilliance... Puh-leez!! Here he adds liberal doses of gore, easily topping the amount that he had already displayed in spicing up Trek II. While that may appeal to younger, action-oriented viewers who are unfamiliar with the series, it is totally irrelevant to what Roddenberry's Star Trek is all about. In addition, Meyer turns far too many of the dialogue scenes into a shameless collection of anachronistic and absurd quotations - again even more than he had done in Trek II. Meyer prides himself on his cleverness at putting Shakespearian dialogue, and in fact a total hodgepodge of diverse present-day pop-culture quotes into the mouths of Klingons, Vulcans, Russian, well, pretty much every character in the film, totally oblivious to how ridiculous and out-of-place it all sounds. Ostensibly, it was done purely for humorous purposes, but it seriously sabotages the credibility of the characters who are meant to be the means for delivering worthy commentary about militarism, prejudice, the Cold War, and social/personal change. Those themes were good but are mainly in the first half of the film, the second half being primarily devoted to stock action sequences and mostly quite formulaic plot resolutions. In the commentary, the director takes pride in the laughs obtained by two of these inappropriate quotations (Spock saying there's an old Vulcan proverb that "Only Nixon could go to China," and Chekov saying "Guess who's coming to dinner.") Tellingly, in the commentary Meyers admits that he's still clueless as to why Nichelle Nichols (Uhura) felt uncomfortable with the bigoted connotations of the latter quotation (the title of a 1967 film about what was then known as miscegenation), and if I may be so bold as to say so, when director Nick tells how he always hears people laughing at the Nixon line, may I suggest that the laughter it generated was because of its total absurdity rather than because of any cleverness or wit? The film had a strong start despite many of the ridiculous aspects of a dialogue dominated by whatever quotations they thought would fit (much in the same way that teenage film enthusiasts have fun liberally quoting from their favorite films) but over time these flaws prevent the film's complete success. It entertains, but in the second half such entertainment is at the expensive of its dramatic effectiveness. It takes chances and develops the characters, but without enough respect for their original conception and what made them enduring in the first place. The portrayal of Valeris was totally misguided as a Vulcan character - I kept waiting for McCoy to pull out his tricorder to reveal: "Jim, she's a Romulan!" There's a bit too much that is absurd in the dialogue and "Nick"-of-time plot resolutions to allow the film to be taken very seriously as drama, and yet drama would have been its strongest offering, given the genuinely good premise that had been offered. In this way, the film is as disappointing as Trek V, although it delivered far more of substance than Trek V and at least (finally!) gave better characterizations to the old "snarling villain" and "militaristic alien" themes. As entertainment it is a generally pleasing film, but as drama it's ultimately not really doing justice to its theme. A pretty good entry in the film series, but certainly not the best of Trek. Director Meyers' claims that he and Harve Bennett somehow rescued Trek from itself deserves a scoff or two - especially presumptious given that Bennett was not involved in Trek VI. I give Harve Bennett a lot more credit than Nick Meyers. Bennett is a brilliant person who actually watched all 79 series episodes before he took on the task of contributing to the feature films, whereas Nick Meyer kept trying to change the films (even against Roddenberry's protests) to make the Trek enterprise conform to old genre cliches (such as Meyers' preferred stories of sailing ships, Sherlock Holmes, Shakespeare, and, apparently, gory action). While many people including Roddenberry are fond of Shakespeare and Sherlock Holmes, after a certain point, references to such become counterproductive, replacing the traditions and virtues of the Trek scenario with ones that aren't always compatible and don't need to be retold or combined since both are quite capable of standing on their own. This film is generally enjoyable to view, but also contains a great number of serious missteps that will have to be overlooked by viewers generous enough to cut it some slack. A pretty strong entry in the film series - mostly for its first half - but also somewhat disappointing in its inconsistencies (and some of the liberties it takes with the characters and traditions of Trek, as also can be heard in parts of the commentary as Nick Meyers expresses various criticisms of Roddenberry's original conception of Trek; Meyers also offers the delusional interpretation that his two films, along with IV, were the most successful - this is factually wrong; Box Office returns show that the most successful films were Trek IV, I, and VIII. Nick's films, II and VI, are after those three and roughly on a par with III, VII, and IX; this leaves only V and X as the clear low spots in the franchise, and anyway the film series is arguably appealing to an entirely different audience and generation than the tv series that established it; Meyers accuses the tv series of having simplistic characterizations, but he could learn some lessons from watching some of those original episodes...the tv characterization of Khan was far more rich than Meyer's film, in which Khan was rendered almost totally one-dimensional. Quoting Shakespeare and Melville doesn't add character depth so much as make us aware of the lack of it by the need to resort to invocations of classic literature to apologetically fill in the dialogue gaps where original, newly written dialogue should be doing its work. Quotations are no substitute for fresh dialogue, and despite the use of such quotes, villains are still flat one-dimensional characters if their only clear character element is as simplistic as "revenge!" or "make war!" Meyer could use a bit of the self-analysis that Kirk and Spock engage in during the films. I give him credit for adding good elements, but am not going to overlook the numerous negative elements that he also added - including the increasing militarization of Trek - an aspect he criticizes Roddenberry for not agreeing to. Fortunately, Roddenberry's vision holds a lot more weight in cultural history, although that vision is sometimes diluted to a mere seven-percent solution in the hands of Meyer).

Nice send off to our old time favorite crew!.......2007-03-13

One last adventure with the beloved crew members of the Star Ship Enterprise. And what a way to go out. This is a great way to end a saga, and a very enjoyable film. Sometimes by the time you get to a part 6 of any movie series it has gotten to the point where its dull and not half of what it used to be. This movie though is anything but those things.

This movie is all about bringing the hatred between the Earth run Starfleet and the Klingon Empire to a long over due end. Mostly due to the fact that one of the Klingon moons was destroyed in a freak explosion. Now desperate for help to restore the balance, the Klingons reach out to the human run Federation for peace and Captain Kirk and his loyal crew are voulenteered by Mr. Spock to be peace officials to welcome in the soon to be Klingon friends.

What both sides don't count on is the hatred that each still have for each other and how some will stop and nothing to make sure that peace doesn't happen. When the Enterprise fires on the Klingon ship after a peaceful meeting the Klingons take it as an act of war, even though the Enterprise didn't fire on them. Kirk and McCoy go over to try and help the injured leader of the Klingons and are arrested for the murder of him and sentenced to life on a prison camp. Now its up to Spock and Sulu who is now Captain of his own ship to figure out who was really behind this, rescue Kirk and McCoy and save the fragile peace conference that is still in danger from the would be killers before all out war breaks out. It is a true thought provoking and typical Star Trek type adventure that we have come to expect from the series and this movie doesn't disapoint on delivering that and more.

After the very disapointing Part V, it was refreshing to see the crew back to their old ways of fun and adventure and giving the proper send off the original Enterprise gang deserved. We have classic moments of Kirk fighting some huge alien while he is in the prison camp and a mystery that Spock has to solve while running out of precious time. It is almost part adventure and part mystery and all fun with barely a dull moment to be found within. The characters are as fresh and lively as ever, even as the actors themselves seem to age, the characters only seem to get better. Everyone seemed to have a vital part this go around and show that they aren't ready for the scrap heap just yet.

This is epic in that it is not only the last time all the original Star Trek actors will be together but that it bridges a lot of things together in the Star Trek universe as it shows the point that Earth and the Klingons finally reached towards peace. And opens up the path for the Next Generation that was ongoing at the same time of this movie's release. The only real drawbacks to the film were that Sulu's absence from the Enterprise did seem a bit out of place and some of the story moments seemed a bit rushed and far fetched at point ie) how easily they escaped prison and how quickly they were able to wrap things up at the end.

This movie is highly recomended to anyone into the Star Trek series and even those who aren't should be able to follow the fun story easy enough. Part VI is easily up there with one of the better movies in the long going series of films and for good reason. It has a lot of hidden messages in it as well as most Star Trek situations seem to have under lying meanings that one can relate to a real world situation. So the cold war type of political feeling that this movie had along with the racism aspects that were felt did hit home to a real life situation that I'm sure most could relate to. It was a pretty deep story while at the same time a fun adventure.

One last trip around the solar system with Kirk and crew and it was the perfect send off for each and every one of them. All good things must come to an end and thankfuly this was a most fitting end and one that I think you will all enjoy watching many a time and get something differnet from it each time you do.

May the Enterprise-A live on forever.

The Undiscovered Country - The fitting end, and the fitting DVD for it.......2007-02-23

The Star Trek movies have had a roller coaster trend. There was the first movie which was like the "2001" of the series (which is adequately acceptable - I still like it). Then came the classic Wrath of Khan, and its pristine follow-ups of Search for Spock, and Voyage Home. Star Trek the Final Frontier wasn't great at all, let's leave it at that. So came this movie to redeem Kirk and crew.

The movie literally begins with a BANG. Sulu is off as captain of the Excelsior (a ship he's always craved), and along the way his ship gets in a tangle with a shockwave of an exploded Klingon moon - which is essentially the most vital resource the Klingons have. Months later at a briefing, Capt. Kirk finds himself vouched and volunteered by Spock to escort the Klingon chancellor to Earth for a peace conference. Keep in mind Kirk is not too fond with the Klingons, especially since they killed his son some time ago. The two meet up for a dinner aboard the Enterprise , which doesn't go too well exactly. Then later on after it's over, the Klingon ship is fired on, leaving it with no gravity, then two figures beam on the ship and kill the Chancellor. Kirk and Enterprise are left with the blame and Kirk and Dr. McCoy are arrested, held trial, and sentenced to life on a tundra mining outpost. While there, Spock and crew look over the Enterprise to find all the bread crumbs that would lead to those responsible for the attack. It seems all around there are those, from Starfleet, to Klingon that don't exactly go well with the idea of peace moving forward, and they'll do what it takes to prevent it - even if it involves a deadlier Bird of Prey, and another assassination attempt.

Yeah, a sci-fi movie not only being true to being sci-fi, but getting even more serious. All of the performers of the Enterprise crew, as well as Sulu (who is now a captain as mentioned), play their revered characters as they are known to be. Plus, add the robust performance by Christopher Plummer as the rogue Klingon Chang, which easily rivals Patrick Stewarts Picard in different dimensions.

The picture transfer is really a marvel, and most interesting on the widescreen frame being different - but that's because the movie was shot in 70MM. About every scene looks amazing. Same goes for the 5.1 sound, it has an aural depth to it. Everything in the scene is directionally placed. Special note goes out to the Cliff Eidelman, whose score is not only different in all regards in the movies, but truly a gem to hear on how it sets the mood just right.

I'm not going to go deep into the extras, there's plenty to go around and ask for seconds.

That said, I put my endorsement on this kickass DVD. It's one of those special editions that is treated very special.

An Excellent Final Film With The Original Cast.......2007-01-22

This movie is the last of the movies with the original Star Trek cast (unless you count "Generations"), and can arguably be the best (though a case can be made for "Wrath Of Kahn" and "The Voyage Home" as well). It sets things up for the time of the Next Generation, with the preludes of peace between the Klingons and the Federation. It is interesting that there is a conspiracy to keep it from happening with Klingons, humans, and Vulcans involved.

I won't say anything more; you know I hate spoiling surprises, and I might say that I've spoiled some already.

Average customer rating:

Bygone days in jolly old England
A Good But Not Great English Drama
A Soap-opera which leaves you empty in the end.
Could have been...
Costume Soap Opera but a Darn Good One!

Berkeley Square
Starring: Clare Wilkie , Victoria Smurfit , Tabitha Wady , Kate Williams , and Rosemary Leach
Director: Richard Signy , Richard Holthouse , and Lesley Manning
Manufacturer: Bfs Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Wives and Daughters
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Daniel Deronda

ASIN: B00004W5P5
Release Date: 2000-12-12

Amazon.com

A classic coming-of-age tale on par with Anne of Avonlea and Little Women, Berkeley Square is worth watching over and over again. This 10-episode British miniseries will awe you with its erudite script, wonderfully believable characters, high-caliber production values, meticulous Edwardian details, and topnotch acting. In fact, you will join the growing multitudes who puzzle over why the BBC decided to stop after only 10 episodes.

In 1902 three young nannies find jobs in well-to-do London households and get to know each other. Naive farm girl Lydia finds an unfamiliar world both in city life and with the progressive-thinking family who employs her. Earnest, rule-abiding Matty is a hard-working East End girl who slowly learns to loosen up. And, after a tragic affair with the eldest son of a grand Yorkshire family, Hannah's life in London is full of chilling secrets and grave life-and-death decisions. --Tara Chace

Customer Reviews:

Bygone days in jolly old England.......2007-06-03

This is a delightful miniseries. It depicts the class distinction between the haves and the have-nots and how defined the caste system was back in those days. The experiences of the Nanny and other servants in the household was dependent on the degree of compassion, or lack of it, shown by the family for whom they worked. This series does an excellent job of depicting this. It also illustrates the disassociated attitude of most parents towards their children, and the dependence of them upon their Nanny for love and security. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys the days of yore in jolly old England.

A Good But Not Great English Drama.......2007-05-13

English produced drama is one of my passions and this is a good representation of the genre. I enjoyed watching it the first time, but find that when I look over my collection to find something to watch once more, I pass it by. The acting is good, but the story is just a bit too unbelievable, a bit too pat. But if you love English drama, give it at least one look. You won't be sorry even if you, like I, feel it could have been even better.

A Soap-opera which leaves you empty in the end........2007-04-06

Three girls become nannies in London in 1902. Each works for a different household. The three become friends as they meet in the park with their strollers.

The first five episodes of the ten are a pleasant, yet lively pace of intrigue within attractive English homes and parks.

The pleasantness gives way to intrigue as the scandals, which have been building, explode in episode six. You find you have been lulled into a soap-opera abounding in sin: fornication, adultery, lying, deceit, manslaughter, seduction, extortion, child endangerment and neglect, to name just a few. The film is far from the "warm-hearted family drama" advertised on the cover.

It is an enticing film. The story is intriguing. The film balances intrigue with pleasant dialogue; the actors are attractive in attractive costumes; the acting is fine within attractive surroundings. Children are present. All the good characters weakly display some virtue.

It is helpful to know that Laudanum is morphine derived from opium mixed with alcohol, sold over-the-counter then, to relieve pain and induce sleep. Doctors knew it was addictive, and deadly in too large a dose.

The characters draw you into the soap opera by displaying promising virtue, but then betraying that virtue (moving back and forth). Opposing minds within the same person. Science says that one mind must eventually win out.
« Red-head, Nanny Hannah Randall opposes child endangerment in one instance, but fails to inform the parents in another instance, who were due informing; and the endangerment continues. Hannah appears to wish to do Right, but fails to consistently act with the resolution of one with single mind to see Right through.
« The aunt expresses her good moral principles, but later gives way to extortion.
« The older nanny stands against the bad guy, but later makes a subtle statement justifying the seduction, extortion, and malice.
« The first half is pleasant, but in the end, a couple of the "good characters" have lied and deceived, causing devastating harm to another, taking away all the pleasantness. In the end, you have not experienced a world of cheer, humor, music, singing, fun, and characters to admire.

A thoughtful film does not need all the scandal. It is interesting enough with the three girls starting jobs as nannies, as servants, the pretty London parks, difficult bosses, other servants, friendships, the charm and mischief of the children, working at doing a good job, what a good nanny is. Add some fun, humor, music, singing, adventures, and characters coming to values to admire.

The lack of many good period films makes this pretty, intriguing, soap opera of technical ability, in which good does not win out, appear desirable. You will enjoy the 8 hours, but be left empty in the end, (Romance without Love). I will not keep it.

I recommend these better films: "Pride and Prejudice-2005, 1996, & 1940", "Wives and Daughters", "North and South", "Middlemarch", "All Creatures Great and Small", "Pollyanna-2002", "Heidi", "Anne of Green Gables", "Under the Greenwood Tree", and "Road to Avonlea seasons 1-6".

Could have been..........2007-03-16

Better. It didn't meet my expectations. I think it was the way it was played out. It almost got a little bit monotonous. Wives and Daughters was way more to my liking and style.

Costume Soap Opera but a Darn Good One!.......2007-03-10

Berkeley Square is a well made, very watchable soap opera and each episode ends with an exciting cliffhanger that makes you glad you have all ten episodes handy on DVD. Some of the plot lines do swing toward the improbable but hey it's great entertainment. And to the reviewers who found it too dark, it may be compared to Little Women and Anne of Green Gables but not to those who regularly view modern television and movies. Perhaps billing it as family viewing is misleading. Like others I wish the series had a more satisfactory conclusion and close captioning would have been nice but the DVD is still well worth watching especially for lovers of Britain in the Edwardian era.

Average customer rating:

A Who-Dunnit Detective Film.
Brit lite
Excellent transaction
Wonderful Adaptation of a Wilkie Collins novel!
A lot of trouble for nothing.

The Moonstone
Starring: Greg Wise , Keeley Hawes , Terrence Hardiman , Mellan Mitchell , and Peter Vaughan
Director: Robert Bierman
Manufacturer: Wgbh Boston
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000AYELC4
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Amazon.com

One of the best mystery tales of all time, The Moonstone, based on Wilkie Collins' 1868 novel, is the story of a stolen Hindu diamond that makes its way into the care of Franklin Blake (Greg Wise of Sense and Sensibility). Acting as executor of the estate of the late Colonel John Herncastle (Terrence Hardiman), Franklin is obliged to deliver the diamond, called the Moonstone, to Herncastle's niece, Rachel Verinder (Keeley Hawes of Tipping the Velvet). The two fall in love, but after the disappearance of the Moonstone, Rachel refuses to speak to Franklin or anyone else, and rebuffs an investigation by a renowned detective (Antony Sher), who suspects Rachel herself is involved with the apparent theft. The long trail to the truth is endlessly surprising, requiring the participation of a number of fascinating characters who each contribute something to the solution. A handsome production directed by Robert Bierman (Vampire's Kiss), The Moonstone is most entertaining whenever Sher is on screen, humming incessantly, prattling on about roses, and sharing scenes with such estimable supporting players as Patricia Hodge (Betrayal) and Peter Vaughan (The Remains of the Day). --Tom Keogh

Description

Greg Wise (Sense and Sensibility) and Keeley Hawes (Karaoke) star in this sumptuous adaptation of Wilkie Collins' classic mystery, the first detective novel ever written.

The Moonstone, a sacred Hindu diamond was stolen from the head of the Moon God, in its shrine by John Herncastle in 1799. The stone is said to be cursed if it is removed from the shrine.

In 1846, Herncastle visits his ister to wish his niece, Rachel, a happy birthday. His sister refuses to see him, and he vows that he will always remember his niece's birthday- a vow which later takes on sinister undertones.

Two years later, just before Rachel's birthday, a man named Franklin Blake announces to Rachel that the Moonstone has been bequeathed to her by Herncastle. Blake gives her the jewel on her birthday and offers to mount the jewel for her, in order that she might wear it. Inevitably, the jewel is found missing the next morning and Rachel believes Blake stole it. Determined to prove his innocence, Blake leaves in order to pursue the real truth behind the theft.

Customer Reviews:

A Who-Dunnit Detective Film........2007-04-06

Attractive lead actors perform an average script of a period murder-mystery.

Technically good in costumes, lighting, and attractive sets. If you like a light Whodunnit; you may like this. As good as anything on TV today. The detective is interesting, and his sleuthing has some interest. The story holds your attention; therefore, maybe 3-stars for some people (I rate 2-stars, if I do not keep it to watch again years later).

5-star Mystery DVD's are: "Road to Avonlea-Season 3", episode: "A Dark and Stormy Night", starring Christopher Reeve; or the modern, clever, murder-mystery series "Columbo", Seasons 1-7 (have not seen the other seasons).

This did not have what I was looking for, some adventure, more believability, more charm, and more cleverness.

The sets are attractively "staged"; rather than sets that take you there. Has pleasant characters; but not deep. Some good humor personality with the servants.

Brit lite.......2007-01-11

The "twist" was common enough at the time, but we tend to forget that our generation didn't discover all of the "vices." A nice period piece. I would have liked to have had some of the relationships better explained.

Excellent transaction.......2007-01-10

I have been looking for this book for years and here it is. Brilliant. Thank you so very much for a smooth, easy, straightforward transaction.

Wonderful Adaptation of a Wilkie Collins novel!.......2007-01-08

I am a big fan of Wilkie Collins this movie was just wonderful! I became totally engrossed and couldn't stop watching, even though I had already read the book. Wonderful acting and beautiful backgrounds. I highly recommend this movie.

A lot of trouble for nothing........2006-11-07

The characters in this book and production are its downfall. The young lady owner sees someone take her diamond. She has access to this person; it is someone she knows. Why not just ask this person to give the diamond back? Why not ask "Why did you take it?" Why condemn this person without giving him or her a chance to speak? This stupid girl (Rachel is her name) soured me on the whole book! This is not the way that people would really act in this situation. Collins asks readers to suspend disbelief too much. If Rachel had spoken up, she could have saved others, like Sargent Cuff a lot of trouble.

The Charles Dickens Collection (Oliver Twist / Martin Chuzzlewit / Bleak House / Hard Times / Great Expectations / Our Mutual Friend)

Average customer rating:

Dickens Package 1
Dickensian Delights
opinion
lovely , region 1 only
Good value

The Charles Dickens Collection (Oliver Twist / Martin Chuzzlewit / Bleak House / Hard Times / Great Expectations / Our Mutual Friend)
Starring: Ben Rodska , Scott Funnell , Eric Porter , Frank Middlemass , and Lysette Anthony
Director: Gareth Davies , Pedr James , and Ross Devenish
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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The Charles Dickens Collection, Vol. 2 (David Copperfield / The Pickwick Papers / The Old Curiosity Shop / Dombey and Son)
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Middlemarch
The Shaw Collection (Pygmalion / The Millionairess / Arms and the Man / The Devil's Disciple / Mrs. Warren's Profession / Heartbreak House)
Bleak House

ASIN: B0009PVZMS
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Amazon.com

As can be clearly seen from the care lavished on these six BBC adaptions of Charles Dickens' novels, the British love their Dickens! And why not--Dickens is ideally suited to television, with his elaborate but vigorous plots, each a compendium of comically odious personalities (and one or two nice folk, just to keep things from getting too awful). Actors dig into these meaty roles with zeal, delighting in the hairpin turns from macabre horror to sweet sentiment. The more popular (and most frequently adapted) of the books at hand--Great Expectations and Oliver Twist--are the most conventional. The 1981 mini-series Expectations (in which young Pip learns the pitfalls of wealth through his relationship with the rich and bitter Mrs. Havishamand and her warped ward, Estella) is dutiful to its source but not adapted with much inspiration. Twist, from 1985, fares better; it's a zippy treatment of this tale of childhood deprivation and juvenile delinquency, and the horrors of Victorian orphanages will raise your hackles. The adaptation is capable but a little flat--still, any story where an undertaker observes, "Every tear is another shilling in the till," is clearly not lacking in wicked wit.

Fortunately, the others are considerably juicier: Martin Chuzzlewit, a lesser-known but richly satirical book, has a star-studded production from 1994, featuring Paul Scofield, Tom Wilkinson, Pete Postlethwaite, and Julia Sawalha, among others. The wealthy Martin Chuzzlewit, deeply suspicious of all mankind due to being hounded by greedy, grasping relatives, threatens the happiness of his ward Mary and his namesake grandson. In addition to the sterling and energetic cast, Chuzzlewit has outstanding production values, as does the 1998 version of Our Mutual Friend, which goes to great lengths to evoke the textures of life in Dickens' London. The mysterious death of a man about to inherit a great fortune sets in motion a complex plot that intertwines two love stories (it's one of Dickens' most romantic works), social scheming, and murderous obsession. The names aren't quite as famous (such as Paul McGann, Timothy Spall, Anna Friel, and Keeley Hawes), but the performances are top-notch and the script is particularly dynamic.

Bleak House, a Kafka-esque story of young innocents caught in an all-consuming, multi-generational lawsuit, cultivates a rich and potent Gothic horror; the 19th century seems like an unnerving alien world, through which lawyers and policemen stride like cruel predators. Diana Rigg is the most famous face in this 1985 production, but strong performances abound. The final component of this box set is the most curious: A 1994 version of Hard Times starring Alan Bates and Richard E. Grant, which turns this dark story--about a schoolmaster/politician who raises his children on reason at the expense of all feeling and finally reaps the bitter rewards--into a compact, theatrical feature film that's so swift it's almost jaunty. Adapted and directed by Peter Barnes (writer of The Ruling Class), it's the most stylized production of the bunch, and while lacking the depth and narrative detail of the others, it effectively cuts to the essence of Dickens. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Dickens Package 1.......2007-06-27

This collection is an embarassment of riches. Each story is divided into several episodes which take time to view and absorb. So far we have only viewed "Bleak House" and "Our Mutual Friend". Both are excellent and capture the steamy world of Dicken's London. I think I am constantly amazed at the attention to detail that the Brits recreate in historical drama. And of course there is the wealth of character playing for which Britain has always been famous. A really excellent series.

Dickensian Delights.......2007-06-02

This collection is wonderful, you can "watch" these novels over and over, faithful to Dickens in tone, plot and spirit -- Highly recommended.

opinion.......2007-06-02

I've just bought the collection, I've seen 3 movies so far, they're great, faithful to the books I've read. They come with cc(closed caption)so it helps the understanding. I watch a film and read the book. They're perfect for those who are really into literature. I highly recommend them.

lovely , region 1 only .......2007-05-08

The dark stories about the impossible lives of the unfortunate makes it a kind of films that will glue anyone to the chair. BBC serieses are not like any other film, and I simply escape to anothr world every time I watch.
Had to watch it in my computer though, since it was not my region( not even after I changed the region in my "region free" DVD player ) which also means I had no subtitles either. A good computer screen is needed for that purpose.

Good value.......2007-03-28

My husband and I are major fanatics when it comes to literary
pieces brought to film. We have been renting some of these classic BBC films from an online rental business. We finally decided to buy the set. My husband, being a english teacher, loved several of these films. The best two out of the set is Martin Chuzzlewit and Our Mutual Friend. It is a shame that Hard Times did not live up to the book and was only roughly based off of it. We just finished Oliver Twist, not knowing the story at all, we were on the of our seats just waiting to hear the big twist and to see how the plot works itself out. Highly recommended, even with Hard Times being not faithful to the book.

The Charles Dickens Collection, Vol. 2 (David Copperfield / The Pickwick Papers / The Old Curiosity Shop / Dombey and Son)

Average customer rating:

More pure enjoyment !
Excellence in Old England
Captures Dickens' time & place

The Charles Dickens Collection, Vol. 2 (David Copperfield / The Pickwick Papers / The Old Curiosity Shop / Dombey and Son)
Starring: Colin Douglas , John Woodnutt , Phil Daniels , Howard Lang (II) , and Shirley Cain
Director: Brian Lighthill , Rodney Bennett , and Simon Curtis
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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The Shaw Collection (Pygmalion / The Millionairess / Arms and the Man / The Devil's Disciple / Mrs. Warren's Profession / Heartbreak House)
Jane Austen Collection (Sense & Sensibility / Emma / Persuasion / Mansfield Park / Pride & Prejudice / Northanger Abbey)
The Anthony Trollope Collection (The Barchester Chronicles / He Knew He Was Right / The Way We Live Now)

ASIN: B000FQIRYK
Release Date: 2006-08-15

Amazon.com

For Dickens aficionados who own the first DVD Collection, but still want some more, this four-disc set collects four sterling BBC productions of some of the author's essential masterworks. The best of the lot is David Copperfield, starring a pre-Harry Potter Daniel Radcliffe as the tragically put-upon young Copperfield. Shot on film, this impeccable 1999 production is an embarrassment of riches, with a cast that includes Academy Award-winner Maggie Smith, who earned an Emmy nomination as the formidable Aunt Betsey, Oscar-nominee Ian McKellen (The Lord of the Rings) as the cruel and sadistic teacher Mr. Creakle, a wonderful Bob Hoskins as the debt-ridden Micawber, Trevor Eve as David's loathsome stepfather Mr. Murdstone, and Nicholas Lyndhurst as the dastardly clerk Uriah Heap. Holding his own with this formidable ensemble is Ciaran McMenamin as the adult David, whose ultimate triumph is particularly hard earned. Rich with incident and populated by some of literature's most memorable characters, this production does satisfying justice to one of Dickens's most beloved and oft-told sagas. When it comes to a series of unfortunate events, Lemony Snicket has nothing on Dickens.

The Old Curiosity Shop, from 1979, stars Sebastian Shaw as the grandfather determined to provide a better life for his beloved and beautiful granddaughter, Nell (the winning Natalie Ogle). But his gambling leaves them at the mercy to the bent and malignant Quilp (Trevor Peacock). The lesser known Dombey and Son, from 1983, is a tale of foolish pride, comeuppance, and redemption starring Julian Glover as Mr. Dombey, so determined that his son take over his business that he cruelly neglects his daughter, Florence (the heartbreaking Lysette Anthony). The Pickwick Papers, from 1985, is a w