David Copperfield (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)A sumptuous, wonderful adaptation; unexpectedly and disarmingly excellent.
I was a little hesitant going into this: having read the novel a couple of times and declared it my own, I had long fondly imagined the scenes and characters without any need for assistance, thank you very much.
Consequently, I felt the way many Tolkien fans must have felt before those three recent movies came out: leery that my coveted imaginings would be sullied by what might prove to be a jarrring and irreversible contamination.
These fears were misplaced, however. The full vitality of Dickens's bittersweet classic -- all the heaping joys and sorrows of life -- comes through quite powerfully in this handsome BBC version. After about 25 minutes I was literally on the edge of my seat.
Oh, and speaking of this version: they spent some money on it, you'll be happy to know. It's not one of those innumerable stuffy BBC dramas that take place (for budget considerations if nothing else) in an intolerable series of drawing rooms and antechambers. No, they did this one right: the blokes went outside and built some proper sets, and it shows.
Yes, though fully prepared to dislike it, I find myself here with little ammunition for complaint. I wish Traddles hadn't suffered deletion; he is one character I have difficulty picturing and could have used some help. Also, the actress who played Dora was not exactly my conception of her . . . but this is nitpicking.

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The classic David Copperfield was not just Charles Dickens' favorite work. It has been the most popular of his books since it was first published 150 years ago. Micawber, Peggotty, Betsey Trotwood, Uriah Heep, Mr. Creakle, Mrs. Crupp, and Mr. Dick... never were so many of Dickens' famous and best-loved characters gathered together in just one of his works.They are all brought to life by a world-class cast including Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone), Oscar-winner Maggie Smith (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood), Bob Hoskins (Hook), Nicholas Lyndhurst (Bullshot) and Pauline Quirke (The Elephant Man) in this sparkling adaptation.The most autobiographical of Dickens' work, David Copperfield often echoes the writer's own life. It tells a moving story of David's journey from birth to maturity, a journey which inextricably links his life with some of Dickens' most colorful and extraordinary families.

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Jamie Oliver - Oliver's Twist (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)Young, funny, and a GREAT chef - what more could you ask for? Jaime's style is so original and his antics are sure to make this DVD a hit (as the show already is)! When you read recipe's out of a cookbook it's quite a bit different than actually watching them be made. For me, visual learning is best, which will make having this disc on hand a huge benefit. Jamie's a stud, and you just can't beat his style. Hopefully we'll see some more DVD's on the way...?!

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Jamie Oliver (The Naked Chef) knows the best places to buy food in London. In this DVD, Oliver's Twist, Jamie takes us to his favorite stores, and then it's back to his place to cook up fantastic food for family and friends. In Jamie's unique style he gives culinary advice and great tips as he grills, grinds, roasts and fries. And with food on the table, let the good times roll! This DVD contains 7 classic episodes from his Oliver's Twist TV series as seen on the Food Network."I think that the show's success is down to me being me - an ordinary bloke who's just passionate about good food - and people can relate to that. Even now, blokes who've never done more than open a packet come up to me and tell me that they've started cooking. That's the best result ever as all I ever wanted to do was to make food accessible to everyone; to show that you can make mistakes - I do all the time - but it doesn't matter."-Jamie OliverEPISODES 1)World Cup Breakfast: After a big night out what better way for Jamie and his mates to recover than a morning watching soccer with a full Oliver breakfast. 2)Scarlet Division: Jamie drums up some vegetarian tukka as he gets together with his band for a jamming session. 3)The Bill: When Jamie pays a visit to his mates on the set of The Bill, three cops are delighted to accept his invitation to dinner. 4)Wild City: Horseradish outside your house? Rocket by the roadside? Jamie and his mentor Gennaro show how, even in the middle of a city, Mother Nature does provide. 5)Tiger: Jamie's grandmother, Tiger, and her friends are in London for a day out, so Jamie invites them over for afternoon tea. 6)Bollywood: Jamie goes Indian as he hosts a Bollywood night with all the trimmings. 7)Chocolate: As a bribe for babysitting Poppy, Jamie offers the girls the one thing they can't resistchocolate, and lots of it.

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Jekyll & Hyde - The Musical (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm suspecting that there are two types of people who are approaching this DVD, a filmed version of the stage production of "Jekyll & Hyde". One, someone familiar with the show--perhaps saw it and liked it or has the soundtrack--and wants to check out this variation. Or two, someone discovering it anew. It tempts me to write two reviews because while I love "Jekyll & Hyde", it's slightly unfortunate that this is the production most people will get a chance to judge.
So let me preface this by saying that I really am a fan of this show. Some people consider "Jekyll" sort of a "Phantom-lite". I, myself, have never been the biggest supporter of "Phantom of the Opera". It's fine, full of bombast, but hardly the revolutionary experience that people give it credit for. "Jekyll" does play to similar themes, but has a stronger overall soundtrack. Instead of a couple of showstoppers like "Phantom", "Jekyll" is filled with memorable power ballads. Not the most complicated show musically, it is very accessible. And when you have great singers, these simpler and emotionally charged songs become pop opera and quite moving.
So, without hesitation, I recommend the original Broadway Cast recording!!! Robert Cuccioli, Linda Eder and Christiane Noll are superb. You couldn't hope for better.
But here's the problem with this DVD, it's not this great cast--NO, the star is David Hasselhoff. So you see my problem, don't you? Look, I'm not going to be unkind--it's an easy target. Let's just say this. If you're a fan of the show, he doesn't completely ruin it. And it's not like there are any other versions to add to your collections. If you are new to the show, I'm still recommending it provisionally. I wish there were another option. If you like the show, though--and I think you will--please rush over and buy the 1997 Cast recording. Treat yourself to how "Jekyll & Hyde" should really sound.KGHarris, 10/06.

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The longest-running show in the history of Broadway's Plymouth Theatre, Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical brings new life to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic story of romance and the epic battle between good and evil. A whirlwind odyssey pitting man against himself is set in motion when the brilliant Dr. Jekyll's medical experiment backfires, giving life to his evil alter ego, Edward Hyde. The show won a legion of repeat visitors (dubbed by the press as "Jekkies") and spawned hit songs on the pop charts with "Someone Like You" and "This Is the Moment."

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Dr. Bell and Mr. Doyle - The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Murder Rooms" consists of five episodes, starring Ian Richardson as Dr. Joseph Bell, the historical personage on whom Arthur Conan Doyle allegedly based Sherlock Holmes; with Dr. Watson based on Doyle himself. The 116-minute first episode ("Dr. Bell and Mr. Doyle, The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes") was a BBC series pilot released in January 2000. In "Dr. Bell and Mr. Doyle...," Robin Laing starred as the young Doyle in medical school. This pilot has been available in NTSC for two years (see Amazon's listing) and IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS PACKAGE. In the remaining four 90-minute episodes comprising this set (on BBC in September-October 2001), episode chronology begins three years later, Charles Edwards assuming Laing's role as the young, idealistic but adult Doyle with his own medical practice. Information on source books, author David Pirie, screen credits, histories, plot synopses and cast are available at murder-rooms.com
FOR BEST APPRECIATION, ONE MUST TREAT THIS SERIES AS AN INTEGRATED FIVE-PART, EIGHT-HOUR MINISERIES, beginning with the pilot "Dr. Bell and Mr. Doyle..." setting the backdrop against which the other four, described IN ORDER below, play out. Missing "Dr. Bell and Mr. Doyle...," this reviewer STRONGLY RECOMMENDS you purchase this set now and set it aside until that pilot can be seen. In "The Patient's Eyes," a black-shrouded cyclist repeatedly stalks a lady patient cycling to Dr. Doyle eye appointments through eerie wooded terrain, leading to a mysterious abandoned house, love-interest conflicts, betrayal, and murder. (There are striking scene similarities to "The Solitary Cyclist.") In "The Photographer's Chair," a series of murder victim corpses bearing strange marks lead to mesmerism, spiritualism, séances, apparitions, erotic mutilation, daguerreotype photography, and genuinely chilling moments. In "The Kingdom of Bones," the publicized spectacle of unwrapping an apparent Egyptian mummy for scientific study yields highly unexpected results leading to suicide, dinosaur bones, gypsies, kidnapping, attempted murder, multiple murders, and political terrorism. And in "The White Knight Stratagem," Doyle and Bell come to a near falling-out involving a Dickensian business climate leading to suicide and murder; with a curious chess enigma hovering over everything. This last episode concludes the miniseries and should be viewed last.
These adaptations get this reviewer's highest commendation, being at least the equal (or better?) of the David Suchet / Jeremy Brett adaptations in their prime.The general tone is exceedingly dark, uncompromising, and far more menacing than the light-hearted Poirot-Holmes adaptations. (The atmospherics remind this reviewer of that excellent film "From Hell.") Excepting as discussed below, nothing in these episodes is short of first-class: plots, incredible principal and supporting cast, direction, cinematography depicting 1880s Victorian Edinburgh, hauntingly mysterious musical score, period mood, and the appallingly brutal times with modern medicine in infancy. Sound is fine; extraneous background noise is nil; diction is clear with no accent barriers.
So superior is MPI's production that current PAL DVD owners may want to buy the NTSC release anyway! The widescreen 16x9 anamorphic picture is excellent, with night scenes sharp yet still mysterious. This reviewer doesn't know how the original episodes were recorded, but suspects that the widescreen image seen here was likely achieved by slicing off top and/or bottom portions of an original 4x3 TV image: some close-up shots have head-tops suspiciously out of range, a typical symptom. But such trimming is a small price for what one sees on an HDTV system as contrasted to the original PAL release. Unlike that release, MPI also provides both running time display and chapter breaks; and the periodic PAL scene blackout interruptions (presumably omitting advertisements) are gone, greatly enhancing the narrative flow. There are two DVDs contained in one keep-case with an inner leaf. Each DVD has two episodes on the same side with full menu accessibility.

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Item Name: Dr. Bell and Mr. Doyle - The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes; Studio:Bfs Entertainment

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VH1 Storytellers - The Doors (A Celebration) (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)I almost did not buy this DVD, because I'd heard from one or two people that all the guest singers were "playing dress-up" as Jim Morrison. I bought it anyway, and realized they were completely wrong, right from the first track. This was a reverent tribute to The Doors and Jim Morrison. The energy and passion for the music was electric, and everyone was there just to say thanks to Jim and The Doors for bringing us their music. From their own music and the attitude these artists approached Jim's role with, it's obvious that every one of them was heavily inspired in their own art by Jim, and this is their way of giving something back to him. The backup musicians were wonderful, especially on The End. Admittedly, it took me a few listens to really enjoy hearing someone other than Jim sing it, but anyone who just sits back with an open mind and listens will definitely enjoy this. Not all of the singers were "up to Jim's level", but hell, Jim wasn't always up to Jim's level. He wasn't god, he was a creative, inspired frontman, performing with three other wonderful artists. This DVD is worth every penny, just for the musical performances by the three remaining members. The Doors have been my favorite group for about fifteen years now (*before* the movie came out, yes), and I feel very safe saying that this was the best, or at least as good as, I've ever heard them play. I've heard all the studio and live albums, even rare bootlegs. All three of them are thrilled to be back together, here. Robbie's playing was fast, incredibly controlled and filled with passion, John played the drums like a whirlwind, and Ray was ecstatically making love to his keyboards. If you're a Doors fan, or just a fan of the guest singers, I suggest you try this DVD. Don't think of it as people trying to "measure up" to Jim, or replace him, but think of it as a party in celebration of the art that he and the other three Doors created together.

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VH1 STORYTELLERS:DOORS:CELEBRATION - DVD Movie

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Masterpiece Theater: Oliver Twist (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)The poor reviews this movie has received (in both the DVD and VHS formats) I feel are totally unwarranted. This is my favorite put-to-film Dickens novel (except for the various "A Christmas Carol's" out there), and I am ecstatic that this version is finally available on DVD.
Now, in this adaption, I believe the prequel works very well. I think it makes this a much more comprehensive movie and gives the characters involved (especially Monks) much more depth. And, because of the length of this version that I am reviewing, it allows the viewer to get to know each character much deeper than the other filmed versions available. We get to know Oliver's parents and Aunt Rose up close, although it is done through liberties taken by the producer and not necessarily Dickens himself. I do feel, however, the great novelist would not particularly mind in this case.
The acting is as good, if not better, than pretty much most period epics I have seen. The actors play off of each other well - they match their roles perfectly. The costumes and sets are excellent. They have captured the early Victorian period so well - both the good and the bad - it's almost as if the viewer is peering through a looking glass into the past.
As for the story following Dickens' original novel...well, I have yet to see any movie follow a novel to a "T." It just doesn't happen, unfortunately, with virtually any put-to-film novel. But this follows the original, as a whole, much much closer than the other versions I have seen - definitely more than "Oliver," and infinitely more than the Disney version with Richard Dreyfuss, which was made into a totally different story than what Dickens had intended.
Don't let the nearly 6 hour length scare you off - there is no time during this whole version where one is bored (unless they are a child - definitely not a children's movie!). Being a fan of epic period movies, I found this to be as enticing as any other epic novels put to the screen.
Bravo to all involved!

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In this extraordinary production, storyteller Alan Bleasdale broadens the scope of Charles Dickens' classic tale of an orphan in 19th century England and the characters who influence his destiny.Oliver Twist is a drama of dark comedy, astonishing vivacity and soaring imagination, but ultimately, a story that celebrates the resilience and triumph of a little boy's spirit.

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The George Eliot Collection (Middlemarch / Daniel Deronda / Silas Marner / Adam Bede / The Mill on the Floss) (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) penned many stories and all are worth reading. These wonderful performances do justice to her work. No expense looks spared and the locations are so atmospheric that it all adds to the strong story lines and character development. It is a collection of Victorian life studies worth owning. There is an additional feature called A Scandalous Life...guess who...talk about a woman with real courage...she lived her own life against all the constraints of her time which is hard to fathom in today's world of "free everything". Women lived confined...most authors of the day were men...women wrote romances, so Mary Anne created her "George Eliot" to be taken seriously. You will recognize many of the performers including Sir Ben Kingsley as Silas Marner. The price is great for the set...you won't be disappointed!

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The next collection in the successful BBC Classics line comes to life with an assortment of all-star casts in five of George Eliot's beautifully astute literary works, all lovingly portrayed in critically acclaimed productions from the BBC. This 5-disc set includes Adam Bede, Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe, The Mill on the Floss, Middlemarch, and Daniel Deronda.DVD Features:Featurette:George Eliot: A Scandalous Life (60 min)Featurette:Middlemarch-A Reader's Guide (40 min)Photo gallery

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Nicholas Nickleby (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)Charles Dickens- love him or hate him, you must admit that there was never anyone like him. His books are full of social critiques, melodramatic romances, characters so eccentric that they border on crazy and of course jaw dropping coincidences. The books are also wildly entertaining.
There has been a revival of Dickens lately in the form of TV mini-series and Nicholas Nickleby is the latest. The title character has just lost his father in death and now, in his late teens, he must find a way to support and protect his sweet sister Kate and somewhat silly mother. Their only relative is their uncle, the greedy and cold Ralph Nickleby.
Ralph gets Nicholas a job as a teacher in Yorkshire and Kate a job assisting a dressmaker. Here is where the main problems of the story come into play. Both Kate and Nicholas have the same problems, they are too good looking and talented. That may seem like no problem but they have no money and their equals in station are jealous of them. Also, they have to fend off unwelcome advances at every turn. The young actors playing Kate and Nicholas manage to make their characters good without being saccarine, a challenge to say the least.
The Yorkshire school where Nicholas is sent is a horror, the boys are abused particularly the silent waif Smike. Nicholas befriends Smike and then protects him from a beating. Forced to escape with Smike, Nicholas is disowned by his uncle for being ungrateful. He is told that if he sees his sister and mother again, Ralph will throw them into the street. Nicholas agrees to leave but swears vengeance if Kate or his mother suffer in any way at Ralph's hands.
This is pretty much how the movie goes, more and more problems come up and the characters escape by the skin of their teeth. The rivalry between Nicholas and Ralph is very well acted and one of the highlights of this miniseries.
Dickens purists will doubtlessly complain about the many cuts that had to be made due to time constraints but they were needed for the film to run smoothly. All in all, this is a very good adaptation that does not modernize the tale too much. (This has been a problem in far too many adaptions of the classics, over-modernization)
There are abductions, rescues, duels, chases, forced marriages, and one BIG suprise ending. (no Dickens novel is complete without a murder/attempted murder, a suicide and a suprise ending)
If you are looking for an old fashioned soaper, this is it. I could not reccommend it for children since some of the abuses at the school are rather disturbing. However, this is how things were in the worse schools in Dickens's time and it is rather an eye-opener. I would say in American ratings, this movie ranges from a PG to a PG-13 so parents will have to make their decisions accordingly.

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A commence, brutal and passionate take of greed and love in Victorian England. A top-notch cast of veteran actors and rising young newcomers shines in a lavish new British production of the Charles Dickens classic. The hero, a penniless young gentleman, struggles to make his way in the world and protect his mother and sister, meeting up with the worst and best of humanity along the way. Charles Dance (The Jewel in the Crown) stars as Ralph Nickleby, with James D'Arcy (Rebel Heart) as Nicholas and Sophia Myles (Mansfield Park) as his beautiful sister, Kate. Other standouts include Lee Ingleby (Ever After) as Smike, Nicholas' faithful companion, and Dominic West (28 Days) as the lecherous Sir Mulberry Hawk.

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The Old Curiosity Shop (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)The product description above should read, "VERY, VERY LOOSELY based on Dickens' classic novel." Almost everything about this production is wrong and the screenwriter and director should be ashamed of themselves; they have done a terrible disservice to those of us who love the novel and to those who have not yet read it and will mistakenly believe that this DVD tells its story. The worst crime commited by those involved in this travesty is the creation of a "happy ending" to make our hearts ache a little less. What idiotic rubbish! Please, spend your money on a copy of the book, read it, and cry your eyes out; as Dickens intended you to do.

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Based on Dickens classic novel The Old Curiosity Shop tells the tale of Little Nell Trent (Sophie Vavasseur) who lives with her doting grandfather (Jacobi) in his London shop. It is a magical place, filled from wall to wall with dust-laden treasures, known as The Old Curiosity Shop. Grandfather keeps his nocturnal gambling activities a secret, borrowing heavily from evil, profiteering loan shark Daniel Quilp (Jones). When he gambles away what little money they possess, Quilp seizes the opportunity to take possession of their beloved shop. It seems Nell and Grandfather are left with only one option - to escape. The pair fall in with a number of colourful characters, some villainous and some affectionate, on the run from Quilp and his band of misguided money seekers, including Nells own wastrel brother Freddie (Dick) and his gullible friend Dick Swiveller (Breton).

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The Hound of the Baskervilles (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a wonderful story and production...originally. However, the BBC Video (company) version I purchased which is 100 minutes in length had been edited so much that there were entire scenes missing right from the begining! I know because I taped the original when it aired on Masterpiece Theatre.
Buyer beware: This is not the full length version of the otherwise excellent program.

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In this energetic and bold adaptation, Conan Doyle?s legendary characters are portrayed with a pace and vigor that capture the spirit of the original story. Sir Charles of Baskerville lies dead on the moors of his family estate. The look of abject fear on his face and the presence of animal footprints around his corpse suggest the impossible; that the ghost of a fearsome hound, long feared by the Baskerville family, is responsible for his death. As the new heir, Sir Henry Baskerville takes up residence at the estate, legendary detective Sherlock Holmes and his trusted associate Dr. Watson arrive to investigate the mystery.

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The Oscar Wilde Collection (The Importance of Being Earnest / The Picture of Dorian Gray / An Ideal Husband / Lady Windermere's Fan) (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)Bless the BBC for making those gems from their PLAY OF THE MONTH series finally available to the public. I hope this is only the beginning, since one can only imagine what treasures lie in that noble institution's archives!
This collection includes four of Wilde's plays: AN IDEAL HUSBAND (1969), THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY (1976), LADY WINDEMERE'S FAN (1985) and THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (1988). These insightful adaptations of Oscar Wilde's masterpieces featuring wonderful performances by top British thespians (John Gielgud, Joan Plowright, Jeremy Brett, Susan Hampshire, Margaret Leighton, Peter Firth, Judy Bowker and Dinah Sheridan to name but a few) are a delight to watch, and call for repeat viewing.
A great deal of effort clearly went into this box set, so you're not just getting a pixillated transfer from video to DVD. The plays have been digitally remastered so the DVD version is visually stunning and the sound is crystal-clear, allowing us to savour every line of Wilde's witty dialogue. Each play comes with chapterisation and notes on cast members. An interesting 60-minutes documentary of Oscar Wilde's life and loves has been added as a bonus. Fans of Jeremy Brett should know he has major parts in THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY and AN IDEAL HUSBAND. Those who fell in love with his rendition of Sherlock Holmes will not want to miss this opportunity to see him brilliantly handle the intricacies of Wilde's works. His superb performances alone are reason enough to buy the set. 408 Minutes of joy.

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"Wilde" about witty dialogue, scandalous secrets and ingenious intrigue? Let the BBC transport you back to the decadent aristocratic drawing rooms of 1890's England.Lovingly restored, these plays feature a who's who of great actors of the British stage & screen including stars like Sir John Gielgud, Joan Plowright, Jeremy Brett, Susan Hampshire, Margaret Leighton and Gemma Jones. Rediscover the charm and delight of Wilde's masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest- "To loose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune...to lose both seems like carelessness." - Lady Bracknell Unleash the chilling and ruthless melodrama of Wilde's notorious novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, which disturbed the very foundations of Victorian society. Indulge yourself in the scandalous gossip and intrigue of An Ideal Husband and Lady Windermere's Fan "I can resist everything but temptation" - Lord Darlington Treasure the genius of Oscar Wilde in this complete collection of his major works. "I have nothing to declare but my genius" - Oscar Wilde The Importance of Being Earnest 1988, The Picture of Dorian Gray 1976, An Ideal Husband 1969, Lady Windermere's Fan 1985

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Othello (2001) (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)Unlike many Shakespeare enthusiasts, I adore modern adaptations and staging of Shakespeare's works. One of the reasons his plays have endured is that they have a timeless quality that is understood generation after generation. His stories capture something essential about human nature that cannot be confined to a historical period.
Some modern versions of Shakespeare use original dialogue with updated settings, costumes, and character relationships. This sometimes works very well, as in Ethan Hawke's Hamlet or the Julie Taymor's Titus (my favorite). In this version of Othello, however, the dialogue has been modernized to match the setting.
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I saw it in a class on Shakespeare's Tragedies at Syracuse University which was taught by a reknowned Shakespeare scholar. This was her choice as the best film version of Othello to show us. Othello is a story which translates particularly well into a modern version because it deals with issues such as racism, jealousy, and insecurity that make it applicable to a variety of situations. The acting in this movie is excellent - very believable and powerful. I highly recommend this movie to anyone, whether or not you have previous experience with Othello.


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Rebus - Set 1 (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Ken Stott looks the part of Rebus more than John Hannah, and Claire Price DEFINITELY looks the part of Siobhan more than Gayanne Potter. The supporting cast is equally effective, and the stories (Ian Rankin's The Falls and Fleshmarket Close) are translated to the screen reasonably well.
Still, things are definitely lacking here. Gone was every ounce of Rebus' ongoing personal narrative, and the stories are much weaker for it. Gone also was that sense of self-destructiveness that is so very Rebus. These two stories have been reduced to simply average British mysteries. Not bad by any means, but no where near as gripping as Hannah's Rebus. If you're looking for Ian Rankin's stories to come alive on the screen, pick up John Hannah's Rebus.

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Based on Ian Rankin’s bestselling crime thrillers Ken Stott (Shallow Grave, The Vice, Messiah) brings the brooding Inspector John Rebus to life on screen, straight off the pages of Edgar®-winning Ian Rankin’s crime novels. Haunted by his own failings and the human tragedies that he faces every day, Rebus relentlessly pursues truth under the leaden skies of modern-day Edinburgh. His eager young sidekick, DS Siobhan Clarke (Claire Price, Poirot: The Hollow, The Whistle-Blower) resents Rebus’s condescending manner at first, but grudgingly comes to respect her gruff partner’s abilities. Together, they conduct their investigations under the watchful and sometimes jealous eye of their boss, Chief Super Gill Templer (Jennifer Black, Local Hero)-Rebus’s former flame. With its sardonic, hard-drinking hero, twisting plots, and atmospherics as dense as fog off the firth, Rebus serves up two engrossing mysteries in the best film noir tradition.

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Last Call (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)Another great movie that I stumbled upon. I cannot believe that there was not more written about this one. The beautiful Neve Campbell delivers a remarkable performance and Jeremy Irons along with Cissy Spacek ensure that you will be taken on a highly interesting ride.
Jeremy Irons - arguably the best living actor - truly becomes "Scott" in this harrowing display of creative downward spirals with momentary glimpses of genius.
Instead of glorifying or overly romanticizing the subject, the director paints a picture of the subtle and not-so-subtle relationship dynamics among the characters; particularly the struggles of Fitzgerald and his lovely, devoted and talented assistant.
This is one of those rare finds in the world of movies that falls under the radar but once discovered, becomes a treasure to the viewer.
Very nicely done.

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F. Scott Fitzgerald spent a lifetime battling demons - alcohol and aschizophrenic wife - and yet, wrote some of the greatest novels in American Literature.Despite a tumultuous relationship with his mistress, his ailing wife, declining health, andhis daily drinking binges, Fitzgerald secretly wrote a scathing novel about the filmindustry which some call his best novel.It was his final triumph. Last Call is based on atrue story about this troubled genius, starring Oscar, Emmy, and golden globe winnerJeremy Irons, Neve Campbell, and Academy Award winner Sissy Spacek.

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Rebus (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)With wonderfully complex plots and recurring characters, Rebus is an absolutely first-rate crime drama based on the novels by Scottish author Iain Rankin. Though set in Edinburgh, it is not the charming, picturesque, historic old city as seen by the casual visitor that we are privy to; rather, the viewer is taken on a journey through the dark, gritty, cankerous underbelly of what, on the surface, is one of Britain's loveliest old cities. This is a series peopled by characters who are all too human, and it holds back no punches in its realistic portrayal of the criminal world.
Detective Inspector John Rebus (John Hannah (McCallum)) is one of the most curious, indeed fascinating, DIs I've come across. He's a competent and committed police officer, but a flawed human being with his own set of personal demons with which he must contend. He's a deep, multi-faceted character for whom nothing is black and white, and he's not immune to making serious errors in judgement, to lying in order to achieve his objective, or to experiencing the temptation of a "pact with the devil." He often makes decisions which shock the viewer, for we know that, even though we may understand his motivation, they are decisions which would never be condoned by the police. Indeed, is it any wonder he drinks a little too much and has more than a little trouble sleeping? Nor are we surprised to find that he has more than a little trouble forming and holding on to relationships with women.
Rebus is a wonderfully rich, dynamic, and interesting character, and I personally felt that John Hannah did a superb job in bringing him to life. I don't know why Hannah left the series or if he did any more series after this one, but I do know that I prefer these episodes and Hannah's portrayal much more than the recent pair of episodes wherein Ken Stott has taken over the title role (I just didn't warm to the character as portrayed by Stott).
The set consists of four 100-minute episodes and a very interesting dvd extra on the making of the series, which features informative comments about the nature of the series and the character of Rebus by both John Hannah and Iain Rankin.
In conclusion, this is a series I recommend unhesitatingly to fans of British mysteries and crime drama in general. There may be less in the way of comic relief, but I would still say that if you enjoy shows like A Touch of Frost or Delziel and Pascoe, chances are you'll really enjoy this one.
Highly recommended!


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Rebus is adapted from the novels of award-winning writer Ian Rankin - the UK's number one best-selling crime writer. At the center of each story is Detective Inspector Rebus, an enigma, fighting his own weaknesses, while dealing with the sad consequences of human frailty. He's seen it all before, but his cynicism is redeemed by an unexpected humanity that reveals he is more disillusioned with himself than others. As he scours the streets looking for answers, Rebus is actually seeking the truth about himself. Episodes The story of a copycat killer from 15 years ago comes back to haunt Rebus in Black and Blue. He finds himself taken off the case when an official investigation is opened into the death of a convicted murderer, who Rebus helped put behind bars, 15 years ago… True to his nature, Rebus refuses to let the matter lie. He soon finds himself in pursuit of two killers, past and present. The Hanging Garden follows Rebus as he pieces together the trail of a war criminal who appears to have gone into hiding in a respectable part of town. After rescuing a young Chechen girl from a local gangster he is drawn into a vicious running battle between rival gangs. But when his daughter Sammy is deliberately run down in the street, it soon becomes plain he will stop at nothing to find the man responsible. Rebus and his colleague catch sight of a known convicted pedophile taking photographs at the zoo in Dead Souls. It transpires he has been released early from prison, is under police protection and is the key witness in the trial of two suspected abusers. The next day, Rebus' colleague is found dead in the center of Edinburgh in what appears to be suicide. Devastated, Rebus sets out to discover what exactly happened. And in Mortal Causes, the case of an underworld execution unfolds as Rebus makes a link with racist attacks that raises the chilling specter of terrorism on the streets of Edinburgh.

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Rebus - Set 2 (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)First of all, let me get this out of the way... I just love this series as well as the character of Rebus. Ken Stott is just the ideal candidate to fit the role of Ian Ranklin's DI John Rebus. Rough, unrefined, unpolished, Rebus is mostly detested but you as the viewer can't help admiring him. The plots are scary and twisted. Some of the Edinburgh scenes are downright spooky. The self-destructive traits of Rebus, including his drinking, seem to inspire feelings of affection from women and this makes the stories more interesting because of the little personal twist. If you have a problem with Scottish accents, this series can be a bit of a problem- it's thick!

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Four thrilling mysteries: The Black Book A Question of Blood Strip Jack Let It Bleed Ken Stott (Casanova, Messiah, The Vice) returns as rumpled, hard-drinking Detective Inspector John Rebus, hero of Ian Rankin’s perennially bestselling novels. Rebus bulldogs violent criminals in modern-day Edinburgh, from young toughs and drug dealers to corrupt captains of industry and commerce. His earnest, ambitious partner, Detective Sergeant Siobhan Clarke (Claire Price, Poirot: The Hollow, The Whistle-Blower), learns plenty of lessons from her mentor -- not all of them in the best interest of her career. Although Rebus’s disdain for procedure and politics earns him the ire of his superiors, no one can argue with his results.With his black humor, blacker moods, and relentless pursuit of the truth, Rebus inherits the mantle of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler’s hard-boiled detectives -- with a distinctly contemporary, Scottish twist. DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE Rebus: Behind the Scenes, a 50-minute documentary, featuring interviews with Ian Rankin, Ken Stott, Claire Price, Jennifer Black, and more; Ian Rankin bio; trailer; and cast filmographies.

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Dombey and Son (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)In some ways, "Dombey and Son" is Dickens' saddest novel. It's a story about a father who, through his infatuation with his own image, irrevocably loses both his children, and then realizes too late the value of what he has lost.
Around such a wrenching theme Dickens wrote a remarkably buoyant and lively story, with sharp contrasts of darkness and brightness, piquant characterizations (and caricatures) and humor. I'd been wishing and hoping that there was a dramatization of this novel out there, and was delighted to find this version.
**SOME SPOILERS FOLLOW**
In 10 episodes, this production unfurls the story with great faithfulness to the book. When one has read the novel beforehand, one pictures characters and scenes, and it sometimes is tough for a production to live up to one's expectations. However, as I waited for favorite characters to appear, I was again and again exclaiming, "He's wonderful!" (of Captain Cuttle) or "She's marvelous!" (of Mrs. Pipchin.) It was like opening a Christmas present and finding something you wished for. They looked exactly as I'd pictured them, both in looks and manner--not a bit watered-down, nor smoothed out as Hollywood productions often make them.
It's difficult to warm to Mr. Dombey as a character, so I can't hold it against Julian Glover that he comes across as stiff and dry. He does an excellent job of conveying a sort of dormant animosity toward his hapless daughter, Florence, which makes its occasional expression all the more jarring (as when he refers to his son Paul as his "only child".) Lysette Anthony is sweet and warm as Florence, the daughter whom he cannot love but instead regards as a rival for his son's affection. One of the challenges of the story (as in many of Dickens' stories) is how to handle mawkish Victorian sentimentality. This dramatization treats these risky scenes sparely and believably--without at all injecting anachronistic attitudes or behavior. For instance, a modern reader often gets impatient with how much mistreatment Florence puts up with before she finally turns her back on her father and leaves home. Here, her devotion and longing for affection is always felt, but she doesn't act like a doormat--and when the final blow comes, she is out of there.
Most of the color comes from the sideline characters: Captain Cuttle, Miss Tox (a deliciously & delicately eccentric portrayal), the blue-faced Major Bagstock, Mrs. "Cleopatra" Skewton, the sweetly vacant Mr. Toots, and gravelly Mr. Toodles.
My favorite was Zelah Clarke's aptly-named Susan Nipper, the short-tempered but good-hearted nurse/companion of Florence. I think this production is worth seeing on the strength of her performance alone.
And of course, Walter Gay. Too bad he's offstage for most of this story.
If the 10th episode had been equal to the other 9, I would have given this DVD 5 stars. However, at the very end, everything so carefully built up is hastily and anticlimactically ended. I was disappointed. It was so abrupt that if it hadn't been followed by the credits, I could not have believed that it was over. It has the appearance of a desperate hurry to wrap things up. They probably needed an 11th episode to allow the viewer to adjust to the new overturned state of things, and develop Dombey in his humbled state. This is the crux of the novel, and it was just dashed through. It would not be so disturbing if the preceding 9 episodes hadn't been so good.
Another disappointment is the absence of the whole sidestory of James Carker/John Carker/Harriet Carker/Alice Brown, which gives depth and explanation to James Carker's villainy. There is a theme of doubles and mirror images in "Dombey and Son" which was lost by the omission of these characters--John Carker, the repentant embezzler vs. James Carker, the arrogant self-righteous manager, who is ruining the company in a much worse way; the artificial old lady Mrs. Skewton vs. the witch-like Mrs. Brown, both mothers; and their exploited daughters, the proud, well-bred purchased bride, Edith vs. the bitter prostitute, Alice. And Alice's role in the final downfall of James Carker contributes one of the most icy and memorable scenes in the book. This might have taken a few more episodes to include, but it would have been worth it, to make this grand production an absolute masterpiece.
Nevertheless, if you love Dickens, you must see this production. It is rewarding in many ways. You will find jewels of enjoyment here.

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DOMBEY AND SON - DVD Movie

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