Description

Magnus Pym, master spy, disappears in a search for himself in this brilliant John le Carre story. As seen on Masterpiece Theatre, this is the complex psychological portrait of the forces of nature and nurture that bring one into a life of spying. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

One of the best mini-series done for TV
An outstanding adaptation of the Le Carre's book. Long and deliberately slow moving, it may not be for everyone. Very little 'action' as such, but an exceptional character study of what makes a 'Perfect' Spy. There is a certain sadness which permeates the film, and becomes quite powerful at the end. Highly, highly recommended for those who prefer thoughtful, deliberately paced movies.

A PERFECT SPY
A MASTERPIECE FROM ONE OF THE BEST!!

A perfect spy series
This is a really memorable and extraordinarily well done story of the life of a spy. Unlike most other spy films, it tries to explain why and how, starting from his childhood, an individual becomes a spy and a double-agent. The series is so well crafted that I believed every instant of the story, and remained in total awe until the very end. I rate this even better than the also extremely good Le Carré series with Alec Guiness.

Please see this
Stop what you're doing--quit your job--obtain at any cost A Perfect Spy. This writer saw it on PBS years ago. Only rival from PBS is Brideshead Revisited. On a related note, can anyone help me find Smiley's People and/or Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy on VHS?

BRILLIANCE ON VIDEO
Along with the SMILEY videos which feature Alec Guinness's greatest performance, this filming of LeCarre's brilliant novel is thoughtful entertainment at its best. With a bravura performance by the late Ray Macanally and a superb script by Arthur Hopcraft, A PERFECT SPY is simply perfect. Buy the Smileys and this one and lock yourself in a room. END ... Read more

Description

Based on a novel by best-selling crime writer P.D. James, Helen Baxendale stars as private detective Cordelia Gray in this murder mystery series, featuring two three-part mysteries--Sacrifice and A Last Embrace.

Inheriting a ramshackle detective agency from her eccentric ex-policeman boss, Cordelia is thrown into a world of excitement and danger as she takes onan unlikely career as a private detective!

Young, headstrong, and sometimes scared, Cordelia quickly learns the ropes. In Sacrifice, she investigates an apparent suicide in which things are not what they seem. In A Last Embrace, Cordelia's investigation of a man's alleged infidelities uncovers lies, secret lovers, betrayal^Eand murder! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Entertainment by and for women...
This second set of stories about Cordelia Grey was developed for the TV viewer -- as screen plays, not books -- so they may lack some of the deft twists and turns of the typical P.D. James plot, but the writers have done a very credible job. If you like British Mystery, these stories are entertaining.

Why can't a pregnant woman solve a crime--her brain doesn't stop working. Besides, Cordelia's pregnancy works to her advantage in the story on the illegal traffic in babies. Also, I am interested in Cordelia's doings because she is an complex character in her own right. If the public had been more accepting of female detectives in the 1960s, would Phylis James have paid more attention to this character and less attention to Dalglish? Cordelia Grey IS a mystery.

The two British women who play Cordelia Grey and her sidekick Edith are fine actors. Helen Baxtendale (Cordelia) is intriging. She isn't the prettiest woman in the world, she has a very prominant nose. But, she has an incredible stage presence and is beautiful. Apparently she has appeared on American TV -- according to my younger friends, who tell me she had a small role on the TV sitcom "Friends" for a bit. Edith, whose "real" name will come to me shortly, played the 6th wife of Henry VIII (the one who out-lived him) in the series with Keith Richardson the BBC dramatized a few years back. She also played the housekeeper in a serial about three doctors set in Scotland just after WWII (starred the late Ian Banning). She was also the long-suffering spouse in "One Foot in the Grave" as fans of "BritWit" know (the storyline Cosby uses for his current series).

Well, I love these stories, but I won't buy anymore tapes because they fade and break and they're almost as expensive as the DVDs. When someone puts it out on DVD I'll get it.

A suitable series for any viewer!
I'll admit that I enjoyed the first series of "Unsuitable Job for a Woman" more than this second series. However, this series certainly has its own unique and enjoyable qualities. Cordelia Gray (Helen Baxendale) is pregnant in these episodes, but that doesn't dampen her curiousity or drive. It is alot of fun watching this young pregnant detective, along with an older female sidekick, uncover hidden secrets and piece together the truth. Ms. Baxendale is the perfect example of how stunning and smart the actresses from the UK are. I would rather see Helen in a film, than any actress we have here in the USA.

What a let down
This second series of C. Gray stories are worthless. They do not have any real suspense, character development, or plot. Even the sound and cinematography stink. What a let down! First set of C. Gray mysteries are absolutely wonderful however. See the review for them. ... Read more

Description

P.D. James's Headstrong heroine Cordelia Gray (Helen Baxendale, Friends) returns as she plunges once more into the murky world of crime.

Cordelia has resolved to make her mark on the ramshackle detective agency she inherited from her boss, and develop her career as a private detective. But there's an unexpected development--she finds herself pregnant. Still she is determined that the prospect of motherhood will not affect her ambitions.

The fiercely independent young detective matched wits with a pair of murderous thugs and snares an unlikely killer with a connection to Scotland Yard, proof to one and all that her profession is hardly an unsuitable job for a woman or a mother. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

It keeps getting better
When I viewed the first set in this series I was drawn in by the wonderful acting, sets, costumes, music, and more. I immediately ordered the rest the sets and the third set showed up before the second. I couldn't wait to watch it and so I watched it out of order. It really doesn't matter I think what order you watch them in other than some of the background, whose King, politics, etc. might be clearer if watched in order.

Be sure to read the review "Successful TV dramatization and the role of Sir Derek's life" by themis_athena from Santa Monica, CA, USA. An excellent review and I dare anyone would have a hard time doing better. My only additional comment is I like Sheriff Hugh Beringar in the first series a little better. Eoin McCarthy in this series does not have quite the depth of Sean Pertwee.

This set includes the standard extras found in this series. Quite honestly these sets are a bargain for this price.

Great adaptations of a fun series
You can enjoy these Cadfael videos if you have not read the books, but if you are already a fan of the series they are even better.

If there were a few more Brother Cadfaels around the Church would not be in the mess it is today.

Successful TV dramatization and the role of Sir Derek's life
When the decision was made to produce for TV several episodes from her mystery series about Brother Cadfael, that 12th century crusader turned monk turned detective who has been, ever since his creation, one of the most compassionate and unusual sleuths of literary history, novelist Ellis Peters (Edith Pargeter) was not entirely happy. In fact, as the series' star, Sir Derek Jacobi, explains in the extra footage provided on the now-released DVDs, Ms. Peters had very mixed feelings about giving up her brain child and entrusting it to other people who went about cutting and adjusting everything, from the story lines themselves to the way the protagonists speak, to the necessities and limitations set by the new medium. But she eventually acquiesced and at one point promised that "the next one I write, I'll make sure it's easier for you all to film."

While the thirteen episodes that were eventually produced are, thus, not entirely true to the individual Chronicles they are based on, they are closer than many other movie or TV versions of famous works of literature. Most importantly, they maintain not only the core story lines but also the historical authenticity, atmosphere and spirit set by Ms. Peters's books in a marvelous fashion. And Sir Derek Jacobi brings both the wealth of his experience and skill and all of his own shrewdness, intelligence, sense of humor and empathy to the role of the medieval Benedictine sleuth and thus truly becomes Cadfael - for the thousands of new fans who are discovering the series through its enactment for TV just as much as for us who loved the books before they were ever transposed to a visual medium. A tremendous cast of supporting actors rounds out an overall excellent production; to mention just a few, Julian Firth as the ambitious and narrow-minded Brother Jerome, Terrence Hardiman as Abbot Radolfus and Eoin McCarthy as Under-Sheriff Hugh Beringar, who joins Cadfael in his investigations whenever, as is so often the case, these transcend the world of monastic life and require the administration of secular justice as well as clerical insight. Several episodes also feature noted guest stars, such as Kitty Aldridge as Judith Perle and Crispin Bonham-Carter as Miles Coliar in "The Rose Rent."

All thirteen Brother Cadfael episodes produced for TV were eventually released on video and are available either individually or in one initial four-video set and three sets of three videos each. The second and third sets and the episode "The Leper of St. Giles" from the first set are currently (as of April 2002) also available on DVD. They are not entirely in the same order as the books; however, as most of the cross-references between the books have been eliminated in the screen versions, this is no great harm (although the lacking cross-references are probably one of the things avid readers of the books will find missing). The DVDs also provide background information on Ellis Peters, Sir Derek Jacobi and a number of the individual episodes' other actors. This third collection features the following stories:

"A Morbid Taste for Bones" (the first Chronicle): The monks mount an expedition to Wales to retrieve the bones of a local saint after a young monk claims to have seen the saint in a vision in which she asked that her bones be brought to Shrewsbury. The mission runs into serious trouble when the local lord, who has opposed it, is found murdered.

"The Raven in the Foregate" (the twelfth Chronicle): Cadfael must solve the mystery behind two deaths; one of a young woman who (unsuccessfully) sought his spiritual advice, the other of the priest to whom Cadfael sent her: the new priest in Shrewsbury's foregate, an ambitious, power-hungry cleric in direct allegiance with King Stephen.

"The Rose Rent" (the thirteenth Chronicle): A young widow is caught between several suitors but refuses to marry either of them, unable to give up the memory of her husband's love. She deeds her house to the abbey, in return for the annual rent of one rose from the house's garden; but a gift of beauty turns bloody when the emissary delivering the rose, a young monk, is found murdered.

The other televised episodes are, in order of sets:
First set:
"One Corpse Too Many" (the second Chronicle);
"Monk's Hood" (the third Chronicle);
"The Leper of St. Giles" (the fifth Chronicle);
"The Sanctuary Sparrow" (the seventh Chronicle).

Second Set:
"St. Peter's Fair" (the fourth Chronicle);
"The Virgin in the Ice" (the sixth Chronicle);
"The Devil's Novice" (the eighth Chronicle).

Fourth Set:
"The Pilgrim of Hate" (the tenth Chronicle);
"The Potter's Field" (the seventeenth Chronicle);
"The Holy Thief" (the nineteenth Chronicle).

It is most convenient to have the box set.
I have written individual reviews of each film. This is a review of the Box Set. Naturally it is less expensive to purchase a set. The box case helps keep all the Cadfaels in one location. It also looks better organized. The actual material is cardboard. There is a written summary of the set contents on the back of the box. Bottom line box sets look nicer if you are collection

Generally a good show
Overall, I liked Series 3 better than Series 2. The writing (I felt) was better, the productions were nicely done, and the casting was very apt. Also, while the same actor plays Hugh in both series, he's given better lines in this one, although he still can't act his way out of a paper bag. (E.g., in one episode a suspect is captured by vigilantes, beaten to a bloody pulp, and rescued by Hugh just moments away from a horrible death. Hugh questions him, determines that he's innocent, then dismisses him with a deadpan, cop-who's-decided-not-to-ticket-you-after-all "You are free to go" -- which had me rolling on the floor laughing.)
The best of the series, to my mind, was "The Rose Rent": The writers couldn't resist multiplying red herrings, and the lovely Judith is far too Pre-Raphaelite for 12th-century tastes. On the other hand, the characters (even minor ones) come across vividly, and in the kidnapping scenes the crucial issue of "who was where, when, and with whom" is very easy to follow. "A Morbid Taste for Bones" is well done too, with a handsome group of young lovers and an attractive setting, and the fundamental ironies in the original book come through unaltered. (The fact that it's mostly a Hugh-free zone also helps -- heh!)
As for "The Raven in the Forecourt," it could probably be best described as "a riff on Ellis Peters." Although the writers retained the book's basic theme -- the priest's narrow-minded morality and the various people who are harmed by it -- they added a love story and a great deal of gratuitious (if not entirely irrelevant) gore and mayhem. And Brother Cadfael's role is mostly reduced from sleuthing to bleating at the various characters in distress. Still, the plot keeps you interested, and the "confession" near the end is well done and satisfying. (I felt that the book itself was weak compared to the rest of the series, so I certainly don't fault the script writers for trying to improve on it!)
Again, Derek Jacobi does an excellent rendition of the title character, and the "regulars" in the supporting cast are a pleasure to watch (especially when that self-righteous prig Brother Jerome finally stumbles). Overally, a good evening's entertainment. ... Read more

Reviews (72)

An Absolutely Brilliant Adaptation Of Potter's Screenplay!
I'm hesitant to call this a musical, though that's precisely what it is. Dennis Potter wrote several musicals over the years, using different eras of music. This one is, by far, the best! The music here is from the 1940s. The drama, however, is actually a contemporary one. A (failed?) mystery writer named Philip Marlowe is hospitalized with a severe case of psoriasis...more corrrectly, psoriatic arthropathy (which Potter also suffered from). He has this one great novel in his past, though..."The Singing Detective." Marlowe's illness is terribly severe, and throughout the film we join his delirium as he relives events from his childhood, falls into a fascinating fantasy based on his novel, and comes back (from time to time) to the events currently happening in the hospital. These three streams are brilliantly intertwined, and the resulting story is absolutely THE BEST THING *EVER* TO HIT TELEVISION! This is *not* hype or exaggeration! The other reviewers are completely correct in making this same claim. If you've never seen this one...well, it's your loss....

Dennis Potter died a few years ago from pancreatic cancer. He was simply a GREAT writer. He wrote *many* screenplays...dramas for both TV and film, as well as the "musicals" noted above. He also wrote novels. His best, I think, are brilliantly detailed studies of a mind either gradually breaking down, or gradually coming back from some kind of breakdown. "The Singing Detective" falls into the latter category. That alone would be enough to recommend this video...but the fact that it's *also* a "musical" is what makes it utterly remarkable! I honestly don't think I have the words to be able to say just how it transcends to the level of something almost divinely inspired. At the risk of saying it one too many times, folks, this one is TRULY GREAT!

If you're able to find it, there's an interview with Dennis Potter that was originally broadcast on the Bravo channel shortly before his death. He was quite sick at the time, and he took occasional sips from his flask of pain medication during the interview. He talks some therein of "The Singing Detective." Yes, Marlowe shares the diagnosis of psoriatic arthropathy...but, he's an entirely different personality than Potter himself. Based on truth...expanding into the realm of the literary. It's an interesting insight into the brilliance of Potter as a writer.

Meanwhile, "The Singing Detective" is something you really *must* see! *VERY* HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

Heartrending - compelling - brilliant - THE BEST EVER
For some years, I've been bending my friends' ears about "The Singing Detective". I entirely concur with those other reviewers who called it the greatest television production of all time. Potter used everything he had, most notably the long running time of the series, to create a one-of-a-kind masterwork that may never be topped. I've visited London many times since first seeing TSD, and every time I'm in the Tube, I find myself looking towards the tunnel entrance and hearing, "PHILLLLLLIIPPPP!!!" Aside from that, Michael Gambon may have many years of brilliant performances left in him, but this will be his monument. Robert Downey Jr., indeed. It is to laugh.

Release this film on DVD now! Are you listening, BBC Films? Give it to Criterion and let them do the job they do best - give us a "Singing Detective" set on DVD with a ton of extra material on Dennis Potter, too!

If you haven't seen this, drop what you're doing and order it. You definitely won't regret it.

Unbelievably good.
Marred only by it's curiously rushed ending. You need to stick with this because the story and its complexity grows slowly through the first few episodes. What it becomes is a complicated psychological thriller intertwined with hallucinations, a detective story and the goings on of the hospital ward denizens around our protagonist. Philip Marlow is revealed as a highly sensitive shell-shocked man residing within the physical body of an angry severe psoriasis patient. His return to humanity is the story that is detailed. This is a film for adults in the best sense of the word, exploring the complexities of what it means to have the accumulated experiences and wisdom that only come with time.
Excellent. Highly recommended.

Well Deserved Praise - A Masterpiece
Like all great masterpieces of television and film, "The Singing Detective" is not simple, one-dimensional, or thin-plotted. It is vastly complicated and often strange with it's several interwoven stories that reach monumental heights of suspense and intrigue. I say this because I have read too many reviews from people who stopped watching after the first or second episodes.

For my part, I barely understood anything at all until nearly half way through the series when all the pieces started coming together. As you get further along more is revealed to you, and thus the more rewarding each episode becomes. It is sad that American movies and television have sapped not only the intellectual substance right out of it's audience, but apparently the patience as well. Of course it is strange and confusing...it is a detective story! You aren't supposed to understand everything from the first frame.

So, for anyone who can sit still for more than twenty minutes without computer generated monkeys attacking exploding trucks or whatever makes it's way to the theatres these days, I strongly recommend spending a few days immersed in this fascinating mini-series.

Potter and Lynch?
I often see Dennis Potter's work compared to David Lynch's, so I'll weigh in: Dennis Potter was the artist that David Lynch wants to be when he grows up. Potter knew how to bring bizarre and even grotesque elements into the service of his story in a way that Lynch tried to do in "Twin Peaks," with uneven results. In Potter's work, every jarring image and odd tangent has a job to do. When you see, for example, an entire hospital ward break into a minstrel version of "Dem Bones," you can assume it reflects the protagonist's view of the British health care system. (Plus, it's hilarious.) If Lynch meant for us to learn something from the backwards-talking midget in "Twin Peaks," well, it went over my head. Potter's screenplay for "The Singing Detective" is funny, unsettling, heartbreaking, sweet and maddening, often all at once.

"The Singing Detective" may not play well in Fort Wayne: it's true, this isn't "Touched By An Angel." (Neither is it "Irreversible," by the way: you have to be pretty thin-skinned (so to speak) to find this material genuinely offensive.) But if you believe that art can be both shocking and thrilling, can provoke as it evokes, can and should take outrageous risks in order to take us someplace completely new, then you've got to find a way to see this series. If you love words, if you appreciate originality, if you want to see acting that ranges from excellent to relevatory, then rent or borrow "The Singing Detective." Once you've seen it, you'll want to own it. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Hitchcock Collection
the advertisment on a VHS movie that I own states that this collection is supposed to have 14 movies -- all that is presently listed on-line PLUS the movie: Rear Window

Only for Collectors
Since this collection leaves out the classics like Rebecca, Spellbound, North by Northwest, and includes the monvies only for die hard Afred Hitchcock (Topaz, Torn Curtain)it's best if you buy this set if you are a first time wannabe collector and want all AH's movies,then buy the other movies separately. Unfortunately the less memorable, but still watchable movies such as Rope are often unavailable singly, so buy this starter set and add on. You also can't get the Hitch TV shows easily otherwise.

Greatest Director on Earth
Alfred Hitchcock is the best director the world has ever seen. This collection is a must have for any movie lover. All 13 movies will be a blessing to any movie collecters collection. I also beleive that Rear Window should have been put in, but with or without it this is the best movie collection anyone can buy.

Awesome Collection of Hitchcock Greats!
I was surprised to discover the mint quality of each video, and all even include a theatrical trailer you can watch before the film itself begins. Which is pretty appropriate and makes you feel you actually are back in time watching each film when it was first released. Not only was Hitchcock such a genius at generated sheer excitement and suspense, but he was eloquently able to tap into our worst and most deep-seated fears. VERTIGO with acrophobia, and THE BIRDS with a fear of wicked winged creatures on the rampage, and who knows what else. Then again there's PSYCHO, everybody knows that movie's reputation for thrills and chills. Even people who have seen the movie a million times are still galvanized by the weird camera angles, and slow-moving camera, the film is intensively more terrifying with each viewing. Anyway, I think back in those days if you were to look in the dictionary under genius, it would say Alfred Hitchcock. So invite some friends over and buy the collection. You will not be disappointed!

Only showcases some of Hitchcock's best work
I actually rate this 3 1/2 stars but that was not an option. Anyway...The packaging, remastering, and inclusions of the theatrical trailers were all great, granted, but this is not all of Hitchcock's best work. Alfred Hitchcock is my favorite director, and I was shocked to see all the great movies that were omitted (REAR WINDOW, NORTH BY NORTHWEST, THE 39 STEPS, NOTORIOUS, STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, REBECCA, and THE LADY VANISHES) that are much better than many of these mostly mediocre movies (TORN CURTAIN, TOPAZ, THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY, THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, and ROPE). However, this collection does include 4 of my top 6 Hitchcock movies: PSYCHO, VERTIGO, SHADOW OF A DOUBT, and THE BIRDS. I suggest you avoid this collection, and get the quartet I just listed and the 7 other classics I previously mentioned separately. You will be much more satisfied with them than if you bought this collection, trust me. ... Read more

Description

When Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh takes up residence ina cottage left to him by an eccentric aunt, he wants nothing more than to escape. But onhis lonely stretch of coastline, a serial killer has been murdering local women, and whenthe administrator of the controversial nuclear power station is found dead, she is assumedto be his latest victim.But Dalgliesh suspects otherwise, and he reluctantly involveshimself in the increasingly complicated case.He soon discovers that more than one killeris involved, and must race to unravel the tangled web of truth before another victim isclaimed. This acclaimed adaptation of P.D. James' bestselling novel is personallyendorsed by "the Queen of Crime" herself. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wow!
Devices and Desires is set in a picturesque English cove - save the massive nuclear power plant station contaminating the view. Dalgleish is there to sort out his inheritance from a recently deceased aunt who had lived there. However, he encounters an odd variety of people, some very likable, others despicable, and quite a few holding deep, dark secrets.

First of all, there is the problem of The Whistler, a serial killer who whistles a hymn while strangling his victims. He has already struck at least five times, one of them being a fifteen year old girl (that part is obviously very heart wrenching and scary!) Second of all, there is the strange problem with the nuclear power plant. One of the employees seems incredibly frustrated and distressed about the futute of the plant, but his boss and fellow employees cover it up by brushing it off and telling him to keep silent. Meanwhile, there is the anti-nuclear activist group who may be involved in terrorism. It is gradually being joined by some of the people who work at the plant.

The Whistler strikes again, killing two female employees of the nuclear power station. Or, was it him? One of the killings certainly was, but the other is a bit unclear. The unclear death was a beautiful, intelligent, and witch of a woman who manipulated anyone she came across.

There are lots of suspects. An alcoholic widower with a family to support, the head of the nuclear station, his sister, and a young environmentalist are just a few. This is far from a neat story with suicides and about ten murders. There are also incredibly adult themes such as incest, bisexuality, and the gross mark The Whistler puts on his bodies. Devices and Desires, however, is an amazing production with its complexity, excellent acting, and harsh realities.

A multi-layeredplot -murder, sex, greenies& anit nukes!
this is one of the best of P D Janes adaptations! although an expensive purchase, this multilayerd story of incest, murder, anti nuclear power station activies and conservations issues abounds with interest. Again Veteran English Actor Roy Marsden puts in an inpeccable performance as Adam Dalgliesh. the feminine interest in the tale is well portrayed by Susannah York, another veteran of the Biritish stage - and theses talents show! A great purchase, which with re-viewing only enhances the pleasure of what the Brits can serve up!

Excellent adaptation of complex P.D. James novel
Popular mystery author P.D. James' novels are very complex and revel in the psychological textures of her characters, making them difficult to translate to the screen. British TV has usually done a masterful job. "Devices and Desires" is easily James' most complex novel, and this lengthy adapation just about does it justice, though is a little sparse in places. It helps to have veteran British actor Roy Marsden returning as James' character, Scotland Yard's Commander Adam Dalgliesh. Dalgliesh is an instrospective character, and Marsden is exceptional in his use of a wide range of facial expressions to convey the man's inner thoughts - he does it convincingly and with great presence without ever resorting to hammy "mugging" for the camera. Great viewing for those who appreciate psychological suspense. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of Agatha Christie's most popular characters, the beloved Miss Marple, is brought to life in these classic BBC and A&E Home Video mysteries. Included in the boxed set are 4:50 from Paddington, Sleeping Murder, The Mirror Cracked from Side to Side, and A Caribbean Mystery. The delightful Joan Hickson is always entertaining as the prim and proper Miss Marple, complete with her elderly woman charm and perpetually clicking knitting needles.

In 4:50 from Paddington, Miss Marple's good friend Elspeth McGillicuddy witnesses a man strangle a woman on a passing train, and it's up to Miss Marple to uncover the mystery. In Sleeping Murder, the Reeds move into their dream house, where Mrs. Reed is plagued by the vision of a body in the hall. In turn they call upon Miss Marple to help them uncover this strange phenomenon. When the American movie star Marina Gregg in The Mirror Cracked from Side to Side is almost murdered while filming her new picture, she's fortunate to have the help of Miss Marple to sniff out the evil culprit. A Caribbean Mystery has Miss Marple, who's in need of rest and relaxation, deciding to holiday in the West Indies. Her holiday soon turns into a working vacation when it's time for her to gather the usual suspects. This boxed set is a must-have for the video libraries of all whodunit enthusiasts and Miss Marple admirers. --Samantha Allen Storey ... Read more

Reviews (27)

See my review of each individual Aunt Jane movie
In case it gets cross-posted this is a review of [Agatha Christie Collection 1 - Boxed Set ASIN: 6303111564] This collection contains four Aunt Jane Movies ("Sleeping Murder," "A Caribbean Mystery," "The Mirror Crack'..."). There is no way to rank these movies as to which one is best. They are like shoes; everyone has a different favorite.

I did look it up to find that all of Agatha Christie's full Miss Marple novels were made in to movies with Joan Hickson as Miss Jane Marple. And this set has 5. Collection 2 (1986) ASIN: 630340488X, contains 5 more. Then there are three individual films not in the collection boxes.

If you do not obtain them all you will be haunted for the rest of your life wondering what you missed.

Great Aunt Jane
Because stars can get packaging and content mixed up, I always use stars for content. The product can be described in the review. In this case many people are disappointed with the quality of the recordings. I am concerned with the availability and for one am glad to get a copy while they are still being published.

"Sleeping Murder"
"Very dangerous to believe people, I haven't for years"

This film is an excellent adaptation of Agatha Christie's book. The actors were well chosen. Géraldine Alexander and John Moulder-Brown is a convincing newly wed couple. The couple gets to solve the lion's share of the mystery with guidance from Miss Marple of who warned them not to pursue the mystery. The location is beautiful and requires a vision of the sea. As with most Marple mysteries everyone and no one did it. In fact we are not sure that there was an "it" to did?
So get out your teacakes and sit back watching that new fangled invention that the Americans like (the TV) and be swept away to the Sleeping Murder.

"A Caribbean Mystery"
Introducing Jason Rafiel

A relative of Aunt Jane's pays her way for a rest in the West Indies. There she is still sort of out of place with the exception of talkative Major Palgrave who turns up dead. Aunt Jane is teaming up with and usually out guessing another guest (the exocentric millionaire) Mr. Rafael. In the process a few more murders show up and everyone looks suspicious.

This story introduces you to Jason Rafiel who will turn up again in "Agatha Christie's Miss Marple, V. 7: Nemesis (1986) ASIN: 6303404855.
I t was an intriguing touch to have the dead person's spirit supposed to come back after nine days to get revenge.
You will want to view this movie several times to see how the plot could have gone. Later this movie will be like a friend and just need watching again.

"The Mirror Cracked from Side to Side"
Mirror Cracked from Side to Side

Aunt Jane finds herself at a local an annual summer garden party hosted by the new owners of Gossington Hall. The new owner is an aging movie star who is at odds with the studio producing the latest movie. A visitor mysteriously dies. People start dropping like flies and the Movie Star (Marina) knows she is next. The title of the movie is taken from "The Lady of Shallot"

Joan Hickson is Miss Marple. Agatha Christie always considered her as the ideal Miss Marple; she shows this through her reserve savvy. Jane takes an interactive interest in the mystery and yet each character as part of the discovery, stands on their own. The ending of the story is as is in life, it is appropriate not black and white judgmental.

"4.50 From Paddington"
4.50 From Paddington

A woman is being strangled and there is a witness. The police are can not find any evidence. So it is up to Miss Marple with help from Lucy Eyelesbarrow an independent maid.

Notice how Aunt Jane is always several steps ahead of the others in planning. Watch the expressions when Aunt Jane grates on David Horovitch as Detective Inspector Slack. "...When one of us is clever enough to find the body."

The story does not totally follow the book yet it has the unmistakable Aunt Jane feel.

John Hallam has fun playing randy Cedric Crackenthorpe watch him again playing "Lord Rhysart" in "A Morbid Taste for Bones" (1997) 156938195X

Agatha Christie stories come to life !
I have purchased this movie collection because of my love of Agatha Christie's Books and let me just say,it was worth every penny!I absolutely love this dvd collection and if you have not seen it buy it especially if you are a Miss Jane Marple Fan.

Glad I took a chance....
I am entering a review solely to reassure potential buyers that the DVD quality of this set is not "unviewable", and the sound quality is not "inaudible" as one or two other reviewers seemed to think. Could they have cleaned it up a little better? Sure. The picture is not crystal sharp, like the new DVDs that are issued today. However, there was not one single moment when I was distracted by either the picture or the sound. I am so glad that I purchased this, because my local PBS no longer broadcasts this series, and I have missed it. Now I can watch it whenever the desire for a taut, well acted mystery hits me.

Falsely advertised, but a good set of flicks
Because I have a hearing deficit, I always look for movies with subtitles/captions. In its technical info here at Amazon, this set is advertised to have English subtitles; it does not. The stories are still interesting to the rest of the family, but they have to stop and explain to me every few minutes if I am to know what is happening. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Tommy and Tuppence stars James Warwick and Francesca Annis asAgatha Christie's husband-and-wife team of detectives. Together they zoom around 1920's England in a very posh car and solve all kinds of high-society crimes, from forgery at an exclusive nightclub to the mysterious disappearance of an Arctic explorer's fiancée. The show benefits from two charming lead performances and some wonderful period details--Annis seems to change her hat and her dress every 30 seconds--but it is at best only moderately entertaining. The years have not been kind to this type of mystery, in which murder is the equivalent of an especially tricky crossword puzzle, offering the amateur sleuths an opportunity to avoid boredom and have a terribly thrilling time. Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple survive, both in print and on film, because the central characters are interesting enough to make us forgive weak plotting and a lack of depth, but Tommy and Tuppence don't have the staying power of Christie's more famous creations. Their adventures are fun in small doses, and if you're in the mood for some witty repartee, but otherwise this series is little more than a quaint relic of a bygone age. --Simon Leake ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Not quite as good as Poirot but fine on its own terms
Thank goodness for Acorn Media, which has given us the Wimsey mysteries on tapes and DVD, the longer Poirots on DVD and the shorter ones on tape. With the arrival of "Partners in Crime" (AMP 5017), there lacks only the 12th boxed set of Poirots to more or less complete the Christie cycle as it exists on this label. (It is A&E who has begun to issue the Marple mysteries on DVD and a few of the more recent Poirots.)

The best thing about this "Tommy & Tuppence: Partners in Crime" series is the outrageous costumes Francesca Annis gets to wear, the most spectacular appearing in the last episode in this boxed set. Now this is featherlight Agatha Christie, so do not expect the complex kind of case that Wimsey always--and Poirot often--has to solve. The inside joke of the T&T novels is that in each one they emulate the techniques of a famous fictional detective. For example, in one episode Tommy (James Warwick) is dressed as Father Brown and the last mystery is described by the team as a real Edgar Wallace case.

"The Case of the Missing Lady" is probably the silliest of them all, and even Tuppence is required to do a comic turn that is frankly embarrassing. "The Unbreakable Alibi" has a solution that is utterly predictable, while the same could be said about the culprit in "The Man in the Mist." "The Crackler" is probably the most satisfactory.

All in all, good lightweight fun, but few thrills. And the Annis character can get a little "too too" now and then and start to grate in a way that she does not in the novels.
Unlike the Poirot tapes, these hold two episodes each. They easily could have gotten three onto each tape, but the people at ABC overseas seem to be able to dictate how the American distributors must package their material. So do not blame Acorn Media for that. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Poor Video And Audio Transfer.
Watchable but not good, the 2 star side video quality. If it had not been an up for grabs movie, because Gaumont-Bitish Picture Corporation Ltd. is not in business anymore it would have been better quality from Universal Studios, Paramount, or MGM/UA.I would look for the most popular company that has these titles and then buy them.Then box that holds the other boxes with the videos inside is very thin. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

See my review of each individual Aunt Jane movie
In case it gets cross posted this is a review of [Collection 2 (1986) ASIN: 630340488X] This collection contains five Aunt Jane Movies ("The Moving Finger," "Nemesis," "The Murder at the Vicarage," "At Bertram's Hotel," "They Do It with Mirrors,"]. There is no way to rank these movies as to which one is best. They are like shoes; everyone has a different favorite.

I did look it up to find that all of Agatha Christie's full Miss Marple novels were made in to movies with Joan Hickson as Miss Jane Marple. And this set has 5. Agatha Christie Collection 1 - Boxed Set ASIN: 6303111564, contains 4 more. Then there are three individual films not in the collection boxes.

If you do not obtain them all you will be haunted for the rest of your life wondering what you missed.

See my review of each individual Aunt Jane movie
This collection contains five Aunt Jane Movies ("The Moving Finger," "Nemesis," "The Murder at the Vicarage," "At Bertram's Hotel," "They Do It with Mirrors,"]. There is no way to rank these movies as to which one is best. They are like shoes; everyone has a different favorit.
I did look it up to find that all of Agatha Christie's full Miss Marple novels were made in to movies with Joan Hickson as Miss Jane Marple. And this set has 5. Agatha Christie Collection 1 - Boxed Set, contains 4 more. Then there are three individual films in a third set ... (VHS).
If you do not obtain them all you will be haunted for the rest of your life wondering what you missed.

Not a "who done it?" a "what was done?"
This is one of those films [incase it is cross posted this is a review of "Miss Marple: Nemesis (1986) ASIN: 6303404855] that need to be watched twice. So much is packed from the beginning that you may forget it by the time you need the information. Then you can say "Oh, that was why."
A previous stated "This play isn't about a murder, it's about Miss Marple." And many of the characters repeat this through out the film. And this is maybe not standard but one of the plays where everyone and then some shows up in one place. It is not quite like "And Then There Were None (1945)" ASIN: 6304679661, but in a way more complicated.
Everyone is wrapped up in saying how good the plot is, how good Agatha Christie is, and how well Joan Hickson played Miss Jane Marple. Slow down and look at the Scenery and props. This has the look and the feel of the time from the buildings to the busses. It makes you feel that you are part of that time. At least you want to visit there.

Quaint
Anything that can inspire MatronsApron to write a song about it must be of some merit. A compelling series of mystery stories, each with its own type of clanicity.

A noticing kind of person......
Step back into Britain of the 1950s. WWII is over and this is your opportunity to enjoy a vanished world of vintage buses, cars and trains. Carry your leather suitcase into the vine covered cottage, or visit your old school chum in her palatial mansion. Observe the Vicar and his wife on their bicycles. Visit the Norman Church for Evensong and note original frescos installed during the Middle Ages. If you're free for a holiday, take a motorcoach trip and visit Blenheim and Stourton. Dine at a first class hotel in London where the waiters wear white gloves or have tea and cakes with Miss Jane Marple--she might even offer you a glass of elderberry wine.

Miss Marple is a noticing kind of elderly woman who lives in the Village of Saint Mary Mead. Occasionally she travels hither and thither to visit friends or take advantage of a lovely trip planned by a nephew. She always has her knitting needles in hand, working on a baby blanket or a sweater for a nephew. Jane Marple--Godmother and Aunt to several young people--I wish I had known her personally--but this is the next best thing after the books. "There she goes, tail up and head down" on the trail of another murderer--and she will get her man or woman as the case may be.

I agree with the reviewer who said one doesn't buy these DVDs with the expectation of Criterion remastering. Even so, the quality of the films on these DVDs is pretty darn good. I collect Criterion DVDs and expect them to be the fully restored works of art they are. However, some of the films Criterion has restored were so badly damaged they are NOT better than the Miss Marple films even when Criterion has done it's best. Also, many of the Criterion films are Black and White films from the 1930s and 1940s and of interest because of their filmography and/or the innovative techniques their directors employed. Some of these films were shot on a shoestring budget and it shows. Technology has improved dramatically since the 40s. The reason I buy the older Criterion films is to see how clever directors worked around technological constraints.

Call me blind, but I think the quality of the Miss Marple tv films is pretty good. Although some outdoor scenes are faded in spots (the films were shot in color) the director had access to camerawork not available in the 40s. Also, these scripts are excellent and filled with interesting detail. Most Criterion films average 1-2 hours of playing time (not counting the "perks" which you may or may not be interested in) whereas Series 2 of the Miss Marple films offers the viewer 500 wonderful minutes.

I am grateful that I have access to DVD copies of the Miss Marple stories, and I can watch them any time I want to. When I am watching them, I am reminded of life in the days when I was a young girl. Plus, today's tv entertainment is pretty much directed to the younger set whereas the Miss Marple films are probably better appreciated by older folks like me who lived through the forties and fifties--or younger folks who wish they had.

The British actors in the BBC productions are consumate professionals. Joan Hickson was told by Agatha Chistie that she thought Hickson was the BEST Miss Marple ever! Incidentally, I believe Ms. Hickson appears in the Criterion version of THE LADY VANISHES and I know she is in one of the Margaret Rutherford films. If you've read Christie's novels, you know Hickson fits the description of Miss Marple far better than Margaret Rutherford. Christie described Miss Marple as tall and thin with fine white hair and twinkly blue eyes--a gentle person in a cardigan sweater carrying a bag with her knitting needles and latest project--not an agressive broad in a tweed suit. Many other fine British actors are featured in these films--Joss Ackland, Claire Bloom, Rosemary Crutchly all favorites of mine who can out perform the "mega" stars any day of the week.

I love the vintage settings, costumes, clothing, china, knick-knacks and bric-a-brac, jewelry, shoes, hats, handbags, luggage, handkerchiefs--nothing is missing. I still own a handkerchief sachet with hand embroidered handkerchiefs my grandmother made --and one makes a very important appearance in a Miss Marple tale. The BBC maintains a museum in Stratford on Avon where one can view the costumes and other props used in various productions. The Miss Marple films give me a vicarious thrill and a trip down memory lane. Tea anyone?? ... Read more

Description

Inspector Morse Set 1 contains: 1) The Dead of Jericho 2) The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn 3) Service of All the Dead 4) The Wolvercote Tongue 5) Last Seen Wearing 6) Last Bus to Woodstock ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Incredible but I would appreciate explanation
Like many thousands of Morse's fan,I like the TV serie very much. I bought 2 of the 6 volumes set of VHS .
The video and sound is very good , but there is a big problem
I have , and I do not know if my fault, or problem with the
VHS editions: the problem is that they are without
closed caption!!!!!
I tried before buying to find specs in the Amazon view;
but not finding information about that, I assume they
should have closed caption, like almost any TV program
Thanking in advance to anyone that advices when VHS
..with closed caption.. are available. Thanks
A Morse fan

High Quality Mysteries on Fair Quality VHS Tapes
Morse and Lewis drink their way to enightenment once again! Anyway, Morse does. Lewis pays. Beautiful scenery, colorful characters, and some clever jibing back and forth between Morse and Lewis (very occasionally) make the collection well rounded.

For me, seeing Morse repeatedly lose the girl (or fall in love with the killer or accomplice) can wear a little thin. It's probably my least favorite plot device in the Morse series. But this is only a ripple in my overall happiness with this series.

These mysteries are primarily psychological in that Morse figures out what the killer must have been thinking to commit such and such a crime. Forensics are touched upon, but they don't usually make up a big part of finding the killer. One or two forensic details will be key, and the rest is a study on why the killer killed. But the scenery and the discussions themselves can be thought provoking. And most of the stories will present at least one study of a human relationship into full focus, showing the full complexity of a few of the characters.

The beauty and joy come from analyzing relationships and motives. These are rich, complex, and often deceptive.

One of the tapes in my set had a lot of skips and wobbles in it. When I say "a lot," I don't mean that the tape was unwatchable. But the occasional distortion was certainly noticeable. This trouble prompted me to look at the other tapes in terms of their broadcast quality, and---though the other tapes were all in better condition---I realized that the tapes themselves are somewhat cheaply made or else cheaply copied. I want to emphasize that I really enjoyed the set; I plan to buy the other Morse sets. But if you're a rabid digitophile, you'll be horrified.

Overall, taking both stories and tape quality into account, I rate this set as four Smith's Nut Brown Ales out of five!

Early Morse - Some of the Best
Now that we have lost John Thaw, these Inspector Morse videos are more precious than ever. The early ones (with Kenny McBain as producer) have a more artistic flair than the later ones. "The Dead of Jericho" introduces us to the nonconformist inspector determined to do things his way. It also shows how he and Sergeant Lewis first drew together in a very casual manner. Typically, Morse pursues a woman only to be thwarted. But isn't that why we love him? Because he knows what it's like to suffer in love? "The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn" is a real puzzler about selling Oxford exams and murder amongst the faculty. "Service All The Dead" is truly outstanding with its clever direction, frequent murders and twists, all set against the backdrop of a rather unpleasant church. With Morse falling in love with a suspect, we are securely hooked into his romantic nature. The end shocks us all including the earnest young Lewis. In the last scene, Morse securely locks himself into our hearts as a hopeless romantic. "Last Bus To Woodstock" is one of the very best of all times. It brings Morse's Oxford education to the forefront and reveals the poet in his soul while he solves a rather ugly death in a pub parking lot. "Last Seen Wearing" is filled with sarcasm and bitterness, not just by our inspector but by the nasty suspects. Luckily we have the ever buoyant Sergeant Lewis to keep us anchored and Morse's wit to give us a laugh. The dialogue in this one borders on brilliant. "The Wolvercote Tongue" shows us much of Oxford and the Randolph Hotel because the deaths occur amongst a tour group of obnoxious Americans. Morse even encounters a woman who drinks more than he does! Clever plot with an ending not easily guessed.

Collection includes these stories...
These are from A&E, and should be the same as this collections contents but no promises.

The Dead of Jericho

The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn

Service of All the Dead

The Wolvercote Tongue

Last Seen Wearing

Last Bus to Woodstock

psion ... Read more

Amazon.com

The body of John Harmon, a young man returning from South Africa to claim his inheritance, is pulled from the River Thames, setting in motion the plot of Charles Dickens's darkest and most complex novel. Harmon had been expected to marry Bella Wilfer, a young woman chosen by his father, but now the Harmon fortune will go to the poor but honest Mr. Boffin and his wife. The Boffins adopt Bella, and together they begin to climb the ladder of London society, under the watchful eye of Boffin's new secretary, who may not be what he seems. Meanwhile Eugene Wrayburn, an idle young lawyer, falls for Lizzie Hexam, the daughter of the man who pulled Harmon's body from the river, but he must compete for her affections with the schoolmaster Bradley Headstone. As the fortunes of the characters rise and fall, the River Thames flows eternally on, the symbolic backbone of this remarkable story.

Dickens was the master of Victorian social satire, ruthlessly exposing the cruelty and absurdity that supported the strictly hierarchical class structure of the day. This superb production does his novel justice, fleshing out the satirical bones of the plot with performances that eschew caricature in favor of psychological depth. Anna Friel's Bella is wonderfully complex, her innate goodness struggling with her love of money and desire for advancement. Paul McGann, as the lawyer Wrayburn, is also superb, wrestling with the implications of his feelings for Lizzie. And of course, this being Dickens and the BBC, there's a terrific supporting cast, including Timothy Spall as the melancholy articulator of skeletons, Mr. Venus. At six hours, Our Mutual Friend is a long production, but not a moment too long. A mystery, a love story, a critique of the pursuit of wealth and status, this is perhaps the best adaptation of Dickens ever to be committed to film. --Simon Leake ... Read more

Reviews (41)

A masterful adaptation
This is one of my all time favorite movies. It is a masterful adaptation of the sometimes wordy Dickens. Having read the book, I must say that whoever adapted this script was very skillful. Characters who were not as interesting were pushed into the background (Fledgeby and Gerogianna Podsnap were eliminated altogether) leaving the way clear for the much more facinating characters.

I enjoyed all of the preformances. As to Stephen Mackintosh, his character has been betrayed, thought to be dead and is in a terrible moral dilema. One cannot expect him to leap for joy under such circumstansces. Plus, it's so much cooler when he finally loses his temper at the end.

My favorite part of the movie is the Lizzie/Eugene/Headstone love triangle. Eugene's world weariness is played subtley and Lizzie's innocence is never over done. As for Headstone, nervous breakdowns are very hard to do without looking silly and this actor manages to be scary and pathetic at once, it really adds a lot to the plot.

The music is just perfect, the costumes are great (Bella's white ball gown is amazing) and the sets are ideal.

I should warn people that the first tape is very hard to get into the first time out. Maybe it is too dark with too many characters at once. I considered turning it off after the first twenty minutes. However, get past the first tape and you will be hopelessly addicted.

One more thing. The movie is 5-6 hours, not 2, so there is plenty of time to savour the action.

Engaging and intriguing, intelligent and fun
I love this movie. I first saw it on PBS, and only because a family member made me do it. I'm not a PBS'er by nature, but once I got into this, I was hooked. This is a Dickens' novel that I can't believe I'd never heard of before, because it's easily one of his best. It contrasts two segments of old English society, in typical Dicken's style. The "dustmen" earn their living from "dust" - sort of the old English equivalent of junkyards, but worse - the dead bodies cast into the river. Dustmen go through their pockets and scavange old estates to sell off their loot for income. The story opens with an intriguing murder mystery. In the confusion, one dustmen and his wife inherit a large sum of money and find themselves in high society and trying to cope. But ... whose money is it really? Who are their real new - and old - friends? And while these folks - the Boffins - are main characters, they are, by no means, the only ones. Along the way there are two major romantic stories that weave throughout and form the core of the story. But this is not just a "chick flick", it's a brilliant study of old 19th century British culture. The story includes some rather enchanting surprises. And the number of very original and interesting characters are funny, heartbreaking, insightful, inspiring, maddening, and more.

One suggestion: some of the British accents are hard to make out. I put the "closed caption" feature on my TV so I could read what the characters were saying. Makes it a lot easier to understand some of the more extreme English accents.

All the acting is top-notch, but one acting job bears note: Anna Friel is brilliant in this film.

I've watched my tape many times, all six hours of it. I love it. SO GET IT ALREADY!

What a great movie !
I love this movie. Please release it on DVD.

So Splendid It Hurts!
This production is so popular in our home that we set aside time once a year to savor it... no more, or it might get too familiar and that would be, appropriate in Dickensian terms, a tragedy! The actors truly become their roles. Six hours isn't a minute too long. I always feel a poignant regret when it's over..."not so soon?"

The plot keeps its suspense on several levels (romantic, physical, financial, political) to the end, and is full of exquisite moments that make your heart stop: when Bella asks John Harmon by the fireplace to "stop watching me, stop judging me"; when the pathetic schoolmaster Bradley Headstone tells Lizzie in the cemetery that he is under her power; when Lizzie and Eugene meet in the summer meadow; when Bella is under the impression that John is being shamed by Mr. Boffin; and when Eugene plays on Lizzie's good nature to get her to accept his offer of schooling. The dialogue is so well-rendered, one wonders if it is possible for this movie to be an improvement upon the book, in taking the story's personalities and emotions to a higher level than even Dickens imagined.

Costumes: lovely (Bella's especially). Sets: certainly satisfactory. Music: haunting (and a bit repetitious). Outdoor scenes: darn good for BBC (why did it take so long anyway for British cameras to film clear outdoor scenes?) But the acting outshines these all, and it alone could float this production (as it does in the Dalton-Clarke BBC version of "Jane Eyre"). My favorite characters (each to be savored like a dessert, frankly) are Eugene Wrayburn, Bella Wilfer, Mrs. Boffin, Mortimer Lightwood and Lizzie Hexam.

This movie is utterly complete, satisfying, and so finely tuned and poised on the heights where it belongs, that all the way through you hold your breath, waiting for it to crash down or lose its way, and it never does. If only we all could express ourselves and feel our emotions as deeply as these people do! What a grand world it would be.

Needless to say, perhaps, "Our Mutual Friend" is my family's mutually favorite movie. And the sooner that the powers that be release it on DVD, the better!

WOW!!!
I love the BBCs costume dramas like Middlemarch and Pride and Prejudice, but because I hadn't enjoyed Oliver Twist when I read it I expected that anything by Dickens would be heavy going. How wrong I was!

I finished watching it yesterday afternoon and intend to watch some of my favourite bits and the beginning over again today so I can see how characters were brought in, as with so many people in it, it takes a while to establish who's who and which characters are central, for instance I paid little attention to the character of Eugene Wrayburn in the first episode and later on he becomes central.

The story is multi-layered and to outline it simply - a dead body is found in the thames, a mutual friend, whose discovery draws together the lives of many people, the dead mans lawyer, Mortimer, and Eugene his friend, the man who found the body Gaffer Hexam and his children Lizzy and Charlie, Bella the girl who the dead mans father had choosen for him to marry, the Boffins who now inherit the fortune and the mysterious John Rokesmith, Boffins secretary who insists on viewing the body, and shows a marked interest in Bella.

The film is beautifully shot and the costumes are gorgeous. The story is complex and realistic and doesn't fall into simplification. And as for the characters - they are so real and 3D and the performances are just right.

I particulary enjoyed the love triangle between the spoilt, lazy, cynical Eugene, the innocent, intelligent Lizzy and the repressed later crazed school teacher, it had me in tears at one point and although it led to a happy ending it didn't feel cliched because the performances are so believeable and it was so sensitivly handled. Paul McGann gives a especially good performance as Eugene, among a very strong cast, all the actors are great, the bone collecter, the dolls dressmaker and the Boffins (none of whose names I can remember) stand out in particular as does Anna Friel as Bella .

This is the first story I couldn't wait to see more of since I read the English Patient, I watched it in five 'sittings' and rushed to do other things so I could get them finished so I had time to sit down and watch more!!! It really was that good, well done BBC! ... Read more

Description

The Sanctuary Sparrow, One Corpse Too Many, Monk's Hood and The Leper of St. Giles. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Exceptional Monk
Great series of DVDs! I love detective series and this one is excellent. Along with the wonderful detective stories it takes place in medieval times several years after the Crusades. Brother Cadfael, pronounced Cadfile, is played by a superb actor, Sir Derek Jacobi. Some may know him from the series "I, Claudius", or the movie "Dead Again" or any number of other roles.

Cadfael is a monk in an order in the village of Shrewsbury. The mysteries he encounters involve murder or mayhem over inheritance, love, jealousy, and property. Often there are interesting characters that seem involved with the case that are but not in the way we suspect. The sheriff Hugh Beringar, played by Sean Pertwee in this set does an exceptional job as well and is often helpful to Cadfael in pursueing the cases.

The stories in this set involves a variety of mysteries that Cadfael unravels with the assistance from a gamut of people of the times. Cadfael has led and interesting life which we get a peek at with each episode. Even if he was just a monk that cares for the ill using herbs from his garden it would be enough, but there is much more to him. It was hard not to sit through a marathon of watching the set because they are so engrossing. I had not seen any of this series until I bought this set on a whim. After seeing it I immediately ordered the next three sets.

The set is excellent and includes Bios, Background on stories, and much more. The picture and sound quality are first class. I highly recommend buying this set. Fans of movies like "The Name of the Rose" or BBC series like "Sherlock Holmes" with Jeremy Brett, or even TV series like "CSI" will probably enjoy it.

Why is this Set not available on DVD?
Why is this Set not available on DVD? And why are the PR people for this set asleep. There is definetely a market for this set out there, I for one would much prefer a DVD over VHS. I've waited for what seems an endless time for it. WAKE UP!!!!!! And give the people what they want. How tough is it to "force" someone to make money?

It is most convenient to have the box set.
I have written individual reviews of each film. This is a review of the Box Set. Naturally it is less expensive to purchase a set. The box case helps keep all the Cadfaels in one location. It also looks better organized. The actual material is cardboard. There is a written summary of the set contents on the back of the box. Bottom line box sets look nicer if you are collectin

LOVED THE SERIES 1!
I liked the videos as much if not more than I liked and enjoyed the Ellis Peters books. Truly well done and enjoyable to watch. I have a hard time picturing the actor who portrays Cadfael as a crusader, but he's very good anyway! Derek Jacobi plays it well.

This is an excellent series, a true treat
I has seen all the movies up to the fourth series, and have read all the books from Ellis Peters (the Cadfael author) that my library has. This series is as true to those mystery books as possible with their budget, and the result is stunning. They combine action, romance, sublety, and a medieval setting as true as the health department will allow. The movies maintain a true feel for the era, the mental mindset, and the suspicions/beliefs of the times. Derek Jacobi's skill as an actor are what brings Cadfael to life, and he hold nothing back in excellent after excellent episode. In only one episode have I been able to figure out the ending before all the clues are pieced together. My only criticism (and it is very minor) is that the actors who portray Hugh Berringer have changed several times. All have been very good in the role, but the first should have stayed. All in all, this series is well worth the expense, and is a real treat for the mystery movie lover (and historical period buff, the recreationists, the, well everybody I know anyway) ... Read more

Description

Part lawyer, part detective, Horace Rumpole is one of the most colorful characters ever to approach the bench.With his brilliant mind and sly sense of humor, Rumpole's adventures behind the scenes and center stage in the British legal system are a delightful mix of comedy, mystery, and courtroom drama.Justice has never been served with such style and wit. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Chronology
As a rule of thumb the buyer should be aware that the earliest Rumpole shows from 1977 and 1978 begin with Volume 11 and continue to Volume 17. Shows from 1983,1987,1988 and 1991 are found in Volumes 1-10. All other shows in Vol.17-21. Each volume contains two episodes. You can buy a volume or packages. The six package set contains Volumes 11-16. The first ten volumes are found in this big package or a combination of three smaller packages. With the exception of the six package set Amazon does lists the volumes. The particular episodes that are found in each volume:
1)The Genuine Article(1983)and The Old Boy Network(1983)
2)The Blind Tasting(1987)and The Sporting Life(1983)
3)The Judge's Elbow(1987)and Rumpole's Last Case(1987)
4)The Old,OldStory(1987)and Rumpole and Portia(1988)
5)The Offical Secret(1987)and The Female of the Species(1983)
6)The Golden Thread(1983)and The Last Resort(1983)
7)The Bubble Reputation(1988)and The Age of Miracles(1988)
8)The Tap End(1988)and The Quality of Life(1988)
9)Rumpole a'la Carte(1991)and The Summer of Discontent(1991)
10)Rumpole at Sea(1991)and The Right to Silence(1991)
11)Younger Generation(1978)and The Honourable Member(1978)
12)The Married Lady(1978)and The Learned Friends(1978)
13)The Heavy Brigade(1978)and The Man of God(1979)
14)A Case of Identity(1979)and Rumpole and the Showfolk(1979)
15)The Fascist Beast(1979)and The Age of Retirement(1979)
16)The Bright Seraphim(1987)and The Barrow Boy(1988)
17)The Alternative Society(1978)and Course of True Love(1979)
18)Rumpole and the Quacks(1991)and Rumpole for Prosecution(1991)
The last three volumes deal with the shows in 1992.

Rumpole and His Fellow Eccentrics at Their Finest
A delightful series of well produced and very entertaining episodes featuring Leo McKern as Horace Bailey, the Wordsworth-quoting barrister of London's Old Bailey and the characters that populate his world. These videos are very faithful to John Mortimer's original stories. They dramatically bring to life the pompous judges (e.g., Guthrie Featherstone), inept managers ("Soapy Sam" Ballard), upper class twits (Claude Erskine-Brown), and of course She Who Must Be Obeyed (Hilda). A perfect blend of very British humor, intriguing mystery, as well as a cultural education in British jurisprudence. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Agatha Christie's Poirot collection is known as a mystery series, but what makes these videos such a delightful enhancement to the original books is their deft touch of humor. In "Dead Man's Mirror," for example, the widow of the murdered man claims to communicate with the spirit of an ancient Egyptian. Her supernatural tendencies cause more than a few giggles--especially when she mentions the spirit, Saffra, during an interv