I've written about the novel over here.
Recently I discovered that there was a pretty decent 1980 adaptation of the story which is currently on YouTube. It follows the text rather closely and only changes a couple of relatively minor things (adding a feminist line which wasn't in the original story, btw).
Here are the links to:
Part1
Part 2
Part 3
Enjoy!
I went over to read what you had written about the book. Now, I'm watching the three part movie. Looks like it is a "mini-series". Can't wait to see them all. Thanks for the recommendation!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome! It's one of my favourite books. I liked the adaptation as well.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's a mini-series, I forgot to mention it.
DeleteI think that is one of the weakest books Christie ever wrote. And those early 80's filmings are quite awful. And in this particular, Bobby and especially Frankie are far too old.
ReplyDeleteI watched last weekend Peter Ustinov's version of "Evil under the Sun". It wasn't totally bad, though some of the ladies evening gowns and other clothes were too 80's, not entirely 30's. And Peter Ustinov is not David Suchet. But it wasn't that bad.
BTW, did I link you this blog? It reviews if the costumes of historical films are accurate.
http://www.frockflicks.com
Have you seen BBC:s "Wolf Hall"? It gos in finnish tv now and is really rather good.
Well, tastes differ. I happen to like it. Frankie is a bit too old but then they were both supposed to be in late twenties/early thirties. New movies may be more historically accurate about costumes and stuff like that but I don't care for their attitudes, I'm afraid.
ReplyDelete"Wolf Hall"" I never heard about.
I am afraid I am a little bit purist in certain things when it comes to filming historical books. :)
ReplyDeleteWolf Hall is about Thomas Cromwell and Henry VIII. Very fascinating. It is based on a book of Hilary Mantel which I havent read jet.
I'll look into it. However, most modern productions I find rather disappointing. Several years ago everybody was raving about "Mad Men" because it supposedly had conservative values and showed traditional family AND the clothes and interiors, of course. I found it rather horrible, imo, it mocked pre-progressive society and its values, with the main character being a career obsessed cad lacking all integrity who kicked out his own brother because of his ambitions.
ReplyDeletePersonally I wouldn't watch a show which values I disagree with only because of nice clothes and houses, but others did. Now, I like a decent costume movie just as much as any other woman, but I'm not so much into dressing vintage, if you know what I mean. I always choose the latest fashions, though in my own style, but for those who are into this sort of thing, I can understand they love this sort of movies.
I never watched Mad Men. I somehow thought it would be comedy and I don't really do them. :)
ReplyDeleteI am not vintage dresser either, but I like watching historical films and accuracy is important to me. In my opinion, biggest problem in historical fims is that actors and actresses do not behave the way people would have behaved back then. Women are very, very often and especially in american films far to flirting and "keen" and move too freely. BBC does good work, that Wolf Hall is very good example. Now Henry VIII rages every now and then and Anne Boleyn snaps to everybody, but as far as I know that is historically accurate. :)
I also hate it when film does not follow the book entirely. Now I know that some alterations must be made to make the film watchable, but I hate it when they change the plot. And for example in many Poirot films characters can be openly gay when in the book they have been very much straight! (for example Tim Allerton in Death on the Nile). Characters love affairs should never be changed.
Yeah, I know, I am borderline OCD. :)
Changing the book can sometimes improve it, like Scarlet Pimpernel, for instance. The books were not exactly masterpieces, but I liked both the 1930s and 1980s movie versions. I fully agree about Poirot and Agatha Christie in general (in the new version of Miss Marple there were similar changes). The worst thing about it is that it's purely for political and propaganda reasons and I hate being brainwashed.
ReplyDelete