great expectations
Discussion
nicanary said:
Gave it a try. Bit meh. I think young 'uns studying the book for GCSE may not recognise the dramatised version. Apparently there's going to be drugs, child abuse and lots of wokeness in general, including touching on slavery. Don't remember that in the book.
I hope so - I had to struggle to read the wretched book for 'O-level' a billion years ago, and have hated everything by CD ever since.Also, all the 'woke' stuff is bang on trend for Dickens as his characters tend to interact with the dregs of London in most of his books. Drugs, child abuse, prostitution and violence is spread liberally throughout most of his work (which if I'd realised during my teenage years might have encouraged me to read and enjoy his work more
)Randy Winkman said:
I've not seen it yet. I'm sure it will get slagged off for not being like the book, but I do also bet that half of those complaints will actually be that it's not like a TV/film version that someone saw 10, 20 or 30 years ago.
I watched it and it was actually very similar to all the previous versions imho. I was hoping for something a bit darker but apart from a few gratuitous f words I thought it was basically the same as the others... Try the 1946 David Lean film. I don't think it has ever been matched.
Dilys Powell, writing for The Sunday Times, was "grateful for cinema which includes so much of Dickens, which constructs its narrative from the original material with scarcely an intrusion"
As opposed to plonking your current agenda onto a classic novel.
Dilys Powell, writing for The Sunday Times, was "grateful for cinema which includes so much of Dickens, which constructs its narrative from the original material with scarcely an intrusion"
As opposed to plonking your current agenda onto a classic novel.
I've watched the first one and quite enjoyed it. But I have a personal connection because I love the north Kent marshes and although it might not have been filmed there, that's the inspiration so just imagine that's where it is. Performances were good, especially from Pip (Tom Sweet if I understand correctly) - a very mature performance.
But as per my previous post, it's hard not to compare one TV/film production with another even more than comparing them with the book. So far I'm not convinced Olivia Coleman (who I generally like) can match Gillian Anderson the same way that Magwitch just seems right when played by Ray Winstone. I'll give it time though. Plus, Matt Berry is in it.
But as per my previous post, it's hard not to compare one TV/film production with another even more than comparing them with the book. So far I'm not convinced Olivia Coleman (who I generally like) can match Gillian Anderson the same way that Magwitch just seems right when played by Ray Winstone. I'll give it time though.
Plus, Matt Berry is in it.Edited by Randy Winkman on Tuesday 28th March 18:13
It's afternoon the 9pm watershed so I suppose it's not meant to be watched by schoolkids. Last night's episode had the Gargerys asked to make shackles for slavers, Miss Haversham and Estella being opium addicts, plus a judge being blackmailed for sodomy offences.
Can't recall any of that in the book, although I acknowledge that it's up to the writers what they decide to put in or leave out.
Can't recall any of that in the book, although I acknowledge that it's up to the writers what they decide to put in or leave out.
Watched the final epidose last night.
I thought the casting, acting, sets, locations (and presumably the many special effects required to make the 2020s look like the 1820s) were all very good. But there was next to no resemblance to the book beyond the names of the characters.
What always impressed me about the original was that it consisted of many little stories, some connected to each other, some not, and part of the enjoyment was in trying to work out which was which. But this latest version just made it really obvious by more or less bashing us over the head with them.
I watched the 2011 BBC version today and it was so much better.
(Thought Matt Berry made a cracking Uncle Pumblechook though.)
I thought the casting, acting, sets, locations (and presumably the many special effects required to make the 2020s look like the 1820s) were all very good. But there was next to no resemblance to the book beyond the names of the characters.
What always impressed me about the original was that it consisted of many little stories, some connected to each other, some not, and part of the enjoyment was in trying to work out which was which. But this latest version just made it really obvious by more or less bashing us over the head with them.
I watched the 2011 BBC version today and it was so much better.
(Thought Matt Berry made a cracking Uncle Pumblechook though.)
I've just watched the final one. I found it all quite entertaining and liked Pip and Jaggers the most. I think Olivia Coleman is a great actress but I wasn't sure about her as Miss Haversham. The good thing for me is that I found the whole thing very thought provoking and have now bought the book. I couldn't get on with Dickens at all when I was young so I'm keen to have another go. It also increased my love of the north Kent marshes even though I've no idea if any of it was actually filmed there.
I saw the 2011 one when it was first shown but will watch that again next.
I saw the 2011 one when it was first shown but will watch that again next.
Randy Winkman said:
I've just watched the final one. I found it all quite entertaining and liked Pip and Jaggers the most. I think Olivia Coleman is a great actress but I wasn't sure about her as Miss Haversham. The good thing for me is that I found the whole thing very thought provoking and have now bought the book. I couldn't get on with Dickens at all when I was young so I'm keen to have another go. It also increased my love of the north Kent marshes even though I've no idea if any of it was actually filmed there.
I saw the 2011 one when it was first shown but will watch that again next.
If you read the book you might be in for a shock. For authenticity watch the David Lean 1946 film.I saw the 2011 one when it was first shown but will watch that again next.
The original film is certainly the best interpretation, and some of the characters are exactly as I pictured them, having studied the book for O Level English Literature.
I'm currently refreshing my memory of the 1989 version on YouTube.
It would be an interesting exercise to recast it, cherry-picking actors from the various productions over the years.
I'm currently refreshing my memory of the 1989 version on YouTube.
It would be an interesting exercise to recast it, cherry-picking actors from the various productions over the years.
nicanary said:
Randy Winkman said:
I've just watched the final one. I found it all quite entertaining and liked Pip and Jaggers the most. I think Olivia Coleman is a great actress but I wasn't sure about her as Miss Haversham. The good thing for me is that I found the whole thing very thought provoking and have now bought the book. I couldn't get on with Dickens at all when I was young so I'm keen to have another go. It also increased my love of the north Kent marshes even though I've no idea if any of it was actually filmed there.
I saw the 2011 one when it was first shown but will watch that again next.
If you read the book you might be in for a shock. For authenticity watch the David Lean 1946 film.I saw the 2011 one when it was first shown but will watch that again next.
I like a choice.Randy Winkman said:
I have a personal connection because I love the north Kent marshes and although it might not have been filmed there, that's the inspiration so just imagine that's where it is.
Perhaps you would enjoy 'The Long Memory', a film with John Mills made and set in and around Gravesend just after the second world war. The marshes figure extensively and it is very atmospheric.Gassing Station | TV, Film, Streaming & Radio | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff