julia2702 Reviews

Poldark (2015–2019)

Brilliant and totally addictive!

[10/10 · 8 August 2018]

Woow. I did not expect to find such a gem when I started watching. I came across a pic of Aidan Turner in a triangle hat a while ago, and somehow did not feel inspired to watch - no matter his good looks :) But as I finally began - I was glued to the screen for hours on end, watching episode after episode, hankering for more each time!

What a story. And what a hero. Whoever cast Aidan and Eleanor deserves the best prize. They are both so attractive, so distinctive-looking and so right for the parts! The man has become a heart-throb for many (myself included), even though we may not realize it's Aidan-Ross that we are all in love with, and he only exists on a film set :)

Brilliant acting from Mr Turner. So much heart, and warmth, and passion, and emotion! Magnetic smile and voice. Demelza's natural beauty is a treat for the eyes, likewise. Tender yet strong, simple yet incredibly wise.

All other actors are wonderful, too. I was a bit against Heida Reed at first, but I grew to love her so much as the show progressed.

The story and the script, gorgeous Cornwall scenery and beautiful soundtrack.. So much to love. This series goes straight to your heart. It's the level of production quality when you forget these are not real people.

10 stars, friends. No words will suffice to express my gratitude to the cast and crew - for almost 40 hours of pure bliss.

War & Peace (2016)

A very satisfying adaptation!

[8/10 · 1 August 2018]

I can't tell you how curious I was to see this. Being both a Russian and a crazy fan of Andrew Davies adaptations. And, in a nutshell, I found W&P series heart-warming and absolutely satisfying. Truth be told - even finally opening up the greatness of this famous book to me. Never mind that it was written by my compatriot : )

A lot of students in Russia find the Leo Tolstoy masterpiece too big and too daunting. But it's a literature landmark, and you have to read it at school, at least skim through it : ) And because of that whopping size, it's hard to perceive the story as a whole - you just get too exhausted waiting for this or another thread to pick up again. However, Mr Davies shone his genius on us one more time - he took the essence of the story and presented it to a modern viewer in a digestible and tasty way. A big applause.

So, the choice of scenes for the script I find marvellous. Our own movie filmed by Sergey Bondarchuk is loved by many, especially by the older generation. But I've always thought it had too much emphasis on the war side of the novel. And what do we, women, watch period dramas for? : ) Of course more for the relationship side, to watch multilayered characters unfold. And Andrew masters this to perfection. It flows easily, one could watch all 6 episodes in a row - except that it's not a light and romantic Pride & Prejudice. This is deeper and more dramatic food for thought, which requires a break somewhere along the way.

The cast is generally very-very-very good. Pierre is portrayed brilliantly. I can't think of a better or a more sincere one. I also loved the choice of actress for Mariya Bolkonskaya, watching her I could forget this is a foreign actress. Can't say the same about Natasha Rostova, though. To me this was the worst casting fiasco. I'm sure Lily James tried her best. But I, personally, found her annoying in this part. I would prefer to enjoy her performance in Downton Abbey.

On the negative side are the erotic scenes. They are soooo off here. Can you imagine Mr Wickham and Lidiya having fun on the dining room table? I doubt the British audiences would approve of it in the adaptation of their beloved classic. So I couldn't understand why it was included here. The production isn't Tudors, so that's something which is expected least of all.

The other day I read a review by a Russian film critic, which said, "This wouldn't be a truly British adaptation if it didn't end with a scene of domestic bliss" : ) Ironic as it may sound, I find it a good thing and something to thank the production team for. Why not? I enjoyed the final scenes, even though in the original book some less satisfying points were highlighted by the author.

All in all, I felt the series was filmed with attention to detail (as best one can), respect for the original material (for the most part), as well as the nation's culture and traditions. After the disastrous "Anna Karenina" and "Onegin", which ruined 2 other all-time classics of the Russian literature, "War and Peace" by Andrew Davies was a pleasant treat. I just wish this outstanding man 200 years of a happy and productive life, so the world could enjoy more of his projects.

Pride and Prejudice (1995)

Steals hearts forever, so be careful

[10/10 · 21 January 2017]

Some movies are meant to entertain you for a while and then be gone. Others are like blessings, like good friends – they stay with you throughout your whole life. When the character portrayals are so good, we just can't let go, we want these people to continue to live – at least in our imagination :) That's what happened to me when I saw this series. A long time ago, in my tender youth I became quite obsessed with this production, and funnily, not too much has changed since then.

It's just perfect. Purrfect. This magnificent romantic story set in Regency period has everything to engross and bewitch you. Lush-green locations of the English countryside and all these beautiful mansions. Splendid costumes. Fascinating script and dialogue. Wit and humour. Romantic tension and chemistry beyond description. And the story, the story! What an amazing material. I've been meditating a lot on why it has such a strong hold on us, and distilled three points out of all these sighs and raptures:

1) It is a story of 2 like-minded beings coming together, which seems a true romance to me. It's not about making compromises, "reality-checks", love which grows out of friendship, etc. A couple meet each other, sparks fly, and you never doubt how they will end up in spite of all the social obstacles.

2) Darcy. This is indeed "a man without fault". Well, almost : ) He's handsome, intelligent, powerful, rich, passionate, kind and caring deep- down, not afraid of commitment, etc., etc. Who wouldn't dream of such a hero?

3) Lizzie. Deep, lively, free-spirited woman who knows self-respect. She attracts the guy just by being herself, without any cheap intrigues. All that she represents suddenly becomes a thousand times more valuable than all Pemberley grandeur or strict rules of the stratified society. I simply can't imagine what can be more romantic than that, and the 1995 adaptation brings it to a screen life with such vivid force.

The book and the adaptation have become inseparable in my mind, though I adore the latter more, I confess. What is the secret, that "virtual chemical substance" which makes it so addictive? The answer did come when a friend brought me the original DVD from US, which contained a behind- the-scenes feature with interviews of the cast and crew. Andrew Davies, Simon Langton, Sue Birtwistle, Alison Steadman and others shared their thoughts – and there was so much love & passion in their eyes, so much care, so much commitment to what they were doing – that it all became clear.

Andrew Davies is a script God. All of the crew were highly professional. The lead actors – Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth - both have stunning looks, deep appealing voices, expressive eyes and acting talent which rises above everything I saw before and after this fantastic series. On the subjects of how good the rest of the cast were I could write a thesis, this page doesn't have enough room. But if I were allowed to shake hands with only one person involved in this, I would choose Sue Birtwistle. It was she who conceived this adaptation in her mind & heart, and her passion for the novel was a magnetic power which brought all these brilliant people together. I give 10 stars reluctantly, because it's such an understatement. This production deserves a hundred.

The latest 2005 version, which completely took the soul out of this beloved story, gave me a lot of pain. But perhaps the world needed a superficial popcorn version of Austen greatest work, who knows.. By universal laws, it wouldn't appear if there were no people who could potentially enjoy it - thus calling it into existence :)

All I know is that the 1995 production will forever remain an Austen haven for many people who deeply appreciate English culture. It will always be a romance which makes hearts beat faster. It will always be a standard of quality showing how one can breathe true magic into a story recorded on film.

One last thing – I just want to express deep gratitude to BBC adaptations like this. I think they bring classic literature closer to us, though they do allow certain liberties. And I feel that somehow, apart from a huge romantic effect, they make us better, kinder, more hopeful and more appreciative of how wonderful life is.

Lots of love, P&P 1995, yours truly.

Emma (2009)

A Heart-Warming Masterpiece

[10/10 · 8 January 2017]

Ahh. Where should I begin? BBC is obviously my God :) Nobody can outdo them when it comes to English classics, this (certainly logical) fact has proved itself to me many times. But I did not expect this series would move me so much. Never read the book, but saw the previous adaptations and felt no particular emotion. So my surprise and delight after viewing this is inexpressible.. A gem, an absolute gem.

I first saw Romola Garai in Daniel Deronda and thought - wow, there's really something special about this lady. She's both beautiful in a memorable way and extremely talented. Her Emma had a pretty much same effect on me as Lizzy Bennet delivered by Jennifer Ehle - you look at the character and feel as if it's a real person. You just want to get to know her, talk to her.. This twinkle in her eyes, the smile, the facial expressions telling a thousand words, the tone of her voice.. everything seemed perfect and endearing. I definitely join Ms Garai's fanclub!

Johnny Lee Miller, thank you for this wonderful Mr Knightley you gave us. Now I have yet another romantic hero to fall in love with, not just Mr Darcy :) The tender and brotherly-protective way in which he treated Emma, while loving her passionately, and also their arguments each of them making Emma grow up a little bit.. The relationship between them is just soo beautiful, and the scene where the couple finally speak of their mutual feelings made me cry endless tears of joy.

Apart from the leads, every actor came up with marvellous performance. Funny how I intended to get this movie play in the background, while I was doing housework. I was glued to the screen and couldn't miss even a single tiny bit of "Emma", sitting with a silly happy smile on my face.

We get comedy, we get romance, we get brilliant acting and character development, enjoyable scenery and costumes. I give it 10 stars, and would give 11 if I could. For me, this series got everything right. The only drawback, as I can imagine, may be some liberties taken with the original book and proprieties of the era, as well as modernised dialogue - but there still seems to be an amazing harmony about the whole thing. After an adaptation like that, I can't wait to read the book.

Previous versions were not bad, especially Paltrow and Northam movie which I enjoyed a lot. But 2009 series is superior by far. A huge respect and bravo!

Sense & Sensibility (2008)

An adaptation which brought charm to the story I've never truly enjoyed

[8/10 · 2 January 2017]

I got the Austen virus after watching the famous 1995 adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice", which brought me to the original, wonderful book. But the disease hasn't really progressed. Other Austen works haven't impressed me half as much, and Sense & Sensibility – both the book and Emma Thompson movie – left a strange aftertaste, not at all sweet and exhilarating, as it was with P&P.

So I was happy to learn that Andrew Davies, who became my idol after giving us such a perfect Darcy, created an adaptation of S&S. I eagerly watched it, hoping that his spin on the story will make it livelier and more likable for me. And I wasn't mistaken, although I cannot say that this is a great series.

I really like the casting. Perhaps I would make Willoughby a little more attractive, but the whole Dashwood family and Colonel Brandon were so good, that I can forgive the choice of Dominic Cooper.

Can't remember the book well, but I sense intuitively that quite a few liberties have been taken. Still, as a person who doesn't care so much for this novel, I like the story told by Andrew Davies, and except for a few things (like Marianne's visit of Willoughby mansion all by herself) I find the final product satisfying. I love to see an appealing and passionate Colonel Brandon, this adds romance and chemistry – such a gift for a romantic female viewer like me : )

To be entirely honest, I expected more from Mr Davies. This is not "P&P" or "Wives and Daughters". But, after all, scriptwriter is not the only one in charge of our impressions from the film. A lot of people work on the project, and such was their view.

Some places feel rushed, even when compared to Emma Thompson movie (and this series has 3 episodes!) The scenery is not light & bright & vivid green, but rainy, rugged and more gritty instead. The rhythmic pattern of the story is more choppy and impulsive than slow-boiling. If you want to relax your nerves while a beautiful story quietly unfolds, it is not the right kind of BBC adaptation.

However, I still would like to say a big thank-you for this series. I enjoyed the characters, the story, the romance, and I am immensely grateful that someone keeps adapting English literature - which is a gift to humankind - in such a quality fashion.

Pride and Prejudice (1980)

Horribly dull like no other

[1/10 · 24 December 2016]

Indeed, nothing can clear this adaptation from the iniquitous crime of ruining entirely the lively spirit in Austen's beloved work. I have never seen such a boring show in all my life, and I'm not just speaking of period dramas here. There isn't even a slightest trace of acting! As one of the critics below aptly remarked – "reading in period dress". That's exactly what it was.

Practically all actors have a still and unvarying countenance throughout the series. No emotion, no real involvement comes through any of them. Bennet girls are all pretty much the same – you are left wondering why Darcy should single out Elizabeth from among the rest. Overall, I don't like the choice of Elizabeth Garvie for this role. She is simply not attractive! The actress who played Jane would do a better job in her place, I think. There was at least some bright spark in her eyes. Why anybody should have singled out Mr Darcy, apart from his being a rich guy, also remains a big question to me. Someone's comment below that Rintoul is acting like a Terminator movie hero made me burst out laughing. Even the 2005 P&P, which was a modern-day disappointment, made me care for the protagonists to get together – though for different reasons than Jane Austen described.

Bland, insipid, dull. There was only one moment when my bored expression changed – it happened during Darcy's first proposal scene, when he arrived at Hunsford parsonage with his doggy :) I spluttered with laughter at the ridicule of this. But the doggy was left outside and my final hope for the liveliness degree to rise was irrevocably destroyed. The proposal itself wasn't much different from Mr. Collins's avowal of his affections.

I can't find one good reason to give this more than one star, even though I'm such a fan of the original story. As Lady Catherine would say, I take no leave of you, 1980 adaptation. You deserve no such attention.

The Magnificent Century (2011–2014)

A soap – yes, but what an amazingly addictive soap!

[9/10 · 22 December 2016]

It had been a while since I watched a long TV series, when my friend recommended "Magnificent Century" to me. She was insistent, and I just thought it so odd – I believed myself to be a long time over such silly soap operas, ever since I was a kid and Russian screens were inundated by various Mexican and Brazilian productions of this "controversial" genre. But after the 1st episode I found myself completely hooked! It was exactly that feeling when you fall in love with a work of art, sometimes for unknown reasons, but you really feel like in love – some changes are taking place in your consciousness, you are uplifted beyond words, almost walking on air : ) Yes, sometimes movie industry can do that. Last time I had this kind of emotional upheaval with BBC "Pride & Prejudice" about 20 years ago. And I thought – how interesting, this "MC" series will not offer you deep conversation, complex conflicts and special food for intellect, but it still captivates immensely.

So, yeah, even a soap opera can be addictive. When it has quality, interesting script, visual attractiveness and obviously a heartfelt involvement from the cast & crew. Sadly, this magnificent production suffered from 2 serious blows – first, the death of genius scriptwriter Meral Okay (which is truly so sad and unfair, the series never was the same after that), and second - decision of Meryem Uzerli to leave the project. She was one of the main reasons I adored "MC". Sometimes casting is just so right, that the characters stay etched on your mind forever, almost as if they are real people. She gave us a fantastic Hurrem – beautiful, strong, powerful, magnetic, amusing, intelligent. I almost forgot that she was really a nasty, unscrupulous schemer when I looked at Meryem's portrayal. Somehow, she managed to make "nasty" deeply sympathetic, that you find yourself still rooting for her – no matter what mean intrigues Suleiman's beloved might be weaving.

Apart from my fascination with red-haired Hurrem – the movie is soo eye- candy. Beautiful actors, splendid costumes and hairdos, nice music. I especially enjoyed the characters of Moustapha, Machidevran, Mihrimach, Suleiman's royally dignified mother, the handsome hero Bali-Bey. Suleiman himself - I found good, but not with any special emotion.

A lot of unexpected turns of the plot. Competition between the soultan's women is not a deeply intellectual subject for sure, but so what – it is still compelling to observe. The way Hurrem climbed the social harem ladder, eventually rising to fame – not just as a ruler's wife, but also as a political figure in a sense – is worth applause.

A lot of people blame this show for historical inaccuracies, and this is something I would neither deny, nor support. The primary purpose of such shows is entertainment, not a detailed account on history events. A thinking person will always at least google some information, to compare official biographies with the scriptwriter's fantasy. On the contrary, by giving us a bright fairy tale, film-makers excite our interest to at least start reading something on the period. A general outline and chronology of the events helps, too.

I did not know much about Turkey before watching "MC", did not realize what glorious pages of history this country had seen. So should one really make such evil of an "inaccurate soap"? : ) And of course, each nation will portray themselves as heroes and their rivals as less worthy. This has been a paradox of all politics, since the beginning of times, and a human with raised awareness would only smile at it, in a good- humoured understanding way.

More than just Ottoman Empire, the series caused me to start investigating history of other countries – first the same period, then expanding my field of interest. History deserves to be presented in a fun way – scientifically savvy people may grind their teeth, but for the general public it could still be a nice opportunity to immerse themselves in a period and get some educational material, even though simplified.

So, I highly recommend it. "Magnificent Century" is a good entertainment, a quality work and an addictive "episode-turner". Perhaps it was a little too lengthy, but given other reasons for enjoyment this series produced, that's something I could easily overlook. 9/10.

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

A lovely caricature on great Austen's classic

[4/10 · 21 December 2016]

Interesting thing: usually it does not bother me that tastes differ, but when I see that quite a few people out there honestly enjoy this attempt at adapting Austen – it feels crazy. I try to soothe myself, however, saying that not everyone watches it because they like Austen in general, or have always loved this particular book. Maybe they just came across a nice romantic movie, and romantic in some ways it is, indeed.

My own heart was totally captivated when I saw 1995 series, starring Firth and Ehle, so of course I couldn't help a certain bias. But I kept repeating to myself words of Jennifer Ehle, who once said that nobody owns this story,that it's still "in the public domain" and everyone is free to experiment with it – something along those lines. Finally I achieved a pretty much open-minded state, gave in to my curiosity and pressed Play.

And here comes a big sad sigh. I have basically two criticisms: 1) unfaithfulness to the Austen original; 2) bad and immature film-making. And if one could put up with the first objection – perhaps even enjoy the so-called "fresh take" on Austen, the second one just seems unpardonable. In a way, I'm grateful to the crew behind PP 2005 – because they taught me what a good quality film really is by offering its opposite. An amateur viewer takes so much for granted before an experience like that happens – when you see clearly what can be done by different people with the same material.

For a while, I used to blame the wrong casting and poor acting. But then I thought – well, I generally like Keira and I find her beautiful. And Matthew, though he is not Firth – is a nice Darcy option. Just the other day I watched Simon Woods in "Cranford", and truly enjoyed his Dr. Harrison as a pretty lovable (though not a swoon-worthy) romantic hero. And who would dare hold anything against divine Judy Dench? Then my eyes suddenly opened. All this stiff and wooden acting, reading out lines instead of fleshing out the story-line with heartfelt dialogue – perhaps, somebody else is responsible for that. Someone behind the scenes, that we do not get the privilege to see. As a lovely quote goes, "If everyone in the cast is bad, and bad in the same way, then the fault is the director's".

Returning to my first objection – read somewhere that the story has been "de-austenized" and "brontefied". That the scenery would rather befit gloomy "Wuthering Heights" than Jane's light and sparkling comedy of manners. This would be a less grave claim for 2 reasons – first not every viewer is Austen puritan, and second it's kind of amusing to see how Austen's material might be enlivened with a more emotional, romantic drama twist. Some of the invented romantic scenes, I admit, deserve a big thumbs-up. Though others, for instance Darcy tearing along on horseback through a dark night forest, border on the ridiculous. And still, I cannot believe that Bennet girls had such untidy hairdos. Though I'm not an expert on the subject, we do not typically associate English middle- class gentry with such a messy household. The film crosses the line here, not merely fails your expectations.

Howsoever, romanticizing experiments may all be well and good, but the core – for which the world has been turning to Austen again and again – still must be about something else. P&P is traditionally considered a love story, especially by those who haven't read it, but if it were the only feature – this story would not be so magically fascinating. Austen wrote a very clever book, all based on the battle of wits, making elegant fun of the contrast between sanity and silliness, especially that of social conventions as opposed to a healthy outlook on life. Missing this point – is exactly what 2005 movie does. Instead of being exquisitely funny, it becomes dumbed down and downright stupid at times.

What's all this giggling, squeaking and hiccuping is about? Lizzy looking like an awkward teenager, Bingley looking like an imbecile, and Mr Bennet - like a retired alcoholic? Come on, guys, there's serious stuff going on! Affairs of the heart and all this matrimonial race with financial ties.. Why do you act like kids in a school performance? Eventually it just seems hard to take this rendition of the story seriously.

One last thing, which I think was a crime to destroy is the feeling of restrained passion, which gives the original P&P such a special sexy allure. Here, nothing is simmering beneath, all romantic tension you get is so bluntly in-your-face, that it becomes annoying at times.

I give it 4 stars instead of 1 or 2, just because everything that bears the trace of P&P is sacred to me : ) However, the 2005 film will remain a caricature in my eyes. Perhaps a lovely one, but still a caricature. And I secretly wish somebody made yet another P&P adaptation. Just for the sake of this not being the latest. Otherwise, there's a risk the younger generations will stick with it and miss the whole point of the timeless classic.