TMMVDS Reviews

Pride and Prejudice (1980)

Botch and Boredom

[1/10 · 30 September 2007]

It's totally unbelievable how someone could watch this in its entirety (which is a task worth of a medal) and honestly say it's the best adaptation there is. It wouldn't be the best even if it was the only one! So, maybe it is truest to the book, but who cares if the entertainment value is zero? I'm not one those Austen fanatics who knows the book in question by heart. But I have read it, and it is certainly important that the adaptation is true to that book, that's why I wouldn't even try to watch the latest movie version of it. But who can argue that the 1995 version wasn't also a faithful adaptation? If there was some slight alterations, so is here! So maybe there was some scenes omitted, but do you need to hear every word they say in the book to enjoy the show? No, you don't. When you see things in front of you, you certainly want to see something more than endless talking sessions. It's not enough that these people talk and talk, it all sounds like one long weather forecast. If these conversations can you keep you entertained, good for you! But if one wants to hear and see people who has a character and feelings, go look elsewhere.

The 1995 version of P&P had everything which makes a costume drama work, and it's my favourite series of all time. This version has instead all of the elements which can totally ruin that same genre. Let's pretend that this would be nothing but TV-series and had nothing to do with Jane Austen; what merits it would have? Insignificant acting, lifeless characters, tedious dialogue. One couldn't care less if that stiff bloke get the girl he claims to love - though it's hard to believe. Watching him proposing Elizabeth is almost embarrassing in its rigidness.

Portrait of a Marriage (1990– )

What a letdown

[3/10 · 7 November 2006]

First I have to say that I have read everything about this subject and I know it inside out, and I was excited about finally seeing it, too. But you have to read only the book this mini-series is based on to realize that it's not the true story of what really happened almost 90 years ago. It's loosely based on the facts, the rest is taken from the scriptwriter's imagination. And unfortunately these changes are anything but successful and mostly totally unnecessary.

Where do I begin? Vita and Violet didn't use the names Mitya and Lushka until their affair started, and during it Violet also called Vita Dmitri and Julian. It was Violet who chased Vita with a dagger when they were teenagers. The 'seduction' scene when their affair started Violet was much more passive than represented here and certainly didn't kiss Vita first. I could go on and on, these examples were all included when the series was only just started. Besides all these alterations from the facts, the characterizations are also all wrong. At times Vita behaves like a mad woman. Especially the scene where she saw from the newspaper Violet's engagement announcement is just ridiculous. Vita kept her surges of emotion inside. It was Violet who was temperamental and let her feelings (good or bad) show. All Vita did when she read it was that she nearly fainted, that's all. Being a gentle nature, Harold avoided confrontations in real life, but here he is sometimes pretty stern and accusing. Harold and Vita always discussed their intimate things in letters, not verbally. And Violet... I know that this series purposely concentrated on Vita and Harold, but that doesn't mean that all the other characters have to be mere puppets on the sidelines. Here she is totally one-dimensional character, and the lines gave to her are mostly embarrassingly shallow. Actually she was intelligent, gifted, quite an extraordinary woman who has rarely given the credit she deserves. I have always thought her much more interesting person than Vita. In this series her unhappiness, loneliness and her problems with her mother are totally ignored. Viewer has also little clue of her background and family, what kind of relation (and marriage) with Denys Trefusis she had or how hard she battled over Vita. Vita was the only love of her life, her raison d'etre, and if Harold suffered during affair, so did Violet. After it her life was in ruins, and it took time that she could pull herself back together again. Statue could have acted the role of Denys, that much depth his character has. Lady Sackville-West is just a badly drawn caricature; an annoying chatterbox with exaggerating french accent.

The series ends to the totally badly written scene in Amiens, and that was the end of this affair, according to scriptwriter. No, it continued a whole year after that, and it's ending was much more lingering and sad than what was presented here. But what one cares about the stupid ending if the whole series has been stupid from the start. I have to give some credit to actors, they tried to make best of those roles given to them though Janet McTeer as Vita is the only one who really shines through. One can't complain the settings either. All complaints go to director and most of all, scriptwriter. Instead of insightful character studies, there are too many sex scenes and bland conversation. Many of the scenes are too long, some are pointless and don't bring anything to the story line. On the other hand many details are shortened or omitted altogether. Especially there should have been more information about Vita's and Violet's youth, and how their friendship developed. This is one fascinating story which would have deserved a much better adaptation. Maybe someday someone will do it. At the moment one can make much more of this story by reading the actual book or Violet's letters to Vita, which are brilliant stuff.

Vanity Fair (1998)

My favourite novel, but not my favourite mini-series

[5/10 · 17 March 2004]

I have usually enjoyed tremendously British mini-series based on classic novels, but...

I read that wonderful novel some 15 years ago when I was still teenager and I fell in love with it instantly. There can't be many novels as witty, hilarious or ironic than this. Thackeray has a genius in understanding humanity all in its various forms. He is a objective spectator who sees all what's happening around him, and understands human nature incredibly well. He don't judge or praise anyone or anything. 'That's life' he shows us, and let the readers do their own convictions.

But then I saw this tv-series, and if I hadn't read the book first, maybe I wouldn't have bothered to do so after it either. You can't spoil a novel that good completely, but still that tv-series left much to hope for. Like in other mini-series, Tom Jones, made at the same time, there should have been a commentator in it (novelist's alter ego). One of Vanity Fair's strong points are those wonderful comments which Thackeray made throughout the book. Without them half the fun is missing.

I should also complain about annoyingly boisterous music, lack of colour and the casting, which wasn't that impressive in my opinion.

Well, of course I had great expectations, but if you haven't read the original novel, or think it's something unique, this adaption might not be that bad. After all, it's made by Brits and they rarely give us anything totally rubbish.

Pennies from Heaven (1978–1979)

An unforgettable memory from my youth.

[10/10 · 17 March 2004]

I was 14 when Pennies From Heaven came out on our TV. The year was 1989. I didn't see it from the start and I was very fortunate indeed than I managed to see it at all. I always remember that magical moment when I saw three women dancing and singing "You Rascal You". From that moment I was totally hooked. I hardly could wait the next week episodes, and after them I was floating somewhere in the sky for sometime.

After that TV-series I have never seen anything else which has affected me as it did. There was some magical aura about it, something which you can hardly explain. The actors were great, especially Sherilyn Campbell were adorable. Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters in that movie version were nothing compared to these original 'lovebirds'. And of course those songs, those wonderful partly forgotten old dance numbers were the salt and soul in Pennies From Heaven.

I think it goes without saying that the Brits are geniuses of making great TV-drama. And that TV-series is an unique example of their craftsmanship in that area.