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DVD Martin Chuzzlewit
Greed, selfishness, and hypocrisy drive another rollicking story from Charles Dickens. Martin Chuzzlewit features two Martin Chuzzlewits: An elderly and extremely wealthy one (the magnificent Paul Scofield, A Man for All Seasons), who loathes the sleazy, grasping relatives that hope to profit from his death; and his grandson (Ben Walden), a well-intentioned but self-absorbed young man who has fallen in love with his grandfather's ward, Mary Graham (Pauline Turner)--and because the elder Martin disapproves, the younger Martin has been disowned. In the gap between these two are a host of schemers, crooks, and even one or two good people--but at the center of it all is the pompous and oily Seth Pecksniff (Tom Wilkinson, In the Bedroom, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), whose manipulations and lechery make him one of Dicken's most memorable villains. Whirling in his orbit are the goodhearted but ineffectual Tom Pinch (Philip Franks); the brutish Jonas Chuzzlewit (Keith Allen); Pecksniff's daughters, the "volatile hummingbird" Mercy (Julia Sawalha, Absolutely Fabulous) and the bitter, overlooked Charity (Emma Chambers, The Vicar of Dibley); and a host of other vivid Dickensian creations, all given juice and vitality by dozens of outstanding British actors, anchored by Scofield's magisterial presence. Because of his characters' outsized personalities and his plots' wild reversals of fortune, Dickens is ideally suited to dramatization, and Martin Chuzzlewit takes full advantage of his strengths. Lurid events like murder and blackmail contrast with rich psychological portraits, making Martin Chuzzlewit an opulent narrative feast. --Bret Fetzer
Prior to obtaining this DVD, I was not familiar with Dickens' "Martin Chuzzlewit". Therefore, I will not attempt to compare the film to the book. The comparison thing along with a plot synopsis has been done previously, on this board, and it has been done very well. After viewing this BBC presentation I concur with the previous glowing reviews. This production of "Martin Chuzzlewit" is outstanding in every way. Most of all the acting, by all involved, is stupendous.
Tom Wilkinson (of "Full Monty", "Wilde" and many more films), as the extremely pompadoured and very hypocritical Seth Pecksniff is unbelievably good. I've seen Wilkinson in many films each time his performances are wonderful. His Seth Pecksniff is no exception-he is fantastic, as an outwardly solicitous man, but in reality, a very greasy opportunist-fantastic! Keith Allen, as the extremely dastardly Jonas Chuzzlewit is also great playing one of Dickens' "darkest" villains with relish. Paul Scofield, as the elder Martin Chuzzlewit is magnificent as a seemingly dotty old man; however in reality, he is a "see all and know all" wise old man. I've named just a very few of the great actors in this presentation. There are many many more.
As in many of Dickens' books there are many characters involved in many" plot twists" , unsavory happenings, reversal of fortunes, etc. This BBC presentation has done a superb job of dramatizing and of bring this story to the screen. The era being depicted is presented very well with the costumes, carriages, props, hairstyles, etc., seeming, to me, to be "spot on".
If you love a good Dickens' story and love good acting buy this DVD.
Amazing acting brings this tale to light
What can truly be said of this magnificent adaptation of MARTIN CHUZZLEWIT is that the incredible ensemble of fine veteran actors makes this Dickens classic leap from the page.Elizabeth Spriggs as Mrs.Gamp and Emma Chambers as Charity Pecksniff particularly made me laugh with glee as well as caused such a deep sense of respect for these wonderful ladies of the theatre.The entire cast is absolutely over the top in all ways.Truly one of the most enjoyable adaptations of anything brought to the screen.You must pay careful attention to the low English slang used by some of the characters.It can be a bit dodgey for these American ears.BUY THIS.THIS IS A KEEPER.
GREAT Escape Entertainment
Truly, one of the best I have ever seen and yes, do like to watch over and over again...
I had a "Dickens" of a time in the mid 90's trying to find this video a while after it was first presented on PBS, but at the then discounted price of $60, it was very well worth it!
It's an enthralling tale you become one with...you feel as though you are an observer on the sidelines trying to keep score as this thoroughly amusing bunch of people go from scene to scene, fleshing out Dickens' tale that portrays many of the worst and also the good and decent qualities of human behavior. The actors are THAT believable and so right in their respective roles!
I find though that I have to listen carefully in a few parts of this story, as the words said in the thick English slangy accent from a few of the characters can pass me by.
Altogether this is a truly superb show that unlike so much else out there, I will never tire of seeing again and again!
Others here have done a good job of reviewing this excellent mini-series adaptation of Bleak House, so I will focus briefly on the DVD from BBC/Warner. Bleak House is conveniently divided into eight episodes of about 50 min. each. Four episodes appear on each side of a two-sided disc. Each episode is in turn divided into chapters that can be accessed quickly from the menu. The 4:3 (fullscreen) presentation looks pretty good for the most part, and I didn't notice any problems with dust or scratches on the source print. The picture does, however, vary somewhat in sharpness from scene to scene. Colors and contrast, for the most part, look very good. For a made-for-TV production, the overall video quality is quite watchable. The audio is also nice and clear. Though there are no... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Ross Devenish DVD Release Date: Released the 06 September 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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One of Charles Dickens' darkest yet also most romantic novels gets a lavish treatment in this BBC mini-series of Our Mutual Friend. The heir to a great fortune made from the garbage business is drowned--and his death affects everyone. His father's manager, Noddy Boffin (Peter Vaughan, Brazil), gets the money, to the alarm of snooty society. The man who pulled the heir's body out of the Thames is accused of his murder; his daughter, Lizzie Hexam (Keeley Hawes, Tipping the Velvet), finds herself pursued by both an idle gentleman (Paul McGann, Withnail & I) and an obsessed, violent schoolteacher (David Morrissey, Basic Instinct 2). The heir's intended bride, Bella Wilfer (Anna Friel, Me Without You, gets socially adopted by the Boffins, where she... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Paul McGann - Keeley Hawes Director(s): Julian Farino DVD Release Date: Released the 06 September 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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The BBC has raised the mini-series to an astonishing creative peak. A prime example is the 1994 production of Middlemarch, based on the classic novel by George Eliot, which juxtaposes morals and money, grand ambitions with petty jealousies, and pursuits of the mind with bodily needs. A handsome young doctor named Lydgate (Douglas Hodge, Vanity Fair) comes to the provincial town of Middlemarch to start a new hospital; a headstrong young woman named Dorothea (Juliet Aubrey, The Mayor of Casterbridge) yearns to contribute to the greater good of the world. These idealists enter into marriages that derail all their intentions and lead them into lives they never imagined. The network of characters in this six-episode program, ranging up and down the societal ladder, create... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Anthony Page DVD Release Date: Released the 19 April 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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The first two episodes of this BBC miniseries only hint at the delights to come. A lawsuit aimed at church reform in the town of Barchester forces a decent middle-aged clergyman (the august Donald Pleasence, best known in the U.S. for the Halloween movies) into a moral crisis and a conflict with his son-in-law, a pompous archdeacon (Nigel Hawthorne, The Madness of King George). The gracefully written and acted narrative shows glimpses of dry wit--but in episode 3, the arrival of a new bishop (Clive Swift, Keeping Up Appearances), his imperious wife (Geraldine McEwan, The Magdalene Sisters), and his devious chaplain (Alan Rickman, Truly Madly Deeply, the Harry Potter movies) launches The Barchester Chronicles into a satirical power... More Info about this DVD Director(s): David Giles (III) DVD Release Date: Released the 25 January 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Novelist Anthony Trollope doesn't have the name recognition of his Victorian contemporary Charles Dickens, but he has all of Dickens's strengths and more--invigorating plots, eccentric characters bursting with life, and an insightful, panoramic view of English society. He Knew He Was Right starts with an idyllic romance between the well-off Louis Trevelyan (Oliver Dimsdale) and Emily Rowley (Laura Fraser). But when the rakish Col. Osborne (Bill Nighy, Love Actually) begins to visit her regularly, Louis becomes jealous--and the pressures of Victorian society soon turn this jealousy into an all-consuming possession that could destroy the lives of Louis, Emily, and their young son. This dark and harrowing story is deftly juxtaposed with two related tales: A blithely... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Tom Vaughan DVD Release Date: Released the 25 January 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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