Take 4: A Series of Murders
A little trouble with this update:
1) Couldn't upload images to Blogspot for some reason. Unfortunate, as I tracked down images for each DVD (Edited to add: Okay...got the pics up!)
2) Found it a little tough to make recommendations on single episodes of what, in essence, are series of programs.
3) Fourth of July and housesitting somewhere without broadband made getting this out a little more difficult.
Regardless, this time around we have four DVD's, all mysteries set in England. A little underwhelmed, overall, but I do what I can.
==========================
Agatha Christie's The Pale Horse (1997)
The Plot Thickens: A trail of clues and deaths leads to a bookie (who bets against people living past a certain date) and a coven witches (who curse people to die). What is really happening in this sleepy British town? Are people dying of natural causes, witchcraft...or murder?
I Know Them!: Not a damn person. Think this aired on the BBC or was an import to PBS or something.
Favorite Character: Didn't really have one.
Random Trivia: The title The Pale Horse, comes from the Book of Revelations in the Bible.
Great Quotes: Witch: (Hissing) "I...am...the CANDLE!" Policeman: "Right...boys, put the candle in the back of the van."
Curt's Take: Don't Bother - Not only was it hard to understand some of the British accents (this one had no subtitles), but it just wasn't engaging. Don't really have anything to commend this DVD (even the mystery itself was kind of weak). For a while I was thinking it wasn't bad enough to get one of the two lower ratings on my scale, but then I really can't think of any reason I'd recommend anyone even consider seeing this. Unfortunately, I fear the remaining three DVDs aren't going to fare much better.
Miss Marple Mysteries: The Body in the Library (1984)
In the Beginning: Colonel and Mrs. Bantry wake up to the screams of a maid, who claims she has found a body in their library. Sure enough...yep...a body.
The Plot Thickens: Jane Marple steps in to help her friends the Bantrys. Things get especially hairy when a hotel full of suspects with motive and/or opportunity emerges. Oh...and there's another body, but not in a library.
I Know Them!: Again, not a single person...although the woman playing Miss Marple (Jane Hickson) looks familiar, likely from her repeated exposure in this role on PBS, the BBC, A&E, or wherever else. Again, I think this was a British television import.
Favorite Character: Kind of like Dolly Bantry, Miss Marple's close friend. She's read a lot of detective fiction, and was both shocked and delighted to find herself right in the middle of an honest-to-goodness murder mystery.
Random Trivia: This was Joan Hickson's first portrayal of Miss Marple, one of Agatha Christie's greatest sleuths (the other being, of course, Hercule Poirot). From 1984 through 1992, she would portray the spinster detective 12 times on television.
Great Quotes: Nothing really great...but was amusing at the beginning how many times "body' and "library" were used in the same sentence. "Mary just said there's a body in the library." "What?" "A body in the library..." I see a drinking game...
Curt's Take: "Not a Priority," unless you're a big mystery buff, then I'd upgrade to "Worth Considering." First off, this was long. On the DVD, you could either watch it in straight through, or in three parts (I believe it aired in three parts on television). So, all in all, about 2h 40min. It was kind of neat how, more so at the beginning, the camera was very careful to include pictures of clocks, watches, timepieces, etc, so you, as a viewer, could try to put together a timeline of events for yourself. Although both this and The Pale Horse were based on Agatha Christie books, this one felt more like a classic mystery that you could track along with and try to solve. And like most mysteries, I changed my mind as to the culprit many times throughout...but the one I landed on at the end wasn't correct.
Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger's Drift (1997)
In the Beginning: An elderly woman goes into the woods to photograph flowers...and ends up stumbling upon something she shouldn't have seen. A couple hours later, she is found dead at home with a broken neck.
The Plot Thickens: Inspector Barnaby and Sergeant Troy enter the small village of Badger's Drift to investigate the death of the elderly woman, and uncover a circle of suspects that are also linked by a death in the past.
I Know Them!: Once again, a BBC series. A couple faces looked familiar, but nobody I specficially know from anything. However, got the feeling that if I watch the other episodes of this series, I'd start seeing some familiar faces.
Favorite Character: Hmm. Some pretty interesting characters in this group. Kind of liked Sergeant Troy, though...always on Barnaby's last nerve, and not really conscious of what he says half the time. Get the impression he's kind of new to the whole investigation thing...and has no filter between his brain and his mouth.
Random Trivia: The solo instrument that produces the melody in the title music is a theremin. It was invented by Russian scientist, Professor Leon Theremin, and was first demonstrated in 1920. It pre-dates the modern synthesizer by about fifty years but its uniqueness stems from the fact that it is played without actually being touched. Its electronic circuits are controlled by two antennas, left and right of the instrument, towards which the player moves his or her hands. The closer the right hand to one antenna, the higher the pitch. Similarly the proximity of the left hand to the other antenna controls the volume. The theremin has a range well in excess of eight octaves, going right down to zero, and is capable of all kinds of strange effects. These sounds have been put to use in science fiction and other films including Hitchcock's Spellbound (1945). This unique instrument has also been used on The Beach Boys' song 'Good Vibrations'.
Great Quotes: Barnaby (after Troy has made a particularly homophobic remark - "Troy, you are about as politically correct as a Nuremberg rally."
Curt's Take: "Worth Considering," for this episode...if you like mysteries. Maybe even if you don't. Think I'm going to check out the others in the series. This one kind of reminded me of a British Desperate Housewives, with some Murder, She Wrote thrown in. Another classic case of "I think it's this person...no, wait...it's this person," as I tried to guess the culprit. However, it was much more manageable to handle the twists and turns in this one than in The Body in the Library.
Inspector Lynley: A Great Deliverance (2001)
In the Beginning: In the English (yes, another British show) countryside, a priest enters a farmhouse, looking for its owners. There, he finds two bodies and a catatonic chubby girl with an axe.
The Plot Thickens: Inspector Tom Lynley (the eighth Earl of Asherton, Oxford-educated, etc) and Sergeant Barbara Havers (rough-around-the-edges with little in the way of social skills) are brought into Yorkshire to handle the case. Oh, and Lynley used to work there, but left after filing charges of corruption against several members of the police force, who later lost their jobs. So, yeah, he's not a very welcome sight there.
I Know Them!: Apparently the guy playing Inspector Lynley (Nathaniel Parker) has been in some other movies I've seen, but don't recognize him from anything. Again, another British-produced television show (and there are apparently about 16 more Lynley mysteries that have been produced)
Favorite Character: Whlie the above mysteries did some interesting development of suspects as characters, and their background and such, this one was the first that really went in detail into who the detectives were. Was really intrigued by Sergeant Havers (played by Sharon Small). Very rough around the edges, and paired with Lynley because she was causing trouble on the police force and her superiors figured Lynley was the most likely person to push her buttons and send her over the edge. Also, she is caring for her two invalid parents at home, is barely making ends meet, and is constantly under the threat of Social Services coming in and taking her parents away. Not used to people being nice to her, it would be interesting to see if she softens up a bit as the series progresses.
Random Trivia: This show (in two parts) aired on the PBS series Mystery! Although the series typically only highlights adaptations of British novels, an exception was made for A Great Deliverance (by Elizabeth George) because the setting and characters were on par with what one would typically find in a novel by Agatha Christie or Dorothy L. Sayers.
Great Quotes: "Let's see what forensics turns up." I only pulled this one out because it really kind of shows how mysteries have evolved with the times. You'd never catch Sherlock Holmes, Sam Spade, or Miss Marple saying that.
Curt's Take: "Not a Priority" for this episode...but it did pique my interest in the primary characters of Lynley and Havers to see how they develop. It didn't have the cast of suspects that Midsomer Murders above did, and at times drifted far enough away from the plot to lose my interest, but for people who like mysteries, it may open the door to a series that you actually enjoy, so I'm not going to say "Don't Bother," right off hand (which I would have, if this was a stand-alone story and not part of a larger effort). If you care more about the development of the sleuths than than the mystery...this may be a "Worth Considering."
1) Couldn't upload images to Blogspot for some reason. Unfortunate, as I tracked down images for each DVD (Edited to add: Okay...got the pics up!)
2) Found it a little tough to make recommendations on single episodes of what, in essence, are series of programs.
3) Fourth of July and housesitting somewhere without broadband made getting this out a little more difficult.
Regardless, this time around we have four DVD's, all mysteries set in England. A little underwhelmed, overall, but I do what I can.
==========================
Agatha Christie's The Pale Horse (1997)In the Beginning: A priest is found dead outside a theater by a local artist, who then becomes the primary suspect of the police. He sets out to prove his innocence.
The Plot Thickens: A trail of clues and deaths leads to a bookie (who bets against people living past a certain date) and a coven witches (who curse people to die). What is really happening in this sleepy British town? Are people dying of natural causes, witchcraft...or murder?
I Know Them!: Not a damn person. Think this aired on the BBC or was an import to PBS or something.
Favorite Character: Didn't really have one.
Random Trivia: The title The Pale Horse, comes from the Book of Revelations in the Bible.
Great Quotes: Witch: (Hissing) "I...am...the CANDLE!" Policeman: "Right...boys, put the candle in the back of the van."
Curt's Take: Don't Bother - Not only was it hard to understand some of the British accents (this one had no subtitles), but it just wasn't engaging. Don't really have anything to commend this DVD (even the mystery itself was kind of weak). For a while I was thinking it wasn't bad enough to get one of the two lower ratings on my scale, but then I really can't think of any reason I'd recommend anyone even consider seeing this. Unfortunately, I fear the remaining three DVDs aren't going to fare much better.
-------------------------------------
Miss Marple Mysteries: The Body in the Library (1984)In the Beginning: Colonel and Mrs. Bantry wake up to the screams of a maid, who claims she has found a body in their library. Sure enough...yep...a body.
The Plot Thickens: Jane Marple steps in to help her friends the Bantrys. Things get especially hairy when a hotel full of suspects with motive and/or opportunity emerges. Oh...and there's another body, but not in a library.
I Know Them!: Again, not a single person...although the woman playing Miss Marple (Jane Hickson) looks familiar, likely from her repeated exposure in this role on PBS, the BBC, A&E, or wherever else. Again, I think this was a British television import.
Favorite Character: Kind of like Dolly Bantry, Miss Marple's close friend. She's read a lot of detective fiction, and was both shocked and delighted to find herself right in the middle of an honest-to-goodness murder mystery.
Random Trivia: This was Joan Hickson's first portrayal of Miss Marple, one of Agatha Christie's greatest sleuths (the other being, of course, Hercule Poirot). From 1984 through 1992, she would portray the spinster detective 12 times on television.
Great Quotes: Nothing really great...but was amusing at the beginning how many times "body' and "library" were used in the same sentence. "Mary just said there's a body in the library." "What?" "A body in the library..." I see a drinking game...
Curt's Take: "Not a Priority," unless you're a big mystery buff, then I'd upgrade to "Worth Considering." First off, this was long. On the DVD, you could either watch it in straight through, or in three parts (I believe it aired in three parts on television). So, all in all, about 2h 40min. It was kind of neat how, more so at the beginning, the camera was very careful to include pictures of clocks, watches, timepieces, etc, so you, as a viewer, could try to put together a timeline of events for yourself. Although both this and The Pale Horse were based on Agatha Christie books, this one felt more like a classic mystery that you could track along with and try to solve. And like most mysteries, I changed my mind as to the culprit many times throughout...but the one I landed on at the end wasn't correct.
-------------------------------------
Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger's Drift (1997)In the Beginning: An elderly woman goes into the woods to photograph flowers...and ends up stumbling upon something she shouldn't have seen. A couple hours later, she is found dead at home with a broken neck.
The Plot Thickens: Inspector Barnaby and Sergeant Troy enter the small village of Badger's Drift to investigate the death of the elderly woman, and uncover a circle of suspects that are also linked by a death in the past.
I Know Them!: Once again, a BBC series. A couple faces looked familiar, but nobody I specficially know from anything. However, got the feeling that if I watch the other episodes of this series, I'd start seeing some familiar faces.
Favorite Character: Hmm. Some pretty interesting characters in this group. Kind of liked Sergeant Troy, though...always on Barnaby's last nerve, and not really conscious of what he says half the time. Get the impression he's kind of new to the whole investigation thing...and has no filter between his brain and his mouth.
Random Trivia: The solo instrument that produces the melody in the title music is a theremin. It was invented by Russian scientist, Professor Leon Theremin, and was first demonstrated in 1920. It pre-dates the modern synthesizer by about fifty years but its uniqueness stems from the fact that it is played without actually being touched. Its electronic circuits are controlled by two antennas, left and right of the instrument, towards which the player moves his or her hands. The closer the right hand to one antenna, the higher the pitch. Similarly the proximity of the left hand to the other antenna controls the volume. The theremin has a range well in excess of eight octaves, going right down to zero, and is capable of all kinds of strange effects. These sounds have been put to use in science fiction and other films including Hitchcock's Spellbound (1945). This unique instrument has also been used on The Beach Boys' song 'Good Vibrations'.
Great Quotes: Barnaby (after Troy has made a particularly homophobic remark - "Troy, you are about as politically correct as a Nuremberg rally."
Curt's Take: "Worth Considering," for this episode...if you like mysteries. Maybe even if you don't. Think I'm going to check out the others in the series. This one kind of reminded me of a British Desperate Housewives, with some Murder, She Wrote thrown in. Another classic case of "I think it's this person...no, wait...it's this person," as I tried to guess the culprit. However, it was much more manageable to handle the twists and turns in this one than in The Body in the Library.
-------------------------------------
Inspector Lynley: A Great Deliverance (2001)In the Beginning: In the English (yes, another British show) countryside, a priest enters a farmhouse, looking for its owners. There, he finds two bodies and a catatonic chubby girl with an axe.
The Plot Thickens: Inspector Tom Lynley (the eighth Earl of Asherton, Oxford-educated, etc) and Sergeant Barbara Havers (rough-around-the-edges with little in the way of social skills) are brought into Yorkshire to handle the case. Oh, and Lynley used to work there, but left after filing charges of corruption against several members of the police force, who later lost their jobs. So, yeah, he's not a very welcome sight there.
I Know Them!: Apparently the guy playing Inspector Lynley (Nathaniel Parker) has been in some other movies I've seen, but don't recognize him from anything. Again, another British-produced television show (and there are apparently about 16 more Lynley mysteries that have been produced)
Favorite Character: Whlie the above mysteries did some interesting development of suspects as characters, and their background and such, this one was the first that really went in detail into who the detectives were. Was really intrigued by Sergeant Havers (played by Sharon Small). Very rough around the edges, and paired with Lynley because she was causing trouble on the police force and her superiors figured Lynley was the most likely person to push her buttons and send her over the edge. Also, she is caring for her two invalid parents at home, is barely making ends meet, and is constantly under the threat of Social Services coming in and taking her parents away. Not used to people being nice to her, it would be interesting to see if she softens up a bit as the series progresses.
Random Trivia: This show (in two parts) aired on the PBS series Mystery! Although the series typically only highlights adaptations of British novels, an exception was made for A Great Deliverance (by Elizabeth George) because the setting and characters were on par with what one would typically find in a novel by Agatha Christie or Dorothy L. Sayers.
Great Quotes: "Let's see what forensics turns up." I only pulled this one out because it really kind of shows how mysteries have evolved with the times. You'd never catch Sherlock Holmes, Sam Spade, or Miss Marple saying that.
Curt's Take: "Not a Priority" for this episode...but it did pique my interest in the primary characters of Lynley and Havers to see how they develop. It didn't have the cast of suspects that Midsomer Murders above did, and at times drifted far enough away from the plot to lose my interest, but for people who like mysteries, it may open the door to a series that you actually enjoy, so I'm not going to say "Don't Bother," right off hand (which I would have, if this was a stand-alone story and not part of a larger effort). If you care more about the development of the sleuths than than the mystery...this may be a "Worth Considering."
posted by Curt at 11:37 PM
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