Change Your Image
kiwi43
Reviews
Quartet (2012)
Ideal Christmas Day Viewing
This film was the ideal one to relax & watch on the evening of Christmas Day. Loved everything about it - the setting, the music, the characterisation, and the music. I particularly liked picking out the actors I had seen in other roles ( such as Manuel from Fawlty Towers and Jim from The Vicar of Dibley). His Underneath the Arches was one of my favourite acts. For me though, in spite of opposition from Maggie Smith, Pauline Collins was the stand out, with her generosity, and her lapses of memory, and the way all the characters rallied around her. Good to see older people featuring in a film.
A great British Movie
Happy Valley (2014)
Compulsive Viewing
I must admit that there were times when I watched this through the gap in my fingers over my face - especially the scenes near the end of episodes 4 and 6 - but what a series. The acting from everyone from Ryan upwards, the creation of atmosphere, the dialogue, and the plot were first rate. I felt as if I had been through the wringer with the characters. Not comfortable viewing with the violence, but I would like to sit and watch it all again to see how everything tied up and to take more notice of the back- stories of the characters. Daniel, for example, and his fiancé, and Roz.
I did find it a bit unlikely that Tommy would have survived undetected for so long with his injuries, but that's poetic licence I guess.
Mary Poppins (1964)
Ideal Christmas Viewing
This was shown on NZ TV on Christmas morning, without ads, & I saw it for the first time since 1964. What a treat it was - no need to sit & watch everything (perhaps it was a bit longer than necessary), but some wonderful moments and great music in the background. I had forgotten just how beautiful Julie Andrews looked, and her voice was so pure. My only complaint was Dick VAn Dyke's accent, but his dancing was superb. Am planning a trip to DVD store to get a copy for when the grandchildren come to stay. This and the musical of Oliver (another recent TV treat)are so much more entertaining and memorable than the modern kids' movies.
Place of Execution (2008)
Another Great UK Drama
I found this adaptation of Val McDermid's novel to be extremely atmospheric and well acted. The actors chosen to play the "older" versions were uncannily like their younger counterparts, especially George Bennett. In NZ this was broken into two episodes which is perhaps why I couldn't figure out/remember Catherine's early relationship with the Manor. In fact, my only quibble with the programme was that Catherine's phone call to, and the appearance of, her mother near the end were very contrived. Apart from that, I thought this was an excellent production. I have gone back to reread the book which,now that I know what happens, gives the game away in a subtle way in the prologue. The TV adaptation can't quite bring in the feeling of the book - the first part set at the time of the Moors Murder, & the isolation & bleakness of Scardale.
I didn't find the time shifting confusing but in the book there are two separate books and Catherine is writing a book, not doing a TV documentary.
M*A*S*H (1972)
One of the top 10 TV episodes ever
This was the episode when Henry gets to go home. I have seen it four or five times before but caught it again (yet another re-run) yesterday. It gets me every time, even though I know what is going to happen - this time the eyes started to water as Henry stepped out of the tent in his new suit, & I sniffed my way to the end. I have often wondered if the cast knew the whole script before the show, & have happened on a blog by a scriptwriter kenlevine.blogspot.com which answers this question. Apparently the cast was given the script of the Operating Theatre scene only minutes before it was filmed which helps explain the atmosphere. The silent fade out was brilliant. It remains one of my top 10 episodes.
Coronation Street (1960)
Comfort Television
I have watched this, irregularly for the first ten years , but for the last 30 years have rarely missed an episode. It is part of Tuesdays & Thursdays. I usually have a crossword or sudoku at the same time, but it is something to look forward to. Nobody phones at that time.
I admit that Coronation Street does vary in quality from time to time. There are far more unlikeable characters now - Charlie, Tracy, Cilla and David for example, & some of the story lines drag on and on, but there are so many moments of brilliant dialogue, such as Rita's put downs of Norris, and some of the discussion between Kirk & the lovely Fizz. We are a year behind in New Zealand but it doesn't seem to matter if you read of what's happening in English magazines or the Internet. Here's to another 30 years!
Cracker (1993)
Cracker -Series 1 to 3 on DVD
I really enjoyed this series when it was first shown and have caught several episodes as repeats, but was recently given the DVDs of the complete original series, and rediscovered Fitz and his family, and his colleagues. By watching the episodes in order, and watching a whole story each day (I was on holiday from work) it was possible to see the development in character and relationships.The fact that I already knew what was going to happen made me note things I had not seen originally. They are not whodunnits, but whydunnits. My personal favourite, Men Should Weep, brought me to tears. The acting throughout the series is brilliant, the dialogue scintillating, and the settings atmospheric. It is so good to see real looking people,warts and all, not the perfect faces/ bodies of so much American TV.
Heavenly Creatures (1994)
So Brilliantly Clever
This movie really brings back the memories of NZ in the 1950's. The case caused a furore in the newspapers (tv was years away). In our house the descriptions of the trial were removed from the paper before the young teenagers in the house could read them and learn of such perverse goings on, and it was not really until I attended University in Christchurch in the sixties, that I became familiar with the case. At some stage most students took the trip to Victoria Park to " see where it happened".
Peter Jackson has bought it all back brilliantly, from the portrayal of the Girls' High School at the start, in the contrast between the homes of the two girls, to the fatal outing.
Am adding to this review (2011) as I have just read the newly published book, So Brilliantly Clever (a a quote from Pauline's diary) by Peter Graham, which adds a great deal of background to the story, as well as revealing what happened later to both girls. For fans, a great read and answers a lot of questions. Rather disturbing too to read of the girls' smirking & giggling through the court proceedings.