We'll Meet Again Review

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(More customer reviews)Compelling war drama about a USA Air Base in England. Struggling B-17 crews find solace among British ladies. The Yank's money is appreciated but not always their ways with alcohol and women. This is a story of the small village of Market Wetherby and it's war-weary locals, and how they cope with the new arrivals, American bomber soldiers who freshly join the war, and expect to win overnight.
The British TV has always been excellent in period television series, war dramatizations, and this is no exception. War nostalgia. It is surpurb, with added interest of half a cast of Americans joining British actors. Brits have the preserved buildings to pull off a period series. They use that to advantage. Beautiful 1943 scenery, costumes, props. This show was actually filmed in the 80s but because of the historical setting, it is a timeless DVD set; classic. Perfect for those with war interest, awesome for those interested in what it was like living in a country waiting to be invaded by Hitler's army. It is something of a cousin series to the more recent homeland war drama of "Foyles War" (a must for all British Drama fans) and "Enemy at the Door" (also good).
WE'LL MEET AGAIN cleverly mixes in actual bomber air strip and bombing raid footage. But much of the action takes place in the village homes and the local pub. Dr. Helen Dereham (by Susannah York) and Maj. Jim Kiley (Michael Shannon) are only two that show the extraordinary work that war leaders had to complete, as well as the struggles romantically of working so closely in life/death living. There's is not the only romance. Plenty of hardship and lives lost. Very believable, although I'm too young to know first-hand, being a Baby Boomer.
The series ends well; but with a potential for another season, which, alas, never came. This set has no subtitles or CC. It's box warning of partial nudity refers to one breast exposed for 3 seconds.
My wife and I both enjoyed this, both sorry there were no additional episodes after the 13 provided in this set.
Episode details (each about 53 min.):
1 ALL DAY AND EVERY DAY-Market Wetherby, Suffolk, April 1943. American Air Force arrives in England ungraciously.
2 HANDS ACROSS THE SEA-Cocky American crews fail to perform well in the air & on the local ground.
3 THE MILK RUN-Letty's Uncle Sid arrives with contraband booze while she falls for a Yank on a 'milk run'-safe mission.
4 ONE STEP FORWARD,TWO STEPS BACK-Some romance buds but overall relations remain tense.
5 THE BIG ONE-Market Wetherby & the American Base find some agreeable relationships. 'The Big One' mission heads over Germany.
6 UP THE SMOKE-Some Yanks get London R&R while Dr. Dereham ponders her feelings between her injured husband & US Maj Kylie.
7 FIGHTING MEN-2 men in English woman's lives seems to become a minor epidemic, plus secrets are found out.
8 A WING AND A PRAYER-Yank marries a local just prior to a dangerous raid.
9 YOU'LL NEVER KNOW-2 Brit wives contemplate continued relations with Yanks. 3 sec. of female nudity.
10 OLD ENOUGH TO FIGHT-Maj Kiley halts his romantic relationship causing poor results at work.
11 ONE DAY AT A TIME-Maj Kiley gets more active in the air & personally as death touches others lives.
12 EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES-Dr. Dereham adds more bedside time to her manner dealing with Maj Kiley's injuries.
13 THE END OF THE BEGINNING-It's love & war and time to choose permanent sides on romance issues.

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Foyle's War - The German Woman (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)PBS's ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre introduces Foyle's War; a four-episode murder-mystery series set in historic Hastings, England (i.e. The Battle of Hastings) at the onset of World War II. This is a much welcome installment for PBS Mystery! devotees as corporate sponsors have, unfortunately, been few-and-far-between in recent years. Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle is perfectly portrayed by Michael Kitchen, a Masterpiece Theatre alumnus, and he lends an easy-going charm and compassion to the serious and determined Foyle, who calmly tracks down the assorted murderers.
"The German Woman" starts the series off with a flourish (and two murders). It boasts an enviable cast of redoubtable British actors (Edward Fox, Robert Hardy, David Horovitch, Dominic Mafham, Rosamund Pike, etc...) and contains wonderful production values, so that the period atmosphere of English village life is fully evoked. The plot concerns the murder of the German wife of a wealthy Englishman and, despite powerful anti-German sentiments, Foyle focuses on treating the case as he would any other murder inquiry -- by rooting out the murderer and bringing them to justice. This is Foyle's strength and his Achilles' heel. As Foyle is so intent on justice, his superiors will not release him from his civic duties -- much to his chagrin. Foyle would rather be supporting the war effort by fighting in the front lines. To complicate matters, Foyle's son, Andrew, has signed up with the RAF as a pilot. Foyle's world is quickly unfurling through events that he cannot control, yet, ironically, he must maintain control in his district -- else chaos ensues. This intelligent and thoughtful series, and especially this premier episode, is highly recommended for viewers who enjoy a well-crafted mystery. In addition, they will be transported back to an incredibly dangerous and courageous time in world history by this realistically produced series.

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Mother Love (1989) Review

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(More customer reviews)Maybe I am romanticizing this Mystery (or was it Masterpiece Theatre) presentation, but a lot of other people still talk about it. IN FACT, a dear friend of mine was talking about Mother Love and remembering Diana Rigg's wonderfully chilling performance. I want a copy for me, but I really want to get him a copy. If you ever saw I Claudius and shuddered at Livila's knack for poisoning people's bodies, you will enjoy Mother Love. If you marveled at Nancy Marchand's noteworthy performance in the first season of the Sopranos at Toni's mother, you will enjoy Mother Love. What showers were to Psycho, marzipan is to Mother Love. It is an interesting thriller and psychological profile. The rest of the cast and the whole production is worthy of Rigg's main character. The world deserves to get goosebumps from watching this miniseries from BBC or Thames or whoever made this happen.

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Agatha Christie: The Secret Adversary Review

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(More customer reviews)Part of a very hard to find series called PARTNERS IN CRIME, written by Agatha Christie, starring Francesca Annis, and James Warwick. The series is rich in production value, design and style set against the vintage background of England in the 1920's and 1930's. This series was the first complete VHS series released featuring Christie characters...before Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot were filmed and released! Beautifully done, humorous, the characters meld together as if born to do so. Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, having met during the war, reunite and propose to become adventurers, solving mysteries for pay. Begun as a lark, they soon stumble onto a bizarre international plot to overthrow the government of England. Who is this mysterious Mr Brown, the criminal mastermind that many witnesses have met, but cant describe, that frightens all who meet him? And where is the secret treaty thought to have been lost during the sinking of the Lusitania? Many plot twists and turns, a budding romance, and the quick wits and ingenuity displayed by Annis and Warwick make this one of the finest reproductions of Christie's written work seen. A must have for any mystery lover's collection.

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Part of a BBC Movie Collection called Partners in Crime, on VHS Video. The Secret Adversary was only the second book every written by Agatha Christie, and features Tommy and Tuppence, a duo of likeable upper-class detectives. International intrigue, secret treaties, disguises, and blackmail follow this roguishly charming 1920s couple in their globetrotting quest to unravel the riddle of their disappearing client, disappearing diplomatic papers, and a devious plot that goes back to the sinking of the Lusitania. DAME AGATHA CHRISTIE (1890-1976) wrote more than 80 books, and is the best-selling fiction writer of all time, with more than one billion copies in print in over 100 languages.

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Place of Execution Review

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(More customer reviews)I watched A Place of Execution on Masterpiece because I had read and loved the book. For the most part, the movie version was well done. There was good casting and great performances throughout. Unfortunately, the script changed too many key elements from the book -- and these changes detracted rather than added to the story. I don't want to go into specific detail about these changes because I'd have to put in too many spoilers in order to describe them. You'll have to read the book and watch the movie for yourself to decide what you think. I suspect if I hadn't read the book first, I might have like the movie more. If you'd like to read my review of the book, it's under the Kindle version of the book (no spoilers).

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On a freezing December night in 1963, 13-year-old Alison Carter took her dog for a walk on the moors in Scardale, a secluded Derbyshire hamlet, and was never seen again. For newly-promoted Detective Inspector George Bennett (Lee Ingleby), his first missing persons case his first chance to prove himself to his new bosses ultimately launched a superstar career. As the entire country watched his investigation, Bennett s obsession with the Carter case turned up enough evidence to see his suspect hanged. But though he was hailed a hero by the people of Scardale, and by his peers, the missing body of Alison Carter left a lingering cloud. It is that cloud that compels controversial filmmaker Catherine Heathcote (Juliet Stevenson) to turn her camera to Bennett more than four decades later. But when the film about this notorious case leads her to something more sinister, Catherine struggles to understand why questions from forty years ago have different answers today. Based on the novel by award-winning author Val McDermid, Place Of Execution is a gripping psychological thriller, told in the present and the past, that blurs the line between reality and illusion.

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Inspector Lewis: Pilot & Series 1 (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)We fans in North America have been duped by PBS video! It was bad enough that we endure a lazy DVD production that is 2 years behind what's available in the UK and simply applies the "Masterpiece Mystery" broadcast version of the show onto video. That is to say, one must endure annoying PBS ads; a superficial intro by host Alan Cumming; an unacceptable preview that spoils some surprises for anyone hoping to enjoy the episode freshly; and a cruel removal of Barrington Pheloung's end credit theme music for the show, which I've therefore never heard.
HOWEVER, each of these episodes is missing about 10 minutes of story that has been edited out so that PBS can air the show in its 90 minute time slot. I found this out when I realized that my "Inspector Morse" DVDs released by Carleton Video always ran about 1 hour and 34 minutes, and asked PBS if "Lewis" should really be longer than the DVDs' 1 hour and 24 minutes. They had the courtesy to admit the truth. Why it's necessary for PBS (which has long publicized itself as commercial free) to edit out 10 instead of 3 minutes is beyond me, but we're missing out on details and texture in the story telling that is available to UK viewers and DVD buyers.
It is one thing if PBS decided to do this for its on-air version, but Shop PBS hasn't had the decency to restore the original footage back into the DVD release; even more supposedly commercial studios like Fox Home Video treat fans better than this! Yet, what's especially unacceptable about all this is that PBS has made it impossible for a more considerate and honest company like Carleton Video to do the program justice by releasing the full versions of the episodes. This is because, according to ITV America, PBS has acquired exclusive rights to manufacture and distribute the DVDs in North America. So, PBS hasn't just released a bad product for fans of the show, but has prevented other companies from doing a better job. What disgusting and monopolistic behavior for an entity officially dedicated to serving the public. When it comes to Inspector Lewis, it has carried out a willful public disservice!
I ask all "Inspector Lewis" fans to protest to WGBH PBS (feedback@wgbh.org) and to write to ITV.

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Inspector Lewis Series 1 (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)2008's "Inspector Lewis I" features Kevin Whately as Detective Inspector Robbie Lewis, formerly of the Inspector Morse series, now on his own with the Thames Valley police force in a highly enjoyable three part initial series.
Inspector Lewis is paired with young Detective Sergeant James Hathaway (Laurence Fox), working a series of murder cases in and around Oxford University. One case, "Whom The Gods Would Destroy", concerns an almost forgotten student secret society, whose members start dying in an unnatural fashion. As his logical suspects continue to die, Inspector Lewis must play off the surviving members against each other to find the path to a surprising killer. Another case, "Old School Ties", involves a convict turned author who is invited to speak at the Oxford Student Union and ends up murdered, along with one of the students. The suspects include a collection of rather selfish and heartless students, an ex-SAS soldier, and a former love interest of Inspector Lewis. A third case, "Expiation", presents Lewis with the equally unappetizing challenges of two suspicious suicides and a public speaking opportunity.
The cases are presented in a deliberately paced manner, as Inspector Lewis and Sergeant Hathaway get the clues at the same rate as the audience. Lewis and Hathaway methodically eliminate suspects; there are no magical solutions and sometimes the bad guys seem to get there first. Lewis is the crusty, intuitive, and old-fashioned cop; Sergeant Hathaway is the stoic and dutiful subordinate. Some of the fun comes when the cases involve some arcane piece of literature or theology, or the use of modern information technology, on which subjects the well-educated Hathaway is only too eager to help his boss. Lewis must also interact with a female chief inspector not wedded to the old boys network or ways of solving cases. The format nicely mixes suspense, humanity, and humor, and avoids insulting the audience with easy and obvious solutions to the mysteries.
"Inspector Lewis I" is highly recommended to fans of Masterpiece Mystery Theater as a fresh and interesting spinoff from an old favorite.

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Inspector Robert Lewis (Kevin Whately), protégé of the legendary Inspector Morse (John Thaw), and his brilliant new partner, Detective Sergeant James Hathaway (Laurence Fox, Island At War) return to the streets of Cambridge and the halls of Oxford University with three brand new mysteries to unravel.Whom the Gods Would Destroy: When Oxford graduate Dean Greely is found dead near his run-down house-boat, detectives Lewis and Hathaway are thrown into a delicate murder case which implicates one of the University s most prominent figures college Principal Sefton Linn. But as Lewis and Hathaway soon discover, Linn was not always so respectable. As an undergraduate, he was a member of The Sons of the Twice Born, a hedonistic group that aspired to the principals of Dionysus, and who once killed in an attempt to experience the ultimate drug: Adrenochrome, found in the human adrenal gland. Dean Greely was also a member. But just a Lewis is preparing to make an arrest, his prime suspect Linn is also murdered, forcing the team to consider that Greely was not killed to keep past secrets buried, but to fulfill someone s clever and intricately planned revenge fantasy. Now Lewis and Hathaway are in a race to discover the identity of the group s victim twenty years ago before the remaining Sons are killed.Old School Ties: When bright young Jo Gilchrist is found murdered in a hotel room, detectives Lewis and Hathaway are drawn into a case driven by celebrity, scheming and dangerous sexual politics that brings Lewis face to face with his past.The murdered girl is one of three ambitious Oxford students who have invited Nicky Turnbull, a convicted computer hacker turned best-selling celebrity author, to give a lecture at the University Student s Union. But when Turnbull is also killed, Lewis and Hathaway believe Gilchrist s death may have been a mistake. Turning their attention away from the machinations of a loose alliance of driven students, they begin to look at the numerous enemies Turnbull made those he stole money from, those he stole information from, the fellow prisoners whose stories he stole in order to make his book a best seller, and perhaps even his wife Lewis old flame.

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Masterpiece Theater: Me & Mrs Jones (2002) (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)First aired on Masterpiece Theatre, this charming TV-movie stars Robson Green (Touching Evil, Reckless) and Caroline Goodall (The Mists of Avalon). Set in England, Green plays a tabloid reporter writing under the name "Mrs. Jones," who is assigned by his boss to try to get some dirt on the prime minister, Goodall. Ingratiating himself into her re-election campaign, he finds himself drawn to her, and must weigh his feelings against his assignment, while dodging the scrutiny of her staff.
It's a lovely, romantic movie, not to be taken too seriously. This point should be stressed as much occurs in the movie which takes a great deal of disbelief. Think of it as a modern fairy tale that sometimes surprises you. Well-acted by all, as I've come to expect from these productions, and Green and Goodall have nice chemistry together. In summary, it's fluff, but it's intelligent fluff.
[As a film note, both Keeley Hawes and Peter Firth (MI-5/Spooks television series actors) appear in this movie, although never in the same scenes.)

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Love and politics don’t mix. Prepare for an explosive romance.Politics makes for strange bedfellows, indeed. Robson Green (Reckless, Touching Evil) portrays a Fleet Street tabloid writer who earns his keep airing the private doings of public figures. His next story is going to take him right to the top. The snooping columnist, who writes under the pseudonym Mrs. Jones, secretly infiltrates 10 Downing Street in an effort to reveal the Prime Minister’s intimate personal details and deflate her re-election campaign. But once inside, he finds not scandal but true love–with the married Prime Minister herself. This secret affair may end both his career and the PM’s political hopes, but the heart doesn’t always listen to logic.Caroline Goodall (Schindler’s List, The Princess Diaries) co-stars as the British Prime Minister in Me and Mrs. Jones, a winning romantic drama propelled by gossip, scandal, and outrage, as well as powerhouse performances from two of today’s top talents.

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The Road from Coorain (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)I think this is a wonderful adaptation of a wonderful novel. The acting is superb. The cinematography exquisite. Juliet Stevenson and Tim Guinee are extraordinary. It is well worth your time.

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Sherlock Holmes - The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) Review

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(More customer reviews)With the release of this feature and "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," all 14 classic films by Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce will have finally been released in a quality DVD format. The UCLA Theatre Archives has done an outstanding job in restoring and thus preserving these great films from 35mm master copies into the digital format, sometimes literally being forced to piece together the celluloid remnants they found. It took the archivists years to complete the entire project, but is well worth the wait. The result is that the black and white images seem as fresh today as when the films were released to theatres more than 40 years ago. The archivists deserve a hearty thanks from all movie fans concerned with preserving America's classic cinema heritage for future generations to enjoy.
Atmospherically, "The Hound of the Baskervilles" is arguably the best of the 14 Holmes films, and the only one based specifically on a Conan Doyle story. It, and "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," are the only two "period" films in the series and run longer, the remainder taking place in then modern-day England and America of the late 30s and early 40s and run about 90 minutes each. In both "Hound" and "Adventures," Holmes dons his deerstalker cap, popularized by original Strand Magazine illustrator Sidney Paget who made the image synonymous with the great detective. It is interesting to note that in the first of the non-period films in the series, Holmes reaches for his handy deerstalker, but is stopped by Watson. "Holmes," Watson said, "you promised." Leaving the deerstalker on the peg, Holmes grabs a "modern" hat instead.
Rathbone is especially sharp in "Hound of the Baskervilles," and is partnered by Bruce, who plays a bumbling Watson throughout the 14 films that was not Conan Doyle's vision of the great
sleuth's biographical "Boswell." Nonetheless, the pairing is hugely entertaining and satisfying.
The creation of the moor, the sinister grimpen mire and truly terrifying hound remains fantastic and does much to engender this story as one of Conan Doyle's most popular with modern-day
readers and viewers alike.
The final scene represents the only reference any of the 14 films made to Holmes' "seven-percent" cocaine habit as Rathbone asks Bruce to retrieve "the needle." The scene, criticized as too risque by 1939 audiences, caused the film's producers to make a conscious decision to omit any additional mention of Holmes' recreational drug use in future outings.
I only wish that Rathbone and Bruce had lived to see their great work released to new audiences in this pristine DVD condition.

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The Hound Of The BaskervillesThe most celebrated tale of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s canon, ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’ is set in the Victorian Age and was originally released by Twentieth Century-Fox in 1939.It is the first of fourteen Sherlock Holmes films starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.When Sir Charles Baskerville is killed outside of Baskerville Hall, his good friend Dr. Mortimer (Lionel Atwill) fears that the curse of the Baskervilles has struck once again.Mortimer enlists the help of Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone), before yet another Baskerville can succumb to the evil legend.Sir Henry Baskerville (Richard Greene) arrives in London to claim his inheritance.Mortimer takes Sir Henry to 221b Baker Street and expresses his fear for Sir Henry’s life.Baskerville soon learns that along with the grand mansion on the moor, comes a devilish curse, a curious butler (John Carradine) and a cast of bizarre neighbors.Holmes, pressed with "other business," sends Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) to accompany Sir Henry to the dreary moor to protect the young Baskerville from the legend of the wicked hound.Of course, with danger afoot, Sherlock Holmes may not be so far from the scene as is assumed.Special Features -Audio Commentary with David Stuart Davies -Selected Theatrical Trailers -Production Notes By Richard Valley -Photo Gallery Run Time- 80 minutes

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Agatha Christie's Marple: Series 2 (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Sleeping Murder seems to refer mostly to what was done to the original book. Obviously considering Christie's mysteries too mannerly, the scriptwriters invented a troupe of actors who sleep around with each other, then changed the step-sister in the plot to a real sister so some incest could be added; by the time the heroine breaks off her engagement to her fiance, it is a mild denoument, but at least consistent.
In By the Pricking of My Thumbs, Miss Marple is injected into a plot where she is totally unncessary; and rather than the happy, intelligent couple we know from Christie's books, we are presented with Tommy as a bumbling, insensitive beaurocrat and Tuppence as a depressed boozer (with some unexpected company, since the local clergyman is also an alcoholic, of course).
The Moving Finger is much better in plot alignment, even though it opens showing the hero writhing in bed with various women (thankfully, only one at a time). But here the costume production details were messed up pretty badly: the (very) busty governess is about to explode from the low-cut cocktail dress she is wearing early in the morning as she oversees her young charges (in which any sudden movement would certainly have added graphically to their education); and when the hero's sister is shown seated at a formal dinner party eating with her gloves on, I laughed aloud; who made this episode, 21st century Americans?
All of this is a real shame, since a lot of thought and money obviously went into the period detail, and the acting is top-notch; but the representation of 1950's behavior is so unrealistic that it counteracts all the effort put into the visualization of the small towns and their surroundings. I've added an additional star from my earlier review, since the producers really did apparently try to give us 1952 England; but the production was forced to be so post-modern friendly, that they lost the originality and reality that would have made these episodes much better editions.
Had they considered a series focusing Miss Marple's sophisticated nephew, with new story lines, it might have been fascinating; but trying to hang onto some thin thread of the original plots, while taking all the chracters from 2006 and putting them into period settings, was not a convincing combination.

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As seen on the PBS Mystery! series Four all-new, full-length mysteries bring you a Miss Marple like no other. Geraldine McEwan (Vanity Fair, The Magdalene Sisters) returns as the spinster sleuth, as shrewd and sagacious as ever. Breathing new life into Agatha Christie’s novels, these intricately plotted and thoroughly engaging whodunits feature the richly detailed settings, lush cinematography, and imaginative screenplays that won Series 1 overwhelming critical acclaim and an Emmy® nomination. McEwan imbues Miss Marple with a kindly sparkle and sly wit that prove "irresistible," raves TV Guide. "Not your mother’s Miss Marple," says the Associated Press. Sterling supporting casts that include Anthony Andrews, Michael Brandon, James D’Arcy, Geraldine Chaplin, Timothy Dalton, Frances de la Tour, Sophia Myles, Ken Russell, and Greta Scacchi further enrich this 21st century celebration of Agatha Christie’s most beloved heroine.

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The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1983) Review

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(More customer reviews)One of the finest theatrical productions of all time, no question. Beautifully staged and brilliantly performed; 39 of the world's best actors play more than 150 roles.
The DVD set should be better than this. (The play gets 5 stars; the DVD gets 1.)
It is improperly cut and sloppily transferred. A&E has released it (after much anticipation) not in its original four 2-hour acts but in the nine 1-hour episodes that they cut for broadcast on television, with intros and credits every hour. All they've done is transfer their 9-cassette VHS release, with intros, opening and closing credits and a "previously seen" commentary (meant for the TV audience watching it over a period of nine days) onto four DVDs, frustratingly marring the flow of the production. Not only does the play get interrupted every hour, but at one point you have to change discs mid-scene. In addition (and inexplicably) this DVD version is missing a scene that's on the VHS.
If A&E gets their act together, they'll rerelease this set and return this incredible play back to its original structure, without the cuts and interruptions. Isn't that the point of DVD? Bear in mind also that many of the glowing reviews on this site refer to the VHS set (and the play itself) and don't address the inept job of transferring the VHS onto DVD. (Amazon's reviewer even credits Jim Goddard as the director, when all he did was arrange cameras and make adjustments for taping; the actual directors of the play, Trevor Nunn and John Napier, go unmentioned.)
As you may have read in other reviews, the original stage production was four 2-hour acts in two parts (the running time of the play is actually 8 hours without the intermissions, not 9, as is stated in Amazon's review), and Parts I and II could be seen all in one day or over two consecutive nights. The designers of this set could have devoted one disc per part, without interruption, with one more disc for any extras (there aren't many). A four-disc set is excessive and inappropriate; it allows them to up their price while it weakens the experience of the play. (Peter Brook's 9-hour stage production of "The Mahabharata" is on two DVDs, in fine quality and half the price.)
I saw the play on Broadway in 1981 and, like most in that theater, fell in love with it. I've had the VHS version all this time and hoped that eventually it would be on DVD, carefully restored.
I would avoid buying this set and wait until they release one that's complete, uncut and faithful to the play. It's one of the greatest stage productions of all time. It features the Royal Shakespeare Company in its prime. It deserves better than this. The movies "Pearl Harbor" and "Dogma" got better DVD treatments. That's pretty sad.

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Inspector Lewis Complete Set: Pilot, Series 1 & 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)I absolutely love this show! I am one of perhaps a dozen people on the planet who enjoyed watching 'Inspector Morse' more for the character of Sergeant Lewis than for Morse. I am angered, however, by the shameful way 'Lewis' is treated by PBS.
Have you ever watched an episode and wondered 'How did Hathaway know about that film deal?' or 'Why are they suspecting so-and-so all of a sudden?'; not to mention some incongruous, apparently midday, wardrobe changes? I'll tell you why this happens: these DVDs do NOT have the complete version of the episodes; PBS has done a hatchet job on them. They cut even more scenes from the versions they air on Masterpiece Mystery.
The only complete versions are those on the ITV DVDs which you'll need a region-free DVD player to watch. On the bright side, you can get the ITV versions of the pilot and series 1 through 3 (12 episodes) and a Behind-the-Scenes bonus disc for about the same price as incomplete versions of the pilot and series 1 and 2 (11 episodes - what PBS calls series 1-2 includes all the series 1 and 2 episodes and three series 3 episodes; excluding only the episode 'Counter Culture Blues' from series 3. Don't ask me why.). Oh, and the British DVDs have subtitles, too.
American license-holders: Stop giving us an inferior product for an increased price!!

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Inspector Robert Lewis (Kevin Whately) is back on familiar ground-Oxford, England-though not all is as it was. Five years after the death of his long-time partner, the legendary Inspector Morse (John Thaw), Lewis is trying to prove himself to his dubious new boss while rebuilding his life following the hit-and-run death of his wife. To do that, he must confront his past, his future, and his new younger partner, the brilliant and distant Detective Sergeant James Hathaway (Laurence Fox). Fortunately for Lewis, his most compelling cases haven't changed much at all; they still revolve around the secrets and lies of the Oxford elite he knows so well. This set contains 11 mysteries: the series pilot, Whom the Gods Would Destroy, Old School Ties, Expiation, And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea, Music to Die For, Life Born of Fire, The Great and the Good, Allegory of Love, The Quality of Mercy, and The Point of Vanishing.

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The Inspector Lynley Mysteries - Series 6 (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)I mentioned when writing about season five that this delicately etched and excellently acted series on PBS's "Mystery" was my favorite. It still is. I truly believe it is the finest show on television. Nathaniel Parker's Inspector Thomas Lynley and Sharon Small's Barbara Havers are eagerly awaited with passion each season by this viewer like nothing else on television.
Based on Elizabeth George's characters, the BBC show has grown and matured into something really special. The mysteries are always well-written and the lead characters have been allowed to let life and what each brings to the table change both themselves and how they view each other. Parker and Small are a fabulous duo who balance each other out.
The dashing Lynley was originally paired with Havers because it was taken for granted he would not be distracted by her in a romantic way. But the two quickly found there was more to each other than their reputations, and proved a great team. They also became quite close, their deep friendship and affection for each other rarely dwelled upon but always there beneath the surface.
Havers has given the dashing Lynley depth and complexity while he has given her a softer appearance over time. Small really looked terrific in season five with her hair down. Though some griped it was a deviation from the books, it is this intelligent lack of stagnation which has kept things fresh.
Season five ended tragically as Lynley's world changed in the blink of an eye when his beloved Helen was killed. One of the most poignant moments of the series found Havers sitting with Lynley after her funeral to make the world wait a few moments. It is intelligent and very real moments such as that which make this show tower head and shoulders above everything else out there.
It is for that reason that a massive campaign is being waged to persuade the BBC to continue to produce the show so that PBS fans in America can enjoy these richly mature and intelligent mysteries. The carefully nuanced performances of Nathaniel Parker and Sharon Small as Lynley and Havers would be harder to live without than Lynley's beloved Bristol.
Until that happens, we can at least enjoy the two episodes here on season six. In "Limbo," first aired in Australia, the remains of Lynley's godson are discovered twelve years after he was reported missing. Lynley becomes deeply involved with the deceased's sister and will become the prime suspect in a second murder. In "Know Thine Enemy" one young schoolgirl kills herself to escape captivity and Lynley and Havers try to find another before tragedy strikes twice.
The Inspector Lynley series is smart and atmospheric, Debbie Wiseman's opening music setting the tone for each intriguing installment. Fans cherish this show and hopefully this won't be the last we see of our favorite detectives.

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INSPECTOR LYNLEY MYSTERIES 6 SET - DVD Movie

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Masterpiece Theatre: Painted Lady (1998) Review

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(More customer reviews)if you like helen mirren you will love this movie, since it was expressly written for her by allan cubitt. there are art forgeries and theft, there is great music, gay characters and situations, and a good sampling of gangsters and the chaos they bring upon a group of people who are attempting for the first time to live an "ordinary, quiet life". And there is murder and deep personal loss. it shows that in even well meaning situations the price for breathing is very high indeed. this is what every mystery writer should aspire to, and again our british cousins show us how it is done.

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Helen Mirren (Prime Suspect, The Clearing) stars in this compelling murder-mystery set amid the murky underworld of illegal art trade.Maggie Sheridan (Mirren), once one of the most famous blues voices of her generation, lost decades of her life to drinking and hard-living. After a failed suicide attempt, she was taken in by Sir Charles Stafford (Iain Cuthbertson, Antonia and Jane) and his son Sebastian (Iain Glen, Tomb Raider). She has lived quietly on their Irish estate for ten years. But one summer evening, her peaceful life is shattered when Sir Charles is brutally murdered, and a valuable sixteenth century painting is stolen. The painting is one of several disturbing pictures sent to Sir Charles marking the major events in his life.Maggie is convinced that the stolen painting holds the key to Sir Charles' death and decides to track it down. Meanwhile, Sebastian uncovers a terrible secret, with horrific consequences.

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Foyle's War: Set Two (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'd previously rated Series 1 of FOYLE'S WAR at four stars. I'm happy to report, after finishing the Series 2 discs, that the ongoing British telly miniseries has graduated to five stars. It's superb, and I'm desolate that I must wait until 2005 for the release of Series 3 that's airing now in the UK. (Of course, if I move to England ... Nah, the wife would never go for it.)
Michael Kitchen is Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle, who's been ordered to remain at his post as homicide investigator for Hastings and its environs; he'd much rather be doing his bit for King and Empire fighting the Nazis across the Channel. Indeed, his son Andrew (Julian Ovenden) is a flying officer with the RAF. The two other series regulars are Samantha "Sam" Stewart (Honeysuckle Weeks), the army's Auxiliary Territorial Service enlistee assigned as his driver, and Paul Milner (Anthony Howell), Foyle's assistant inspector returned to home front duty after being wounded during the disastrous British invasion of Norway.
The delight to be found in the four episodes of Series 2 is the underlying complexity of each plot, the tip of which is a murder being investigated by Foyle and Milner. Yet, even as the layers of the onion are peeled away, the viewer is still surprised at the intricacy of the solution, most of which is unraveled in the depths of Foyle's mind and revealed to the audience at the end, and which has ramifications that ripple far beyond the simple presence of a local corpse.
As in Series 1, the storylines of 2 encompass so much more than a tawdry homicide or two: homosexuality in the RAF, collaboration between British Big Business and the Nazis, black market commerce in luxury food and petrol, and skullduggery by Franklin Roosevelt's personal emissary sent to negotiate the Lend Lease.
My personal favorite episode is number four, "Funk Hole", wherein Foyle is relieved of his duties after being reported as having expressed seditious and defeatist statements while cowering in a London air raid shelter during a Luftwaffe bombing attack. The labyrinthine explanation for that was totally unexpected. Moreover, it looks like Sam and Andrew are to be an "item" - surely to be continued in Series 3. Indeed, at one point when Sam accompanies Andrew to a showing of "Gone With the Wind", we see her out of uniform, dressed in civvies, and with a smashing hairdo. Blimey, what a bird!
FOYLE'S WAR is sumptuously fleshed out with period costumes, automobiles, hairstyles, and commercial brand names. This is first class, period entertainment. Would that American TV was so good.


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The critically acclaimed PBS series that weaves mystery with real historical events returns with four stories set in September and October 1940. Winner of the Audience Award at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 2003, the series stars Michael Kitchen (Proof of Life) as quietly enigmatic detective Christopher Foyle whose territory on the south coast of England is rocked by the chaos and danger of World War II. Also starring Anthony Howell, Honeysuckle Weeks, Julian Ovenden, and featuring Nicholas Farrell, Alan Howard, Corin Redgrave, and Amanda Root. The Mysteries: Fifty Ships--Foyle's determined investigation of a body on a deserted beach puts at risk the donation of American Aid and the crucial start of Lend-Lease in the war. Among the Few--Pilots and their girlfriends live fast and die young in a story of greed and passion where Foyle finds appearances are deceptive. War Games--Divided loyalties lead to revenge and murder when a businessman puts profits before principles in a secret pact with the Nazis. The Funk Hole--Foyle finds himself accused of a serious offense, which complicates his hunt for a ruthless murderer at a sinister hotel. DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE an exclusive interview with Anthony Howell and Honeysuckle Weeks, production notes, cast filmographies, and photo gallery. "Brilliantly explores the moral gray areas of war"-San Francisco Chronicle "For mystery fans, Foyle is a must-see" -The Houston Chronicle "A series to be relished" -Radio Times

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Foyle's War - Set 3 (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)Series 3 of the excellent series Foyle's war was first telecast in the U.S. on PBS on 11, 18, 25 Sep. and 3 Oct. 2005 and was released on DVD on 1 Nov. 2005. However, watching the DVDs of all series is preferable if one wants to see the unexpurgated episodes. Here are the first telecast dates for series 1-4 of Foyle's war:
series 1: telecast UK Oct.-Nov. 2002, US in Feb. 2003 (on Masterpiece theater, with Russell Baker introducing)
series 2: telecast UK Nov.-Dec. 2003, US in July-Aug. 2004 (on Mystery)
series 3: telecast UK Oct.-Nov. 2004, US in Sep.-Oct. 2005 (on Mystery)
series 4: was filmed in spring 2005 and will be telecast in 2006
The PBS broadcasts in the US are edited for a 90-minute period, which includes the Mystery (or Masterpiece theater) opening-closing sequences, between-program promos, etc. This means that each episode is really only 85 minutes long at best. Region 1 DVDs (U.S., Canada), in contrast, are about 100 minutes per episode, as are the region 2 DVDs (Europe--see www.amazon.co.uk): specific values for the 4 episodes on series 2 are (for region 1) 98.5, 97.9, 98.3, 98.3 minutes. Thus in the U.S. for the proper, more nuanced episode watching Foyle's war on DVD is essential and preferable to viewing it on PBS.
Note: In a 28 Sep. 2004 interview with creator-writer Anthony Horowitz, he was asked: "Do you realise that the show is edited to pieces when it's shown on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the states?" Horowitz replied: "Yes we're very sorry about that. It's not something I'd choose to do. It's American networking. I'd advise all American fans to get their hands on the English DVDs to see them in full." I note here that American fans need only get the *American* DVDs to see the episodes in full. Also, if you first watch the shortened PBS telecast, you may later wonder about some lengthier scenes when you watch the DVDs.

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The international hit mystery series continues with four stories set in 1941, as World War II rages over Europe. Michael Kitchen (Out of Africa) stars as detective Christopher Foyle, whose loyalties are put to the test as his investigations uncover unpleasant truths that powerful people would rather keep hidden. Grounded in historical fact and filmed in London and the southern counties of England, Foyle’s War opens a unique window on a significant time and place. As seen on PBS. Also starring Anthony Howell, Honeysuckle Weeks, Julian Ovenden, and featuring Corin Redgrave, Bill Paterson, Stella Gonet, Samuel West, Angela Thorne, and James Wilby. THE MYSTERIES:
THE FRENCH DROP-Investigating a suspicious death, Foyle gets caught up in the rivalry between the established spy agency MI5 and the newly created SOE (Special Operations Executive).
ENEMY FIRE-Sabotage, murder, and adultery at a pioneering RAF hospital brings Foyle face to face with the devastating physical and emotional consequences of war.
THEY FOUGHT IN THE FIELDS-A murdered farmer and the crash landing of a German plane present a confusing case, especially as spring is in the air and even Foyle is not immune to a whiff of romance.
A WAR OF NERVES-An unexploded bomb at a busy shipyard leads to a startling discovery in a complex story of greed and politics. DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE behind-the-scenes documentary with interviews and exclusive "making-of" footage, production notes, and cast filmographies.

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