From Time to Time - starring Maggie Smith & Alex Etel

"HEAVEN AND HELL: NORTH AND SOUTH BOOK III" (1994) - EPISODE ONE Commentary

If there is one chapter in John Jakes' NORTH AND SOUTH saga that is reviled 由 the fans, it the 电视 adaptation of the third one, set after the American Civil War. First of all, the theme of post-war Reconstruction has never been that 流行的 with tales about the four-year war. 更多 importantly, 粉丝 of Jakes' saga seemed to have a low opinion of "HEAVEN AND HELL: NORTH AND SOUTH BOOK III", the 1994 adaptation of Jakes' third North and South novel, published back in 1987.

My opinion of the 1994 miniseries slightly...

"THE PRISONER OF ZENDA" (1937) Review

I realize that many film critics and 粉丝 would agree with my suspicion that the 1930s saw a great deal of action films released to theaters. In fact, I believe there were as high number of actions films released back then as they are now. Among the type of action films that flourished during that era were swashbucklers.

One of the most famous Hollywood swashbucklers released during the 1930s was "THE PRISONER OF ZENDA", producer David O. Selznick's 1937 adaptation of Anthony Hope's 1894 novel. This tale of middle European political intrigue and identity...

"THE THREE MUSKETEERS" (1948) Review

There are times when I find myself amazed at the longevity of Alexandre Dumas' 1844 novel, "The Three Musketeers". The novel has been in circulation for nearly 170 years. Hollywood and other film industries have been adapting the novel for the 电影院 或者 电视 for nearly a century. One adaptation I recently viewed was the Hollywood movie produced and released 由 MGM Studios in 1948.

We all know the story. A young Frenchman from Gascon sets out for Paris in the early 17th century to 加入 the King's Musketeers. During this journey, he meets a beautiful,...

"POLDARK" SERIES ONE (1975): EPISODES FIVE TO EIGHT

Last winter, I began watching the BBC's 1975-77 adaptation of Winston Graham's literary series about the life of a British Army officer and American Revolutionary War veteran, following his return to his 首页 in Cornwall. The first four episodes proved to be adaptation of the first novel in Graham's series, 1945's "Ross Poldark: A Novel of Cornwall, 1783-1787". Episodes Five to Eight focused on the series' 秒 novel, 1946's "Demelza: A Novel of Cornwall, 1788-1790".

Episode Four ended with Ross Poldark, a Cornish landowner and mine owner,...

"CALIFORNIA" (1947) Review

I am a history nut. And one of my 最喜爱的 historical periods that I 爱情 to study is the Antebellum Era of the United States. One of my 最喜爱的 topics from this period is the California 金牌 Rush. I also 爱情 movies. But despite this love, I have been constantly disappointed 由 Hollywood's inability to create a first-rate movie about 金牌 Rush.

I may have to take back my 评论 about Hollywood's inability to produce a first-rate movie 或者 电视 production about the 金牌 Rush. There were at least three that managed to impress me. Unfortunately, the latest film...

Andrei, as usual, is weary of life. This guy seriously he was born disatisfied with life and sad. Well I guess it isn’t really strange with that crazy, patriarchal, selfish father and that annoying sister of his. However when he meets Natasha at the Rostov family 首页 it’s like a fresh breath of life and obviously he fells in 爱情 with her. It’s absolutely natural that he feels drawn to her, since Natasha is so charming, pretty and full of life.

Lieutenant Berg, who is set to marry Vera Rostov, discusses the 问题 of her dowry with the Count and he is so much in 爱情 with her that...

"KING OF THE KHYBER RIFLES" (1953) Review

Twentieth-Century 狐狸 was never a studio that I would associate with 电影院 about the British Empire. Mind you, the studio had released several during the period between its formation in 1935 and the 1953 release of "KING OF THE KHYBER RIFLES". Yet . . . it never seemed to produce many productions on European imperialism in compare to studios like Paramount Pictures, Warner Brothers and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Just recently, I watched "KING OF THE KHYBER RIFLES" and discovered that it was a remake of John Ford's 1929 adventure film, "THE BLACK WATCH". And...

"SENSE AND SENSIBILITY" (1971) Review

For some reason, I still find it hard to believe that until recently, very few people were aware that the first adaptation of Jane Austen's 1811 novel, "Sense and Sensibility", dated as far back as 1971. After all, people have been aware of other Austen adaptations during this same period 或者 earlier. Even the Wikipedia site fails to mention it, except in connection with one of the cast members. What was about this four-part miniseries that eluded so many Austen fans?

In "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY", a wealthy landowner named Mr. Dashwood dies, leaving his two...

"POLDARK" SERIES ONE (1975): EPISODES ONE TO FOUR

A few years ago, I had tried a stab at the first episode of the 1975-1977 series, "POLDARK", which starred Robin Ellis. After viewing ten 分钟 of theatrical 表演 and dated 摄影 in Episode One on 你 Tube, I gave up.

Last summer, I read all of the hullaballoo surrounding this new adaptation with Aidan Turner in the lead. Utilizing Netflix, I tried my luck again with the 1975 series and ended up enjoying the first four episodes (I have yet to watch any further episodes) and quite enjoyed it. I enjoyed both versions so much that I took...

"PRINCE OF PERSIA: SANDS OF TIME" (2010) Review

Four years ago, I had listened to a radio talk 显示 in which a movie reviewer compared Disney’s 2010 movie, "PRINCE OF PERSIA: SANDS OF TIME" to the 1962 Oscar winning film, ”LAWRENCE OF ARABIA”. Much to the detriment of the 迪士尼 film. And as I sat there and listened to him bash "PRINCE OF PERSIA", it occurred to me that there still were plenty of idiots in this world . . . including radio disc jockeys.

Directed 由 Mike Newell and based upon the 2003 video game, ”PRINCE OF PERSIA” is about an orphaned 街, 街道 urchin in sixth century...