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The Charles Dickens BBC Collection: The Pickwick Papers / Oliver Twist / A Christmas Carol / Martin Chuzzlewit / David Copperfield / Tale Of Two Cities / Great Expectations / Our Mutual Friend
RRP: £99.99
Our Price: £48.97 (subject to change)
Editorial
Synopsis
Featuring a box set of the BBC adaptations of popular tales from Charles Dickens. Includes: 'The Pickwick Papers', 'Oliver Twist', 'A Christmas Carol', 'Martin Chuzzlewit', 'David Copperfield', 'A Tale Of Two Cities', 'Great Expectations', and 'Our Mutual Friend'.
Incomplete!
Review date: 2008-01-29 Rating: 6 out of 10
Although I have only just bought this and haven't even seen one programme yet I can remember some of the adaptations.
Martin Cuzzzlewit and Our Mutual Friend were good but the David Copperfield is far too short. I can remember the version from the 1970's featuring the brilliant Arthur Lowe as a memorable Micawber - a part he was born to play. Surely this more comprehensively faithful version should have been featured rather than the abridged more recent one? Also why not include Nicholas Nickleby and Bleak House, two of Dicken's major novels which are unaccountably omitted. I realise this collection came out too early to feature the recent excellent adaptation of Bleak House, but surely they could have included the fine version from the 1980's. It would have also have been nice to have The Old Curiosity Shop; there was another excellent 70's versions featuring Trevor Peacock as a superb Quilp.
To reduce the collection slightly they could actually have left out Christmas Carol, which after all isn't actually a novel, and has been adapted to death!
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Reviews
Great Expectations Satisfied.
Review date: 2007-06-15 Rating: 8 out of 10
This collection features eight complete editions of various Dickens interpretations from the BBC stable, from 1977's "Christmas Carol" through to 1999's "David Copperfield". The total mileage is 1977 minutes, not including various extras. Divide that by the price offered and, however much the price is, it'll still be a bargain.
There are some big stars here, and some who should be or should have been: there are some fine performances in some of the smallest of parts. With eight different directors, the production is uneven, and some series suffered from smaller budgets than others, but there is not a duff series among them. If I had to choose a worst, then "David Copperfield" over-eggs an already mawkish pie (and is top-heavy in big names). The best? Well, "Great Expectations" has a wonderful atmosphere, especially out on the marshes. But top of the tree for me is "Martin Chuzzlewit" with fantastic humour in every nuance.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Paul Scofield
Maggie Smith
Charlotte Rampling
Michael Hordern
Ian McKellen
Creators:
Michael Hordern (Primary Contributor)
Ian McKellen (Primary Contributor)
Recording label: 2 Entertain Video
Manufacturer: 2 Entertain Video
EAN: 5014503174521
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 12
Format: Box set, Colour, PAL,
Release date: 2005-10-24
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Language: English (Original Language)