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Gormenghast | Year: 2000 Classification: Drama Directed: - Andy Wilson (IV) Lovely It's always difficult to be objective about the filmed version of books as beloved as Peake's are. Many fans have complained indignantly that the BBC's Gormenghast was too rushed, too over-simplified, too comedic, all of which are legitimate objections. Still, it's best to treat the book and the film as separate entities, and viewed on its own merit, Gormenghast is a stunning bit of television. Split up into four episodes, the story may indeed be initially difficult to follow for those unfamiliar with the books, but in time that ceases to matter, as the viewer is quickly swept up in the film's surreal and visually arresting world. My hat's off to the set and costume designers, who did a fantastic job at creating an intricate and beautiful set. As beautiful as Gormenghast is to look at, the primary attraction for me is the acting, which is, with only a few exceptions, superb. The excellent performances are too numerous to list, but standouts include Ian Richardson and Celia Imrie, who are wonderful and completely believable, a hilariously over-the-top Fiona Shaw, and John Sessions, who gives a funny and sweetly camp performance as Dr. Prunesquallor. My only major quibble is with the casting of the pivotal role of Steerpike. Although Jonathan Rhys Meyers is certainly a very pretty lad who no doubt makes the teenage girls swoon, I found his performance strangely flat and sometimes cringe-worthy, and certainly not strong enough to carry the weight of the series. Just my opinion, of course, and the quality of the rest of the cast, along with the general artistry of the film, make up for a somewhat lacklustre villain. Additionally, the DVD comes with some nice extras, including a "Making Of" feature with interviews of the cast and crew. Well worth purchasing, even in pan-and-scan format. Extremely well-done This is an extremely well-done and COHERENT adaptation of the novels, which are not easy reading by any stretch of the imagination. Rhys-Meyers is probably too pretty to be Steerpike, but we shouldn't hold that against him; he did an excellent job. However, Celia Imrie was my favorite. At first I thought she was a man in drag, but she certainly sounded like a woman. Then I realized she was a woman in heavy makeup. (You can see her in CALENDAR GIRLS and realize that she's actually pretty attractive.) Great production values, music, et. al. Here,I think, is the ultimate compliment. When I saw this it was about 20 years since I had read the book, and the miniseries brought it all back to me. Not Bad I haven't read the books either, but decided to watch the series since it was highly recommended by a friend. I immediately found the cartoony look and silliness of the first episode offputting, but the series improved with each episode. In spite of the murders, the villain Steerpike still appears to be most fit to be ruler. After all, other great monarchs have killed to rise to power and maintain it. He's also the craftiest and most intelligent of the characters, almost all of whom are mad or incompetent. Evil is too strong a description for him -- I didn't see it as the worst thing that he would want to get rid of an incapable monarchy run by a doddering old man who didn't care for the poor. And his situation is sympathetic, since he doesn't get respect even when he ascends to high-ranking positions. Jonathan Rhys Meyers does a perfect job of playing him. The only one who comes close is the countess, who could have been a good ruler if she cared a little more about the city and less about her pets. In all, I think the series could have been excellent if it were a bit more serious. Buy Gormenghast at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Gormenghast Search with the Priority Search Engine on Gormenghast This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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