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John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert)
Username: John_l_probert
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 90.199.0.196
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 - 10:27 pm: | |
So tonight the entertainment at Probert Towers was the 1979 BBC adaptation of this LeFanu story for their Omnibus series. I know Omnibus tended to be factual but they did occasionally do adaptations as well.
I think the usual suspects (Mick, Huw and I think Tony) have seen this, and I know Ramsey has and I think said he liked it more than the Laurence Gordon Clark MR James adaptations.
I'm in two minds about it. On the one hand I felt it meandered about a bit and could have been rather more tightly paced. Also I thought most of the nudity was rather pointless (I know Mick C doesn't believe in such a phenomenon) and in fact towards the end the numerous scenes depicting Schalken's setting up of the models (and the props!) for his paintings did raise a smile.
On the other hand there's some genuine and quite excellent spookery in evidence here, often acheived with just a well placed candle and a camera angle. Plus the ending in the crypt is deliciously weird, morbid, erotic and unsettling all at once. In the end, I'd say the big difference between this and the MR James adaptations is that they felt more like traditional dramas, whereas this felt a lot more experimental. Probably the best compliment I can give it is that someone sent me a text message in the middle of it and I jumped a mile.
Finally, I've no idea what a pristine print would look like, but the version I saw was a bit blurry, which meant that sometimes I wasn't sure if I was looking at a painting or 'real life'. If that was intentional then on occasion it was brilliant |
Joel (Joel)
Username: Joel
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 91.110.151.8
| | Posted on Thursday, May 14, 2009 - 12:20 am: | |
I think it was blurry when first broadcast – so yes, intentional.
Le Fanu is more experimental than James, as well as more sexual, so the difference between the adaptations is very appropriate. Le Fanu is to James as Robert Johnson is to Elvis Presley. |
Matt_cowan (Matt_cowan)
Username: Matt_cowan
Registered: 04-2008
Posted From: 68.249.107.193
| | Posted on Thursday, May 14, 2009 - 01:55 am: | |
I love that story by LeFanu. I'm guessing the adaptation you're talking about is British and unaviable to us here in America. I'm very envious because we can't get the M.R. James adapations either. I bought one on E-bay (A Warning to the Curious) but because of the formating I can only watch it if I go over to my friends house (he has a region free player). I wish they would adapt "The Mezzotint" by M.R. James. I love that story. |
Huw (Huw)
Username: Huw
Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 218.168.198.107
| | Posted on Thursday, May 14, 2009 - 01:15 pm: | |
I never thought I'd see James likened to Elvis! I agree with you about Le Fanu, Joel: his work definitely has more psychological depth than James's, and there are more sexual undercurrents ('Carmilla' is one of the best examples, of course). Much as I admire James, I've always found Le Fanu's tales more compelling and more effective. |
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