The Charles Dickens Collection (1977)

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    Charles Dickens wrote 14 complete novels between Pickwick Papers in 1836 and Our Mutual Friend in 1865. He charted the social course of Great Britain and played a part in bringing the injustices of the system to light. His works were revered by critics and the public alike. Released in serial form they were priced cheaply enough to be bought by the poorest labourer ensuring that his genius was recognised across class barriers.

    Seven of Dickens novels and his short novel A Christmas Carol are gathered in their mini-series form in the Dickens Collection . These comprise a formidable 33 hours of blacksmiths and orphans, toffs and conmen. Whilst this may present a serious challenge to the sanity of a reviewer charged with analysing the films within a timeframe, for the dedicated Dickens fan this is a collection to be treasured and watched at leisure with a guarantee of many hours of enjoyment.

    There are no duds amongst this collection. I found A Tale of Two Cities to be perhaps the most dated in style although it is not without its charms. It was good to get a chance to see the rare dramatisation of Our Mutual Friend although the transfer was a little poor by comparison with the others in the collection, judged by the year of production.

    There are some moments that I will treasure from the collection. One is seeing young Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe, as David Copperfield. Another is seeing a little known book like Martin Chuzzlewit elevated in status by some exceptional performances from Tom Wilkinson and Paul Schofield. Despite its faults the final moments of A Tale of Two Cities are unforgettable.

    Suitable for casual dipping as well as a dedicated Dickens Weekend this is a collection destined to bring joy into many a household.

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The Pickwick Papers (1985)

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General		Extras
Category	Drama	Main Menu Audio
Rating
Year Of Production	1985
Running Time	354:36 (Case: 350)
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered Dual Disc Set	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	2,4	Directed By	Brian Lighthill
Studio Distributor	Roadshow Home Entertainment	Starring	Nigel Stock Clive Swift Jeremy Nicholas Alan Parnaby Phil Daniels Patrick Malahide
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Secure Clip
RPI	Box	Music	None Given

   The Pickwick Papers was Charles Dickens'first novel. Serialised between 1836 and 1837, it is not really a novel as such but rather a series of scrapes and adventures revolving around the principal character of Samuel Pickwick.

There are a few recurring characters. One is the itinerant actor and opportunist Alfred Jingle who not only speaks in flowery theatrical language but manages to exploit Pickwick at every turn. The other character, introduced about a quarter of the way into the story, is Mr Pickwick's servant, Samuel Weller. Sam is not only the epitome of the faithful servant but he is himself a wise young man full of cockney wit and sayings. Apparently the introduction of Samuel Weller increased the circulation of the monthly serial enormously. When the series commenced, the publishers printed only 1000 copies of each instalment but by the end there were 40,000 copies being printed. The great writerDickens had arrived!

Video

 The Pickwick Papers comes to DVD in a PAL 1.33:1 transfer which is consistent with its original aspect ratio.

Video Ratings Summary

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Audio

 The Pickwick Papers comes to DVD with an English Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 KB/s) soundtrack. This is perfectly adequate for the production. The actors all speak clearly although sometimes you have to be quick to keep up with Sam Weller and Mr Jingle, who cast their witty words around at a rapid pace!

There are no problems with audio sync.

Audio Ratings Summary

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There are no extras.

    This DVD is available in Region 1 and Region 2 in its original form as well as forming parts of collections. The only additional extras I could find is : "An Audience with Charles Dickens: The Trial from Pickwick" - a 30-minute film with Simon Callow reading from the breach of promise court scene.

This would no doubt be great fun but unless it is a priority it would be best to stick with the local version.

 The Pickwick Papers is a spot-on adaptation of the Dickens serial and only seem lesser in comparison to his greatest works by the lack of a complete narrative.

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Extras
Plot
Overall

Oliver Twist (1985)

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General		Extras
Category	Drama	Main Menu Audio
Rating
Year Of Production	1985
Running Time	352:00 (Case: 331)
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered Dual Disc Set	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	2,4	Directed By	Gareth Davies
Studio Distributor	Roadshow Home Entertainment	Starring	Eric Porter Lysette Antony Michael Attwell Pip Donaghy Scott Funnell David Garlick Amanda Harris Godfrey James Dominic Jephcott Miriam Margolyes Gillian Martell Ben Rodska
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Secure Clip
RPI	Box	Music	None Given

    It is hard to watch any version of Charles Dickens Oliver Twist wihout expecting the characters to break into song at any moment. For it is arguably the 1968 film Oliver! (based on the highly successful stage musical) that is the defining and most memorable version of the story. Even when watching this BBC produced 6 hour mini-series, I could not help but feel that every time the Artful Dodger put his thumbs into his waistcoat, he was about to launch into "Consider Yourself".

    The musical version did a cut and paste version of the story in order to cram it and a dozen songs into 2 hour's viewing. This mini series has no such problem and therefore Dickens purists will love how the story has been given room to move and characters who are mere shadows in the musical are fleshed out.

    Oliver Twist was written in 1838 and like most Dickens novels, was published as a serial. It is a book with a message, dealing with some of the social injustices of his time, particularly the hard treatment of the poor and the young. It was written against the background of the Poor Law of 1834 which replaced the unemployment benefits system with workhouses. The novel was an instant and abiding success.

    As the story begins a young boy is born in a workhouse to an unknown mother. She has come into the workhouse that night, given birth and passed away. Although she has no identification she bears a gold locket with a picture in it which is promptly taken by one of the nurses. Oliver grows up in the workhouse under the cruel stewardship of Mr Bumble (Godfrey James), a pompous ass who cheats his child workers on their food whilst living the high life himself. It is he who names the boy "Oliver Twist".

    After drawing the short straw, Oliver dares to ask for more food and is promptly offered for sale to anyone who wants to give him an apprenticeship. He is eventually apprenticed to an undertaker, Mr Sowerberry. Although Sowerberry treats him well, his wife and their employees are cruel to Oliver. He is goaded into a fight with the thoroughly nasty Noah Claypole (Julian Firth) and is forced to flee.

    Oliver travels to London where he meets the Artful Dodger, (David Garlick) a young thief who takes him to meet Fagin (Eric Porter). He is the mentor of a gang of young thieves which included the now mature (and very dangerous) Bill Sikes (Michael Attell) and his girlfriend Nancy (Amanda Harris).

    After observing the Artful Dodger commit a robbery, Oliver is mistakenly identified as the thief, captured and sent to a hearing. The subject of the theft, Mr Brownlow (Frank Middlemass) takes pity on the boy and lets him into his home. Before too long he is captured by Sikes and taken back to the den of thieves. After another unsuccessful criminal enterprise he is shot and taken in by the kind Mrs Maylie and family which includes the young Rose Maylie (Lysette Anthony). All seems well but exactly who is the dark and mysterious character Monks and why is he giving money to Fagin to destroy Oliver's reputation? Will Oliver be recaptured by Fagin, Sikes and his band of thieves? What is the significance of the locket?

    These questions and more can only be answered by watching the BBC series, as many of the above plot points are not a part of Oliver!.

    The series is divided into 12 episodes of roughly 30 minutes each and the drama, both within each episode and in the series as a whole is well paced. Those not familiar with the true Dickens story will perhaps be somewhat surprised by some of the characterisations. Both Fagin and Sikes are irredeemably bad but you can't help feeling that they are what society has made them. Although Sikes turns his hand to some house breaking, these are generally petty thieves eking out a meagre existence. In fact, after the initial times together and the kidnapping period, there is actually fairly little involvement between Oliver and the thieves. A large part of the mini-series is spent with the Maylie family, who don't make it into the musical.

    The production is an excellent rendering of the story. It is difficult to imagine anyone underplaying the role of Bumble and Godfrey James doesn't try to tread new ground. Viewers may be surprised, however, at the straight readings of both Fagin and Sikes who are, as said, portrayed almost as victims of society. The halfway house is represented by Nancy who can't bring herself to betray either of the men in her life despite the fact that she knows that Sikes will ultimately be the death of her. The young thieves are played closer to the musical. There are a few Olivers used in the show. The main actor, Ben Rodski. is appropriate to a role that doesn't really offer much to an actor other than to look pitiful and opressed. Oliver is basically a good kid to whom alternately good and bad things happen and the role does not call for anything very substantial. It is not a criticism of him to say that, as he doesn't really stand out amongst the cast.

    There is very little humour in this production. What laughs there are stem from the pomposity of Mr Bumble and his eventual wife, played with her usual charm by Miriam Margoyles. This is an Oliver Twist for those who want to immerse themselves in the story and enjoy some marvellous characters. It is a fine production and a worthy edition to the Dickens Collection.

Video

     Oliver Twist was originally telecast on the BBC over 2 months in 1985. It comes to DVD in a 1.33:1 transfer with a 4x3 aspect ratio, is in keeping with the original broadcast ratio.

    The picture quality for this production is something of a surprise. There is a marked improvement in this DVD over the 1980 television productions that also form part of the Dickens collection. The difference between those early transfers and this DVD is much easier to see than the difference between this film and some of the 1995 productions suggesting to me that there was a marked improvement in the quality of video cameras during this time.

    The source tape for this DVD is nice and clean. There is an understandable age to it and the brown and green colours dominate. The flesh tones are adequate and there are no problems with grain, noise or artefacts. It is certainly not a reference quality DVD but for a 20 year old TV show, it is quite acceptable.

    There are English subtitles for the Hearing Impaired which give a good account of the on screen action.

Video Ratings Summary

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Audio

    Oliver Twist comes to DVD with an English Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 KB/s) audio track. The transfer is perfectly adequate for this production. The actors all speak clearly and the dialogue can always be heard. The only heavily accented voice is that of Fagin, however, the experienced stage actor playing the role still manages to make everything nice and clear. Audio sync is not an issue.

    The music, by Australian-born composer Dudley Simpson, is quite moving and memorable. As well as providing incidental music for over 100 episodes of Dr Who, Dudley Simpson was the creator of the original music for Blake's Seven. His themes carry some of the dread of this dangerous London.

Audio Ratings Summary

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Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

    There are no extras.

    This version of Oliver Twist is available in other regions as part of Dickens box sets. The versions are of this film are the same. Choose the Region 4.

    This version of Oliver Twist story is a deep and comprehensive telling backed by good production values and quality performances. It is an Oliver for the purist.

    The video and sound quality are excellent for a TV series of this era and general fading due to the passage of time is the worst complaint.

    There are no extras.

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Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

A Christmas Carol (1977)

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General		Extras
Category	Drama	Main Menu Audio
Rating
Year Of Production	1977
Running Time	58:00
RSDL / Flipper	No/No	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	2,4	Directed By	Moira Armstrong
Studio Distributor	Roadshow Home Entertainment	Starring	Michael Hordern John Le Mesurier Bernard Lee
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Secure Clip
RPI	?	Music	None Given

    A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is one of the author's most loved works, even if it is admired only once a year at Christmas time. A simple morality tale reminding us of the spirit of Christmas, it has been filmed countless times, with and without musical interludes. I have to admit to a secret liking for the Muppet version from 1992 featuring Michael Caine as Scrooge.

    A Christmas Carol was released as a novella by Dickens in 1843 and was a huge success. Some in fact regard it as partly responsible for a revitalisation of the Christmas customs and spirit which had been in gradual decline.

    This BBC / Time-Life Television and ABC co-production dates from 1977. It is the earliest film in the Dickens Collection boxset.

    The plot of A Christmas Carol is simple. Mean and miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is dedicated to one mistress - money! On Christmas Eve he resents the fact that his employee Bob Cratchit wants to take the whole of Christmas Day off work. Charity collectors are rebuffed with the comment that the poor should go to the poorhouses. When they say that some would rather die than go to these institutions Scrooge replies that perhaps they should die to reduce the surplus population!

    That night Scrooge is visited by a number of ghosts who show him the error of of his ways. Firstly, his deceased partner comes to tell him that his own greed became a series of chains which he must bear in the afterlife. The three apparitions which follow are the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present and the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come. Each presents him with visions which rock his soul to the core. Past shows scenes of Scrooge himself growing up and making the mistakes that would lead to the love of money being his watchword. Present shows him the Cratchit household just making do with his meagre earnings and coping with Tiny Tim, their much-loved but very ill son. Yet To Come shows him the changes that have occurred in the town after a certain much-despised miser has passed away.

    It's no spoiler to say that Scrooge undergoes a profound redemption and wakes on Christmas morning a changed man full of good cheer.

    At 58 minutes this production of A Christmas Carol keeps very close to the original story. It is Dickens for the purist without a song or Muppet in sight! The visual quality, which I detail below, is appropriate for a 1977 video production. This could be a big issue if it weren't for the quality of the performances. Michael Hordern as Scrooge is a real joy as he negotiates the huge character shifts with skill and conveys a genuine Scrooge. Bernard Lee, M from the James Bond films, is Jacob Marley, his old partner.

    Despite the age, dodgy special effects and brief running time this is one of the better versions of the story, genuinely affecting without being milked for sentimentality.

Video

    A Christmas Carol is presented on DVD in a 1.33:1, 4x3 transfer which is consistent with its original aspect ratio.

    It has not been brushed up for DVD presentation although it must be said that the source tape for the film is quite good. There is little evidence of physical decay in the tape and it is not damaged. Compression is no problem as the film has ample room to move on the DVD.

    The show was telecast on Christmas Eve in 1977. That was the same year as Star Wars but it is very apparent that the team from Industrial Light and Magic weren't on board for this film. The effects are cheesy but don't distract from the overall production.

    Although the video is clean it displays all the problems associated with old video footage. The colours are resolutely brown and green and the sharpness has gone out of the picture which has faded with time. The blacks are not very black although the skin tones are good enough to pass muster.

    All in all the picture is exactly what one would expect and provided that you go in with this expectation you will not be disappointed.

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Audio

    The sound for A Christmas Carol is English Dolby Digital 2.0 (192Kb/s). This is perfectly adequate for this show and reflects its television origins.

    The actors are all well enunciated and all the dialogue is easy to hear.

    Audio sync is perfect.

    There are subtitles for the hearing impaired. I sampled a fair bit of the subtitles and found that at times they struggled to keep up with the pace of the dialogue but nevertheless gave a close estimate of the dialogue.

    The music is pleasant though unmemorable.

Audio Ratings Summary

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    This version of A Christmas Carol appears to be a bit of a rarity and not easily purchased in any reason. I found only a few references to it in Region 1 and the DVD was identical as to the contents. It is not part of the Region 1 Dickens Collection.

    A Christmas Carol is a fine and straight reading of the classic story. Although light on frills it is an effective piece due to the high quality acting.

    The video and sound quality are just what one would expect for a television production from this era.

    Although the lack of extras is not a big issue it would have been nice to see the BBC use the empty space on this DVD for some extras about Dickens.

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Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

Martin Chuzzlewit (1994)

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General		Extras
Category	Drama	Main Menu Audio
Rating
Year Of Production	1994
Running Time	345:10 (Case: 337)
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered Dual Disc Set	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	2,4	Directed By	Pedr James
Studio Distributor	Roadshow Home Entertainment	Starring	Paul Schofield Tom Wilkinson John Mills Julia Sawalha Keith Allen Elizabeth Spriggs Pete Postlethwaite Joan Sims Maggie Steed Ben Walden
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Secure Clip
RPI	Box	Music	None Given

    Charles Dickens wrote Martin Chuzzlewit in 1843 to 1844. Like nearly all of his novels it was released to the public monthly in serial form. Despite Dickens' high expectations the episodes did not sell well. Is is believed that for this reason he introduced a long section where a main character travels to the New World of America. This gave Dickens free range to take a sling at the hucksterish American values and in so doing improved the success of the novel. It is dramatic at its core yet features the usual array of comedic characters and situations. This series, produced by the BBC, was telecast in 1994 and consists of 6 episodes of roughly 50 minutes each.

    Martin Chuzzlewit Senior (Paul Schofield) is old and sick. He is also extremely wealthy. Doubtless in his declining years he would appreciate the comforts of a large group of relatives. Unfortunately, he is surrounded by the sort of rogues and hypocrites that are second nature to Dickens.

    Chuzzelwit Senior bemoans the fact that whilst he is extremely wealthy his money has brought him no happiness whatsoever. He has taken on a young woman as his companion, Mary Graham (Pauline Turner), on the basis that she will be paid a retainer during her life but will receive nothing from his estate after his death. Therefore, he reasons, her commitment to him is based on present payment and not future expectation. However, she and young Martin have fallen in love leading to strong words between him and his grandfather and the eventual disinheritance of young Martin.

    Like most of Dickens' novels the plot is complex and constantly evolving. The fact that Dickens was writing as he went and bending the novel to public taste perhaps explains its sprawling nature. Nevertheless, it is a good source for adaptation and the BBC have done their usual quality job in bringing the novel to life. It is a novel I have not read, however, I have scanned through key scenes and it seems that adapter David Lodge has expertly dramatised those scenes and brought the action in on a much tighter reign. It is the first Dickens for director Pedr James and he handles the wicked characterisations with aplomb.

    Made in 1994, this is an excellent adaptation of one of Dickens' lesser novels. At almost 6 hours long it requires some commitment, however, the pace rarely flags and even if some of the plot turns were predictable it was wonderful to see them unfold. It is also great to see the humorous side of Dickens at work and there are some very memorable comedy scenes.

    Its themes are simple. As old Martin says "the curse of this family is the love of self". Those who truly act in the pursuit of money are brought down in the enterprise and as with almost all Dickens' novels ( a few surprises aside) the good get their just rewards and the bad their just desserts.

Video

    Martin Chuzzlewit comes to DVD in a 1.33:1 transfer which is consistent with its original aspect ratio.

    In all, the transfer is acceptable.

Video Ratings Summary

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Film Artefacts
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Audio

    Martin Chuzzlewit comes to DVD with an English Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 KB/s) mix.

    This is adequate for the show. Apart from the odd cart thundering by there is not much in the way of sound which could have benefited from a surround mix. It is really a chamber piece and the dialogue is perfectly enunciated (except perhaps by those putting on the Dickensian "commoners" accent such as Mrs Gamp).

    The music is by Geoffrey Burgon who was responsible for the memorable theme and music in Brideshead Revisited. His music here is not so memorable but enjoyable nonetheless.

Audio Ratings Summary

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Overall

    The DVD has not been released in Region 1. It is released in Region 4 only as part of the Dickens Collection DVD set.

    Martin Chuzzlewit is a lesser Dickens novel which has nonetheless been given a respectful and entertaining production in this 1994 mini-series.

    There are no extras.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

David Copperfield (1999)

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General		Extras
Category	Drama	Menu Audio Scene Selection Anim & Audio Featurette-Making Of Audio-Only Track-The Music Of David Copperfield Trailer-Pride And Prejudice, Wives And Daughters, Middlemarch
Rating
Year Of Production	1999
Running Time	180:02 (Case: 230)
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	2,4	Directed By	Simon Curtis
Studio Distributor	Roadshow Home Entertainment	Starring	Emilia Fox Pauline Quirke Maggie Smith John Normington Daniel Radcliffe Trevor Eve Michael Elphick James Thornton Alun Armstrong Patsy Byrne Laura Harling Zoë Wanamaker Jacqueline Tong
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Secure Clip
RPI	$29.95	Music	Robert Lane

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English Dolby Digital 2.0 (192Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	1.78:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	1.78:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English for the Hearing Impaired	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

      For those of you who want a clean, clear synopsis - the thing to do is click here, because I'm about to launch into some background on Mr Dickens first, so that I may offer the fullest viewing experience that I'm able to offer. For some of you, see you in the next paragraph... for others... catch you later.

      Charles Dickens has frequently been referred to as the author who "invented" childhood, and in many ways, it's a legitimate claim. Many of his best known and loved stories recount the adventures of junior protagonists, from the picaresque and resourceful Artful Dodger; the gentle innocent Oliver Twist; the bold and observant Pip; and, in Dickens' own words, his "favourite child," David Copperfield. He was unique in writing about real children, dealing with real life, from a child's perspective.

      The great Victorian author was an absolute smash hit in his time, not just because of his glorious, impish turn of phrase, or his fearless tackling of social themes of his day (poverty, inequity in the legal system, the brutish class system), but also because he and his publishers brilliantly released all of his works initially as serial instalments. Whereas the going price for a full book in the day was around 34 shillings (the average weekly worker's wage was about 18 shillings), a monthly instalment could be bought for about a shilling. Still, no doubt, a considerably weighty purchasing decision, but for a weary and disillusioned working class - perhaps a worthwhile investment in diversion from their exhausting and often dire lives. Imagine, for a moment, a pre-television age, with just the fire and a few candles to illuminate one's pleasures. And consider, in that context, the descriptive, honest, outrageous writings of one C D - thrilling!

      Once all instalments were published, the episodes would be gathered up and published in the more conventional novel form, more favoured by middle and higher classes. (Who said marketing is the province of the 20th century and beyond?)

     David Copperfield was a story Dickens penned later in his literary career, and there is little debate remaining that there is a strong autobiographical stream flowing through its text. It began its instalment life in May 1849 and continued through until November 1850. When finally published in full novel form, the original dedication from 1850 reads:

Affectionately Inscribed To
the Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Watson,
of Rockingham, Northamptonshire.

I do not find it easy to get sufficiently far away from this Book, in the first sensations of having finished it, to refer to it with the composure which this formal heading would seem to require. My interest in it, is so recent and strong; and my mind is so divided between pleasure and regret - pleasure in the achievement of a long design, regret in the separation from many companions - that I am in danger of wearying the reader whom I love, with personal confidences, and private emotions.

Besides which, all that I could say of the Story, to any purpose, I have endeavoured to say in it.

It would concern the reader little, perhaps, to know, how sorrowfully the pen is laid down at the close of a two-years' imaginative task; or how an Author feels as if he were dismissing some portion of himself into the shadowy world, when a crowd of the creatures of his brain are going from him for ever. Yet, I have nothing else to tell; unless, indeed, I were to confess (which might be of less moment still) that no one can ever believe this Narrative, in the reading, more than I have believed it in the writing.

Instead of looking back, therefore, I will look forward. I cannot close this Volume more agreeably to myself, than with a hopeful glance towards the time when I shall again put forth my two green leaves once a month, and with a faithful remembrance of the genial sun and showers that have fallen on these leaves of David Copperfield, and made me happy. London, October, 1850.

     There is little wonder at the pain and affection the author might have felt. Born on the 7th of February, 1812, Charles Dickens was the son of John and Elizabeth. His father was the son of a butler and a housekeeper, but what John lacked in breeding, he overcompensated for in aspirations and ambition. In spite of his rather comfortable position as a clerk in the Navy pay office, John could never live within his means, and by 1824, his second child Charles was removed from his school in Chatham, and, at the tender age of 12, put to work in a boot-blacking factory. His meagre earnings were not enough to stave-off family disaster, however, and the entire family, with the exception of Charles, were interred in the Marshalsea Debtors' Prison.

     By the age of 15, Dickens the younger was employed as a solicitor's clerk. And by the early 1830's, he'd become amorously acquainted with Maria Beadnell, a banker's daughter, with whose happy association he was divided when her father decided his social station was not sufficient to encourage the relationship. By 1835, he instead married Catherine Hogarth, the daughter of a mentor publisher, George Hogarth. But it was her sister Mary who utterly beguiled him, and her death in 1837 caused one of the very few interruptions in his writing regimen. In spite of her bearing him 10 children, the relationship between Catherine and Charles was always problematic, and they did ultimately separate in 1858.

     So, Charles Dickens, like David Copperfield, knew the bliss of a cosseted childhood; the terror of losing it all; the tensions of alternate social stations; the blighting of "inappropriate" love; the agony of wrong romantic decisions; the betrayal of close confidantes; the shame of debtors' prison; the immoral absurdity of the class system; the gentle blessings of good friends and the fickle of finger of fate as it points arbitrarily across the fortunes of simple human players.

      In his own observance, Dickens recalls his childhood with the words, "how I could have been so easily cast away at such an age?" Verily, he may have been the "author of childhood", but it was still a very fleeting moment in the life of a human in those days. Charles Dickens, born in the year that the newly formed United States of America waged war on England, the year that Prime Minister Spencer Perceval was assassinated by a disgruntled bankrupt, and the throne was being "protected" by the Prince Regent, (soon to be) George IV, due to the "madness" and eventual death of King George III, saw many social and regent uprisings in his life until the berthing of Victoria upon the throne of England in 1837. By the time of his writing David Copperfield, he'd seen plenty of imperial decisions (and frequently, their dire social consequences), and, in his witty way, managed to voice his displeasure.

      Dickens had a canny way of appealing to all strata of society - his themes were richly steeped in clinical censure of the ruling classes - but he was that same class' literary darling. In some ways, this coalesces elegantly on his tombstone, in Westminster Abbey in (where else?) Poets Corner: His epitaph reads: "He was a sympathiser to the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world". I recall my pilgrimage to that site. Amongst the "rubbers" and the tour guides and the wild "travel independents", there was the odd person who sought out his memorial....they were normally silent, thoughtful, and jubilant... amen to that!

      So to the synopsis! For those who've travelled with me through the preceding paragraphs...take a *well* earned break! (We'll wait for you:)

      With his father having died prior to his arrival, David Copperfield's beautiful, young and vulnerable mother, Clara (Emilia Fox) and her faithful and loving servant, Peggotty (Pauline Quirke) are visited in their home at Blundstone by the formidable Betsey Trotwood (Maggie Smith), Clara's dead husband's aunt. She announces with all the terrifying confidence of the Oracle that Clara's baby will be born a girl, and shall be endowed with the name Betsey Trotwood Copperfield, and the services of her great aunt as Godmother. Clara goes into labour, and much to Betsey's disgust, produces a boy - David Copperfield Jr.

      Young David (Daniel Radcliffe - yup - Harry Potter), Clara and Pegotty enjoy a peaceful existence until the arrival on the scene of Mr Murdstone (Trevor Eve). Whilst David and Pegotty enjoy a blissful holiday at Pegotty's Yarmouth boat-home with Mr Pegotty (Alun Armstrong), Mrs Gummidge (Patsy Byrne), the gentle Ham (James Thornton), and the sweet little Emily (Laura Harling), Clara and Murdstone get married. David's idyllic life is shattered as Murdstone and his bitter sister (Zoë Wanamaker) install themselves at Blundstone and proceed to make everyone's life a complete and utter misery. Instead of the sweet and gentle raising of his mother and Pegotty, David is brutalised and beaten by Murdstone. During one particularly vicious whipping, David bites Murdstone's finger, resulting in a prolonged solitary confinement, and the decision to send the poor lad away for some "corrective" tuition at the ironically named Salem House - an "Academy for Young Gentlemen." There David encounters the wretched and vile Mr Creakle (Ian McKellen in a scene stealing performance), who forces our poor young hero to wear a wooden sign that says "Take care of him...he bites." The only kindness he encounters at this cold and brutal school is from an older boy, Steerforth (played by an actual descendent of Charles Dickens, Harry Lloyd). They cement a friendship, although an older David Copperfield will live to rue this acquaintance. Slowly, David adjusts to the cruel rhythms of school life, but his world is completely shattered when he is informed (in agonising fashion) that his mother has died.

      On returning to Blundstone, David is coldly informed by Murdstone that he is no longer prepared to pay for his schooling, and instead consigns him to work in his London blacking factory. The work is arduous, long and degrading, and Victorian London is a hostile place for a young boy. The only light in his desperate plight is his introduction to Mr Micawber (Bob Hoskins) - a verbose and flamboyant gent with whom David is to lodge. Micawber is a delight. He is eternally optimistic, a great lover of life, and a magnanimous husband and father to his ever growing brood of children. Unfortunately, he is also eternally in debt, and barely keeping one step ahead of his creditors.

      When the Micawbers finally have to leave London to evade debtors' prison, David decides to run away from his desperate existence and seek the help of his only living relative, Aunt Betsey Trotwood. After a long journey on foot, he arrives, bedraggled, exhausted and near-starving. It seems Aunt Betsey has still not quite forgiven him for being born a boy, but, with the counsel of her rather unhinged companion, Mr Dick (Ian McNeice), she is persuaded to consider assisting him. Her decision is galvanised when Murdstone and his sister come to call, and the result of their most unpleasant encounter is that Betsey adopts David and takes full financial responsibility for the boy.

      With the new name of Trotwood Copperfield, David is returned to his education, this time at a far more edifying seat of learning, and is billeted with Aunt Betsey's legal agent, Mr Wickfield (Oliver Ford Davies) and his charming daughter, Agnes (played as a child by Antonia Corrigan, and then as an adult by Amanda Ryan). David is much disquieted by the disturbing presence of Mr Wickfield's obsequious and ever-so-'umble clerk, Uriah Heep (Nicholas Lyndhurst), who always seems to be lurking around in a sinister manner. But, as the narrator attests, "time goes by unobserved" and David (now played by Ciarán McMenamin) grows into youth.

      Having graduated from school, David decides to visit Pegotty, who has married the "willin'" Mr Barkis (Michael Elphick), and goes on, with Steerforth (now played by Oliver Milburn) to visit the Pegotty clan in Yarmouth. Ham, beaming with delight, shyly announces his engagement to Emily (now played by Aislín McGuckin), but there appears to be some powerful chemistry between the wildly beautiful and windswept Emily and Steerforth.

      Returning to London, Aunt Betsey finances his apprenticeship as a proctor for the lawyer, Mr Spenlow (James Grout) and helps him find accommodations at a house run by the rather lush Mrs Crupp (Dawn French). As he settles into his new life, he encounters the glorious Dora (Joanna Page), Mr Spenlow's daughter, and falls instantly and hopelessly in love.

      Word arrives to David that Mr Barkis is dying, so he dashes to Pegotty's side to comfort her. All is not well in Yarmouth, and Emily confides in an awkward fashion to David her reservations about marrying Ham. She wants to be made "a lady" - a feat not possible if she accepts his betrothal. She decides to run away with Steerforth - an act that crushes Ham and devastates Mr Pegotty. He vows to search to the ends of the earth to find her and rescue her and her honour.

      All is not well in London either. Uriah Heep is persistently increasing his hold over a demoralised Mr Wickfield, and has turned David's happy childhood home into a place under siege. Agnes and Mr Wickfield appear powerless against him, and the fortunes of their family and their clients seem perilously under threat. Dora has, however, consented to marry him, which makes him deliriously happy. After their marriage, they set up home together, although they are both hopelessly inept. Their first dinner party with their reunited friends, the Micawbers is an abject disaster, and Mr Micawber seems to have lost his joie de vivre. It transpires that he has been placed in the employ of Mr Wickfield and Uriah Heep - and Heep's underhand dealings are deeply disturbing the normally jolly fellow.

      The extent of Heep's handiwork unravels when Aunt Betsey comes to London and announces that she has been made broke. She and Mr Dick come to stay with David, who is becoming increasingly impatient with his pretty little wife, Dora. Poor Mr Pegotty is still relentlessly searching for Emily, who he finally finds in a London whorehouse. He decides that to preserve her honour and provide her with a fresh start, he will take her to Australia. (SPOILER ALERT: highlight with mouse to read) A terrible storm hits Yarmouth, and Ham bravely plunges into the perilous seas to rescue sailors from a foundered vessel. Tragically, he dies, as do the sailors, one of whom turns out to be Steerforth.

      Mr Micawber finally plucks up the courage to expose Uriah Heep, and the spell that has fallen upon Mr Wickfield's house appears to be broken. (SPOILER ALERT: highlight with mouse to read) As it transpires, Aunt Betsey's money is not lost - merely redirected to Heep's own purse, and the restoration of her fortunes comes at an opportune moment for Mr Micawber, whose plans to relocate his family to Australia are imperilled when he's nabbed dockside for unpaid debts. Aunt Betsey is able to account for the deficit, and the family fulfils its plans for a brighter future in the Antipodes.

      But for David, there is more tragedy yet. (SPOILER ALERT: highlight with mouse to read) His pretty little wife, Dora, succumbs to illness and dies, leaving a guilt-ridden David to wander the continent for a time rather aimlessly. On his return, he is reunited with Agnes, and they both realise that their affections for each other are far more than merely fraternal.

      Finally, we leave David and Agnes, blissfully happy parents of an increasing brood. David has realised his lifetime ambition to write stories, and has become a successful author. The couple are imminently expecting an addition to their family of two sons, and deliver, much to Aunt Betsey's delight, a Goddaughter, namely, Betsey Trotwood Copperfield.

      This BBC production is absolutely marvellous. Although it has undergone some necessary editing from the original text, it remains utterly faithful to the story and Dickens' intent. Special mention should also be made of the narrator of the piece, Tom Wilkinson, whose beautifully moderated voice gives the voice-over genuine personable charm. The scriptwriters did a fabulous job of blending the live action with the narration in a manner that was seamless and engaging.

      The depth of performing talent in this production is extraordinary, and each cast member contributes generously to create a dream ensemble. This is utterly enjoyable viewing and I highly recommend it.

Video

     This transfer is presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 16x9 enhanced.

     The presentation is crisp, sharp and perfectly transferred. The detail is extensive in both highlights and shadows and there is no low level noise. Grain levels are generally excellent, although there is one exception, in Episode 2, at 06:04 which sorts itself out again by 09:18.

     The colour range is lush, lavish and deeply saturated, making the most of some tenderly shot cinematography. Skin tones are consistently excellent throughout, and the colours hold in both interior and exterior shots.

     This presentation is largely artefact free with the exception of some very minor aliasing and the tiniest tad of motion blur occasionally.

     This is a dual layered disc, with the layer change placed between the two episodes, causing no interruption whatsoever.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

     The soundtrack is delivered in English Dolby Digital 2.0 and is crisp, clean and distortion free.

     The dialogue is excellent throughout and the audio sync presents no problems. The subtitles are clean, clear and easy to read, although occasionally, a little truncated.

     The original music by Robert Lane is truly glorious, and fully deserves the 5.1 feature it receives in the extras.

     There is some sense of direction in the soundscape, although there is no subwoofer activity.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Menu

     The menu is static and backed by Robert Lane's magnificent music. The scene selection menu has little cells with live action from each scene in them - very nice indeed.

Featurette - The Making of David Copperfield - Dickens' Favourite Child. (20:06)

     An exceptionally good featurette, focusing not just on the background scenes, but also the historical and social context of Dickens' writing.

The Music of Rob Lane

     A 5.1 offering of the theme music from David Copperfield. This is 30 minutes of bliss - enjoy!

Trailers

     Promotions for Pride and Prejudice; Wives and Daughters and Middlemarch.

      The R4 version misses out on:

• Cast list
• Poster gallery
• Access to the "David Copperfield" website

    The R1 version misses out on:

• The Making of Featurette
• The Music of Rob Lane
• The BBC promos

  In this ever-so-'umble reviewer's opinion, R4 is the out and out winner.

     Fantastic cast, superlative production values, enchanting story, intelligent adaptation - for what more could a discerning viewer ask? If it's been a while since you last acquainted yourself with young Master Copperfield, please allow me to encourage you to do so now. An absolute delight!

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

A Tale of Two Cities (1980)

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General		Extras
Category	Drama	Main Menu Audio
Rating
Year Of Production	1980
Running Time	190:00
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	2,4	Directed By	Michael E. Briant
Studio Distributor	Roadshow Home Entertainment	Starring	Paul Shelley Nigel Stock Ralph Michael Vivien Merchant Sally Osborn Judy Parfitt Stephen Yardley
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Secure Clip
RPI	Box	Music	None Given

    With the above lines Charles Dickens began A Tale of Two Cities, which was to become one of his most popular works. Published in a weekly serial form in 1859, it is a historical novel, a rarity for Dickens. It is set in the period between 1775 and 1793, with the crux of the action taking place during the French Revolution. In fact, the above lines do not appear in the program, but the final lines, which are equally memorable, do make a prominent appearance.

    The tale at the heart of A Tale of Two Cities is divided between London and Paris. The plot is a little hard to follow at first but bear with me.

    It begins with intrigue. In 1775 banker, Jarvis Lorry receives a message to meet a young woman in Dover. The woman is Lucie Manette, who is the daughter of an eminent French doctor, believed dead after having been imprisoned in the Bastille for 18 years. After hearing news that the doctor is in fact alive, they race to France and are met by Defarge, a former assistant of the good doctor.

    Instead of the proud physician of old, he is a broken old man who can only remember his name as "105 North Tower" and believes himself to be a shoe maker. They whisk him out of the country to bring him to life. For his unjust imprisonment Dr Manette becomes a symbol for the French populace of the capriciousness of their ruling class.

    Five years later, a Charles Darnay is on trial in England for treason. His fate seems to be doomed until his lawyer's assistant, Sidney Carton, undermines the prosecution case that their witnesses could unmistakably identify the traitor they saw as Darnay. The reason? Carton bears an uncanny resemblance to Darnay. There is another unfortunate coincidence as both men form an attraction to Lucie Manette. However, it is really a one-horse race, as Darnay is a wealthy man of quality and refinement whereas Carton is, by his own admission, a good for nothing fellow whose life has never accounted to much.

    Back in France, we are briefly introduced to the Marquise de Evremond. This man is bad. So bad that when he runs over a peasant child in the street in his carriage he quickly enquires as to whether his horses have suffered any injury. Cruelly tossing a coin to the dead child's father, he starts a fire that will lead to revolution. For the father breaks into his house that night and kills the Marquise. Prior to the murder (or public service depending on your view of things) Marquise's nephew, none other than Charles Darnay, tells his uncle that he renounces his title due to the unacceptably cruel treatment of the people.

    Meanwhile, Darnay marries Lucie. Carton visits her and pledges his love notwithstanding that he knows it can never be returned. In Defarge's wine shop in Paris his wife, Madam Defarge, sits quietly knitting. In fact this seemingly gently pursuit has a dark purpose. Into the knitting she is weaving the names of those who are to be executed when the Revolution comes.

    In 1789 the Revolution comes and the peasants storm the Bastille. Defarge finds an important document in the old cell occupied by Manette and the clerk in charge of maintenance of the Evremond estate is imprisoned. Against everyone's better judgment, Darnay travels to Paris to rescue him and he is promptly arrested and charged by the Revolutionary Committee.

    The final quarter of the story sees all the parties in France with their lives at risk. Despite the melodramatics, it is a moving story and no matter how many times it is seen or read, the ending is still extremely powerful.

    This production dates from 1980 and was apparently a co-production between BBC TV, Time Life Television and the Australian Broadcasting Commission. It runs for approximately three hours and consists of eight episodes. A decision has been made to play the episodes as they were screened, which is disappointing in one way in that some of the episodes are barely more than 20 minutes long, to which credits time is added. One episode at a time is not nearly enough, and it is a bit frustrating having to sit through the credits over again.

    The acting is fine and consistent with the period. By that I mean it is something of a filmed play, therefore the acting is suitably theatrical. Public tastes have changed since 1980, and the show would have been performed and directed very differently ten years later, and indeed ten years after that. In particular, the horror of the Revolution and the guillotine is really only brought home in a few moments.

    Despite this, it is an entertaining production provided you can accept the production values and acting style. There are only a few points where the series diverges from the book, most importantly where the couple leaving on their honeymoon causes Dr Manette to revert to his shoe-maker ways rather than the revelation to him in the book that Darnay is a member of the Evremond family, who was instrumental in his imprisonment.

    Darnay and Carton are played by Paul Shelley who does a nice job distinguishing between the two. Lucie Manette's guardian, Miss Pross, was the last performance by Vivien Merchant, who keen theatre watches will know as the wife of Harold Pinter and the originator of some of his female roles. She was not often seen after their marriage split up in 1975, and she died of acute alcoholism within two years of making this series. Unfortunately her last performance was not her best. As Madame Defarge, Judy Parfitt captures a woman with a blood thirsty resolve to carry her plans out to the end and to have her revenge upon the Evremond family. Recently seen to similar chilling effect in the BBC series Funland, she gives a scary performance here.

    Overall, this is an enjoyable version of the story. For many fans it probably does not replace the 1935 film version with Ronald Colman as Sydney Carton, despite the strange tag line for that movie: "The most delightful love story in all history of literature!". It is a bit stagey in its design, but as mentioned, it still has the power to move the viewer.

Video

    A Tale of Two Cities comes to DVD in a 1.33:1 transfer, which is consistent with its original television aspect ratio.

    The production was originally broadcast in 1980 and viewers should be aware that this program is consistent with the look of British Television from that era.

    The print itself has not undergone any restoration but it must be said that, given its age, it is in reasonably good shape. There are some small but noticeable artefacts throughout, including specks that appear for lengthy periods throughout each of the eight episodes. This is particularly noticeable in the final episode, where two specks remain in the same position throughout the episode. I suspect that the BBC budget does not extend to restoration costs of a work like this and, to be honest, the work itself probably does not justify great expense. It is fine for what it is but this is one Dickens that is clearly in need of a new version.

    There is a disconnect between the exterior shots – which look a bit hazy and may have been shot on film – and the interiors, which are most definitely shot on video. The image quality was probably never that great to being with, and it has deteriorated with time. The colours are largely muddy greens and browns. All the problems that can affect very old video are present in the transfer, including some cross-colouration, slight but noticeable comet trails on those scenes where the camera moves when focusing on a scene with candles, and occasional noise issues. The image is generally soft.

    There are subtitles for the hearing impaired, which are clear and easy to read.

    Although the image quality is average at best, it is certainly consistent with the era; the transfer itself cannot be criticised. However, viewers should be aware of what they are getting.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

    A Tale of Two Cities comes to DVD with an English Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 KB/s) soundtrack. This is no surprise given its television origins and for the most part, it works well.

    The only scene that would have really benefited from a surround mix is the storming of the Bastille in episode five. Having said that, most viewers weaned on any current mini-series featuring battle scenes such as Band of Brothers will find the Bastille fighting about as violent as a pillow fight at a girls' sleep-over!

    The dialogue is easy to hear thanks to the expert enunciation of the British actors. In this production, the decision was made to have everyone speak in English accents, which saves the viewer from the "Monty Python effect" of French accents. The only difference in accent is the working class assistant to the Banker, but fortunately his accent is also easy to understand.

    The music for this series was by Paul Reade. It has a central theme that is memorable and hummable, although I am not sure whether it has stuck in my memory due to its quality or simply because of the level of repetition through the episodes. The music is generally good and consistent with the era, however, there is an "approaching dread" string tremolo which is a bit too schlock horror! The audio sync is fine and generally the sound is quite acceptable.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

    There are no extras.

    This DVD is currently available in Region 4 as part of a series set of Dickens novel adaptations. In Region 1 the 1989 version is available, but not this 1980 version.

    A Tale of Two Cities is a popular Dickens novel that has not often been filmed. Perhaps this is due to the complexity of the plot and the historical demands it places on the viewer. This is a fine adaptation which is deserving of a look but will probably be of interest only to the Dickens fan.

    The video and sound transfers are consistent with television of the era, and whilst somewhat primitive, they should not put off the dedicated viewer.

    There are no extras.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

Great Expectations (1999)

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General		Extras
Category	Drama	Main Menu Audio
Rating
Year Of Production	1999
Running Time	185:05 (Case: 182)
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	2,4	Directed By	Julian Jarrold
Studio Distributor	Roadshow Home Entertainment	Starring	Ioan Gruffudd Justine Waddell Charlotte Rampling Bernard Hill
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Secure Clip
RPI	Box	Music	None Given

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English Dolby Digital 2.0 (192Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	1.85:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	Unknown	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	None	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

    Great Expectations is one of Charles Dickens' most enduring novels. Though lacking some of the grotesques seen in his other works it has an engaging, sometimes thrilling, story and a likeably flawed protagonist. Serialized from 1860 to 1861 and one of his last works it connects with its audience with themes of hope and disappointment and unrequited love. It has been filmed many times, including the classic David Lean directed version in 1946 with Sir John Mills in the lead and has been modernised in a version starring Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow and directed by Alfonse Cuaron. It has also had various TV adaptations. This BBC mini-series dates from 1999. It is available only as part of the Dickens Collection.

    As the series begins young Pip ( short for Phillip Pirrip) has no expectations of any type. Orphaned, he is living with his nasty sister and her kind husband Joe. His life is mapped out for him. He will follow Joe as the town blacksmith. After just surviving the fright of being forced to assist an escaped prisoner he settles into a boring existence.

    One day he receives an invitation to visit the local wealthy eccentric, Miss Haversham. Due to a wedding day tragedy many years before she is cloistered in her mansion and has only her young protégé Estella with whom to plan her revenge on the world. Pip is instantly humiliated and captivated by Estella.

    One day Pip is visited by Miss Haversham's lawyer Jaggers, who tells him that he has a mysterious benefactor who desires that he go to London to be trained to be a gentleman. Pip has Great Expectations! Believing Miss Haversham to be that benefactor he visits her to bestow his gratitude which she knowingly accepts.

    When in London Pip fits right into the world of young gentleman. He quickly falls into debt. More seriously, he meets Estella, who has naturally grown up into a beautiful woman, and falls deeply for her. The final third of the film is a story both of love, as Pip grapples with the actions of Estella, and drama as his benefactor comes forward and is promptly in huge danger.

    Many will remember with fondness the 1989 mini-series with Anthony Hopkins, John Rhy-Davies and Jean Simmons as Miss Haversham. The expression "I mean ter say Pip!" from the gentle Joe has become an saying used in my household since the series was shown although the exact meaning of the phrase has been lost in time.

    If this version is poorer by comparison it is only due to the fact that the earlier series, at 6 hours, was double this program's length allowing for a greater depth of story-telling. As a result some of the scenes that lingered in the memory from the previous version, such as where the rough Joe is embarrassed when he meets gentleman Pip in London are nowhere to be seen. Where this version triumphs is in the economy of story and the rapid pace.

    This Great Expectations emphasises the darkness of the surroundings whilst minimizing the failings of Pip himself. Whilst portrayed as foolish in his pursuit of the unobtainable Estella, dramatist Tony Marchant and director Julian Jarrold leave out the whole process of Pip being too much of a gentleman for Joe and the blacksmith trade. It is a dark show.

    Pip as a man is played by Ioan Gruffudd who brings the sort of debonair quality he showed in Hornblower to the role. It is a real treat to have an actor of his skill in the role as he keeps Pip from being the bland hero that Dickens leads can be. As the coldly efficient lawyer Jaggers, Ian McDiarmid channels his performance as Chancellor Palpatine from the Star Wars movies. Charlotte Rampling is a scarily mad Miss Haversham, bringing to her character a real feral quality quite at odds with the dottiness with which she is often played. This is a woman who is dark at heart.

    The ending of Great Expectations always creates controversy. The original ending was seen as too dark so Dickens used an ending which satisfied the public, but that many see as out of tone with the book. Most filmed versions opt to fudge the ending and this is no exception, falling somewhere in the middle with a mixture of hope and sadness. There are some who may feel that this production is a mixed success, either too short or too long. I missed the extra scenes with Joe and felt that the scenes with the dastardly Orlick were so truncated as to be difficult to follow. All in all it is a fine production balancing some quality action with a nice production design and pacey direction.

Video

    This adaptation of Great Expectations is presented on DVD in a 1.85:1 transfer. It is 16x9 enhanced.

    The production dates from 1999 and is shot with the sort of gloomy spare cinematography that the adaptation seems to demand. Shorn of the sentimental moments the film is often grim, with smiles a rarity, necessitating a colour palette shot through with melancholy of love denied. Dark greens, browns and blacks dominate. Having said that the black levels are quite deep and no Dickens fan could be disappointed with the presentation.

    There are some minor specks about and some grain to be seen but nothing which distracts from the program. There is no aliasing or other defects.

    Skin tones are accurate.

    The whole 3 hour experience is crammed on one dual layer DVD but compression issues aren't a problem. The chief complaint could be a little haziness and softness of the image at times.

    There are subtitles for the hearing impaired which are clear and easy to read and give a good account of the on-screen action.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

   Great Expectations is presented in English Dolby Digital 2.0 (192Kb/s).

    The sound quality and presentation is quite adequate for the production. This is not as intent on contrasting rich and poor as other Dickens and it is only Joe and Pip's friend Biddy who have strong accents. The dialogue is easy to hear and well spoken by the cast. It is in perfect sync.

    The music composed by Peter Salem is only occasionally heard but brings a subtle tension to the film, for example in the scene where young Pip is wandering around Miss Haversham's house as if in a Chamber of Horrors.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

    There are no extras.

    This DVD is available in Region 1 in an identical version, but coupled with Oliver Twist and David Copperfield. It does not appear to be currently available separately anywhere.

    This production of Great Expectations avoids some of the pitfalls of summarizing a long book into three hours. It is elevated above other Dickens by the quality of the acting and the always unforgettable character of Miss Haversham.

    The video and audio transfer are quite good without being reference quality.

    There are no extras.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

Our Mutual Friend (1998)

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General		Extras
Category	Drama	Main Menu Audio Featurette-Dickens: The Final Chapter Trailer-Pride & Prejudice
Rating
Year Of Production	1998
Running Time	351:43 (Case: 350)
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered Dual Disc Set	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	2,4	Directed By	Julian Farino
Studio Distributor	Roadshow Home Entertainment	Starring	Paul McGann Keeley Hawes Anna Friel Steven Mackintosh Peter Vaughan Pam Ferris David Morrissey Timothy Spall Kenneth Cranham
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Secure Clip
RPI	Box	Music	None Given

    Our Mutual Friend has the distinction of being the last complete work by Charles Dickens. Halfway during the writing of The Mystery of Edwin Drood , Dickens passed away leaving the mystery unsolved (although he promised Queen Victoria at one time that he would reveal the end to her if Her Majesty so chose).

    It also has the distinction of being one of Dickens' least loved works. It has never been filmed for cinema during the sound era and the BBC has only filmed it three times, 1958, 1976 and this version in 1998. Although modern critics consider the book to be one of his best works, it was unpopular at the time of release and is little read today. The great novelist John Irving keeps a copy of the book near his bedside to be read as his final act before dying!

    There are probably a number of reasons why the book does not share the love of most Dickens fans. One reason has to do with the subject matter and tone of the piece. It is a fairly sombre and dark work with the themes of violent obsession and drowning as its central ideas.

    Another reason perhaps has something to do with the plotting and story development. During the writing of the work Dickens was involved in a serious rail accident which resulted in multiple deaths. Although uninjured, many commentators feel that the experience scarred him and affected the quality of his writing.

    Whatever the reason it is clear to even the most casual Dickens reader that the book is different in its feel than the previous two works, A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations. In many ways the book seems to anticipate the writings of American author Henry James. Like James' most famous works such as Washington Square and The Portrait of A Lady, polite society in Our Mutual Friend seems more savage than the jungle! The Thames River is a character in itself in the novel and it seems almost inevitable that some will float on it and others will be pulled into its murky depths.

    The plot of Our Mutual Friend is fairly complex and at times the motivation of the characters are difficult to follow. Unusually for Dickens there is no real protagonist but rather a series of sometimes connected stories.

    It is a dark night on the Thames. Gaffer Hexham and his daughter Lizzie are plying a grim trade. Gaffer collects from the river the bodies of the murdered, the accidentally drowned and the suicides. After taking what he can from the bodies, he hands them over to the police.

    On this night he finds the body of John Harmon, the beneficiary of the Harmon fortune. Harmon made his money from collecting huge dust mounds and extracting valuable items from the mounds. The terms of his father's will state that in order to claim his fortune he was to marry a woman he had never met, one Bella Wilfer.

    At the mortuary the father's solicitors and his colleague, Eugene Wrayburn, identify the body. The mysterious John Rokesmith, a lodger at the Wilfer household, also sees the body.

    Early in the second episode it is revealed, (if you hadn't guessed already!) that Rokesmith and Harmon are one in the same. He switched identities with a look-a-like in a scheme that went horribly wrong. The plan was for him to test his intended bride to see whether she is a good and true woman. She is not! Bella is a young woman who despises her modest means and is determined to have wealth.

    The default clause in the Harmon Will passed the estate to his faithful servant Boffin and his wife who are more at home watching over the dust mounds than taking part in society. Nevertheless Boffin dedicates himself to becoming knowledgeable (perhaps the origin of the phrase "Boffin") by engaging a one-legged street vendor as his educator. The vendor, Silas Wegg, senses that his fortunes are about to change and he visits Mr Venus, an articulator of bones, who possesses his missing leg. (According to the extra feature on this DVD, in Victorian times the only way to obtain bones for skeletons was to buy them from hospitals.) Whilst picking around in the dust mounds one day, Wegg finds an alternate will and determines to make the best of his situation through a little extortion.

    Meanwhile, Lizzie Hexham gathers enough money to send her young brother to be educated. When her father dies she too leaves the waterside lifestyle and lives in the centre of the city with an odd woman, Jenny Wren, who stitches clothing for dolls.

    These desperate stories come together in interesting ways. Eugene Wrayburn falls immediately for Lizzie Hexham. However, she also attracts the attention of her brother's school master, the obsessive and violent Mr Headstone. She disappears leaving both men to chase her. John Rokesmith offers his services as a secretary to the newly rich Boffins but is humiliated and sacked when he admits his feelings for Bella, only to have her reject him and Boffin now apparently affected by his wealth and position in the world, becoming enraged that a new secretary could suppose to fall in love with a woman of future fortune. For the childless Boffins have dedicated themselves to passing on their wealth to Bella.

    The drama of the work is in discovering who will find their way to the bottom of the river and who will rise above it. The plot shifts are quite marked and the ending seems both rushed and protracted given the delicate pacing of the series to that point. However, this is a criticism that was consistently thrown at the novel and not simply a fault of this production.

    From a viewers perspective there are some very satisfying scenes in the film. Although love is seemingly at the core of the story, it is clear that love as an obsession is Dickens' interest. With the exception of the eternally good Lizzie Hexham, the other characters are all very self-possessed and continually place their own desires over the good of the object of their obsession.

    The production is finely acted, featuring a cast of experienced British actors. Blink-or- you- will- miss- him Dr Who Paul McGann plays Eugene Wrayburn and Tipping the Velvet star Keeley Hawes is Lizzie Hexham. Steven Mackintosh is the cool and collected John Rokesmith, whilst Anna Friel from Goal! and Timeline plays Bella Wilfer.

    There are nice performances from Katy Murphy as Jenny Wren and David Morrissey makes the best he can of the tortured Bradley Headstone. As the comical but occasionally dangerous Wegg and Venus, experienced actors Kenneth Cranham and Timothy Spall (Wormtail from Harry Potter) put in excellent performances, not only illuminating the text but making you feel that these actors lived in Victorian times.

    There is an enormous cast of characters but special mention must be made of the great David Bradley as Rogue Riderhood, another man carrying out the dark business of retrieving bodies in the Thames! Viewers will recognise him as Argus Filtch from the Harry Potter films but he also has given a great performance as the nemesis of David Morrissey in the TV series Blackpool. Here Bradley imparts a chilling singularity of purpose to his character who subtly guides Headstone towards tragic action.

    Whilst Our Mutual Friend will never be as popular as other Dickens works this is nevertheless an enjoyable tale and a well directed and acted production. It is a worthy edition to the Dickens Collection.

Video

    Our Mutual Friend comes to DVD in a 1.33:1 transfer.

    This is somewhat of a surprise as the program was telecast on the BBC in 1998 and I was expecting to have the benefit of a wide screen transfer. In fact, both Great Expectations and David Copperfield which were both broadcast in 1999, come with a wide screen presentation. The Region 1 version of this DVD is described as having a 1.78:1 transfer however details about the original aspect ratio are sketchy at best so it is difficult to tell whether this simply represents the last of the standard TV ratio mini-series.

    Irrespective of the original aspect ratio, it is unfortunately the case that this is not a particularly good looking series. Whilst some of the transfers on the earlier discs in Dickens Collection were excusable due to their early production date, it seems to me that this ought to look much better.

    There is a variability in the clarity of some scenes and a persistent grainy look, particularly in some of the night scenes. Given that this is a very dark production it means that there are considerable moments when the image could have been much better. It is unfortunate that there is a variability of quality in the show which then draws more attention to the average scenes.

    It is also surprising that there are the occasional artefacts and markings on the print, suggesting that despite it being fairly recent, the source print has picked up more damage than some of the older shows in the series. It does not detract from the overall production but it it nevertheless a disappointment.

    There are English subtitles for the Hearing Impaired which are clear and easy to read. Audio sync is not a problem.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

    Our Mutual Friend comes to DVD with an English Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 KB/s) soundtrack, which is adequate for the film.

    The dialogue is perfectly clear and easy to understand notwithstanding that the story stresses the differences between the rich and the poor, with the poor tending to have heavy accents. Such is the quality of actors on board, however, that they are never incomprehensible.

    The music deserves a special mention. Composer Adrian Johnston has created a memorable main theme which sums up the darkness of the piece as well as the turbulence of the emotions on show. It suits the murkiness of the Thames River.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

    There are only two DVDs in the Dickens Collection which contain genuine extras. Our Mutual Friend contains two.

Featurette

    Dickens The Final Chapter which is an examination of Our Mutual Friend placing it in the context of Dickens life and London of the time. It is approximately 30 minutes long and uses a blend of scholars as well as actors from the film to explain the context of their characters. It is pointed out that Dickens himself had a tough and sometimes sad childhood and further that his frame of mind at the time of writing the book, facing illness and advancing years, was such that it leaked into the tone of the work creating its darkness.

    It was interesting to see some contemporary sketches of the Thames and the dust mounds of the time. Both were recreated far away from London. This is a worthy additional feature for this DVD.

Trailer

    This is a series of trailers of other BBC period pieces.

    It is possible to access the original music score composed and digitally edited in 5.1 surround. No images attach to this score. It does sound fuller and even more poignant in surround sound. This feature is useful for listening to when reading the paper or perhaps even reading your way through the novel.

    As said, the Region 1 DVD of Our Mutual Friend is said to be in wide-screen although I could find no reviews of the product to support this comment. It is difficult to recommend that version unseen so unless you are inordinately attached to the program, it is more economical to buy it as part of the Region 4 Dickens Collection.

    Our Mutual Friend is a well acted and directed account of the Dickens novel and has all the virtues of the novel as well as the flaws.

    The transfer is slightly disappointing given that the series is fairly recent however the problems are not enough to be off-putting.

    The special features are interesting and a nice addition to the mini-series.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall