catchall-11
Joined Feb 2006
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Reviews4
catchall-11's rating
I can't recommend this series too much, and I have watched pretty much every documentary about WWII; not a one of them compares to this series, each episode of which is a small masterpiece detailing a tiny piece of the gigantic story that is World War II. Watch it and be amazed!
Documentaries tend to focus too much on "the big picture." This series takes a different tack by focusing on the small battles that, as a whole, comprise the tapestry of WWII.
I'd also recommend the series "The World At War" from 1973. Old, yes, but beautifully and comprehensively done in twenty-six episodes, and narrated by the incomparable Laurence Olivier. This series is still the gold standard for the genre, and you can binge it for days.
Documentaries tend to focus too much on "the big picture." This series takes a different tack by focusing on the small battles that, as a whole, comprise the tapestry of WWII.
I'd also recommend the series "The World At War" from 1973. Old, yes, but beautifully and comprehensively done in twenty-six episodes, and narrated by the incomparable Laurence Olivier. This series is still the gold standard for the genre, and you can binge it for days.
Aspiring directors, screenwriters, and producers should take a close look at episode one of year one; it's just about perfect, and I very rarely say that about anything.
From the first moody early morning shot of Oxford University, followed by the intriguing shot of Diana's scull passing under the bridge, the first quality production continues unabated throughout the eight episodes. The photography in particular stands out, with every scene carefully composed and shot to perfection.
The acting is equally well done; I have followed Teresa Palmer's career, from her cheesy early movies right up to the excellent Australian production "Ride Like a Girl," and am delighted that her merely good performances have progressed to excellent in every way. That she is one of the most beautiful creatures ever to exist is a big bonus.
As with all movies and TV, there are things to nitpick. The scene where the Book of Life burns her hand was definitely not in the book, though effective in showing that this is not a normal book. And the scene where she has a drink with her friend Sean and tells him that her parents were murdered in Croatia is plain wrong; the book clearly places that incident in Nigeria.
But, as I said, these are nitpicks inherent in any adaptation of a book (which is also excellent). And since the author of the All Souls Trilogy, Deborah Harkness, is an executive producer, I am inclined to be forgiving on this point.
In sum: Try it, you'll like it!
From the first moody early morning shot of Oxford University, followed by the intriguing shot of Diana's scull passing under the bridge, the first quality production continues unabated throughout the eight episodes. The photography in particular stands out, with every scene carefully composed and shot to perfection.
The acting is equally well done; I have followed Teresa Palmer's career, from her cheesy early movies right up to the excellent Australian production "Ride Like a Girl," and am delighted that her merely good performances have progressed to excellent in every way. That she is one of the most beautiful creatures ever to exist is a big bonus.
As with all movies and TV, there are things to nitpick. The scene where the Book of Life burns her hand was definitely not in the book, though effective in showing that this is not a normal book. And the scene where she has a drink with her friend Sean and tells him that her parents were murdered in Croatia is plain wrong; the book clearly places that incident in Nigeria.
But, as I said, these are nitpicks inherent in any adaptation of a book (which is also excellent). And since the author of the All Souls Trilogy, Deborah Harkness, is an executive producer, I am inclined to be forgiving on this point.
In sum: Try it, you'll like it!
In spite of obvious problems with editing and screenplay, this is nevertheless an entertaining and inspirational story. For instance: when Michelle leaves home, we see a few moments of her and her father arguing about whether she is ready for the big time; a few seconds later she climbs into her car and drives away to some unknown destination, then the episode is over with no further backstory. There was a lot more to unwrap on this topic, but we're left wondering.
But the sparkling performances by the entire cast and generally excellent production values more than make up for the few glitches. Teresa Palmer, who looks very much at home on horseback, turns in her usual great performance. And check our her equine skills in "A Discovery of Witches" season 1 episode four.
Perhaps with a bigger budget or less demanding production schedule it could have been bit better; still, I loved it and will watch it again.
But the sparkling performances by the entire cast and generally excellent production values more than make up for the few glitches. Teresa Palmer, who looks very much at home on horseback, turns in her usual great performance. And check our her equine skills in "A Discovery of Witches" season 1 episode four.
Perhaps with a bigger budget or less demanding production schedule it could have been bit better; still, I loved it and will watch it again.