tremont600

The mini-series was better. This looks like the "Classics Comics" version. The characters are more like cardboard puppets, some are even missing entirely. This creates big gaps in the plot..especially in trying to figure out who is who and how they relate to one another. Makes it rather confusing. Emma T is, of course, in excellent form, but has very little to do, just pops in and out of scenes being dictatorial. Cordelia, who is very important to both the book (remember the book?) and the mini-series, in functioning rather like the "chorus" in classical drama, is another one who is just sort of "there" with nothing to say or do in the plot. Very disappointing.

This show wonderful but I truly wonder what church the family is supposed to be attending. It seems vaguely High Episcopal since the priest is referred to as "Father" and somebody refers to the "Lambeth" statement. However, they raise Dave to deacon with no theological training or discernment process, which is integral to the ordination of a deacon in the Anglican church. It is one step away from the priesthood and the requirements involving education and recommendation are quite stringent. Plus, we would never have a choir dressed up like the one in the series. Just one more instance of the Hollywood establishment's lack of familiarity with, or even disdain for,religious practices and churches. Otherwise it's a great show.

Among subsequent films that seem to "owe" their plots to "Secaucus 7" is the British film "Peter's Friends." All these films, like "Big Chill" add their own twist to the story, but the characters and basic plot seem all too similar to "Secaucus 7" to be coincidence. The movie itself says SO much about my generation, particularly in those 10 or 15 years after college, when we are getting our lives started, or, like J.T., still looking for a starting-point. I always feel that I KNOW these guys! Sayles, generally, is one of those directors who has stuck to his guns and still tells a wonderful story with characters that are truthful. Thank heaven there are little havens like his movies in this world of "sequels" ad nauseum, and more special effects than plot. (I was DRAGGED, kicking and screaming, to see this movie and have never stopped thanking the friend who frog-marched me into the movie theatre to catch this movie. I have since become a hard-core Sayles fan and have every movie of his I can get on DVD.)