Montannie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,486 
Location: Big Sky Country
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Post by Montannie on Jan 19, 2016 23:42:44 GMT
Began its American airing last night. Did anyone else watch? It was on 3 channels on our cable package.
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lisaknits
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,354
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Post by lisaknits on Jan 19, 2016 23:47:38 GMT
I have the first episode recorded, but I haven't watched it. What did you think?
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Montannie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,486
Location: Big Sky Country
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Post by Montannie on Jan 20, 2016 0:02:30 GMT
I enjoyed it, but was glad to read a re-cap today. The Russian names are so similar, and there are so many people, that it is difficult to keep track. I think you'll be glad you recorded it, just in case you need to re-watch.
Not for delicate sensibilities. Lots of bleeding bodies with the "war" portion; unsavory sex is implied.
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Post by anxiousmom on Jan 20, 2016 0:09:02 GMT
I was slightly disappointed. I love this kind of thing generally, but I didn't like how they filmed it. It was a bit to...trendy, I guess. But over all, it was good enough.
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Post by uksue on Jan 20, 2016 0:10:51 GMT
I gave up partway into the third episode . It looks good but it seems to have trivialised the story to me. A rare miss for me I'm afraid .
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Post by anxiousmom on Jan 20, 2016 0:15:13 GMT
I gave up partway into the third episode . It looks good but it seems to have trivialised the story to me. A rare miss for me I'm afraid . So far we have only been able to watch the first episode. I do wonder if I can make it through the whole thing. I want to, but I REALLY do not like the way they filmed it. It is almost as if they went out of their way to make it hip and cool (19th century hippster cool?) but this story isn't one that should have been filmed that way. |
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Post by Scrapbrat on Jan 20, 2016 0:44:18 GMT
I thought it was pretty good. But I also think I would have been hopelessly confused if I hadn't read the book -- it was pretty hard to keep everyone straight. I thought Pierre was appropriately nerdy.
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oaksong
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Jun 27, 2014 6:24:29 GMT
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Post by oaksong on Jan 20, 2016 1:04:35 GMT
I fell asleep about 15 minutes into it. Gaahh, I'm such an old lady. Snoring in front of War and Peace should qualify me by its very definition.
I also thought the cinematic stylizing was a little strange with the moving camera, shot as if it were live video. It didn't work for me with the time period.
I'm going to give it another try, and start a little earlier tonight.
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mimima
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Post by mimima on Jan 20, 2016 1:05:08 GMT
I just heard about this yesterday, I have not seen a film version of the story bit have read it
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Loydene
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Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Post by Loydene on Jan 20, 2016 2:44:21 GMT
Unfortunately, I totally forgot about it. I haven't found that there will be a re-airing so I don't know that I'll bother to schedule the 2nd part.
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Post by lucyg on Jan 20, 2016 3:48:16 GMT
I forgot all about it! But I'm feeling kind of overwhelmed with how many shows I'm recording right now anyway, and The X-Files starts next Sunday. So I may have reached my limit.
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anniebygaslight
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Jun 28, 2014 14:08:19 GMT
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Post by anniebygaslight on Jan 20, 2016 8:06:24 GMT
Anything with James Norton in it gets a thumbs up from me as a rule. However, this doesn't quite seem to be hitting the spot. Sumptuous scenery and costumes, but I get the feeling that they are whistling through a 1,000 page novel, and just skimming the surface. And why has the divine Gillian Anderson got such a tiny role? Paul Dano is very compelling and does a believable English Accent.
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BarbaraUK
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Jun 27, 2014 12:47:11 GMT
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Post by BarbaraUK on Jan 20, 2016 9:56:39 GMT
I agree, this just doesn't seem to be hitting the spot - seems to be skimming through the book at the moment and the format is a bit odd. Might watch the next episode to see if it's improved any but not sure at this point.
It will also air in Australia and parts of Europe so it will be interesting to see how it goes over in those countries.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 6, 2024 18:32:35 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2016 10:28:16 GMT
I gave up half way through the first episode, it just didn't grip me like I thought it would. Some of the acting, the young girls especially, was decidedly shonky.
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Loydene
Pearl Clutcher
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Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Post by Loydene on Jan 20, 2016 22:32:30 GMT
I did find it on-line to stream. I thought it was "okay" - are those period costumes for the women?
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The Birdhouse Lady
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Post by The Birdhouse Lady on Jan 20, 2016 22:41:23 GMT
I have watched the first episode.
I agree it's hard to keep track of all the characters.
Please explain to me if it is taking place in Russia why do the characters have English accents?
I am looking forward to the second episode.
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BarbaraUK
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Post by BarbaraUK on Jan 21, 2016 0:03:58 GMT
I have watched the first episode. I agree it's hard to keep track of all the characters. Please explain to me if it is taking place in Russia why do the characters have English accents?I am looking forward to the second episode. It's a British/American funded production made by the BBC and aimed at an international audience so I guess English as the language was the automatic choice. It would also have been very difficult for the actors to produce a believable Russian accent without it all probably sounding a bit silly. It also would not have been authentic. At the time covered by the book, the language of Russian aristocracy was French as they thought it was more refined than Russian and some of the beginning of the book is written in French.
Less confusing for a Tolstoy book to be done in English for a worldwide audience. 
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The Birdhouse Lady
Drama Llama
Moose. It's what's for dinner.
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Post by The Birdhouse Lady on Jan 21, 2016 20:14:24 GMT
BarbaraUK, Thanks for clearing that up for me. It makes total sense!
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Montannie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,486
Location: Big Sky Country
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Post by Montannie on Jan 21, 2016 20:23:50 GMT
Yes, empire period of history. Dresses look accurate to me -- no expert, mind you, but a keen reader of regency romances, written about the same period! And thanks to anniebygaslight for reminding me how good Paul Dano is! I haven't seen him in a lot of movies (I think), but he is well-cast here. |
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Post by mirabelleswalker on Jan 21, 2016 21:45:59 GMT
I was thinking that they should put the name of the person speaking on the screen like they do in documentaries.
I enjoyed it. I watched it on demand. The information said it was episodes 1 and 2. I wonder if the next two are combined, too. Anyone know?
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BarbaraUK
Drama Llama
Surrounded by my yarn stash on the NE coast of England...............!! Refupea 1702
Posts: 5,961
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Jun 27, 2014 12:47:11 GMT
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Post by BarbaraUK on Jan 21, 2016 22:22:44 GMT
I was thinking that they should put the name of the person speaking on the screen like they do in documentaries. I enjoyed it. I watched it on demand. The information said it was episodes 1 and 2. I wonder if the next two are combined, too. Anyone know? I'm pretty sure that I heard it said when the series was discussed on the BBC here before screening that the US would be showing it in four episodes of about two hours each. The series started sooner here in the UK so we are showing it in more episodes. |
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oaksong
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Post by oaksong on Feb 5, 2016 12:29:19 GMT
Who else is still watching this? The first episode was a little difficult, but now I am loving it! The acting is superb all across the board. I have completely forgotten what I didn't like about it. It's just the kind of period drama that I enjoy.
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Post by coffeetalk on Feb 5, 2016 14:24:07 GMT
Who else is still watching this? The first episode was a little difficult, but now I am loving it! The acting is superb all across the board. I have completely forgotten what I didn't like about it. It's just the kind of period drama that I enjoy. I am still watching and really enjoying it. I'm a fan of James Norton (swoon.) Paul Dano's acting is wonderful. |
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Post by jackie on Feb 5, 2016 14:50:55 GMT
I'm still watching it and loving it. I was actually surprised at how many people weren't liking it. My dh and I watch it together and there are very few shows we can agree on that we both love: Downton Abbey, Walking Dead, this one and maybe a few sit-coms (The Middle and Modern Family).
It was a little confusing at first, but I think I have the characters figure out now. Granted, I did NOT read the book (although I want to now!). The only Tolstoy I've read was Anna Karenina. Although honestly, as the mini-series unfolds I *feel* like I have read it. I think that's not possible that I would have read it and forgotten it but sometimes it feels very familiar to me.
I love that Lily James is getting so much work. I think Downton Abbey opened a thousand doors for her!
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Post by uksue on Feb 5, 2016 16:24:33 GMT
I have to say Jackie that I think it's one of the poorest productions the BBC have made, but I'm glad you're enjoying it. The fact they have trivialised the story so much irks me. The settings, costumes and acting- wonderful, but the style of filming and screenplay have let it down. I was very much looking forward to it but have pretty much given up on it.
I also gave up on Jericho. Vera was a lukewarm return for me also- I can only hope that Happy Valley isn't also a disappointment !
Maybe I am just in a crabby mood lol- although I have to say (again) that watching the original Swedish/Danish version of 'the bridge' on Netflix may have pretty much wrecked me for any future drama. I have no idea how I managed to miss that when it was on BBC4!
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