Bleak House (2005 mini-series) [Blu-ray]
Drama

It has always been recognized as one of Charles Dickens's literary masterworks, but this Bleak House is now fast moving, daring, gripping television. Here is the murder mystery, the love story, the comic genius and the tantalizing scandal of the novel but, stripped of its sentimentality, we find ourselves swept along by a pulsating and edgy drama.

Out of an interminable court case spin three young people, each searching for their place in the world. The story moves fast - swirling through a incredible array of characters from passionate young lovers to ruthless lawyers, from an iced-cold aristocratic beauty to a shrewd, relentless detective - until the final thrilling climax.

With a screenplay by Andrew Davies (Pride And Prejudice with Colin Firth), Bleak House features a galaxy of major stars including Gillian Anderson (The X-Files) and Charles Dance (Gosford Park) and brings this timeless classic to life like never before.

User Comment: ChrisQ from London UK, 30 November 2005 • Bleak House is not a book I have read. I was however aware that the central story concerned the never-ending courtroom litigation of Jarndyce versus Jarndyce. As a child, this book, I decided was way too boring to read. How wrong I was. I never dreamt that a Dickens novel could become such an obsession in later life.

This dazzling adaptation is serialised in the same way that Dickens serialised his masterpiece in the popular press. Each half-hour episode ends on a cliff-hanger. We, the viewers, are forced to count the days until the next episode is screened. ( and there is only 6 more to go!!!) It is impossible to find fault with the production. The characterisations and directing are the best I have seen from the Drama Department of the BBC. They have managed to capture the gloom, grime and squalor of the late 19th century convincingly.

Each actor is ideally cast. Charles Dance as the lawyer Tulkinghorn is evil personified. Gillian Anderson as Lady Dedlock, totally unrecognisable from her X-File days, is fragile and enigmatic. Particularly noteworthy in the host of Dickensian eccentrics are Pauline Collins as Miss Flite, Johnny Vegas as Krook and Philip Davis as "Shake me up Judy" Smallweed and Burn Gorman as Guppy. However it is invidious to single anyone out of such a stellar casting.

I cannot give this drama a higher recommendation

Summary: Absolutely Riveting.

[CSW] -4- The pacing, the actors, the settings, and the whole production was excellent. If you are into great literature tuned into great drama you should not miss this mini-series. This was an excellent fast paced and very dramatic adaptation of Charles Dickens's timeless classic brought to life like never before.
[V3.5-A3.5] VC-1 - No D-Box.

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