Our local (Boston) PBS outlet is showing the two-part adaptation of Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast trilogy starting tomorrow and I am terminally excited. Has anybody else seen it? Any good?
I lauged. I cried. It was better than Cats.
Oh, Gormenghast? Nope, sorry, never seen it.
It was broadcast on Canada’s Space Channel last spring. I watched it all, and loved it.
SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER!!!
The protagonist/villain character (oh dear… I’ve forgotten his name. The boy who starts out as a kitchen slave) goes totally wonky. I lost interest in his character as the series when on. I absolutely loved Prunesquallor and Lady Groan. And the rook was pretty damned cool, too.
Ginger
Steerpike. I saw a picture of the character in this evening’s paper and he looks absolutely perfect for the part.
Great. Now I hurt myself smacking myself in the forehead while saying “Of course! Corrine, you numpty!”
Titus. Titus Groan.
See you all in the Hall of Bright Carvings!
I have to confess that the Gormenghast trilogy is one of those things that I’ve been vaguely aware of for a long time without ever knowing much about it – generally, it’s been well spoken of by people whose opinions I trust, but my perception of it was as something that wouldn’t be exactly up my alley. However, last night when I went to change the channel on the TV so that it would be on the PBS station in morning when the kids got up, the first episode was on (about halfway through). The look of it caused me to leave it on for a few seconds to figure out what it was, and I quickly found myself sucked in. Sat there on the arm of the love seat until it was over. Arranged to tape tonight’s episode since I couldn’t be around to watch it (making it the first thing I’ve taped since Game 4 of the 1999 World Series).
I’m particularly eager to hear what fans of the books have thought about the film.
Fans were mixed about it IIRC. I’ve got it sitting in the cupboard waiting for a spare hour or two and it looks like I will have that next week.
The production values were of course superb but I think the main complaint was the speed with which the story moved.
Anyone seen Love in a Cold Climate? Fabulous sets and acting but I found myself having to interpret the plot for those of us who (despite incessant nagging) still haven’t read the book.
Considering the book often takes four chapters to describe someone walking up the stairs, I would imagine the mini-series would be somewhat leisurely paced. 
God, I love those books.
The wonderful Mr Flay…
Two part? It was originally screened as four 1 hour episodes. Unless I’ve slipped universes again.
Wasn’t perfect, but was still one of the most magnificent pieces of television ever. Christopher Lee and Richard Griffith as Flay and Swelter WERE perfect, particularly the duel scene. Except they did away with Flay’s click!!!
TAPE IT!
It’s worth seeing. Bit short, though… I, Claudius and Claudius the God are about the same size as the first two Gormenghast books, and the BBC adaptation of those ran to one feature-length and eleven hour-long episodes, IIRC. So, I think the action in Gormenghast gets squeezed a bit.
Oh, and Warren Mitchell is far too clean, polite and well-dressed to be Barquentine…
I’m horribly confused. We have a two-part trilogy that may have orignally been broadcast in four parts? Goddamn math. I wish they’d quit changin’ it on me.
So, Euty, does the BBC rock, or what??
The entire story was originally a trilogy (Titus Groan, Goomenghast, and Titus Alone.) From what I understand the show that was made only covers the first two books. It was shown as four one-hour segments on BBC which have been edited into two two-hour segments for the American showing.
So, does anyone know if they’re working on the third book?
I’ve never read any of the books. I know nothing about this series at all. But I watched it anyway.
I enjoyed it. I must admit, though, that the wild-girl thing wasn’t explored a little more. I mean, I know where she came from, but she couldn’t possibly have been utterly alone all that time. I’m going to assume this is explained more fully in the book, yes?
I may have to go get this book. I’m not much of a fantasy reader, really, but this show was darned entertaining.