|
|
Post by coolclearwaters on Dec 8, 2017 3:33:21 GMT
I recently convinced a friend of mine to watch To the Ends of the Earth. He absolutely loved it, has been raving about it, and is trying to get some of his friends to watch it. He thinks Benedict is wonderful (my friend likes Benedict in general and thinks he is a brilliant actor, but doesn’t follow him and hasn’t seen him in much).
It really is a fantastic mini-series. Just thought I would throw that in.
|
|
|
|
Post by sgev1977 on Dec 8, 2017 4:02:34 GMT
I loved it, too! I remember when I saw the first shot of him with that top hat I thought it was the typical BBC prestige drama but it’s a William Golding adaptation so of course was much more dirty, nasty and cruel. It’s not brilliant visually but it dares to have those ugly characters behaving like real ugly people do!
I remember The Guardian review said BC was playing a character any young actor in Hollywood would dare to accept. The New York Times reviewer was offended, tho.! It’s not politically correct but at least it feels real! It seems early XIX century people weren’t very woke!!! 😉
|
|
|
|
Post by coolclearwaters on Dec 8, 2017 4:13:43 GMT
What on earth were they offended by? It’s set during the Napoleonic Wars! The scene where the cleric was tortured was very disturbing, but that kind of thing probably happened.
My friend has a neighbor and close friend who is a photographer. He published a book documenting Naval artifacts from that period - inspired by the Patrick O’Brian novels (The movie Master and Commander was based on those books). He thinks he’ll love TTEOTE.
|
|
|
|
Post by mllemass on Dec 8, 2017 6:20:21 GMT
I loved it, too. After I watched it the first time, I read a review that said it was "too claustrophobic". Wasn't that intentional, considering he was stuck on that ship for months? I watched the entire miniseries all in one go and I didn't find it "too" anything.
It's still playing on Netflix, so I may have to watch it again!
|
|
|
|
Post by queenzod on Dec 8, 2017 6:34:14 GMT
One of my favorites! He’s so good in it. Arrogant young snot, completely ignorant, can’t open his mouth without insulting someone, but with a conscious and a good heart. Everyone in it is also brilliant. Sam Neill, Jarod Harris sooo remarkable as the dictatorial, badass captain, but Victoria Hamilton won my heart as the very prickly governess. How’d you like her in your house?
I love the earthiness of it, and yes, how claustrophobic it was. And I really love when Edmund falls hopelessly and overtly in love in the second episode, throwing propriety overboard (so to speak, lol).
Ben looks so handsome (even in his noodle arms stage), and his acting is so fresh, and those costumes suit him very well (even the lack of costume at the beginning of the second ep was quite the treat). It’s just good all over.
|
|
|
|
Post by sgev1977 on Dec 8, 2017 11:38:28 GMT
What on earth were they offended by? It’s set during the Napoleonic Wars! The scene where the cleric was tortured was very disturbing, but that kind of thing probably happened. Yes, someone in the NYT thought it was homophobic. She mainly blamed William Golding for being a cruel author who wrote nasty characters who tend to abuse weak or vulnerable characters! Totally missing the point in my opinion! It is actually the best episode because its cruelty and then there’s this suggestion that it was BC’s character the one who would had been elected for being publicly abused because he was actually the most insufferable one! The thing that helps him is that he has the right influences! He has privileges. That’s actually the main reason why he is horrified when he discovers what happened to the cleric! |
|
|
|
Post by tlsafir on May 24, 2018 9:07:49 GMT
I just finished watching TTEotE, and I must say it's outstanding. It's everything you guys have mentioned here in this thread. What brilliant writing, and what a brilliant performance.
|
|
|
|
Post by roverpup on May 24, 2018 16:27:04 GMT
I just finished watching TTEotE, and I must say it's outstanding. It's everything you guys have mentioned here in this thread. What brilliant writing, and what a brilliant performance. It’s one of my most favourite performances of BC’s!! I love everything about it!! I have the DVD and have watched it dozens of times. Even if it didn’t have BC in it I would love it, though. Stories from that era fascinate me and anything to do with sailing ships also is a fav of mine!! To the Ends of the Earth, all the Mutiny on the Bounty movies, Master and Commander, the Hornblower stories on PBS, Admiral Nelson stories... you name it, if it has sailing ships in it - I’m there in a flash!! Except those horrible Pirates of the Caribbean series - nothing could get me to watch those! And there is an added bonus - this is a W. Golding story. So it is ripe with all sorts of provocative themes and ideas! :-)) |
|
|
|
Post by tlsafir on May 24, 2018 21:26:38 GMT
roverpup I never heard of Golding until now but I will definitely be seeking more of his work. this was a fantastic coming of age story, and not just because of the experience Talbot has, but then the most profound moment at the end of it. When he's all excited about his experience and seeing life in a new way and reaching out, and she tells him everyone's moved on with their lives. Because for me, that's the most crushing lesson of live I've ever hard to learn. That you can go through an experience with people that is life-changing, and in the end they may just all move on with their lives as normal and you're left standing there not knowing what do with this experience, not knowing how it should apply to life, and what even is the truth anymore? What an OUTSTANDING job Cumberbatch did of portraying that in this character. I didn't know I could adore him him further but I appreciate his talents all the more now.
|
|
|
|
Post by mllemass on May 24, 2018 21:56:58 GMT
William Golding also wrote Lord of the Flies, which we read for English class when I was in high school. Didn't everyone read it in school? I think I still have the essay I wrote comparing it to another novel we read that year.
|
|
