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The ABC Murders

Surely that applies to any tv characterisation from a book.
They never match your own mental imagery.

In fact of all the tv characters that have been created from novels the only one that fitted my mental image having read the books before the tv series came was Stott’s Rebus.
 
Jim Audiomisc said:
It seems plausible to me that if someone hasn't read any of the AC books they won't 'miss' the content of them. Hence another author can then 'lift' the names of the characters and skeleton (deliberate pun) of the plot and duly make up something almost totally different to the AC original, and then sell it on as a 'knock off' TV 'adaptation' or 'interpretation' or even (shudder) 'homage' to AC, without the viewer realising.

However, having read many AC books and with a few book-feet of them on my bookshelves, I'd prefer other authors to simply come up with their own characters and names and not try to 'pass off' essentially exploiting the reputation of someone else.

In its own terms, if the TV version had simply changed all the character names, title, etc, and not mentioned more than a reference like 'inspired by the ABC Murders' it might have been more appropriate. Either way, personally I found it vastly over-blown. But TBH I've always preferred the books to any of the 'adaptations', despite enjoying many of them as well.
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This in spades. Phelps seems to have nothing but contempt for the source material, but is happy to piggyback on Christie’s fame. Brings to mind all those drearily ‘edgy’ opera producers who do pretty much the same.
 
Bob McC said:
Surely that applies to any tv characterisation from a book.
They never match your own mental imagery.

In fact of all the tv characters that have been created from novels the only one that fitted my mental image having read the books before the tv series came was Stott’s Rebus.
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This is nothing to do with mental images.

Malkovich’s Poirot has literally nothing in common with the character in the books apart from being Belgian.

Stephen.
 
Bob McC said:
Surely that applies to any tv characterisation from a book.
They never match your own mental imagery.
.
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Not necessarily 'match', no. But can be in tune with. e.g. from today. I watched 'The Railway Children' on TV. Enjoyed it very much despite having seen it many times. I've also read the book more than once and enjoyed it. The two are different, but don't clash or behave like two different works with the same title. Each exploits the medium without mincing the other.
 
Martyn Miles said:
The character of Poirot was fine for me, as I have never read the books.
The Suchet one was always a caricature...
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Suchet portrayed quite an accurate representation of the character from the books. Poirot is OCD, narcissistic, patronising and highly intelligent. Suchet had Poirot to a tee, which is why he’s loved by fans of the books.

Not a caricature at all.

Stephen
 
I enjoyed it. I liked the fact it was “slow” (or not edited to within an inch of its life where every shot lasted about a second).
 
Jim Audiomisc said:
Not necessarily 'match', no. But can be in tune with. e.g. from today. I watched 'The Railway Children' on TV. Enjoyed it very much despite having seen it many times. I've also read the book more than once and enjoyed it. The two are different, but don't clash or behave like two different works with the same title. Each exploits the medium without mincing the other.
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If you look closely at one scene in ‘The Railway Children’ you can just make out an Austin Maxi on the
road in the background.
 
stephen bennett said:
Suchet portrayed quite an accurate representation of the character from the books. Poirot is OCD, narcissistic, patronising and highly intelligent. Suchet had Poirot to a tee, which is why he’s loved by fans of the books.

Not a caricature at all.

Stephen
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Down the years, the character of Poirot has gradually come into sharper focus culminating in Suchet's performance, but after watching this adaption I feel Poirot has finally reached maturity, prior to this, Finney got the closest to the original character for me.
 
This latest production certainly seems to have divided opinions. Never having read any of the original novels, and so untroubled by any liberties which may have been taken with plots et., I have no problem enjoying the different interpretations of Poirot as played by Peter Ustinov, David Suchet etc., and now John Malkovitch. They each have their merits and can be enjoyed for what they are. For what it's worth, I thought David Suchet got a bit stale and formulaic towards the end, but I still enjoy his stuff for the period architecture, interiors and clothes!:)
 
I’ve got a few ‘reimagining’ ideas that should run well with the PFM crowd.

Rebus-a vegan, tee total Londoner who does everything by the book.

Holmes-a ‘we’ve had enough of experts’ detective who uses his intuition to solve crimes.

Wallander-the story of a happily married policeman from Widnes.

Ruining much-loved characters is a rich seam to mine.

Stephen
 
Ragaman said:
Down the years, the character of Poirot has gradually come into sharper focus culminating in Suchet's performance, but after watching this adaption I feel Poirot has finally reached maturity, prior to this, Finney got the closest to the original character for me.
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I’m interested to know which parts of Malcovich’s portrayal was ‘close to the original character’?

Stephen
 
stephen bennett said:
I’ve got a few ‘reimagining’ ideas that should run well with the PFM crowd.

Rebus-a vegan, tee total Londoner who does everything by the book.

Holmes-a ‘we’ve had enough of experts’ detective who uses his intuition to solve crimes.

Wallander-the story of a happily married policeman from Widnes.

Ruining much-loved characters is a rich seam to mine.

Stephen
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Wallander, surely the most incompetent cop that television has ever imagined.

And, I included PC Geoff Younger of Heartbeat in this assessment.
 
As the mighty HMHB put it:

'The maverick cops, with their average flasks
And boring, unorthodox ways'

I'm currently reading Iain Sinclair's 'Lights Out For The Territory', where he has great fun deconstructing P D James's ludicrous poet-policeman, Adam Dalgleish:

'... Dalgleish is supposed to be a poet. Who on earth would publish him? Conglomerates don't care for "poetry", they speak of sales peaking at a few hundred copies. Yet this part-timer, this civil servant, is known to the entire readership of England. [...] And he seems to be handsomely rewarded for it. I'm sorry, but that's pushing suspension of disbelief too far: unless it's a cute way of laundering Secret Service money.'
 
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