Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Bambi B (A) on June 06, 2006 at 06:48:43

In Reply to: Television as film posted by jbmcb on June 4, 2006 at 19:55:51:

jcmcb,

The old television machine somtimes brings forth more than close ups of sizzling gristleburger sometimes and programmes such as "Jewel in the Crown" "Brideshead Revisited", " Smiley's People", and "Reilly: Ace of Spies" to me certainly rise to the level and somtimes beyond of features as the multiple parts allow greater character development than the compression of a two hour feature..

Especially, "Jewel in the Crown", in my view is among the best television ever made.

The recent two part series, "Elizabeth I" with Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons was quite memorable as well. Also, I think some of the "Sherlock Holmes Mysteries" with Jeremy Brett rose to a very high level. And do you remember the Stephen Fry / Hugh Lawry "Bertie and Jeeves?

I would second Jeff Starr's "Fawlty Towers" and your own "Simpsons" both of which can be screamingly funny.

For documentaries, "A History of Britain" with Schama and Robert Hughes' "Shock of the New", a history of modern painting were exceptional.

There are some "Twilight Zone" episodes that are very intelligent and thought provoking.

And I'm thinking of two memorable episiodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" that I thought were amazing for television: 1) Picard is trapped on a planet and learns to commuicate with an alien who speaks in metaphors, "Gilead, His eyes unfurled" and etc. and 2) The episode in which Picard lives a whole lifetime on a planet with a family and social position and then realizes it was a few seconds' dream implanted by a roving satellite that projects this to have people understand a lost culture.

Television someday rises to be a great medium.

Cheers,

Bambi B