All Creatures Great & Small - The Complete Series 2 Collection
by Peter Grimwade
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DVD details
Actor: Carol Drinkwater, Christopher Timothy, Mary Hignett, Peter Davison, Robert HardyDirector: Peter Grimwade
Brand: BBC Video
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Box set, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 700 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-10-15
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Model: E2817
Studio: BBC Warner
Product features:
- Filmed on location in the Yorkshire Dales, All Creatures Great and Small brings the world of veterinarian James Herriot to life with all the warmth and humor of the original stories. Series 2 continues the true-life story of James Herriot (Christopher Timothy), as he finds that there is no end to the joy and heartache that go with caring for all creatures great and small. Format: DVD MOVIE Ge
DVD Reviews of All Creatures Great & Small - The Complete Series 2 Collection
DVD Review: Best of the Brit series
Summary: 5 Stars
Set in preWWII Yorkshire, this is the continuation of a series that generated 87 (!) episodes and three specials, and came back after an 8 year hiatus. If you are into action sequences and special effects, this is not a series for you, but if you enjoy beautiful scenery, fine acting, and are not troubled by the pace of a different age, these are the most satisfying examples of story-telling about real people and their animals. There are no scenes of existential ponderings, but the problems faced by the veterinarians of the day were not trivial, since livelihoods could depend on proper treatment. The attitude of these characters toward their vocation, and the prevailing disquiet in Europe as the war clouds mount, are about the only serious issues treated here, and I for one, found this to be balm for a viewer otherwise inundated with the crime, quiz and situation comedy shows of the time.
Though this be heresy, I enjoyed the series more than I enjoyed reading the books, which are not presented linearly in time, but as a series of disconnected episodes. There are also dozens of scenes in which the author does not appear and cannot have been a witness, so the mechanism for conveying this in the books is much less natural than in the teleplay. Having seen nearly every episode, the consistency of the cast and the presentation are a tribute to the painstaking production values, since there were numerous personnel changes behind the scenes (as well as the death of one cast member) over the long life of this production.
This series was transferred from 1978 era film, so I noticed a slightly greenish hue to shadows, blacks and lighting blurs that I noticed when I saw them originally (ca 1979-80). These were broadcast on Sunday evenings on PBS in my area, and they filled the time slot where Disney and Sullivan had held sway for many years. These are perfect for family viewing UNLESS you are 1) squeamish about seeing actors with their arms up a cow's backside, or 2) bothered by alcohol consumption. A character rarely enters the drawing room without a gin, whisky or sherry being poured, and many scenes are in pubs. This seemed perfectly natural to me, but I had seen plenty of period British TV by then. These are based on memoirs and the author was on hand to correct anything wrong, so I am happy that the series was not "Disney-fied," and such scenes are proof (no pun intended). I cannot comment on the accuracy of the set decoration but I assume that it is scrupulous, since this is all within living memory of many of the participants. Except for the automobiles and brief references in dialogue, the time setting for this series would be difficult to determine; costumes would not look out of place on the streets of these villages today (maybe the occasional "plus-fours" would raise some eyebrows today). This gives this particular 2nd series a timeless quality. The illusion that you are in homes and villages (as opposed to studios and "location" shots) was perfect for this viewer, especially the natural lighting.
This series does not carry the angst of the postwar episodes, but it does feature some of the most irritating clientele, as embodied by Mr Dimsdale and Miss Dooley. Mrs Pumphrey and Tricky Woo are back, and the explosive Robert Hardy is always fun to contrast against the otherwise subdued cast members. Sound quality is acceptable, but the 'Dales accent may be incomprehensible to some viewers and there are no captions, so the use of actors (and non-actors) with true Northern English accents can be a challenge for some ears. Fortunately the context is so clear that it seldom interferes with enjoyment.
If you love this series as much as I did, you will want to get "James Herriot's Yorkshire," a walking and driving tour with Christopher Timothy, which was produced just after Herriot's death, as well as the longer "specials" (three) that spun from the show.
Description of All Creatures Great & Small - The Complete Series 2 Collection
Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 08/14/2007 Run time: 700 minutes Rating: NrBestsellers in DVD
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