Oliver Twist (Masterpiece Theatre, 1999)
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Actor: David Ross, Ger Ryan, Julie Walters, Roger Lloyd-Pack, Sam Smith (III)Brand: Wgbh Wholesale
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Unknown; English (Original Language), Unknown
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Letterboxed, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 360 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-04-13
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: PBS
DVD Reviews of Oliver Twist (Masterpiece Theatre, 1999)
DVD Review: Interesting Version Of A Classic Story, But Ultimately A Mixed Bag Of A Mini-Series.
Summary: 3 Stars
When I first heard of this mini-series, my first thought was, "Why another film version of this story?" Then, I realized, upon seeing a scene from this series on YouTube, that this was probably the first version to include Rose Maylie, a character often cut from movie & TV versions of the story (I'd grown up seeing the 1968 musical "Oliver!," which is a classic, and had also seen the Disney made-for-TV version) and wonderedhow the filmmakers had handled her character in this version. Upon learning that Kiera Knightley played Rose, I was the more enthusiastic, as I had seen her in the "Pirates Of The Caribbean" movies, "STAR WARS Episode I: The Phantom Menace" and "Pride & Prejudice."
Ultimately, I was diasppointed. Though the decision to flesh out Oliver's baxkstory for 98% of the 1st episode was a brave one, so much of it was out of sync with the novel that at times I wondered if this was really based on "Oliver Twist, Or The Parish Boy's Progress" (the original title of the story when it was serialized in "Bentley's Miscellany" in 1837). The entire mini-series (6 hours split onto 3 discs) altered much of what was left of the novel. Some examples follow (with possible spoilers). While not a complete listing of the vast liberties taken with the novel, these are some of the most blatant.
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!! DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MINI-SERIES.
In the novel: Monks & Oliver's father dies of a mysterious ailment.
In the mini-series: Monks' mother kills his father and watches as he dies.
In the novel: Mrs. Maylie & Mrs. Bedwin are two separate characters who befriend Oliver.
In the mini-series: Mrs. Maylie & Mrs. Bedwin are combined into one character.
In the novel: Doctor Losberne is an old man and Harry Maylie is Mrs. Maylie's son & Rose's suitor.
In the mini-series: Doctor Losberne & Harry Maylie are combined into one character.
In the novel: Sikes accidntally hangs himself.
In the mini-series: Sikes commits suicide.
In the novel: Mr. Brownlow was not only an old man, but he never knew Rose personally until she came to him on Nancy & Oliver's behalf.
In the mini-series: Mr. Brownlow is depicted as a middle-aged man AND as Rose's guardian.
This last deviation REALLY IRKED me.
In the novel: Rose intereacts more with Oliver.
In the mini-series: Rose barely spoke with Oliver (not Ms. Knightley's fault; it was the screenwriter's fault); in addition, there was hardly any emotion when a secret involving both of them was revealed (again, it was entirely the screenwriter's fault).
When aired on TV in 2002, it was rated TV-PG for violence. Actually, the mini-series is Not Rated. I enjoyed it, as a period piece and, of course, because of Kiera Knightley (who was, I deeply feel, sorely underused).
Description of Oliver Twist (Masterpiece Theatre, 1999)
In this extraordinary production, storyteller Alan Bleasdale broadens the scope of Charles Dickens' classic tale of an orphan in 19th century England?and the characters who influence his destiny.Oliver's mother, Agnes, struggles against the tragic circumstances that ultimately leave Oliver a penniless orphan. At the Parish Workhouse, he is forced by other boys to ask for more food, and as a result, is sold as an apprentice to a miserly undertaker. He runs away and is taken in by master thief Fagin, who is in league with a murderous pair determined to see that Oliver never inherits the fortune he deserves. Life twists and turns again and again for Oliver, landing him in alternately dangerous and hopeful circumstances.
Oliver Twist is a drama of dark comedy, astonishing vivacity and soaring imagination, but ultimately, it is a story that celebrates the resilience and triumph of a little boy's spirit.
Special DVD features include: materials and activities for educators; a link to the Masterpiece Theatre Web site; closed captions; and described video for the visually impaired.
On three DVD5 discs. Region coding: All regions. Audio: Dolby stereo. Screen format: Letterboxed.
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