Matrixston
Wow! Such a good movie.
SpuffyWeb
Sadly Over-hyped
Aedonerre
I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.
laura baciu
When I read the book I was probably far too young to appreciate its value. Watching the series sent me back to the book. Its a must see and a must read. It is, I think, what one alien would imagine about being British in that time. The way they talk, and act and everything from the scenery to the little things happening sends you back in that time. I can fully comprehend the concept behind the, blurry till now, term "proper" in the British area. Characters from the book are truly brought to life by the actors, if you read the book after watching the series you would never imagine them otherwise. Must mention Mr. Alan Rickman, he is as usually purely catching. The point deducted from the 10 star rating is because it is not the complete Trollope series and hasn't full language subtitle support (talking about the DVD version).
VReviews
There's just nothing better than a BBC drama set in England in the 1800's. The ensemble cast plays each character archetype to perfection. The romantic & societal intrigue of the town of Barchester centers on the ambitions of the church clergy, which proves quite entertaining. The dialogue of this adaptation is excellent. A young Alan Rickman superbly plays the conniving Reverend Obadiah Slope, echoing his later tour de force performance as Professor Snape in the Harry Potter movies. Enjoyable, like a Shakespearian comedy, leaving the viewer well satisfied.
wordsmith_57
Even though American, I cannot get enough of English literature transferred to cinema. And The Barchester Chronicles is a recent find to my growing list of favorites. However, in this case I discovered the two disc DVD set at my local library before I had read the author's works. I will definitely be reading the Trollope books now that I have seen the filmed adaptation. Granted the beginning was a bit slow, and didn't really pick up until the slithery Obadiah Slope came into the plot. I then could not watch only one installment and ended up watching all of them, making for a long, yet extremely satisfying viewing session. I am glad my first viewing experience of Alan Rickman was his portrayal of Colonel Brandon from Emma Thompson's Sense and Sensibility. The caring, compassionate gentleman he played was a far opposite of the self-centered, ingratiating slime of Obadiah Slope in The Barchester Chronicles. Donald Pleasance, who has usually played villains to some degree, was the glue of the series. Soft spoken and humble, yet at times passionately stirred to compelling argument, his rendering of Septimus Harding made me wish I could have someone like Mr. Harding in real life to remind me of the joys of loving life and putting others before my own needs.The Barchester Chronicles is now added to my list of British series favorites including All Creatures Great and Small, Horatio Hornblower, and Pride and Prejudice. I look forward to the day when Americans can lovingly and consistently render our classics into worthy viewing.
johnnybird
Donald Pleasance gave an uncannily accurate portrayal of an eccentric old clergyman ... reminded me of people I know. Probably would for you too. The scene near the end (of Novel 2) where Eleanor is addressed, well, boldly, came off pretty well; Trollope celebrates quiet triumphs.Worth seeing what you can; you can't see much in the United States, as the series is not distributed there, nor any longer shown on television.
