Lord Peter Wimsey: Clouds of Witness [VHS]
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VHS Movie Reviews of Lord Peter Wimsey: Clouds of Witness [VHS]
Movie Review: Deeply Disappointed
Summary: 2 Stars
I must disagree with the majority of reviewers. As a Dorothy Sayers fan but never having seen any of the TV broadcasts, I had high hopes for this video, but was deeply disappointed. Clouds of Witness was a too-literal rendering of the book, tediously jumping from one clue to the next before any clue had a chance to sink in (except one, perhaps the most important in the whole story, which was so grossly over-emphasized that it may as well have come with a voice-over saying "Take notice, something very important is being shown"). The teleplay offered very little of the atmosphere or the finely-detailed depictions of English idiosyncracies which gave Sayers's books their particular charm. The production itself was theatrical (with stage-type lighting)and stagebound (confined in dim rooms, except for a few sorry attempts at outdoor action scenes, all of them utterly unconvincing). Aside from Peter Wimsey himself and the Dowager Duchess, virtually every actor seemed miscast and the performances were cold and unappealing. All combined, these factors gave the show an amateurish, dated feel. And finally, the 200 minutes or so of actual footage could have easily fit on two tapes instead of five, and been sold for half the price.Movie Review: Great!
Summary: 5 Stars
This series is beautifully done. I believe that Ian Carmichael captures perfectly the verve and humanity of Lord Peter Wimsey in Dorothy Sayer's books. The acting is excellent and the settings are nicely done. I find the story a good mystery, but to me the best part of this series is the characterizations, from Wimsey, Bunter, Lady Mary and Detective Parker to the briefly-seen characters, such as the Colonel and some colorful Yorkshire natives. Wimsey and Bunter, as played by Ian Carmichael and Glyn Houston, epitomize what is good in the world, and they also have a great sense of humor.Movie Review: Somewhat disappointing - not worth the money
Summary: 3 Stars
I remembered this series fondly, and I was excited when I sawit for sale. However, it doesn't stand the test of time. EdwardPetherbridge (of the later series) is a much better Wimsey than Ian Carmichael, and the other production values don't hold up well. Also be warned that although there are 5 cassettes in the package, there is only one 50 minute episode on each. Considering all of this, I find it very over-priced... I enjoyed seeing it once, but I regret buying it.Movie Review: This video was great.
Summary: 5 Stars
I have all of the books and I want all of the videos.I would like to get the ones that aired in 1987 on PBS Mystery ,any chances of that? Clouds of a Witness was wonderful I have watched about eight times since I recieved it.I need another one to watch I am wearing this one out.Movie Review: Superlative
Summary: 5 Stars
I saw this and other Lord Peter Whimsey episodes when they first appeared on "Masterpiece Theatre" back in the '70s (the golden years). Some time ago, BBC produced another version of the Whimsey stories which were good but not nearly as good as the earlier ones with Ian Charmichael. This and the other Charmichael renditions of the Lord Peter Whimsey mystery stories are on a par with the likes of "Upstairs Downstairs" and "I Claudius". And they are better than the best of what has been seen on PBS's "Mystery" ( which is saying a lot -- I love "Mystery"). So if you are a "Masterpiece Theatre" lover but your viewing experience does not extend back to this era, I can assure you that these tapes will be a great treat.