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The Pillars of the Earth on Starz
- Vanessa
- Bibliomaniac
- Posts: 4378
- Joined: August 2008
- Currently reading: The Farm at the Edge of the World by Sarah Vaughan
- Interest in HF: The first historical novel I read was Katherine by Anya Seton and this sparked off my interest in this genre.
- Favourite HF book: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell!
- Preferred HF: Any
- Location: North Yorkshire, UK
[quote=""Madeleine""]Just read that Channel 4 will be showing POTE later this year.[/quote]
[quote=""Leo62""]Yay!
Though unfortunately it will mean ad-breaks. [/quote]
Great stuff! I don't think Ch4 has as many adverts as ITV but I agree that they can be a bit of a pain, especially when the editing isn't very good. You could always record it and fast forward!!! LOL.
[quote=""Leo62""]Yay!
Though unfortunately it will mean ad-breaks. [/quote]
Great stuff! I don't think Ch4 has as many adverts as ITV but I agree that they can be a bit of a pain, especially when the editing isn't very good. You could always record it and fast forward!!! LOL.
currently reading: My Books on Goodreads
Books are mirrors, you only see in them what you already have inside you ~ The Shadow of the Wind
Books are mirrors, you only see in them what you already have inside you ~ The Shadow of the Wind
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- Scribbler
- Posts: 26
- Joined: August 2010
- Location: Tarzana, CA (northwest of Los Angeles)
- Contact:
Pillars of the Earth Comments
I agree with Berengaria - Maud/Matilda seems way too girlish for the role. Rufus Sewell's voice - hmmm - Matthew McFayden and Ian McShane have such dynamic, resonant voices that Sewell's may suffer in comparison!
I have been enjoying this series, as an entertainment, and as a curiosity as a writer of historical fiction. After all, like it or not, this book was a huge success. I enjoyed rereading it, and then seeing how "Hollywood" dealt with it in a mini-series form. It seems to me the producers have squirmed as they have gone in and out of synch with the novel. There are some improvements, and other occasions where I think they should have stayed closer to Follette's original.
Richard Warren Field
http://www.richardwarrenfield.com/
http://www.richardwarrenfield.com/TheSwordsofFaith.htm
Richard Warren Field's blog: http://creativeeccentric.wordpress.com/
(If you are watching "The Pillars of Earth" mini-series on Starz, stop by my blog for comments and discussion...)
I have been enjoying this series, as an entertainment, and as a curiosity as a writer of historical fiction. After all, like it or not, this book was a huge success. I enjoyed rereading it, and then seeing how "Hollywood" dealt with it in a mini-series form. It seems to me the producers have squirmed as they have gone in and out of synch with the novel. There are some improvements, and other occasions where I think they should have stayed closer to Follette's original.
Richard Warren Field
http://www.richardwarrenfield.com/
http://www.richardwarrenfield.com/TheSwordsofFaith.htm
Richard Warren Field's blog: http://creativeeccentric.wordpress.com/
(If you are watching "The Pillars of Earth" mini-series on Starz, stop by my blog for comments and discussion...)
[quote=""RichardWarrenField""]It seems to me the producers have squirmed as they have gone in and out of synch with the novel. There are some improvements, and other occasions where I think they should have stayed closer to Follette's original.
[/quote]
I agree. The royals are much more a presence in the series than in the book, which I found annoying in the first couple of episodes but it's working better as the series progresses. After a slightly clunky opening, it really gathered pace from episode 3 on - and the last one was a cracker!
[/quote]
I agree. The royals are much more a presence in the series than in the book, which I found annoying in the first couple of episodes but it's working better as the series progresses. After a slightly clunky opening, it really gathered pace from episode 3 on - and the last one was a cracker!
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- Scribbler
- Posts: 26
- Joined: August 2010
- Location: Tarzana, CA (northwest of Los Angeles)
- Contact:
The Pillars of The Earth discussion
I think that initial clunkiness, with respect to the royals, had to do with having King Stephen at Kingsbridge during the Battle of Lincoln. As you are probably aware, Stephen is at the Battle of Lincoln in the novel. By having him at Kingsbridge, foaming at the mouth from his reaction to Jack's statue, they had to, in essence, insert a second Battle of Lincoln. When Maud/Matilda won that battle, they could get back to the book, complete with Maud/Matilda's assessment of the exorbitant fee for the Kingsbridge market.
Richard Warren Field
http://www.richardwarrenfield.com/
http://www.richardwarrenfield.com/TheSwordsofFaith.htm
Richard Warren Field's blog: http://creativeeccentric.wordpress.com/
(If you are watching "The Pillars of Earth" mini-series on Starz, stop by my blog for comments and discussion...)
Richard Warren Field
http://www.richardwarrenfield.com/
http://www.richardwarrenfield.com/TheSwordsofFaith.htm
Richard Warren Field's blog: http://creativeeccentric.wordpress.com/
(If you are watching "The Pillars of Earth" mini-series on Starz, stop by my blog for comments and discussion...)
[quote=""RichardWarrenField""]I think that initial clunkiness, with respect to the royals, had to do with having King Stephen at Kingsbridge during the Battle of Lincoln. As you are probably aware, Stephen is at the Battle of Lincoln in the novel. By having him at Kingsbridge, foaming at the mouth from his reaction to Jack's statue, they had to, in essence, insert a second Battle of Lincoln. When Maud/Matilda won that battle, they could get back to the book, complete with Maud/Matilda's assessment of the exorbitant fee for the Kingsbridge market.
[/quote]
Wow that's impressive recall, Richard. I only re-read Pillars recently, but I didn't remember that - though I did realise the foaming-mouth/statue scene wasn't in the book, and I'm still not clear why they put it in...perhaps there'll be a payoff later.
[/quote]
Wow that's impressive recall, Richard. I only re-read Pillars recently, but I didn't remember that - though I did realise the foaming-mouth/statue scene wasn't in the book, and I'm still not clear why they put it in...perhaps there'll be a payoff later.
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- Scribbler
- Posts: 26
- Joined: August 2010
- Location: Tarzana, CA (northwest of Los Angeles)
- Contact:
Pillars of the Earth Comments
I think they had Stephen at Kingsbridge for two reasons: 1) They wanted to involve him more directly in the action (as has been pointed out earlier in this discussion), and without having the king's brother as a character who acts as an intermediary between Waleran Bigod and Stephen, they wanted that direct contact with a royal at that scene (as you may recall, it is the king's brother who comes with Waleran and is impressed with the cathedral's progress in the book) and 2) They thought the foaming at the mouth would be a good cliff-hanger; I thought it was silly and over-the-top!
Richard Warren Field
http://www.richardwarrenfield.com/
http://www.richardwarrenfield.com/TheSwordsofFaith.htm
Richard Warren Field's blog: http://creativeeccentric.wordpress.com/
(If you are watching "The Pillars of Earth" mini-series on Starz, stop by my blog for comments and discussion...)
Richard Warren Field
http://www.richardwarrenfield.com/
http://www.richardwarrenfield.com/TheSwordsofFaith.htm
Richard Warren Field's blog: http://creativeeccentric.wordpress.com/
(If you are watching "The Pillars of Earth" mini-series on Starz, stop by my blog for comments and discussion...)
- Berengaria
- Avid Reader
- Posts: 307
- Joined: July 2010
- Location: northern Vancouver Island, BC Canada
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- Scribbler
- Posts: 26
- Joined: August 2010
- Location: Tarzana, CA (northwest of Los Angeles)
- Contact:
The Pillars of The Earth discussion
Epilepsy. Hmm. I don't know. So an epileptic fit triggered by Jack's statue. If that's correct, then I guess there's a historical basis for it. My opinion? I still found it over the top...
Richard Warren Field
http://www.richardwarrenfield.com/
http://www.richardwarrenfield.com/TheSwordsofFaith.htm
Richard Warren Field's blog: http://creativeeccentric.wordpress.com/
(If you are watching "The Pillars of Earth" mini-series on Starz, stop by my blog for comments and discussion...)
Richard Warren Field
http://www.richardwarrenfield.com/
http://www.richardwarrenfield.com/TheSwordsofFaith.htm
Richard Warren Field's blog: http://creativeeccentric.wordpress.com/
(If you are watching "The Pillars of Earth" mini-series on Starz, stop by my blog for comments and discussion...)
I don't know if Stephen suffered from epilepsy in the novel - I don't recall, but he certainly didn't in the historical record!
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard nI chasront
'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'
Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal
www.elizabethchadwick.com
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard nI chasront
'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'
Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal
www.elizabethchadwick.com
- Berengaria
- Avid Reader
- Posts: 307
- Joined: July 2010
- Location: northern Vancouver Island, BC Canada
Re: Stephen epilepsy
I have spent time checking out my resources to see where I had read about his having epilepsy, but can find nothing. Hmm, maybe I got him mixed up with someone else??
My 4 girls!
No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting. She will not want new fashions nor regret the loss of expensive diversions or variety of company if she can be amused with an author in her closet. ~Lady Montagu
No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting. She will not want new fashions nor regret the loss of expensive diversions or variety of company if she can be amused with an author in her closet. ~Lady Montagu