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The Pillars of the Earth on Starz

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Vanessa
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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

Post by Vanessa » Mon August 16th, 2010, 7:59 am

[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. :mad: [/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

RichardWarrenField
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Pillars of the Earth Comments

Post by RichardWarrenField » Tue August 17th, 2010, 1:22 am

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...)

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Leo62
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Post by Leo62 » Tue August 17th, 2010, 9:35 am

[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. :D 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!
listen:there's a hell
of a good universe next door;let's go
ee cummings

RichardWarrenField
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The Pillars of The Earth discussion

Post by RichardWarrenField » Tue August 17th, 2010, 1:56 pm

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...)

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Leo62
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Post by Leo62 » Tue August 17th, 2010, 3:34 pm

[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. :D 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.
listen:there's a hell
of a good universe next door;let's go
ee cummings

RichardWarrenField
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Pillars of the Earth Comments

Post by RichardWarrenField » Tue August 17th, 2010, 4:43 pm

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...)

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Berengaria
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Post by Berengaria » Tue August 17th, 2010, 6:50 pm

Didn't Stephen suffer from epilepsy?
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“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

RichardWarrenField
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The Pillars of The Earth discussion

Post by RichardWarrenField » Wed August 18th, 2010, 2:28 am

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...)

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EC2
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Post by EC2 » Wed August 18th, 2010, 8:28 am

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 n’I 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

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Berengaria
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Re: Stephen epilepsy

Post by Berengaria » Wed August 18th, 2010, 11:06 pm

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?? :confused:
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“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

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