Customer Reviews

Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Classic Collection, Vol. 2

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Hercule Poirot is one of the most famous detectives in literary history. Yet, strangely, except for his portrayal by Albert Finney in the star-studded movie version of "Murder on the Orient Express," for a long time there did not seem to be an actor who could convincingly bring to life the clever, dignified little Belgian with his unmistakable egg-shaped head, always perched a little on one side, his stiff, military, slightly upward-twisted moustache, and his excessively neat attire, which had reached the point that "a speck of dust would have caused him more pain than a bullet," as Agatha Christie introduced him through his friend Captain Hastings's voice in their and her own very first adventure, "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" (1920). But leave it to British television to finally find the perfect Poirot in David Suchet, who after having had the dubious honor of playing a rather dumbly arrogant version of Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Japp in some of the 1980s' movies starring Peter Ustinov as Poirot, was finally allowed to move center stage in the Granada/ITV series broadcast from 1989 onwards, which was later continued by A&E and includes 36 shorter episodes based on (almost all of) Christie's Poirot short stories, as well as to date 25 movie-length features released on DVD, based on a number of her most celebrated Poirot novels. (Hopefully due to be transferred to DVD in short order are the episodes broadcast in 2008 -- see listing below --, which leaves as yet to be re-adapted for the small screen, most notably, "Murder on the Orient Express" [1934] and Poirot's final case, "Curtain" [published 1975, but written in the 1940s].)

And the match is spot-on, not only physically but also, and more importantly so, in terms of personality. Suchet shares Poirot's inclination towards pedantry: "I like things to be symmetrical ... If I put two things on the mantelpiece, they have to be exactly evenly spaced," he said in an interview, comparing his real-life persona to that of Poirot. But, he added, unlike his on-screen alter ego, "I don't need the same sized eggs for breakfast!" Although previously not interested in mysteries, his habitually meticulous research allowed him to quickly become familiar with Christie's Belgian sleuth and the workings of his little grey cells -- and to slip so much into Poirot's skin that I, for one, can no longer pick up a Poirot book without instantly hearing Suchet's voice as that of the great little detective.

After bringing together the series's 36 shorter episodes in "The Classic Collection, Volume 1," this box set contains the nine movie-length features originally produced by Granada Films and first broadcast on ITV. Next to Mr. Suchet, Hugh Fraser stars as the detective's indefatigable sidekick Captain Hastings, whom the screenplays, alas, make come across as more of a well-educated but vacuous gentleman than do the written originals narrated from his point of view. (This is virtually my only quibble with the series -- and that although Granada and ITV did so well in debumblifying Sherlock Holmes's friend and chronicler Dr. Watson!) Philip Jackson, on the other hand, gives us an admirably sturdy, down-to-earth incarnation of Chief Inspector Japp, and Pauline Moran virtually inhabits Poirot's epitome of a secretary, Miss Lemon; whose role, like those of Hastings and Japp, is added into a number of episodes not originally featuring them, thankfully without greatly disturbing the stories' narrative flow and setting.

The episodes contained in this set are:

The Mysterious Affair at Styles (written 1920; Granada/ITV 1990)
Peril at End House (written 1932; Granada/ITV 1990)
The ABC Murders (written 1935; Granada/ITV 1992)
Death in the Clouds (written 1935; Granada/ITV 1992)
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe (written 1940; Granada/ ITV 1992)
Hercule Poirot's Christmas (written 1938; Granada/ITV 1995)
Hickory Dickory Dock (written 1955; Granada/ITV 1995)
Murder on the Links (written 1923; Granada/ITV 1996)
Dumb Witness (written 1937; Granada/ITV 1996)

The movie-length features later produced by A&E -- and not contained in this collection but available in separate box sets -- are (to date):

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (written 1926; A&E 2000)
Lord Edgeware Dies (written 1933; A&E 2000)
Murder in Mesopotamia (written 1936; A&E 2001)
Evil Under the Sun (written 1941; A&E 2002)

Sad Cypress (written 1939; A&E 2003)
Five Little Pigs (written 1941; A&E 2003)
Death on the Nile (written 1937; A&E 2004)
The Hollow (written 1946; A&E 2004)

The Mystery of the Blue Train (written 1928; A&E 2005)
Cards on the Table (written 1936; A&E 2005)
After the Funeral (written 1953; A&E 2005)
Taken at the Flood (written 1948; A&E 2006)

And, last but not least, the 2008 season consists/will consist of:

Appointment with Death (written 1938)
Mrs. McGinty's Dead (written 1952)
Cat Among the Pigeons (written 1959)
Third Girl (written 1966)
Hallowe'en Party (written 1969)

Also recommended:
The Mysterious Affair at Styles: Hercule Poirot's First Case
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Agatha Christie Collection)
Agatha Christie: Five Complete Hercule Poirot Novels - Murder on the Orient Express / Thirteen at Dinner / The ABC Murders / Cards on the Table / Death on the Nile
Poirot in the Orient (Hercule Poirot)
Hercule Poirot's Casebook
Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Classic Collection
Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express
Death on the Nile

When Acorn released the first "classic collection", people liked me rushed in. This megaset contained all 12 discs representing the hour long episodes at a price well below the price of them individually. The 2 hour episodes had been previously released separately and in 2 box sets called "movie collections" (the first of which also was reissued on a special limited promotion with 6 discs during Christmas just prior to release of the second), both of which I bought. So it stands to reason that for people like me who bought the first megaset, that Acorn would eventually release another combining the 9 2 hour episodes in 1 set, so you can safely say you have all 21 discs in 2 sets to take up less shelf space. I'll tell you the truth folks, I agree with that philosophy, whole heartedly. But seeing at present that the only thing added that wasn't in the 2 original box sets (I don't count the fore mentioned special copy of movie collection 1 as a separate set) is the Agatha Christie's Garden, I see no need to rebuy this set for me, but if you haven't bought the 2 hour ones yet, then by all means do so, because the price IS better than what the 2 older sets sold for combined new. Make sure you remember one thing. These are the 2 hour episodes that aired on London Weekend Television and PBS' Mystery like the hour long ones in the other megaset of this color and shape, and are not the A&E ones made since 2001. Those are still available on the A&E label. I would not be surprised if Acorn eventually combines their 2 megasets into 1 of all their episodes and A&E does the same, particularly since in their last 2 sets of 4, you could only buy 1 of the 4 as a separate item. Funny thing, I said roughly the same thing when A&E combined all of Danger Man/Secret Agent (half hour and hour alike) into 1 megaset. ;-). Still and all a great deal for the mystery buff. As another fan of this series who thanks to Amazon, I communicate with at least once a week would say, if you have a few of these already, complete your collection the least expensive way possible, if you have none of them, order this set.

Anyone, who doesn't believe Suchet is the quintessential Hercule Poirot, must be part of a significantly small minority!

This reviewer feels unable to accept, any other portrayal of the Belgium sleuth. It has been thus, since Suchet's first appearance on my TV screen. It is rare to find, one's much loved imagined fictional character, so accurately personified in an actor. Suchet is completely- and utterly - believeable, as Hercule Poirot.

Additionally, and very importantly, Suchet's acting is simply superb - as is the work of the main supporting cast as Chief Inspector Japp, Captain Hastings and, even, Miss Lemon.

It will be a long, long time, before any other actor attempts to portray Poirot - on stage or screen. It will be a long, long time, before anyone feels it a 'good business venture', to fund any other portrayal of Poirot. Suchet has made the character his own, and this is exstremely rare. It is, however, extremely complimentary to David Suchet.

If Agatha Christie's works please - or even if they don't, Suchet's Poirot will delight and please virtually everyone. An excellent series, indeed!

It would really be of great help in deciding whether to buy this set or not if a complete list of the contents were enumerated somewhere in the advert or summary.

This contains the first original granada television episodes. And it shows...

Extremely poor transfer quality makes this look almost as bad as a bootleg DVD. It looks like it was projected on a old screen and then video taped. The blacks are striped and really noisy and the whites are blown completely out. This is a shame because the original UK broadcast copies were in pristine condition.

It would be great if Acorn Media would reissue a better quality DVD, since the set design and costumes really deserve better.

I've just received The Classic Collection Vol 2 today and can't wait to sit down this holiday weekend to enjoy it! Thank you Acorn Media!!

I strongly advise customers of both the Classic Collection Vols 1 & 2 to relocate their discs from the existing jewel sleeves to a safer album, tho. I've noticed on both of the jewel case sets there is a raw nub right on each sleeve that will SCRATCH and SCORE your DVDs if the dvds are ever rotated or moved upon this surface. This is some kind of manufacturing flaw in the cases itself (not with the DVDs).

The set was packaged in a cheap plastic book-like case by the manufacturer and not properly packed for shipping by Amazon.com. The plastic spokes that keep in the DVDs in place were broken for each and every disc. All of the discs were loose and some were damaged and do not work. I was very disappointed because the episodes are very good and I was looking forward to watching them.

Since I am an Agatha Christie fan, it would be impossible for me to write anything negative about any of her work. I am also a fan of David Suchet and I think he makes a perfect Poirot. I have read the books and the series follows closely to what Agatha Christie wrote; making this an enjoyable collection to watch. I am looking forward to a Third Collection.

I find it strange generally seeing a movie after reading books because the characters do not match the imaginations I created. But in this set of DVD's it was almost the same.

Thanks to Agatha Christie's brilliant description of characters as well as the producers care in creating these movies.

For more than a generation, David Suchet has personified Hercule Poirot. These are nine movies from the original series. If you liked them on first viewing and have not seen them again for years afterward (as is true of me) than these will provide the full delight of the originals. They are in excellent viewing and hearing shape; not a smidgen of incomprehensible accents to mar ones joy. Aside from the incomparable Suchet, the supporting casts are excellent, the direction all that one can hope for, and the scriptwriting generally superior. For newcomers, for younger viewers who may never have seen Poirot, I cannot guess as to their response. There is no violence besides the obvious need to provide a corpse, there is much talk and not much action. The pleasure is in the characters, the period scenery and costumes, and in the puzzle. The hero, Poirot, never lays violent hands on anyone, his sidekick in some of these, Hastings, former soldier that he was, never slaps anyone down for provoking his friend, the Scotland Yard Chief Inspector, doesn't even carry a gun. You will have to judge for yourself.
Certainly, for anyone who nurses the ambition to see what was best in its time on television, these shows are priority viewing.