Customer Reviews

Brother Cadfael: Set 4 (The Pilgrim of Hate / The Potter's Field / The Holy Thief)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I had never read the books or of this series when I bought the videos. Maybe because of this I really enjoyed the videos. I am a fan of Sir Derek Jacobi too as I have seen him in one other program and loved his acting. He seems to be perfect in this role. If you want a unique take on detective work, these can't be beat.

When the decision was made to produce for TV several episodes from her mystery series about Brother Cadfael, that 12th century crusader turned monk turned detective who has been, ever since his creation, one of the most compassionate and unusual sleuths of literary history, novelist Ellis Peters (Edith Pargeter) was not entirely happy. In fact, as the series' star, Sir Derek Jacobi, explains in the extra footage provided on the now-released DVDs, Ms. Peters had very mixed feelings about giving up her brain child and entrusting it to other people who went about cutting and adjusting everything, from the storylines themselves to the way the protagonists speak and even the Chronicles' sequence, to the necessities and limitations set by the new medium. But she eventually acquiesced and at one point promised that "the next one I write, I'll make sure it's easier for you all to film."

While the thirteen episodes that were eventually produced are, thus, not entirely true to the individual Chronicles they are based on, they are closer than many other movie or TV versions of famous works of literature. Most importantly, they maintain not only the core story lines but also the historical authenticity, atmosphere and spirit set by Ms. Peters's books in a marvelous fashion. And Sir Derek Jacobi brings both the wealth of his experience and skill and all of his own shrewdness, intelligence, sense of humor and empathy to the role of the medieval Benedictine sleuth and thus truly becomes Cadfael -- for the thousands of new fans who are discovering the series through its enactment for TV just as much as for us who loved the books before they were ever transposed to a visual medium. A tremendous cast of supporting actors rounds out an overall excellent production; to mention just a few, Julian Firth as the ambitious and narrow-minded Brother Jerome, Terrence Hardiman as Abbot Radolfus and Sean Pertwee (and later Eoin McCarthy) as Under-Sheriff Hugh Beringar, who joins Cadfael in his investigations whenever, as is so often the case, these transcend the world of monastic life and require the administration of secular justice as well as clerical insight. Several episodes also feature noted guest stars.

The episodes are not entirely in the same order as the books; however, as most of the cross-references between the books have been eliminated in the screen versions, this is no great harm (although the lacking cross-references are probably one of the things avid readers of the books will find missing). The DVDs also provide background information on Ellis Peters, Sir Derek Jacobi and a number of the individual episodes' other actors.

Summary of the episodes contained in this set:

"The Pilgrim of Hate" (the tenth Chronicle): A cripple, his sister and two brothers on a painful pilgrimage meet at the Abbey during the annual feast of St. Winifred. Soon, the question arises whether religion is primarily penance or faith in God's love of mankind.

"The Potter's Field" (the seventeenth Chronicle): The discovery of the bones of a woman in a field once belonging to a potter turned monk leads Cadfael to unveil a harrowing tale of love, loss and a deadly wager.

"The Holy Thief" (the nineteenth Chronicle): Competitors for the possession of St. Winifred's relics show up in Shrewsbury! Then the holy bones disappear, a monk is found murdered -- and a tonsured troubadour finds his lady love.

Episodes contained in other sets:

First set:
"One Corpse Too Many" (the second Chronicle).
"Monk's Hood" (the third Chronicle).
"The Leper of St. Giles" (the fifth Chronicle).
"The Sanctuary Sparrow" (the seventh Chronicle).

Second Set:
"St. Peter's Fair" (the fourth Chronicle);
"The Virgin in the Ice" (the sixth Chronicle);
"The Devil's Novice" (the eighth Chronicle).

Third Set:
"A Morbid Taste for Bones" (the first Chronicle);
"The Raven in the Foregate" (the twelfth Chronicle);
"The Rose Rent" (the thirteenth Chronicle).

Also recommended:
A Rare Benedictine
A Morbid Taste for Bones: The First Chronicle of Brother Cadfael
One Corpse Too Many: The Second Chronicle of Brother Cadfael
Monk's Hood: The Third Chronicle of Brother Cadfael
Leper of Saint Giles (Brother Cadfael Mysteries)
The Virgin in the Ice (Brother Cadfael Mysteries)
Brother Cadfael's Penance (Brother Cadfael Mysteries)
The Cadfael Collection
A Bloody Field by Shrewsbury

All Brother Cadfael fans trust me, do not waste your money on collection IV. I bought it and could not get through any of the three tapes. I would have to agree with another reviewer who said that the episodes in collection IV seem to be more gruesom than the others. The characters have changed drastically. It seems that they have become less holy and even Brother Cadfael doesn't seem quite like himself. I can't really put my finger on it but Cadfael fans, just treasure the enjoyment you received from the previous episodes and forget about collection IV.

I am a big Brother Cadfael video fan. However, the IV Series is overall a darker, more pessimisstic, and depressing set of mysteries than the previous three sets. Cadfael's fellow monks and the Abbey come across as very ugly. Even Hugh Beringer seems brutal. Overall, I did not care for this collection as much as the others.

I have read all the Cadfael books and have all the DVD's. I can't recomend them too highly. Derek Jackoby is perfect a the worldly wise monk and he has top notch support casts in each episode.

Excellant. Highly Intelligent detecive series without any gratuitous violence. Provides a amazing glimpse into our past, how people lives, loved and died in the 11th Century. I wish they had more of this series. Ellis Peters wrote dozens on short stories as part of the Brother Cadfael series, I've read them all and each one would make an excellant addition to this tv series.

I agree with some who say this series is not as good as those which preceeded it. It was not my favourite, primarily because many of the actors and characters had changed.
For instance in one episode Brother Oswine is by Cadfael's side as always, the next he is gone, and replaced with a new novice who seems to have no personality at all.

It was certainly a lot darker then the previous series, though I would argue that Derek Jacobi still gave a wonderful performance throughout. Many brothers and other characters seem to have lost thier humanity, but it could be argued they were too one dimensional before.

My main problem with this final series is the lack of any real conclusion. It ended with the Pilgrim of hate, and left me expecting more. I really think the series would have been far better and more satisfying it ended with 'Brother Cadfael's penance' the final novel.

The Holy Thief: The bones of Saint Winnifred disappear after a dispute with a prelate from another abbey, sparking deep suspicion and mistrust within Shrewbury abbey and beyond. When it emerges that a beautiful young slave girl and a noblewoman's jewels went missing with the saint, brother Cadfael must discover how they are connected, and the lengths to which some men will go in the pursuit of thir own ends.

The Potter's field: A body is discovered by farmers ploughing a field which once belonged to a Potter of Shrewsbury, who entered the Abbey a year before. The remains appear to be those of the monk's wife, who has not been seen since he took up his vocation. In his search for the truth Cadfael uncovers a tragic story of love, infidelity and betrayal amidst the chaos of war.

The Pilgrim of Hate: Pilgrims congregate upon Shrewsbury abbey for the procession of Saint Winnifred, but a greusome discovery amongst thier belongings shows that some have a sinister secret. As Cadfael investigates he soon discovers that not all Pilgrims are driven by religious fervour, nor are they so pious as they seem.

High production values, taut story telling and realism - this series excels. I'm a huge Brother Cadfael fan and I loved all of them, I liked this one the best. If you love intensely told, well crafted drama with all of the historically tough realism of a troubled England in the throes of civil war, during an age lit by fire and superstition, you will be fascinated by series 4. The camera work is excellent, incidentally, and the characterizations spot on - Jerome, in the book series, does worse things than he ever did in any of these dramatizations, but he's his wonderfully annoying self, and Prior Robert takes his lumps, but you find at last that he has his own row to hoe, and it's not a very easy one. A soupçon of sympathy for poor Robert Pennant, knee deep in dirty humanity. I like Anthony Green's Hugh almost as well as Sean Pertwee's. It goes without saying that Sir Derek is superb.

The Potter's Field is particularly well crafted in my opinion, with an ending of surprising honour.

Not for those who want 'cozy as a teapot' stories.

I love all of the Brother Cadfeal series - I'd love it if they were to create more!

I had seen this series on PBS years ago, found it by accident on a web site, and have now purchased all of the series and show it to all of my friends when they come over.