Customer Reviews

The Old Curiosity Shop

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This offbeat Victorian tale of a mad half pint shylock and his stalked shopkeeper debt victims grows on you despite the popularity of more epic Dickens novels set in worldly locales. And for big drama translated to small screens, there is no overplaying in Boz's whimsical realm. Most every character must be played to the hilt to do justice to the original prose. So much so that good support helps the black hat wear the show.

For a beloved yet overlooked classic, there are several adaptions of this and counting, another one out due this summer. All of them collectable to see who does the best job of portraying the dastardly Quilp. Look no further. Master Trevor Peacock even has the gait down. Moreover, no other version ever captured the picaresque combination of melodramatic dread, serial comedy and forlorn heartbreak like this early BBC effort.

The only subtle touch it is missing is a narrative host intro like when it was first aired on PBS. And the only other actor who can compare with Peacock's scene chewing stealth was the spot on fellow who portrayed Sam Brass in the Ustinov version. In a day and age where we're all potential victims of debt without the prison, there's a lot of plot to hit home and entertain us here. And it's more old world real than new reality TV.

This miniseries was must see TV for high school English lit way back when. It retains a lot of the colorful character atmosphere of classic Dickens, is literally faithful (almost word for word) and not without comic relief in the worst laid plans of Quilp. Critics who fail to see that the main antagonist was the funniest of all Dickens miser villains and not a garden variety scoundrel, misread a comi-tragic masterpiece.

I have seen two other versions of this Dickens tale--one version starring Ustinov, the other Jacobi, and they both suffer in comparison to this (1979 BBC production.) Even though is was filmed in 1979 I was surprised to see how well it held up, and the transfer to DVD by Koch is excellent.

The acting was superb, and Little Nell looked as if Dickens had chosen her himself. Mr. Quilp looked perfectly evil, and comedic at the same time.

You won't be sorry if you buy this version.

Koch Vision and BBC present "The Old Curiosity Shop" (1979) - Julian Aymes (270 mins/Color) (Dolby Digital) --- Under Julian Amyes (Director), Barry Letts (Producer), Charles Dickens (Book Author), William Trevor (Dramatised by), Carl Davis (Composer of Music) ----- the cast includes Natalie Ogle (Little Nell), Sebastian Shaw (Grandfather), Trevor Peacock (Daniel Quilip), Granville Saxton (Dick Swiveller), Annabelle Lanyon (Small Servant),Colin Jeavons (Sampson Brass), Freda Dowie (Sally Brass), Wensley Pithey (Single Gentleman), Brian Oulton (Schoolmaster), Chris Fairbank (Kit Nubbles), Patsy Byrne (Mrs Nubbles), Sandra Payne (Mrs Quilip), Laurence hardy (Mr. Witherden), Donald Bisset (Mr Garland), Keith Hazemore (Abel Garland), Patrick Carter (Turnkey), Max Latimer (Policeman), Derek Chafer (Policeman), Ronald Markham (Doctor), Simon Garstang (Little Jacob) ----- The Old Curiosity Shop is a novel by Charles Dickens, the plot follows the life of Little Nell and her grandfather, both residents of The Old Curiosity Shop in London ... which Dickens published in his short-lived weekly serial Master Humphrey's Clock, as The Old Curiosity Shop was printed in 1841 --- our story tells of Little Nell, a beautiful and virtuous young girl who lives with her grandfather in his shop of curiosities --- Nell's grandfather loves her dearly, and she never complains --- without friends of her own age she is always lonely except for her friend Kit, who works at the shop and whom she is teaching to write --- meanwhile her grandfather is attempting to make Nell a good inheritance by winning at cards --- borrowing heavily from the evil Quilp (a dwarf) Nell's grandfather gambles away what little money they own --- thus Quilp seizes the opportunity to take possession of the shop and make Nell and her grandfather's lives a misery --- what can be done, will her grandfather suffer a breakdown lose his wits --- what is Nell to do, escape may be the only answer running away to live as beggar around the countryside --- what will become of Nell, only the following chapters of this Dickens mini series will tell.

Great job by Koch Vision for releasing "The Old Curiosity Shop" (1979) - Julian Aymes, the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the BBC mini-series film market...order your copy now from Amazon or Koch Vision where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch drama mixed with an outstanding cast and director --- just the way we like 'em

Total Time: 270 mins on DVD ~ Koch Vision KOCV6352 ~ (4/04/2006)

This adaptation of Charles Dickens' The Old Curiosity Shop should have been a success. It was supplied by a first-rate cast including Trevor Peacock as "Mr Quilp," Sebastian Shaw as "Grandfather" and one of my favorite character actors, Colin Jeavons as "Sampson Brass." All of them are impeccably trained and from the looks of things, this film looked as if they plucked these actors right off the stage and starting filming. The director probably would've had a big success if he scrapped this film and made this a touring stage play. The actors mannerisms were too big for this production, especially those of Mr Quilp. He was marvelous but he acted like he was playing to an audience of five hundred, rather than doing intimate camera work. I hate to say it, but there's a host of other problems with this production like the awkward staging and the poor direction. Most of the scenes fell flat merely because of how they were filmed. Also, the screenwriting unfortunately left out two, rather necessary components: suspense and danger. Nell and her Grandfather are fleeing from a rather sinister businessman who means to collect his debts from the Grandfather and make Nell his wife. He's chasing them for heaven's sakes-shouldn't there be some uneasiness, the feeling that these people should constantly be looking over their shoulder?? We should fear Mr. Quilp just as we would Mr. Tulkinghorn, a character in another Dickens masterpiece "Bleak House." Obviously, we know Mr Quip won't succeed in his quest, but we have to at least believe that he might. The poor quality of this series is evident in the first few minutes, but I at least wanted to give the actors respect by watching the rest of it-otherwise I would've turned it off. I would recommend this version for the performances only, it was a disappointment otherwise.

I listened to the Audio Book of this title a few months before buying the DVD, I was enthralled. When looking for a DVD I saw several with varying actors. Reading the feedback on Amazon helped me to choose this BBC 4hour version. I am thrilled as I watch one episode of 30 minutes each night before dinner.
This is one DVD I don't want to end! I am halfway at present, pondering it during the daytime, such excitement.
Charles Dickens new so much about people.