9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
High Quality, December 27, 2011
This review is from: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy [Region 2] (DVD)
Because the six-part television series (now on DVD) is of such high quality, I knew that the recently released theatre version would find the series to be a hard act to follow. I saw the theatre version 26 December, 2011. My concerns were fully justified. Everything remarkable and captivating about the series is missing. My advice is to read the book and to see the DVD. I consider it to be my favourite cold-war spy story, and the quality of the series has much to do with it.
To start with, the original book is of high quality. Then, the television screen play is excellent both from the stand point of plot and with dialogue. Each character was perfectly cast for physical appearance as well as acting skill. The audience consequently is able to gain clear insight into the individuals' personalities, characters, roles in MI6, interaction among each other, their strengths and their weaknesses. The characters come across as real people whom the audience learns to know. Sir Alec as George Smiley succeeds in communicating more with his tone of voice, pauses, and non-verbal communication than many actors can speaking. For example when near the end he is asked to "take charge for a while," the potent effect of Smiley's delivery upon the others at the meeting table is so memorable that I can quote those lines.
Tinker Taylor is a journey back into a different time, a cold-war time when the old-boys network dominated the intelligence services and time seemed not so rushed as it is in the 21st century. The series permits sufficient time to allow for long pauses in dialogue during which the characters communicate much through their behavior and visual affect. This is time well spent that any theatre version would be unlikely to take. I have watched and shared this DVD series several times with friends, and I never have grown tired of it.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
For the thinkers, June 12, 2011
This review is from: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy [Region 2] (DVD)
Not a spy story if you only know 'Bond'. Remove the glamour and gadgets, insert 'real' people and you have a brilliant gripping tale excellently acted.
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8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
NEEDS A MORE PROMINENT DISCLAIMER!!!, January 1, 2012
This review is from: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy [Region 2] (DVD)
Beware the Region code of the DVD. I ordered this item and failed to notice the following disclaimer: "This DVD will not play on most DVD players sold in the US or Canada [Region 1]. This item requires a region specific or multi-region DVD player and compatible TV". SHOULD HAVE BEEN WAY MORE PROMINENT THAT DVD WOULD NOT PLAY IN USA DVD PLAYERS, WAY MORE PROMINENT.
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