The Wyvern Mystery

Rating:
Summary: Victorian Gothic Thriller Starring Naomi Watts (in Costume)
Review: "The Wyvern Mystery" is from the PBS "Mystery!" series, based on J. Sheridan Le Fanu's gothic novel of the same title published 1869. It stars Derek Jacobi, Naomi Watts, Jack Davenport, and Iain Glen.

The story is aptly convoluted (but changed to suit the running time, especially the latter half of the film). Being orphaned, Alice Maybell (Watts) is brought to the mansion of austere Squire, Henry Fairfield (Jacobi), who locks up her in the dreary wing. Grown-up Alice is wooed by the Squire, but finds a new and secret love in one of the Squire's son, Captain Charles Fairfield (Glen). They find a new home in Carwell Grange, bleak house where no one visits except Charles's brother Harry (Davenport), but there is another secret hiding in this place, which sooner or later Alice is to find out behind the wall of her secluded room.

Le Fanu's original story is so complex particularly in the last one-third of the novel, so the film changed the whole story into more conventional form. That works to some extent, even though the spooky touch of this Irish writer, who really led a hermit-like life in his country, is somehow missing from the result. But the good acting from the leads, and the effective costumes and locations help us to be enticed to the gothic world, where the heroine is gradually threatened by weird things and the mental depression as their consequences. And Naomi Watts looks splendid in costume. Her fans should not miss it.

Le Fanu's most famous (and best) novel will be "Uncle Silas" which was also filmed (under the title of "The Dark Angel", not to be confused with Jessica Alva TV) early in the 1990s starring Peter O'Tool.

Rating:
Summary: Victorian Gothic Thriller Starring Naomi Watts (in Costume)
Review: "The Wyvern Mystery" is from the PBS "Mystery!" series, based on J. Sheridan Le Fanu's gothic novel of the same title published 1869. It stars Derek Jacobi, Naomi Watts, Jack Davenport, and Iain Glen.

The story is aptly convoluted (but changed to suit the running time, especially the latter half of the film). Being orphaned, Alice Maybell (Watts) is brought to the mansion of austere Squire, Henry Fairfield (Jacobi), who locks up her in the dreary wing. Grown-up Alice is wooed by the Squire, but finds a new and secret love in one of the Squire's son, Captain Charles Fairfield (Glen). They find a new home in Carwell Grange, bleak house where no one visits except Charles's brother Harry (Davenport), but there is another secret hiding in this place, which sooner or later Alice is to find out behind the wall of her secluded room.

Le Fanu's original story is so complex particularly in the last one-third of the novel, so the film changed the whole story into more conventional form. That works to some extent, even though the spooky touch of this Irish writer, who really led a hermit-like life in his country, is somehow missing from the result. But the good acting from the leads, and the effective costumes and locations help us to be enticed to the gothic world, where the heroine is gradually threatened by weird things and the mental depression as their consequences. And Naomi Watts looks splendid in costume. Her fans should not miss it.

Le Fanu's most famous (and best) novel will be "Uncle Silas" which was also filmed (under the title of "The Dark Angel", not to be confused with Jessica Alva TV) early in the 1990s starring Peter O'Tool.

Rating:
Summary: The Wyvern Mystery
Review: I had just finished the book by J.S. La Fanu and inserted the DVD,wondering how close the DVD would follow the book. What a sad disappointment. In no way did the dvd even come close to the book, in fact I so surprised to see how they distorted the story line, which was very interesting in the printed word.
The screen writer should be ashamed in knowingly substituting an isipid story line in place of a well written plot.

I cannot say how a viewer would react when viewing the DVD without reading the book.

Personally this DVD was a disaster and J.S. La Fanu would be justified in rolling in his grave.

Rating:
Summary: Chilling Period drama
Review: This is an excellent and most intruiging period drama. It has a chilling twist to it that has left me captivated ever since I saw it on television in England when first shown (spring of 2000). I have eagerly awaited it's coming out on DVD and can't wait to get it home and share it's wonderful, disturbing contents with my loved ones....

Rating:
Summary: Chilling Period drama
Review: This is an excellent and most intruiging period drama. It has a chilling twist to it that has left me captivated ever since I saw it on television in England when first shown (spring of 2000). I have eagerly awaited it's coming out on DVD and can't wait to get it home and share it's wonderful, disturbing contents with my loved ones....