Rating: 
Summary: See my review of each individual Aunt Jane movie
Review: In case it gets cross posted this is a review of [Collection 2 (1986) ASIN: 630340488X] This collection contains five Aunt Jane Movies ("The Moving Finger," "Nemesis," "The Murder at the Vicarage," "At Bertram's Hotel," "They Do It with Mirrors,"]. There is no way to rank these movies as to which one is best. They are like shoes; everyone has a different favorite.I did look it up to find that all of Agatha Christie's full Miss Marple novels were made in to movies with Joan Hickson as Miss Jane Marple. And this set has 5. Agatha Christie Collection 1 - Boxed Set ASIN: 6303111564, contains 4 more. Then there are three individual films not in the collection boxes. If you do not obtain them all you will be haunted for the rest of your life wondering what you missed.
Rating: 
Summary: this isn't a review but a question which to buy dvd or vhs
Review: many dvd's are even cut more than there old vhs originals I'm just wondering if I'd be better off buying the vhs version than the newer dvd version.Anyone who may have seen both versions please reply.
Rating:
Summary: Of Murder, Justice, Love and the Darkness of the Human Soul.
Review: NOTE: Review of NEMESIS ONLY! ERRONEOUSLY CROSS-POSTED to DVD Set!
"Thousands of years ago, she had a measuring rod, a sword, and a whip - it's called a scourge," explains self-made millionaire Jason Rafiel (Frank Gatliff) to his nurse ... and "she rode about in a chariot driven by griffins." He is talking about Nemesis, the ancient Greek goddess of justice and vengeance, merciless punisher of human transgressions against the natural order, whose epithet was Adrasteia - she whom none can escape. "Last time I saw her," Rafiel then adds, laughing with some difficulty, "she was wearing a pink wool shawl ..."
For the old gentleman, virtually a step away from his own death at this point, is also speaking about Miss Jane Marple, elderly spinster from St. Mary Mead, whom he had met six years earlier on a Caribbean Island (see "A Caribbean Mystery," 1965), where together they had unmasked a cold-blooded killer. And although gruff old Jason had initially had only contempt for the lady, apparently so completely out of her element with her knitting needles and tweeds, which she wouldn't even relinquish under tropical blue skies and palm trees, he had soon changed his mind, realizing the powers of her razor-sharp logic and profound understanding of human nature. Thus, as he now sets about settling his own life's final score, there is no question in his mind who to turn to for help - none other than Jane Marple will do. "I imagine you knitting headscarves and that sort of thing," reads the commission she receives through his London solicitors (Roger Hammond and Patrick Godfrey) shortly after his death. "If that's what you prefer to go on doing, that's your decision. But if you prefer to serve the cause of justice, I hope you find it interesting." And he quotes the bible: "Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everlasting stream." (Amos 5:24).
So Miss Marple soon finds herself on an unexpected Historic Homes and Gardens coach tour; accompanied by her nephew Lionel (Peter Tilbury), who is seeking refuge with dear Aunt Jane after having been locked out by his wife. Also among the tour party are a Miss Elizabeth Temple (Helen Cherry), the recently-retired headmistress of a renowned private school, a Professor Wanstead (John Horsley), who turns out to be a specialist in criminal psychology, associated with the Home Office, and two younger women named Cooke and Barrow (Jane Booker and Alison Skilbeck), who seem to be keeping a close eye on Miss Marple, but whose intentions are anything but clear.
The spinsterly sleuth's charge is momentous indeed, and it involves Mr. Rafiel's own estranged son Michael (Bruce Payne), once suspected of having murdered his young fiancee Verity Hunt. While the old millionaire doesn't expressly say so, it quickly becomes clear that Miss Marple is to find Verity's killer - even if that ultimately means charging Michael Rafiel. For old Jason has spoken of justice for a reason and, as Miss Marple later explains, "he wasn't being entirely humourous" when dubbing her "Nemesis." Indeed, he is relying not only on her "flair for evil" but, as importantly, on the fact that she will not "flinch" should she find out that Michael is guilty. But while things remain unclear to Miss Marple much longer than to Miss Temple, Verity's erstwhile teacher, who now pays with her life for a fateful misstep on her own mission to uncover the truth, Mr. Rafiel has at least woven as finely-spun a web as he could in support of his avenging angel's chore; and he has brought her in touch with everybody she needs to meet: Verity's guardians Clothilde and Anthea Bradbury-Scott (Margaret Tyzack and Anna Cropper) and their sister Lavinia Glynne (Valerie Lush), Archdeacon Brabazon (Peter Copley), Verity's and Michael's marriage counselor and spiritual advisor, and a Mrs. Brent (Liz Fraser), whose daughter had disappeared around the time of Verity's death. And Miss Marple soon realizes that the central clue to unmasking the young woman's murderer is love: Verity wasn't killed for her beauty, superior intelligence or money (none of which she possessed) - but, simply, because she was loved.
Originally airing in the 1980s, the BBC's adaptations of Agatha Christie's twelve Miss Marple novels quickly established Joan Hickson in the title role even in the view of the grandmother (or rather, grand-aunt) of all village sleuths and "noticing kinds of persons"'s creator, Dame Agatha herself. (After seeing Hickson in an adaptation of her "Appointment With Death," as early as 1946 Christie sent her a note expressing the hope she would "play my dear Miss Marple.") Prior versions, partly involving rather high-octane casts, had featured, inter alia, Angela Lansbury and Margaret Rutherford, but had been decidedly less faithful to Christie's books. While Lansbury holds her own fairly well in 1980's "Hollywood does Christie" version of "The Mirror Crack'd" (and that movie's ageing actresses' showdown featuring Elizabeth Taylor and Kim Novak is a delight to watch) the four movies starring Rutherford are only loosely based on Christie's books and Dame Margaret's Miss Marple, although likewise a splendid performance, has about as much to do with Christie's demure, seemingly scatterbrained village sleuth as Big Ben with the English countryside.
"Nemesis," published only five years before Christie's own death, is darker in mood and atmosphere than earlier Miss Marple mysteries; and this 1987 adaptation faithfully maintains that spirit. My major quibble - one of the few I have with this series at all - is that it was produced *before* the adaptation of "A Caribbean Mystery" (1989), which not only breaks the continuity in Jason Rafiel's character (superbly portrayed by Donald Pleasence in the prequel) but necessarily also leads to some incompleteness in establishing his and Miss Marple's relationship. But much of this is made up in Rafiel's final note to his sleuth, written in a frail hand and transmitted by a most significant messenger after Verity's murderer is brought to justice: "Thank you, Miss Marple, my Nemesis. Shall we meet again?" I sincerely hope they did ...
Rating:
Summary: A noticing kind of person......
Review: Step back into Britain of the 1950s. WWII is over and this is your opportunity to enjoy a vanished world of vintage buses, cars and trains. Carry your leather suitcase into the vine covered cottage, or visit your old school chum in her palatial mansion. Observe the Vicar and his wife on their bicycles. Visit the Norman Church for Evensong and note original frescos installed during the Middle Ages. If you're free for a holiday, take a motorcoach trip and visit Blenheim and Stourton. Dine at a first class hotel in London where the waiters wear white gloves or have tea and cakes with Miss Jane Marple--she might even offer you a glass of elderberry wine. Miss Marple is a noticing kind of elderly woman who lives in the Village of Saint Mary Mead. Occasionally she travels hither and thither to visit friends or take advantage of a lovely trip planned by a nephew. She always has her knitting needles in hand, working on a baby blanket or a sweater for a nephew. Jane Marple--Godmother and Aunt to several young people--I wish I had known her personally--but this is the next best thing after the books. "There she goes, tail up and head down" on the trail of another murderer--and she will get her man or woman as the case may be. I agree with the reviewer who said one doesn't buy these DVDs with the expectation of Criterion remastering. Even so, the quality of the films on these DVDs is pretty darn good. I collect Criterion DVDs and expect them to be the fully restored works of art they are. However, some of the films Criterion has restored were so badly damaged they are NOT better than the Miss Marple films even when Criterion has done it's best. Also, many of the Criterion films are Black and White films from the 1930s and 1940s and of interest because of their filmography and/or the innovative techniques their directors employed. Some of these films were shot on a shoestring budget and it shows. Technology has improved dramatically since the 40s. The reason I buy the older Criterion films is to see how clever directors worked around technological constraints. Call me blind, but I think the quality of the Miss Marple tv films is pretty good. Although some outdoor scenes are faded in spots (the films were shot in color) the director had access to camerawork not available in the 40s. Also, these scripts are excellent and filled with interesting detail. Most Criterion films average 1-2 hours of playing time (not counting the "perks" which you may or may not be interested in) whereas Series 2 of the Miss Marple films offers the viewer 500 wonderful minutes. I am grateful that I have access to DVD copies of the Miss Marple stories, and I can watch them any time I want to. When I am watching them, I am reminded of life in the days when I was a young girl. Plus, today's tv entertainment is pretty much directed to the younger set whereas the Miss Marple films are probably better appreciated by older folks like me who lived through the forties and fifties--or younger folks who wish they had. The British actors in the BBC productions are consumate professionals. Joan Hickson was told by Agatha Chistie that she thought Hickson was the BEST Miss Marple ever! Incidentally, I believe Ms. Hickson appears in the Criterion version of THE LADY VANISHES and I know she is in one of the Margaret Rutherford films. If you've read Christie's novels, you know Hickson fits the description of Miss Marple far better than Margaret Rutherford. Christie described Miss Marple as tall and thin with fine white hair and twinkly blue eyes--a gentle person in a cardigan sweater carrying a bag with her knitting needles and latest project--not an agressive broad in a tweed suit. Many other fine British actors are featured in these films--Joss Ackland, Claire Bloom, Rosemary Crutchly all favorites of mine who can out perform the "mega" stars any day of the week. I love the vintage settings, costumes, clothing, china, knick-knacks and bric-a-brac, jewelry, shoes, hats, handbags, luggage, handkerchiefs--nothing is missing. I still own a handkerchief sachet with hand embroidered handkerchiefs my grandmother made --and one makes a very important appearance in a Miss Marple tale. The BBC maintains a museum in Stratford on Avon where one can view the costumes and other props used in various productions. The Miss Marple films give me a vicarious thrill and a trip down memory lane. Tea anyone??
Rating:
Summary: A review of reviews about this Miss Marple set
Review: The five stars are really for Miss Marple. I love Joan Hickson in the role. She is just as you see Miss Marple in your mind's eye when you read the books, and it was she who Agatha Christie saw in the role. What Margaret Rutherford has to do with the price of tea in China I don't know. A brash, Americanized, younger version, she seems to belong in some other book or movie.
What I'd like to know is which stories are in this set, but that was left out of the official review / description. I am hoping someone here will fill in that information, and notice several people reviewed Nemesis and it was cross-posted here. Does that mean it is in the set?
Rating:
Summary: See my review of each individual Aunt Jane movie
Review: This collection contains five Aunt Jane Movies ("The Moving Finger," "Nemesis," "The Murder at the Vicarage," "At Bertram's Hotel," "They Do It with Mirrors,"]. There is no way to rank these movies as to which one is best. They are like shoes; everyone has a different favorit.
I did look it up to find that all of Agatha Christie's full Miss Marple novels were made in to movies with Joan Hickson as Miss Jane Marple. And this set has 5. Agatha Christie Collection 1 - Boxed Set, contains 4 more. Then there are three individual films in a third set ... (VHS).
If you do not obtain them all you will be haunted for the rest of your life wondering what you missed.
Rating:
Summary: The best of Joan Hickson's performances
Review: This is my absolute favorite of all of the Miss Marple films, and easily the best of Joan Hickson's. The plot is complex and spellbinding, with Miss Marple showing no fear as she chases down both an elusive killer and crime. I highly recommend all of the BBC Miss Marple's starring Hickson, as she really is this character - cunning yet innocent, shrewd yet compassionate, cautious yet courageous. A true must-have for any Christie fan.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best Agatha Christie portrayals ever
Review: This is one of my favorite films, period. It takes substantial liberties with a weak book, all of which I would rate as improvements--not something I'd often say about films of novels. Joan Hickson is a terrific Miss Marple, but the supporting cast, from the stuffy solicitors to the effusive tour guide, are also wonderful. A great period piece, with structure, humor, mood and grace.
Rating:
Summary: Not a "who done it?" a "what was done?"
Review: This is one of those films [incase it is cross posted this is a review of "Miss Marple: Nemesis (1986) ASIN: 6303404855] that need to be watched twice. So much is packed from the beginning that you may forget it by the time you need the information. Then you can say "Oh, that was why."
A previous stated "This play isn't about a murder, it's about Miss Marple." And many of the characters repeat this through out the film. And this is maybe not standard but one of the plays where everyone and then some shows up in one place. It is not quite like "And Then There Were None (1945)" ASIN: 6304679661, but in a way more complicated.
Everyone is wrapped up in saying how good the plot is, how good Agatha Christie is, and how well Joan Hickson played Miss Jane Marple. Slow down and look at the Scenery and props. This has the look and the feel of the time from the buildings to the busses. It makes you feel that you are part of that time. At least you want to visit there.
Rating:
Summary: Not a "who done it?" a "what was done?"
Review: This is one of those films [incase it is cross posted this is a review of "Miss Marple: Nemesis (1986) ASIN: 6303404855] that need to be watched twice. So much is packed from the beginning that you may forget it by the time you need the information. Then you can say "Oh, that was why."
A previous stated "This play isn't about a murder, it's about Miss Marple." And many of the characters repeat this through out the film. And this is maybe not standard but one of the plays where everyone and then some shows up in one place. It is not quite like "And Then There Were None (1945)" ASIN: 6304679661, but in a way more complicated.
Everyone is wrapped up in saying how good the plot is, how good Agatha Christie is, and how well Joan Hickson played Miss Jane Marple. Slow down and look at the Scenery and props. This has the look and the feel of the time from the buildings to the busses. It makes you feel that you are part of that time. At least you want to visit there.
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