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Rating: 
Summary: Well Stuffed, but Still Thin
Review: I purchased "The Game of Death" more or less on a whim. It looked like an interesting, small film that might bear comparison with British television, or low-budget productions like those from Hammer Studios. With its minimal asking price, my only concern was whether or not the film was presented in a widescreen format. (It is, though letterboxed, not 16:9 enhanced.) The first pleasant surprise was seeing that "Game" was produced by Roger Corman, which is not incidental. In many ways a throwback to Corman's early '60s formula of inexpensive, visually sumptuous literary adaptations, "Game"'s chief virtues are technical and similar to Corman's Poe films. The film is gorgeously lit, the sound is crisp to the point of painful, the costume and production design just rich enough to suggest much more than they show. Corman proves again that you do not have to spend a lot of money to make a decent film. There is nonetheless a difference between "Game" and Corman's early 60s work. It is part of the charm of those films that you can sense the backlot prop shop beneath the lively surfaces. You don't care much about the rough edges, because you know the films were produced for next to nothing. Here, the uneven performances, the edgy, rushed pace, the repetitive music, in short, all the subtle symptoms of a production that didn't have quite enough time to get things perfect, are out of synch with an environment dressed to the nines. It is a perverse testament to the film's success in conveying class on the cheap that one is a touch too aware when it doesn't measure up. Jonathan Pryce, for example, is good, but has been better. David Morrissey is all too proficient as a suicidal wimp, but I suspect his irritating self-pity would have been improved if he'd had more time to discover shades of feeling in his predicament. Instead, like the rest of the cast, he hits all the obvious points. No one is particularly bad, but neither are they very engaging. Still, "The Game of Death" is reasonably entertaining. It's just that where the Poe films are imaginative, "Game" is luxuriously literal-minded.
Rating:
Summary: Well Stuffed, but Still Thin
Review: I purchased "The Game of Death" more or less on a whim. It looked like an interesting, small film that might bear comparison with British television, or low-budget productions like those from Hammer Studios. With its minimal asking price, my only concern was whether or not the film was presented in a widescreen format. (It is, though letterboxed, not 16:9 enhanced.) The first pleasant surprise was seeing that "Game" was produced by Roger Corman, which is not incidental. In many ways a throwback to Corman's early '60s formula of inexpensive, visually sumptuous literary adaptations, "Game"'s chief virtues are technical and similar to Corman's Poe films. The film is gorgeously lit, the sound is crisp to the point of painful, the costume and production design just rich enough to suggest much more than they show. Corman proves again that you do not have to spend a lot of money to make a decent film. There is nonetheless a difference between "Game" and Corman's early 60s work. It is part of the charm of those films that you can sense the backlot prop shop beneath the lively surfaces. You don't care much about the rough edges, because you know the films were produced for next to nothing. Here, the uneven performances, the edgy, rushed pace, the repetitive music, in short, all the subtle symptoms of a production that didn't have quite enough time to get things perfect, are out of synch with an environment dressed to the nines. It is a perverse testament to the film's success in conveying class on the cheap that one is a touch too aware when it doesn't measure up. Jonathan Pryce, for example, is good, but has been better. David Morrissey is all too proficient as a suicidal wimp, but I suspect his irritating self-pity would have been improved if he'd had more time to discover shades of feeling in his predicament. Instead, like the rest of the cast, he hits all the obvious points. No one is particularly bad, but neither are they very engaging. Still, "The Game of Death" is reasonably entertaining. It's just that where the Poe films are imaginative, "Game" is luxuriously literal-minded.
Rating: 
Summary: Very British
Review: Not a bad little British film. It features some very good period costuming, good acting, particularly by actor Paul Bettany, plus well written story (it is afterall Robert Lewis Stevenson). My biggest complaint are the dark scenes, which make everything hard to see, especially the fight scenes. In addition, for a DVD, there are very few extras included, which would been nice to have. In short, it's not bad, but could have been better.
Rating: 
Summary: Stevenson's The Suicide Club Brought To Life
Review: The Game of Death is the latest film version of Robert Louis Stevenson's The Suicide Club. The Game of Death is well directed by Rachel Samuels and features an impressive cast: Jonathan Pryce, David Morrissey and Catherine Siggins. Beautifully photographed by Chris Manley on location in Ireland(substituting for 1899 London), it tells the story of Captain Henry Joyce(Morrissey)who joins the secret Suicide Club run by the mysterious Mr. Bourne(Pryce). The members of the club join for one purpose: to be murdered by another member of the club. Morrissey begins to regret his decision once he becomes involved with the sole female member of the club, Sara Wolverton(Siggins). This is an excellent choice for fans of Masterpiece Theater and the historical mysteries on Mystery. But be warned, this is a dark tale and features some graphic violence.
Rating:
Summary: There's A Reason Stevenson Is Still Read Today
Review: This is a very original piece of writing so it figures that it is a classic, penned by none other than Robert Louis Stevenson. The quality of the writing made me sit up and take notice of this film from the moment it started. That the makers did not stint on its casting helped as well with Jonathan Pryce, David Morrissey and Catherine Siggins in the lead roles. The plot is not all that simple to conceive. Set in 1899 London, there is a clandestine Suicide Club which suicidal people can join. Eventually they will be murdered by a member of the club enabling them to avoid the then-considered shameful, scandalous death of a suicide. There is one problem with joining though: you can't change your mind. You are in the club till your death with Mr. Bourne (Pryce) in charge of it all, holding card games which determine who kills whom on which nights. He, of course, ends up with all of the suicide's assets at death, considerable motivation for keeping the club going. He also seems to immensely enjoy his work. Captain Henry Joyce (Morrissey) joins the club when he can't get over the death of his wife. However, he runs headlong into trouble by falling in love with another member and then wanting out. Be warned though, Stevenson never takes the easy way out at any stage of the story as many a lesser writer would.
Rating:
Summary: There's A Reason Stevenson Is Still Read Today
Review: This is a very original piece of writing so it figures that it is a classic, penned by none other than Robert Louis Stevenson. The quality of the writing made me sit up and take notice of this film from the moment it started. That the makers did not stint on its casting helped as well with Jonathan Pryce, David Morrissey and Catherine Siggins in the lead roles. The plot is not all that simple to conceive. Set in 1899 London, there is a clandestine Suicide Club which suicidal people can join. Eventually they will be murdered by a member of the club enabling them to avoid the then-considered shameful, scandalous death of a suicide. There is one problem with joining though: you can't change your mind. You are in the club till your death with Mr. Bourne (Pryce) in charge of it all, holding card games which determine who kills whom on which nights. He, of course, ends up with all of the suicide's assets at death, considerable motivation for keeping the club going. He also seems to immensely enjoy his work. Captain Henry Joyce (Morrissey) joins the club when he can't get over the death of his wife. However, he runs headlong into trouble by falling in love with another member and then wanting out. Be warned though, Stevenson never takes the easy way out at any stage of the story as many a lesser writer would.
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