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More Tales of the City

More Tales of the City

List Price: $49.98
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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Worhty Successor to the Original -With great bonus mat.!
Review: After recently viewing the entire contents of this DVD set, I can honestly say that this is definitely up to par with the original mini-serie's production values as well as acting. Sure a few of the main characters have new faces, but they do bring a fresh interpretation to their character. If you're not a fan of the new series, though, you should get this set for the additional material on this DVD. Armistead Maupin gives commentary throughout most of the series as well as provides insight into the deleted and new scenes added to the series. Now, if only they can start producing the NEXT mini-series....

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I wish I lived in the Building
Review: Being a gay person I love this movie. The cast including Olypia Dukakis and Laura Linney among others who I can't remember their names are excellent. I just wish I lived on Barbary Lane. I loved the closeness of the cast (which appeared to be very sincere)The acting was excellent, its a series that you wish continued on after the final scene. Its an excellent series which I would proudly recommend this movie to anyone. I truly love being gay and this series made me even prouder of my sexual orientation. This movie isn't all about the homosexual lifestyle, Laura Linney plays a straight woman who found her love in the building Olympia Dukakis's character owns. There is intrigue, scandal, love and best of all nudity. Great series I wish it was a permanent series.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: more tales of the city
Review: I have never seen a television show that touched me so much. It brought laughter and tears to my eyes. A friend told me about a book by the title "Tales of the city" but I never knew they made it into a show and when I saw it for the first time, I knew I had to have the copy. I don't know how anyone who would want to miss out on something this....creative.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Happily Surprised
Review: I was a bit leary of this "mini-series" because I loved the books so much, and this production replaced a couple of the lead stars from the first series. Any disappointment I felt, though, was quickly lost as I fell in love with the characters all over again, and soon forgot about the changes. What a great story with deliciously satisfying surprise turns and twists! The actors obviously relished these roles and put everything into them. Especially terrific about the DVD is the commentary from the author and stars of the series. I found it captivating--couldn't pull myself away from their stories, and can't wait to sit down and listen to them again. There's nothing like this out there. It should be part of your library!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: More tales...
Review: I was a bit leary of this "mini-series" because I loved the books so much, and this production replaced a couple of the lead stars from the first series. Any disappointment I felt, though, was quickly lost as I fell in love with the characters all over again, and soon forgot about the changes. What a great story with deliciously satisfying surprise turns and twists! The actors obviously relished these roles and put everything into them. Especially terrific about the DVD is the commentary from the author and stars of the series. I found it captivating--couldn't pull myself away from their stories, and can't wait to sit down and listen to them again. There's nothing like this out there. It should be part of your library!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Happily Surprised
Review: I was a bit leary of this "mini-series" because I loved the books so much, and this production replaced a couple of the lead stars from the first series. Any disappointment I felt, though, was quickly lost as I fell in love with the characters all over again, and soon forgot about the changes. What a great story with deliciously satisfying surprise turns and twists! The actors obviously relished these roles and put everything into them. Especially terrific about the DVD is the commentary from the author and stars of the series. I found it captivating--couldn't pull myself away from their stories, and can't wait to sit down and listen to them again. There's nothing like this out there. It should be part of your library!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Not nearly as good as the first series
Review: More Tales of the City is the 1998 cable-produced sequel to the Tales of the City mini-series, which aired on public television in 1993. Both series are based on respective novels by Armistead Maupin.

More Tales' plot and script are substantially shoddier than its predecessor. It focuses mainly on the intrigue and intertwining characters than the development of the personalities or the warmth of their interactions. And where sweet and emotional dialogue exists, the sentiment is marred by three vastly inferior "replacement" actors. The much beloved Michael "Mouse" Tolliver is played by the excessively smirky and over-doing-the-gay-bit Paul Hopkins. His performance is unnatural and devoid of Mouse's innate, lovable charm. Nina Siemaszko's performance is brittle and uneasy, lacking any of the spunk and charisma befitting the quirky Mona Ramsey. Whip Hubley is just plain uninteresting as the (supposedly) handsome, disillusioned Brian Hawkins. I had the opportunity to go back and re-watch the first series and was surprised to discover just how naturally and unaffectedly Marcus D'Amico, Chloe Webb, and Paul Gross inhabited Mouse, Mona and Brian. I had been unaware of just how good they were since I merely considered them as being the characters.

For diehard Maupin fans, the DVD is worth purchasing considering it contains some very interesting behind-the-scenes, director and actor commentaries, scenes that have been cut, and other extras. And if you simply like some of Maupin's most bizarre plot twists for the intrigue in itself, you'll probably enjoy More Tales of the City. If you like more quality or substance and haven't seen Tales of the City, buy it on videotape. Shamefully, It's not yet available on DVD.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent Mini-Series
Review: Not being a Showtime subscriber, I was very excited to get "More Tales..." on DVD. The first few scenes are a bit jarring (I was unsure if I had started it at the beginning) and as I loved the first one so much it was difficult getting used to the replacement actors playing Mouse, Mona and Brian. But getting past that...an excellent job. I wish they would get started on the third installment!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Entertaining "Soap Opera" about SF Tennament Life in the 70s
Review: Olympia Dukakis leads a cast of otherwise little-known actors in this very entertaining serial about life, lust and liasons surrounding the tennants at 28 Barbary Lane in San Francisco of the mid-1970s. -- The main character, Maryann Singleton, an innocent 20-something Ohio girl escapes the smothering arms of her over-protective parents and becomes the latest arrival at mysterious Ms Madrigal's house of sweet, odd and gorgeous young people. Not only is she (like everyone else) welcomed and accepted, but soon finds herself in a web of weird situations, corporate greed, sexual experimentation, suicide, and other shocking things. -- The recurring central focus on homosexuality eventually becomes so nonchallante, that the viewer soon no longer sees this as anything worth talking about. It's almost like watching episodes of "Ellen", "Roseanne" or "Will & Grace", only that any "viewer advisories" seem redundant now (it's about time!). -- Tales of the City is a look back at the 1970s decadence we saw in "Studio 54", but otherwise only 'heard rumors about'. This is an honest, unashamed view of the "San Francisco Scene" as experienced by the author/screen writer Amistad Mopin. Along with historically authentic facts and references (The "Jonestown Tragedy" of 1979 is briefly referenced at the end - if you blinked you missed it!) this otherwise mostly ficticious plot makes for fun viewing. The 6 part series nicely fits on this DVD. Have it piece meal or all at once. I think you're gonna like this picture!*****

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Armistead Maupin's More Tales of the City is wonderful
Review: Once again Olympia Dukakis, Laura Linney, and Barbara Garrick have done a wonderful job adapting the second novel in Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City series. This six episode edition is a journey for all characters involved. Mrs. Madrigal reveals herself to her children, especially Mona. Mary Ann gets entangled in a bizarre mystery and meets a handsome stranger. Michael finds Jon once again. Pierre Gang directs the actors wonderfully in their roles, faithfully adapting the book almost page by page. The DVD is an extraordinary 2 disc special edition with commentary from Armistead and the actors. Well worth it for any Tales fan!


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