Brideshead Revisited

Rating:
Summary: An Echo to the Others Below
Review: I just wanted to echo the stirring praise given by others for this series. It was unfortunately often lauded for its surface beauty, the "Tender is the Night" sort of golden youth at play. That is certainly part of the pathos of the series. However, the series (and the book) are really far deeper - about the mystery of religious grace and the strangeness of its release in unsuspected situations, to unexpecting people. This is one of the more profoundly religious subjects ever to make it to the television screen. The performances are impeccable - as one example, the pricelessly funny uncomfortable scenes between Gielgud and his son Jeremy Irons. It is a beautiful series (gorgeous clothes, homes, cars, manners, food, furniture, boats, people) and a humorous one, but it is so very much more - deeply tragic, truthful, transcendant.

Rating:
Summary: An Echo to the Others Below
Review: I just wanted to echo the stirring praise given by others for this series. It was unfortunately often primarily praised for its surface beauty, an English "F. Scott Fitzgerald" sort of golden youth at play in the 1920s, brought down by modern world. That is certainly part of the pathos of the series. However, the series (and the book) are really far deeper - about the mystery of religious grace and the strangeness of its release in unsuspected situations, to unexpecting people. This is one of the more profoundly religious subjects ever to make it to the television screen. The performances are impeccable - as one example, the pricelessly funny uncomfortable scenes between Gielgud and his son Jeremy Irons. It is a beautiful series (gorgeous clothes, homes, cars, manners, food, furniture, boats, people) and a humorous one, but it is so very much more - deeply tragic, truthful, transcendant.

Rating:
Summary: Best Ever
Review: Best production ever made in any media. Most spiritual. I have seen it time after time and never tire.

Rating:
Summary: Television drama doesn't get any better than this ! Superb!
Review: If you watch this series and don't come away affected by it then you must be dead ! Andrwews is divine as Sebastian ! THE best drama of all time without doubt !

Rating:
Summary: it doesn't ever get better than this...
Review: they show this on PBS sometimes so even if you choose not to purchase the best drama ever to grace the 21 inch screen you can still see it. it is so far above anything else to first appear on television you may wonder how it ever was produced! perhaps that is a story in of itself. in any case it is truly one of a kind and to not see it would be like never seeing Dr. Zhivago or Casablanca or any of the other larger than life tragic love stories of this century.

Rating:
Summary: Charmingly moving
Review: Starting with the silky narrative by Jeremy Irons, this series will elevate you, educate you, and most certainly entertain you. I can't think of a better adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's book that this marvelous BBC rendition. The scenery, the costumes and, above all, the intoxicatingly vivid relationships will delight you. The bit parts by Sir John Gielgud and Sir Lawrence Olivier are not to be missed.

Rating:
Summary: Five stars plus!
Review: As Churchill said, "My tastes are very simple, I like the best of everything." The venerated PM would have loved Brideshead. It doesn't get any better than this with Lord Olivier, Sir John G., Claire Bloom, & Jeremy Irons in a defining role et al. Suggest a full-blown buy of whole series. You're the better for not seeing it piecemeal years ago. Only other series on in last 20 years to compare is Perfect Spy. (Upstairs, Downstairs in same league but different genre.)

Rating:
Summary: Quite a show
Review: Marvellously acted, beautifully shot, this excellent and detailed film rendering of Waugh's best novel is well worth a look. Let's put it this way: for bit parts they throw in Sir Laurence Olivier and Sir John Gieldgud. While the basic tenor of the tale is heartrending regret, there are moments of truly inspired comedy scattered throughout.

Rating:
Summary: Perhaps the most opulent, heartfelt PBS series ever
Review: Evelyn Waugh's book is a magnificent testament to the power of memory and language, and I doubt any more faithful an adadptation is possible. Jeremy Irons as the seemingly detached, but always emotionally involved friend (Charles Ryder) of Anthony Adrews (Sebastian), plays one of his finest roles. The cinematography is unparalleled, and after watching this numerous times, I was compelled to visit Castle Howard, which is the "Brideshead" home. This is a video (or series of videos) to curl up with on a long afternoon and evening (its about 13 hours long), but if at the end you haven't fallen in love with Julia as Charles had, if you haven't cried for Sebastian as he tends to the down trodden Kurt, then you are missing some of the basic emotional fabric of what makes us human. Sebastian says "it's a rather pleaseant change when all your life you've had people looking after you, to have someone to look after yourself". This is a book, a story and a video that deserves to be looked at many times and looked after as well.

Rating:
Summary: Bridey-high, Bridey-ho
Review: Simply one of the most moving and deeply-felt mini-series ever. Poignant, touching, beautifully shot, Brideshead Revisited tells the story of Pre-War England through the eyes of Charles (Jeremy Irons) and his group of mostly Cantabridgian friends, primarily, Sebastian, Julia and of course, Antoine! From the first frame, this series was meant to be heard in JI's voice (I heard a rumor once that JI was supposed to be Sebastian and Anthony Andrews, Charles!?!?!) and is mellifluously spoken and oooh! I loved it so much I can barely type. How Charles did not bawl like a baby upon discovering Brideshead again, is beyond me...The perfect activity for a cool, rainy afternoon (and evening!). END