The Tower of Flints: Mervyn Peake's Fantastical Imagination discussion

In 2001, the BBC made a star-studded, four part adaptation of the first two Gormenghast novels. Not unflawed, yet with a real affection for the source material, it's said that the competition amongst actors to get a part in the production was fierce!

I've watched this film and enjoyed it thoroughly.

Hi Vit

I did hugely enjoy it, too, for its desire to be true, even though I felt it couldn't really match up to the magnificent strageness of the source material. I think that's to do with the epic vastness of the castle and the limitations of early 21st century special effects available to the BBC.

In respect of the acting, though, there are really too many good performances to comfortably single one out, but at risk of making myself uncomfortable, I'd have to say that John Sessions's Dr. Prunesquallor was something of a highlight for me.

Here's a guilty admission for a Peake fan, moreover one who virtually always reads a book before seeing an adaptation: it was the TV series that led me to the book, and thus Peake's other works.

So it has framed my vision somewhat, but I've read the books several times since. I have gained far more than I might have lost.

As for the cast, Dr Prune is certainly a highlight, but I enjoyed Cora and Clarice, too. Steerpike was too good-looking.

I'm not sure there are right and wrong ways to come to an author's work. In this case, it's the destination not the journey that's important (contrary to so many Facebook memes!).

It is definitely too hard to really choose one performance above another - Cora and Clarice were superbly odd! I thought Celia Imrie was fantastically intense as Countess Gertrude, and Ian Richardson pitiably vulnerable in his depiction of Lord Sepulchrave's breakdown. Neve MacIntosh suitably naïve and tragic as Fuchsia. I think my affection for Dr. Prunesquallor in the book made his character a make-or-break one for me in respect of the TV adaptation, so it was a great relief that they cast John Sessions and that he did such a fantastic job of bringing the Doctor to life.

I totally agree about the casting of Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Steerpike - far too handsome! But then. I guess they have a product to sell and he's photogenic. At the risk of being somewhat insulting about his looks after what I've said about Rhys Meyers, I think Burn Gorman would have made a fantastic oleaginously threatening Steerpike!

There was talk a couple of years ago about Neil Gaiman being in talks about making a film version, though I'm not sure where that project stands at the minute: https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...

Ooh, I didn't know about the possibility of a film. Gaiman seems like a good fit. Maybe add Tim Burton to the mix?

(But that article is misleading on a trivial point: it says 'The sequence opens with Titus’s birth, “suckled on shadows; weaned, as it were, on webs of ritual...'. That is one of my favourite Peake quotes, and it's from the second book, not the first.)

Who can trust the fickleties of journalists? :-)

I've never got into Gaiman, so I can't be excited about the prospect of his involvement, but by reputation I would hoe he would stay true to Peake's vision. Although I've enjoyed many of Burton's films, I find his style too distinctive: I don't want to see his Gormenghast, I want to see Peake's! Nevertheless, I wonder which characters he would inevitable cast Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter as?

Speaking of fickleties, when talking of the TV series, I can't believe I didn't mention the superb Christopher Lee as Mr. Flay, and Richard Griffiths's amazing turn as Swelter! Super creepy and menacing!

HBC as Countess Groan, of course. You can see her with birds on her shoulders and in her hair!

I'm not sure who Depp could be. Not Dr Prune.

It appears the Gaiman film has transformed into the Gaiman TV adaptation! Possibly...

http://www.slashfilm.com/gormenghast-...

Cecily wrote: "HBC as Countess Groan, of course. You can see her with birds on her shoulders and in her hair!

I'm not sure who Depp could be. Not Dr Prune."

Sorry, Cecily, I somehow missed your comment.

I think that Depp would naturally be thought of as Dr Prune in a Burton production, and agree that he would be wrong for it. I'm always conscious of Depp being Depp in his films, so it would break the spell for me.

I hope that the new Gaiman production (if it happens) uses relatively unknown actors so that they can really inhabit the characters and not bring any celebrity baggage with them.

A TV series could be better than a film. I can see Depp as Dr Prune, but I like the idea of relative unknowns. However, accepted wisdom is that you need one or two big names.

Fingers crossed.