The Agatha Christie Reading Group discussion
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The Movies! Based on and Inspired by them
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C. J.
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Dec 01, 2014 08:31PM
Hi. I am just watching "Murder By Death" a spoof movie that has an amalgam of different fictional detectives (featuring strange spins on Poirot and especially Miss Marple!) and was just wondering: anyone see any films based on anything Christie, and in any way also??
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Yeah when I heard the ending to "And Then There Were None" was drastically different, it made me want to not see it when before I'd been wishing to watch it for years!Oh I know that they have the t.v. specials of Miss Marple that can be found on Youtube. I didn't see much of the rest of it but the set-up to "A Murder Is Announced" is so well-done! Really captures the beginning of the characters great. You hear their excitement and then the horror comes on as soon as the surprises start.
Murder on the Orient Express with a stellar cast including Albert Finney as a decidedly camp Poirot, fantastic atmosphere of the Orient Express caught in the snow. Death on the Nile with Peter Ustinov as Poirot, Endless Night with Hywell Bennet and Hayley Mills, and of course the iconic Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple in 4.50 from Paddington.
Regarding the changed ending to And Then There Were None, the change was approved by Christie herself. She adapted her book for the stage and changed the ending as the book's ending would have been too dismal for the theater. Most of the MANY movie adaptations have used this "happier" ending, though there is a Russian adaptation that uses the book's ending. Also, I understand that there was a stage adaptation done in the UK recently that used the book's ending as well.There have been many, many film and TV adaptations of Christie works and most are available on DVD. You can buy many of them or rent them from Netflix.
Just saw Death on the Nile. An outstanding cast and what a clever whodunit!
Awesome Marcy! I'm not too surprised that film Death on the Nile is great. It seems a lot of people have heard at least of the title of that story and I'm guessing a lot of that legacy is due to the movie.
My inner fangirl always sings and gets all fuzzy when I read that Agatha Christie saw an actress perform on stage and later wrote to her saying:"Great performance. I hope one day you'll play my dear Miss Marple, I think you'll be very good as her,"
Said actress is Joan Hickson, who has since replaced Geraldine McEwan as my favourite.. Not to say I don't enjoy those adaptions, because I definitely do.
But I hear and picture Joan as I read our beloved Aunt Jane books, and I fangirl when I read and watch, hearing those same words as Joan speaks them.
I love how Agatha dedicated "The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side," to Margaret Rutherford.. Though I hear her Marple was a step away from our Aunt Jane..a big step...
And let's not forget it was Rosalind Hicks, Agatha's only daughter, that approached David Suchet and said: "We mustn't make fun of him. Which is why we want you to play him."Aaaahhhh :D
Brooklyn wrote: "My inner fangirl always sings and gets all fuzzy when I read that Agatha Christie saw an actress perform on stage and later wrote to her saying:"Great performance. I hope one day you'll play my d..."
That is such an awesome story!
Partners in crime tv series just finished on bbc 1
I would like to recommend this Russian version (with subs) of And Then There Were None. I found it quite chilling!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUntF...
They are making a new Murder on the Orient Express! I wish they would leave it alone. David Suchet was the best ever!
Annamarie wrote: "They are making a new Murder on the Orient Express! I wish they would leave it alone. David Suchet was the best ever!"I agree with you about the film industry. It seems that too many films are being redone or they take a well-loved source and the director wants to make it "their own vision." For example (I know this isn't Christie related but) when Guy Ritchie took the beloved Sherlock Holmes and made the film seem more like a James Bond action flick I feel there was some mishandling in the creation of that project. He could have made it more accessible to both new old and even uninformed audiences but he made it obvious it is very difficult to accomplish a task like that.
I watched the movies before I started reading the books! Margret Rutherford as Miss Marple is a firm favourite of mine- the beginnings of my Christie obsession! Often based on Poirot books, rather than Miss Marple. very comical black and white films- I love how she portrays Miss Marple! A must watch! Geraldine Mac Ewan is my second favourite, I eagerly watch those with a cuppa and cake! Another amazing actor, although the films are very different to the books.
Finally, I've watched And Then Were None, a very old black and white one. Good, but ending is different to book!
Also I'd just like to note- not Agatha Christie related- but I'm currently watching The Adventures Of Sherlock Homes starring Jeremy Brett, absolutely fantastic, compulsive viewing! Highly Recommended! Midsomer Murders I' also a fan of- must buy box set one of these days!
Could anyone recommend any other films?
