Still luminous after all these years
Terrier Girl | North Adams, MA USA | 11/10/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"What a pleasure to see the original production of Collins' The Moonstone at last! The recent version was good, but this one seemed far more satisfying. I've always been a sucker for John Welsh, who was splendid as the detective. I've always been a Robin Ellis fan, so his presence was a bonus. The production held up well for its 30-odd years. I would recommend this production to those who love great British drama."
Yorkshire landscape is absolutely chilling!
lucky lam | USA | 01/13/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"At long last! I first viewed the multi-episode "Moonstone" on PBS after being captivated by "Upstairs, Downstairs" and the "Mystery" series. I recognized various actors who seemed to move in and out of other series "The Pallisers," etc. John Welsh -- Sgt. Cuff here, was the dotty old retainer in "Duchess of Duke Street," and Peter Sallis, Mr. Bluff in the Moonstone, shone as Mr. Bonteen in the aforementioned Pallisers, and continues to shine in "Last of the Summer Wine." The production values of the Moonstone is high; the costumes are downright rich and elegant. Clothes do tell a story -- at a glance you discerned different stations in life, occupations, values. However, the sound wavered from soft to softer, and I had to remember to turn the volume down on my TV after using the DVD player before switching back to regular TV. Hint: buy this series for yourself and after viewing, if you don't want to keep it, donate the DVD to your public library so others can enjoy it.
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Worth the wait
Kaaren S. Brown | Ann Arbor | 01/03/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have been waiting for the BBC to reissue this excellent Masterpiece Theatre production -- much superior to the shorter version released several years ago. It was worth the wait!"
A pleasant film to watch on a rainy day
Andrew Raker | PA | 06/05/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
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As a period piece, this BBC adaptation of Wilkie Collin's "The Moonstone" kept my attention quite well and was a pleasure to watch. For individuals who are unaware of the solution to the 'mystery,' I believe the adaptation will be even more enjoyable, although some people may have a difficult time accepting the solution to the mystery in turns of its improbable nature.
The acting in this adaptation, as well as the picture quality, are quite adequate to watch. Of course, as is true for any miniseries from the 1970s, the picture quality (4:3 aspect ratio) and style (ex: long shots rather than short 5 second clips edited together) might leave some people born in the age of high-definition, fast-paced television a bit disappointed.
However, I would certainly recommend this BBC adaptation, especially since I detested the late 1990s Masterpiece Theatre adaptation, which modernized the dialogue and behavior of the characters and could hardly be said to follow Wilkie Collin's intent.
As a final point, this BBC film adaptation released by Acorn Media does NOT contain subtitles, which was a disappointment."