BBC War and Peace TV series.

[vandermolen]

Anyone else watching this? As has been pointed out in some reviews the younger main characters are completely overshadowed by the older actors in ostensibly subordinate parts. Jim Broadbent is, I think, terrific as Prince Andrei's father. I doubt whether Lily James of Downton Abbey and Cinderella fame has the depth to portray Natascha although I shall reserve judgment. The girl in the epic Bondurchak Russian film was by far the best. We shall see. Poor Paul Dano, an excellent actor, seems to be required to play Pierre as a totally foolish character. I think that reducing it to six episodes is a mistake. Things may improve as the series progresses. It bemuses me that some of the reviewers in the national newspapers have not actually read the book. 

[knight66]

I am watching it and enjoying it a great deal. I thought that Pierre was well drawn and acted. But a lot is left out. I agree that the older actors are all really fine. The sets/costumes/lighting are all terrific. As always with the adaptor in question, as well as cutting away, he spices up.

Mike

[vandermolen]

I am watching it and enjoying it a great deal. I thought that Pierre was well drawn and acted. But a lot is left out. I agree that the older actors are all really fine. The sets/costumes/lighting are all terrific. As always with the adaptor in question, as well as cutting away, he spices up.

Mike

Good point Mike. Maybe I'm being over critical but I was brought up with the Russian/Soviet film which is in a class of its own but maybe this is an unfair comparison.

[Cato]

Anyone else watching this? As has been pointed out in some reviews the younger main characters are completely overshadowed by the older actors in ostensibly subordinate parts. Jim Broadbent is, I think, terrific as Prince Andrei's father. I doubt whether Lily James of Downton Abbey and Cinderella fame has the depth to portray Natascha although I shall reserve judgment. The girl in the epic Bondurchak Russian film was by far the best. We shall see. Poor Paul Dano, an excellent actor, seems to be required to play Pierre as a totally foolish character. I think that reducing it to six episodes is a mistake. Things may improve as the series progresses. It bemuses me that some of the reviewers in the national newspapers have not actually read the book. 

Because Bondarchuk divided the novel into 4 parts and filmed them over 6 years, one actually sees Natasha grow up during the course of the story.

A 19-year old ballerina, Ludmila Savelyeva, played Natasha: I was disconcerted to see she is now 73 years old!   

See:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludmila_Savelyeva

Bondarchuk was somewhat pressured to use Communist-made 70 mm film, which was of very poor quality.  Sources say that it had deteriorated severely by the 1980's.  The DVD's from Ruscico were made from a 35 mm version.

[kishnevi]

Anyone else watching this? As has been pointed out in some reviews the younger main characters are completely overshadowed by the older actors in ostensibly subordinate parts. Jim Broadbent is, I think, terrific as Prince Andrei's father. I doubt whether Lily James of Downton Abbey and Cinderella fame has the depth to portray Natascha although I shall reserve judgment. The girl in the epic Bondurchak Russian film was by far the best. We shall see. Poor Paul Dano, an excellent actor, seems to be required to play Pierre as a totally foolish character. I think that reducing it to six episodes is a mistake. Things may improve as the series progresses. It bemuses me that some of the reviewers in the national newspapers have not actually read the book. 

I suppose this will eventually reach the US...my comparison is to the version shown on PBS a generation ago (the first time I saw Anthony Hopkins).  For me the best remembered performance was, other than Hopkins himself in the role of Pierre ( and in the novel Pierre starts off as something like a fool), old Prince Bolkonsky.

[drogulus]

I suppose this will eventually reach the US...

     I'm saving the first episode until I get the second one, then I can watch them together. It should reach the U.S. any minute now.

[vandermolen]

I think it's a joint American/British production.

[vandermolen]

Because Bondarchuk divided the novel into 4 parts and filmed them over 6 years, one actually sees Natasha grow up during the course of the story.

A 19-year old ballerina, Ludmila Savelyeva, played Natasha: I was disconcerted to see she is now 73 years old!   

See:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludmila_Savelyeva

Bondarchuk was somewhat pressured to use Communist-made 70 mm film, which was of very poor quality.  Sources say that it had deteriorated severely by the 1980's.  The DVD's from Ruscico were made from a 35 mm version.

I remember my mother taking me to see that version when it first came out. You had to go back to the cinema the following week for part 2. Probably in the 80s I saw it twice on the South Bank in London, an all day showing. Those were happy memories.

Interesting article about the soviet film version and loved the opening photo:
http://brightlightsfilm.com/large-loose-baggy-monster-sergei-bondarchuks-war-peace1966-67/#.VpUM9k29SUk

[Cato]

I remember my mother taking me to see that version when it first came out. You had to go back to the cinema the following week for part 2. Probably in the 80s I saw it twice on the South Bank in London, an all day showing. Those were happy memories.

Interesting article about the soviet film version and loved the opening photo:
http://brightlightsfilm.com/large-loose-baggy-monster-sergei-bondarchuks-war-peace1966-67/#.VpUM9k29SUk

Excellent essay!  Interesting that the impression of the author from the various interviews is that the Russians do not see the film as a "national treasure," but as an eccentricity or even an "individualist" preciosity.

I find the film to be a treasure, visually, dramatically, and musically.

[Karl Henning]

Excellent essay!  Interesting that the impression of the author from the various interviews is that the Russians do not see the film as a "national treasure," but as an eccentricity or even an "individualist" preciosity.

Unmutual!

[Cato]

Unmutual!

I have the impression that Bondarchuk was about as unmutual as you were allowed to be back then in the Soviet years.  Andrei Tarkovsky would be another one.

On topic: what is the music like for the BBC series?  Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov's for the Bondarchuk War and Peace would be hard to beat!

[bwv 1080]

Is it better than this 2007 adaptation?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0495055/

[vandermolen]

I have the impression that Bondarchuk was about as unmutual as you were allowed to be back then in the Soviet years.  Andrei Tarkovsky would be another one.

On topic: what is the music like for the BBC series?  Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov's for the Bondarchuk War and Peace would be hard to beat!

Music is ok - nothing special. The Ovchinnikov score is in a different league.

[drogulus]

     What about the 1972 version? How does that stack up?

     The '56 version had one shining virtue, Wilfrid Lawson as old Bolkonsky.

[vandermolen]

     What about the 1972 version? How does that stack up?

     The '56 version had one shining virtue, Wilfrid Lawson as old Bolkonsky.

Highly rated with many more episodes than the current BBC version. However, looking at it again I found it so dated in its production that it detracted from the narrative. I don't know the 1956 version but the soviet version will, I suspect, remain my favourite.

I thought that tonight's episode 3 of the current version (UK) was the best episode yet with a very touching performance by Paul Dano as Pierre. The series seems to be coming into its own.

[knight66]

I am enjoying it very much and as well as the acting, some praise is needed for the production. The locations are stunning and feel absolutely right.

Mike

[vandermolen]

So, it's all over now (in the UK). I enjoyed the last episode very much, which unusually had to be extended by 20 minutes (the series should have run for eight rather than six episodes). Coming to USA soon I think. In the end I thought that Paul Dano was excellent as Pierre and the rest of the cast were brilliant too. I came to like the music more also and locations were stunning.

[knight66]

I am with you in all of that; also it was very moving.

Mike

[vandermolen]

I am with you in all of that; also it was very moving.

Mike

Very true.