Miss Marple Thoughts....

[j_cheney]

Rewrote chapters 29 and 30 last night. Then rewrote them again. Having trouble getting the bad guy's motiviaitons right. I hate that. I think I'm OK with it now.

I don't like to watch random TV. I want to know what I'm investing my time in. So for the last couple of days I've been watching episodes of the new Mystery! series of Miss Marple.

I noted in reading the reviews that a lot of people don't like this version of Miss Marple. There seem to be two reasons for that.
1) They like the actress who played Miss Marple in the old series, Joan Hickson, and Geraldine McEwan (who is physically nothing like her) just doesn't fit as a substitute for them. This is simply a matter of personal preference to me. I like Geraldine McEwan better.
2) They say that the episodes don't follow the books exactly. Well that's pretty much par for the course. I really noticed it when watching episodes of Cadfael. (I recall one episode in particular "The PIlgrim of Hate" that bore almost no resemblance to the book. However, it still made a good mystery as reimagined.) Miss Marple does indeed change some things that are in the books. But I'm still enjoying the new series.

One of the things I do miss from the books, however, is the way that Miss Marple makes her connections. She uses personality typing to solve mysteries. Not that she's out there administering True Colors or the MBTI, but she forms her conclusions about others based on matching their behavior to that of people she's known in the past. I recall this distinctly from the books. Hmmmm....

Comments

[orogeny.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen any Miss Marple.

I did used to really enjoy Cadfael, quite a lot, but I hadn't read any of the books. (I'm not even sure I realized they were books, to tell you the truth. Silly me, since the vast majority of screen content comes from the written word.) Then again, I'm a big Derek Jacobi fan. We're talking Jacobi Cadfael, right?

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes. Jacobi was marvelous in the role.

There were 20? books, the last one being "Brother Cadfael's Penance". That's the one where he's reunited with his son. I so greatly wished that they'd made that one (and brought back the actor who played his son in the "The Virgin in the Ice"). I actually have all the books. They are quite good (except the first, which is just some shorter pieces slapped togehter.)

Ellis Peters (Elizabeth Pargeter).

[bachsoprano.livejournal.com]

Oh yes - bad guys and their motivations! Tricky, and elusive! Glad you got yours figured out. :)

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

And this person isn't really the bad guy, just the unpleasant nieghbor, more like, who causes problem. I'll have to wait and see if my first reader buys it ;o)

[dr-phil-physics.livejournal.com]

It is certainly true that you can get connected to a particular portrayal, no matter whether they follow the books or not. They've been rerunning the Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes' mysteries lately, and while I adore his performances, I know others who hate them.

Dr. Phil

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

I keep wanting him to sing 'On the Street Where You Live" and yet, he doesn't....

My husband agreee with you. ;o)

[displacedtexan.livejournal.com]

Jeremy Brett was Freddy?!?! I'll never be able to watch those Sherlock Holmes episodes again!

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

Sorry....

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

MFL was 1964, SH started in 84. 20 years is a lot of aging...

[displacedtexan.livejournal.com]

I like Geraldine McEwan in the role, too, although I also liked Joan Hickson. Two different portrayals entirely, both good in capturing different aspects of the character. As for not following the books to the tee, sometimes that bothers me, but this time I've been able to just enjoy the teleplays for what they are.

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

;o) I agree completely

[jjschwabach.livejournal.com]

The Cadfael Mystery! shows were indeed unlike the books (as with the James Bond movies, they took elements from several books and strung them together or mixed and matched them.) But unlike James Bond, the Cadfael series was truly beautifully done. But I've always found Cadfael more interesting for the settings than the stories. I mean, when we meet the person the Long Arm of the Law (in the form of the fortunately open-minded Hugh) is after, well, if Brother Cadfael likes him, he's not guilty. But one keeps reading them anyway, like little Cadfael McNuggets. They are character and setting-driven, rather than plot-driven, IMHO.

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

And wouldn't you have liked to see the last one done as an episode of the series?

[jjschwabach.livejournal.com]

Totally.

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

The actor who played his son was perfect for hte part (and easy on the eyes as well). I don't think they could do it without both him and Jacobi. Just my thoughts...

[jjschwabach.livejournal.com]

No, probably not.

[st-jb.livejournal.com]

Count me in as another fan of Geraldine McEwan's Miss Marple. I suspect these stories can be redone every 20-25 years or so, provided the right set of people are involved each time.

I have yet to see the right set of people outdo the Brett Holmes series, though - or even come close. I've written several Holmes audio dramas (adaptations and new stories) and in spite of my best intentions I cannot get Jeremy Brett's voice out of my head. I have some other British voice talent in mind for Holmes and Watson as I write, but dang it, Brett's ghost just worms his way back in to my brain. (Ooh, there's a plot bunny!)

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

The new Holmes with Rupert Everett just gives me the creeps....

[st-jb.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it doesn't work for me, either.