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Post by patricklondon on Sept 5, 2009 20:43:58 GMT
Just to be truly pedantic, the Poirot series with David Suchet were made for ITV in Britain, rather than the BBC. The BBC's contribution to the Christie oeuvre was the Miss Marples with Joan Hickson - also the definitive portrayal, but they didn't outstay their welcome. But both were tellingly more enjoyable for the period style details - art deco 30s for the Poirot, dowdy 50s for the Marple.
Another Dorothy L Sayers fan here (though I could wish she weren't quite so transparently in love with Wimsey) - there were one or two good TV adaptations with Edward Pennington as Wimsey and Harriet Walter as Harriet Vane.
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Post by lola on Sept 6, 2009 0:42:58 GMT
That's right: L. A lot of literature seems to be fantasy fulfillment for the author. (Like Sayers as Vane having Wimsey crazy about her)
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Post by lola on Sept 6, 2009 0:48:39 GMT
I got a couple of the good Wimsey adaptations at the library, liked them a lot, also some pretty bad ones I couldn't watch.
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 6, 2009 2:46:47 GMT
I am POSITIVE that Peter Wimsey is Dorothy Sayer's alter ego.
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Post by lola on Sept 8, 2010 15:02:25 GMT
The New Yorker Aug 16 issue had a nice article called "Queen of Crime", reviewing two recent Christie books. The entire article isn't available online unless you subscribe, but Joan Arcocella gave a nice overview of Christie's life, along with an analysis of her work and detective fiction in general. She says: "...her books have sold more than two billion copies, making her the most widely read novelist in history." www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2010/08/16/100816crat_atlarge_acocella#ixzz0ywyGDB3e
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 8, 2010 16:17:40 GMT
Oh, thanks for that, Lola. I don't have that issue but can get it. I'm a big fan of Joan Acocella's writing. I even read her dance articles, as I feel they may penetrate my boobishness about that art.
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Post by joanne28 on Sept 10, 2010 23:50:58 GMT
I am a big murder mystery fan and am very much a fan of cozies, as they are called. I have quite a few - probably about 800 to 1,000.
Bixa, we will have to agree to disagree about Agatha springing the answer on the reader at the end. To the contrary - she was meticulous about leaving the clues but they were very difficult because they usually were almost thrown away. The first time I figured out whodunit for the correct reason, I was absolutely thrilled. Mind you, I had read about 40 at that point.
I think I have nearly all the Aggies. I also enjoy P.D. James, Ruth Rendell, Martha Grimes, Sharan Newman, Margaret Frazer, Amanda Cross, Ellis Peter, Sue Grafton, Ngaio Marsh and tons of other. It's interesting how so many mystery writers are female.
I also enjoy the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency but more for the atmosphere than for the mystery, as there is very little mystery. Atmosphere is also one of the things I enjoy about Agatha and writers of her time. I find it gives me a feel for a certain section of society, just the way Jane Austen does.
But Jane Austen is Queen and that's another thread entirely.
I think of mysteries as being after dinner mints type of books - light and refreshing and enjoyable.
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Post by bjd on Sept 12, 2010 19:29:10 GMT
I think I have nearly all the Aggies. I also enjoy P.D. James, Ruth Rendell, Martha Grimes, Sharan Newman, Margaret Frazer, Amanda Cross, Ellis Peter, Sue Grafton, Ngaio Marsh and tons of other. It's interesting how so many mystery writers are female. But Jane Austen is Queen and that's another thread entirely. I think of mysteries as being after dinner mints type of books - light and refreshing and enjoyable. I hadn't thought of it before, but perhaps one reason for some many mystery writers being female was that many of the early ones (Marsh, Christie, Sayers) were writing at a time when women were considered less serious writers than men? As mystery novels were not considered serious literature. Well, I guess they aren't really, even though some are clever and well-written. Speaking of Jane Austen, the friend I will be staying with in Toronto got a set of first editions of Jane Austen as a birthday present from her husband a few years ago.
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 13, 2010 3:24:48 GMT
Well, I will accept what you say about Agatha Christie, Joanne. I tried her when I was much, much younger and haven't read her since. It's also a "different strokes" thing, as cozies don't appeal to me. (That said, I only like a certain degree of "grit".) Interesting thought about "lady writers" being relegated to writing mysteries, Bjd. It's probably true that the better mystery writers, both men and women, turned many people into real, all-round readers. Here's a bit of surprising history about a woman mystery writer: www.mysteryscenemag.com/articles/96annakatharinegreen.pdf
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2010 5:41:39 GMT
Watching some of the Agatha Christie stuff on television, where we get most of the British productions as well as local French adaptations, I am always amused when I recognize actors doing their cameo appearance in some of the episodes, like Joanna Lumley or John Hannah.
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Post by Jazz on Sept 13, 2010 8:12:00 GMT
I've read many Agatha Christie books, but find them interesting only from a 'period' point of view. I prefer Poirot to Miss Marple, especially the excellent TV series with David Suchet. But, I will never miss a Miss Marple 40's film when the fabulous Margaret Rutherford is Miss Marple,
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2010 9:08:24 GMT
Strangely enough, in recent years, all of the feature film adaptations of Agatha Christie have been French films. The two most successful ones use the characters of Tommy and Tuppence (Prudence) Beresford, who become in French Bélisaire and Prudence Beresford, played by André Dussollier and Catherine Frot.
In 2005, there was "Mon petit doigt m'a dit" (By the Pricking of My Thumbs) and in 2008 there was "Le crime est notre affaire" (4:50 from Paddington). Both of these are great fun if you get a chance to see them, since the Beresford couple was written by Agatha Christie for comic relief, even if there are just as many murders.
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Post by lola on Sept 14, 2010 15:24:47 GMT
During chaotic times in life it's good to plunge into mysteries, knowing that Poirot, Reacher, Wimsey, or some capable someone will clean up whatever mess has been made, and bring order out of chaos. That probably accounts for my schoolgirl infatuation with S. Holmes.
I recently watched the three disc BBC 1987 set of Vane/Wimsey stories, starring Edward Petherbridge and Harriet Walter. He was so good, though maybe a decade too old, as Wimsey.
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Post by joanne28 on Sept 16, 2010 14:22:04 GMT
I think one of the reasons that I like mysteries, or at least the ones I read, is that the evil-doer is caught and punished.
For that reason, I started but never finished a book by Patricia Highsmith once I realized the main character was literally getting away with murder.
Reality can be harsh and nasty but I don't need it in my reading.
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Post by kerouac2 on Aug 26, 2020 18:55:34 GMT
Today, France became one of the last countries in the world (but I suppose this applies to quite a few French language countries which are still beholden to France and its publishing companies) to change the title of Agatha Christie's Ten Little Niggers (Dix Petits Nègres) to something else. This was not done spontaneously but at the request of Christie's grandson.
The word "nigger" appeared 74 times in the text and it has now become "soldier."
I have nothing against changing the word, but even though "nègre" can be used in a derogatory manner in French, it is not at all always the case. "Art nègre" refers quite positively to African inspired art. And remarkable black intellectuals such as Leopold Sedar Senghor (former president of Senegal and member of the Académie française) and Aimé Césaire, immense politician, poet and writer from Martinique, vaunted the merits of négritude their entire lives. And nègre is still the official word in French for "ghost writer." Will it be changed one day?
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 26, 2020 21:06:17 GMT
Well, it's French, so I cannot comment.
What I can say, though, is that this thread's name could probably be changed. Once everyone said everything there was to say about the tedious Ms. Christie, the conversation went on to other mystery writers. The OP was someone named Deleted.
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Post by kerouac2 on Aug 26, 2020 22:10:56 GMT
Agatha Christie is the world's best selling novelist. This BBC link has some pertinent information on the subject.
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Post by questa on Aug 27, 2020 5:31:18 GMT
I think one of the reasons that I like mysteries, or at least the ones I read, is that the evil-doer is caught and punished. I read once that the writer must enter a "contract" with the reader in that good must prevail in the end. Remember that in the heyday of these books the guilty party is going to be hanged, or sent to an asylum for life.We like these stories because everything is tied up and order restored and we feel safe again. I like most of "@joanne" books but my favourite atm is Janet Evanovitch's series "One for the money", "Two for the show" etc.and are very funny with nasty characters as well. There are 2 gorgeous men for eye-candy, a young sister who thinks she is a horse and it is pure New Jersey. Did anyone here see the 4 part recent version of "10 little soldiers", filmed in a mansion that was 100% Art Deco,set on the island.I missed out on so many clues as I stared at the furniture and ornaments. I'll shut up now.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Aug 27, 2020 19:18:08 GMT
The only Agatha Christie book that I have read was set in Ancient Egypt...I can't remember the title. Read it when i was about 12 and potty about egyptology...I think it was called Death on the Nile but it wasnt about Hercule Poirot....I shall Google and return...
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Aug 27, 2020 19:29:03 GMT
Found it! It's called 'Death Comes As the End' I cant use italics or bold with this new format dagnammit....
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Post by onlyMark on Aug 28, 2020 6:03:25 GMT
Cheery, in the reply box you used to post, is there not a line of symbols at the top of which one is for italics and another for bold?
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Aug 28, 2020 7:35:12 GMT
Ooh..I was using the wrong thingy...'dashboard' instead of desktop...woo hoo thank you Mark...
Anyway...Margaret Rutherford is my favourite Marple and David Suchet my favourite Poirot. I must admit I havent read the books for years...I really ought to trawl through the charity shops.
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Post by mickthecactus on Sept 15, 2020 14:56:02 GMT
Today is her birthday. Born 1890.
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 15, 2020 16:19:10 GMT
I'm quite pleased that a new adaptation of Death on the Nile is about to be released.
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Post by onlyMark on Sept 15, 2020 19:42:51 GMT
Nice to see they moved the pyramids so close to the Nile.
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Post by kerouac2 on Sept 16, 2020 11:27:55 GMT
That was the first thing I noticed in the trailer, too.
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Post by whatagain on Sept 16, 2020 13:26:52 GMT
I was so disappointed with the latest Muder on the Orient Express...
I read that Trump is going to pkay in the famous story :
10 little niggers, killed by the police.
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Post by tod2 on Sept 16, 2020 16:51:45 GMT
I know that new movie is just up my alley. Murder in mysterious circumstances is my very favourite viewing movie.
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Post by questa on Sept 17, 2020 1:35:26 GMT
Just thinking...letter to 'Person the World is Better off Without' from some little known official in the Vatican. Says Pope has Special message for Person but the people must not know. Not to use Air Force 1 or be seen.
Person is vain enough to believe this and enjoys the secrecy.Travels to Rome incognito. Is given a beautiful suite and several nuns to fetch and carry for him. A secretary is on hand to listen attentively to his ramblings...
Next morning it was found that Person had died overnight in his sleep. The White House had no idea what he was doing in Rome so had to invent lies and more lies to cover it up. The Vatican denied any knowledge of any actions, at any time and in any place and refused to allow an autopsy.
Nuns all look the same and no-one takes a headcount, so no-one saw Sister Lucrezia, a direct descendent of the Borgia Family, take a glass of warm milk to the Person. Now the World is a Better Place.
Well..? They got rid of a Pope this way ...more or less, anyway it is only a story
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 4, 2021 20:19:36 GMT
I'm quite pleased that a new adaptation of Death on the Nile is about to be released. Still not released due to covid, but I guess they'll get around to it sooner or later if no Marvel movie (or West Side Story) is on the horizon. But I came to this thread to express my amusement at an ultra slow news day, because they brought out again the mysterious disappearance of Agatha Christie in 1926. I take this as good news if they have decided that the current political quarrels, covid, school shooting, etc can be set aside for a moment. I'm sure we'll be back to normal tomorrow.
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