Agatha Christie Lovers discussion
This topic is about
Murder on the Orient Express and Other Destinations
General
>
Book or Movie? Which do you prefer and Why?
date
newest »
newest »
Mod
Although, and this wasn't my keen observation, someone here mentioned that they change the story up sometimes from the book to the TV version. I wonder if that has ruined the TV shows for anyone?
Carolyn F. wrote: "I like both but I do enjoy when the BBC takes on the series. I was sad with the death of a Miss Marples before the series was finished but I have to say I agree that they do a really good job of te..."
Oh dear. Which actress died before the end of the series, or did AC kill off the character before the end of the series. I can't imagine that happening, but that's just me.
I enjoy the books and the movies, but the movies 'flesh out' the characters more. Give them more dimension. In the case of Poirot, Miss Lemon was given a much bigger role in the series than she ever had in the books. Same with Japp. On the other hand, to capture a wider audience and not look 'dated' the producers add things that Dame Agatha wouldn't have permitted OR perhaps she wasn't allowed to delve into areas that are almost old school today.
I.E. the was an angle in "Body in the Library" (most current movie) that I wasn't crazy about. In Taken at the flood, it was said that one character was forced to have an abortion. That kinda worked for the angle but I can imagine the furor if such an issue had been introduced when the book first came out.
Oh dear. Which actress died before the end of the series, or did AC kill off the character before the end of the series. I can't imagine that happening, but that's just me.
I enjoy the books and the movies, but the movies 'flesh out' the characters more. Give them more dimension. In the case of Poirot, Miss Lemon was given a much bigger role in the series than she ever had in the books. Same with Japp. On the other hand, to capture a wider audience and not look 'dated' the producers add things that Dame Agatha wouldn't have permitted OR perhaps she wasn't allowed to delve into areas that are almost old school today.
I.E. the was an angle in "Body in the Library" (most current movie) that I wasn't crazy about. In Taken at the flood, it was said that one character was forced to have an abortion. That kinda worked for the angle but I can imagine the furor if such an issue had been introduced when the book first came out.
GilliansCafe wrote: "As I write this, I'm listening to Poirot Investigates and I remember seeing some of the short story titles on Youtube as Poirot episodes. To that end, I must say that the writers of the Poirot and ..."I recently watched the TV adaptation of Murder on the Links. Standard Poirot episode, but I found the book to be forgettable and somewhat convoluted, but the episode I thought was better focused in it's plot Also I the production design is pretty good considering it's a TV budget, one shot in particular I adore is where Hastings is walking through the train station at night and it's framed in a film noir-esque camera angle. It's little things like that.
I remember the first time I saw a Christie-movie it was Sleeping Murder - or at least that was wat it was suppose to be! This book is VERY special to me, as it was the first adult book I read (I was 15), it was the book that showed me that not all adultbooks are boring and full of sex. So when my mum saw the DVD she bought it to me, to make me happy, but I was So devastated! I have NO CLUE why they called it Sleeping Murder because it was NOTHING like the book! The murder in this horrible version turns out not to be a murder at all, just a show, so that Helen could run away with the circus!!! Seriously WTF!
I have seen other adaptions, that are far better, but what is with the tendency of creating gay couples at every chance, and having hidden homosexuality be the motive so often? I never read that in the books!
I generally prefer the books. I don't much mind the short stories being padded out to make the episodes last long enough for the TV, because some of them are very short. for instance the case of the Missing Will is a very short story, and without padding would scarcely even make a half hour episode let alone a one hour one. but i am slightly irritated by unnecessary additions - having poirot be in love with Virginie in the chocolate Box for instance. But I don't mind them building up Miss Lemon and japp for the series, they were good characters.
Hasselhh wrote: "I remember the first time I saw a Christie-movie it was Sleeping Murder - or at least that was wat it was suppose to be! This book is VERY special to me, as it was the first adult book..."The Joan Hickson version is very good I think - it sticks quite closely to the original story. the one you describe sounds awful though. The homosexuality i agree is very weird, i don't know why they keep dragging that in.
Rory wrote: "GilliansCafe wrote: "As I write this, I'm listening to Poirot Investigates and I remember seeing some of the short story titles on Youtube as Poirot episodes. To that end, I must say that the write..."But in Murder on the links there are two girls, not one, so in the TV episode hastings ends up with the wrong girl. i found that very annoying.
I absolutely love Dame Margaret Rutherford's take on Miss Marple. While the films are drastically different from the books, they are a dollop of fun and more. Two of the films are in fact based on Poirot novels. She is so wonderfully eccentric in the role that it's a pleasure returning to them again and again.My favorite AC book is The Pale Horse, I've always loved it. The ITV adaptation that puts Miss Marple into the mix when in fact her character never appears in the book is really lovely.
At Bertram's Hotel is the only superior adaptation I can think of. I never cared for the book and the ITV film is rather brilliant.
Appointment with Death, the David Suchet adaptation, is gorgeously rendered. The quality is fantastic and I love it as much as the book. Be warned, there are several changes made to the source material.
Joan Hickson is my Miss Marple. She matches my image of her almost perfectly. I own the collection of the tv shows. That said, I prefer the books. The clues are presented much better in the books. Hickson was in many movies, but I don't think I've ever seen her in anything except the Marple series.
Maggie wrote: "Joan Hickson is my Miss Marple. She matches my image of her almost perfectly. I own the collection of the tv shows. That said, I prefer the books. The clues are presented much better in the books. ..."Interestingly, Joan Hickson also had a small role as a housekeeper in one of the Margaret Rutherford Marple films.
Irfken wrote: "I absolutely love Dame Margaret Rutherford's take on Miss Marple. While the films are drastically different from the books, they are a dollop of fun and more. Two of the films are in fact based on ..."The Margaret Rutherford films are good fun, though only the first one is an actual Miss marple story, but it does stick reasonably closely to the orginal.
I thought the Joan Hickson version of Bertram's Hotel was quite good, the more recent one was atrocious,
The Suchet Appointment with Death was horrible, completely changed the story and was quite infuriating. The P eter ustinov one is quite good though.
Louise wrote: "Irfken wrote: "I absolutely love Dame Margaret Rutherford's take on Miss Marple. While the films are drastically different from the books, they are a dollop of fun and more. Two of the films are in..."I liked both versions of At Bertram's Hotel, the one with Joan Hickson and Geraldine McEwan. It's the only AC adaptation I prefer over the book. Usually the books are miles ahead.
Yeah, Margaret Rutherford's films are really entertaining. Miss Marple is very hands-on in the films. The first film does more or less stick to the book but they get rid of Mrs McGillicuddy and Miss Marple is the one who goes undercover. I often return to those films because they are just wonderfully pleasurable.
I for one really enjoyed the Appointment with Death adaptation with David Suchet, I also love the book. The changes are severely drastic but the quality is rather brilliant. I'm not a much of a purist so I really don't mind. Sometimes changes add something new and intriguing. Either way I love both the book and the TV film.
Louise wrote: "Rory wrote: "GilliansCafe wrote: "As I write this, I'm listening to Poirot Investigates and I remember seeing some of the short story titles on Youtube as Poirot episodes. To that end, I must say t..."
Appointment with Death is one of my all-time favourite ACs, so I think I need to watch the adaptation with David Suchet. Will I love it, like Irfken, or find it infuriating, like Louise?!
Appointment with Death is one of my all-time favourite ACs, so I think I need to watch the adaptation with David Suchet. Will I love it, like Irfken, or find it infuriating, like Louise?!
Sarah wrote: "Louise wrote: "Rory wrote: "GilliansCafe wrote: "As I write this, I'm listening to Poirot Investigates and I remember seeing some of the short story titles on Youtube as Poirot episodes. To that en..."If nothing else, you'll definitely appreciate the quality. The production values are quite high though be warned, the plot deviates significantly from the novel. I adore the novel and the different adaptations.
Mod
Is there a place to talk about the new Murder on the Orient Express film yet? I’d love to hear people’s thoughts on it.
Lane wrote: "Is there a place to talk about the new Murder on the Orient Express film yet? I’d love to hear people’s thoughts on it."You can create a new topic about it, if you want to.
Lane wrote: "Is there a place to talk about the new Murder on the Orient Express film yet? I’d love to hear people’s thoughts on it."A lot of people have been talking about it in the " Different actors to play Poirot" discussion, if that helps.
Mod
Here's the link - I'm also going to check out the Different Actors to Play Poirot.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Love David Suchet but I prefer books, every single time. I prefer the authors own words and my imagination. Nothing beats that, no matter how divine the literary adaptation is.
Mod
David Suchet is the perfect Poirot. He took the character from the books and made it his own. I actually think that the Poirot short stories are much better on screen. Some of them are not fleshed out properly by Christie and contain a few holes here and there. I think the writers/directors did a great job for the most part in extending the short stories and improving the plots and endings. (Hugh Fraser plays Hastings beautifully as the perfect foil to Poirot).For the main novels the tv sticks to the plot which is how it should be (*) I enjoy reading them first and looking at the tv adaptions later. I always find that I missed something crucial and watching on tv helps me understand the logic and thought process of Marple/Poirot better.
(*) Although I seem to recall that Appointment with Death was quite different on screen. Totally ruined.
Agatha Christie Lovers
Books mentioned in this topic
Appointment with Death (other topics)Sleeping Murder (other topics)
Sleeping Murder (other topics)
For example...in The Chocolate Box, Poirot investigated the death of a politician who had strong anti-catholic views. Long story short, Poirot gets to the bottom of the case. (Quelle Suprise!) However, in the movie, there is backstory involving the woman who wants the case solved. In the process, a romance buds.
I guess AC was concentrating more on the mystery of the situation. I wonder how she would have greeted the idea of a budding romance between Poirot and Virginie?
Do you have a particular AC story you almost enjoy better in the t.v series than in the book, just because of the subplot ? OR, do you like your story as is?
I DO have to say that the writers for Poirot did a MASTERFUL job of fleshing out characters (like Miss Lemon) that Agatha didn't feel the need to focus on, or didn't have time for. BRAVO to POIROT's writers. A bit late in the day, but there it is!!