- This topic has 3 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 20 years, 2 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
This is a show which is almost indescribable. It’s written by Denis Potter and can best be decribed as:A semi-autobiagraphical, physialogical and psychological case study from 1986 told partly as a hospital drama and partly as a 1940’s American pulp detective thriller …. oh yeah, and it’s a musical.
I remember seeing it years ago on Brit TV and it’s probably the best TV production ever made. What I liked about it was the way Potter managed to get each of your emotions rather like a pairing knife gently peeling away layers of skin from an onion. Then just as the fleshy bits were exposed, the knife would go in – gently but firmly and just as you though tit couldn’t get any more intense, he’d throw the whole onion into a liquidizer!
It’s not a ‘I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry’ experience, but it is adictive!
Unfortunately, us Brits can’t buy it on DVD yet (I had to get a copy from Amazon.com), but if you get the chance, you should check it out. It’s a real roller-coaster ride!
Jane Revel prolly put it better:
The Singing Detective (1986) is a six-part serial by one of British television’s great experimental dramatists, Dennis Potter. Produced for the BBC by Kenith Trodd and directed by Jon Amiel, it revolves around the personal entanglements–real, remembered, and imagined–of the thriller author, Philip Marlow (played by Michael Gambon), who is suffering from acute psoriasis and from the side-effects associated with its treatment. The result is a complex, multi-layered text which weaves together, in heightened, anti-realist form, the varied interests and themes of the detective thriller, the hospital drama, the musical and the autobiography.
I’m really nervous about seeing the film. It could be simply wonderful or completely awful…… but I guess I’ll just have to see it 🙂
Potter was a genius, and The Singing Detective was his best work (I also enjoyed his Karaoke which goes with his sci-fi sequel Cold Lazarus — also semi-autobiographical in nature). Gambon was great. The Singing Detective is pure brilliance — amazing. Would dearly love to see it all again.
That’s one to own, for sure.
As for the film version, yeah… Was very surprised they even attempted it. I’d still like to see it, but…
I agree ‘The Singing Detective ‘ was one of the best shows ever and I’m surprised they haven’t repeated it as it surely would stand the test of time I love those quirky serials that seemed to be made back then another being ‘An Unusual Practice’ written by Andrew Davies who also wrote the now infamous TV version of Pride and Prejudice .
‘The Singing Detecticve ‘ was perfect television but the film ….. I too would like to see it but ……
Whew! For a minute or two when reading this thread I thought
that I would have to wear a tinfoil hat– in order to keep sadgeezer MIND controll out of my head because I have been dying to see this show!!But then I remembered that oh yeah, the movie coming out stimulated this interest, so it is not so much of a coincidence. Salon.com doesn’t give a good review of the movie, but says that this show is a masterpiece.
Other good BBC news: BBC america is playing blackadder again!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.