archie29 Reviews

Suspicion (2003– )

Check out the painting on the wall

[9/10 · 5 December 2003]

Watched this after reading a glowing preview in the Evening Standard and glad I did. On the surface it's well above average TV thriller fare. But a lot more is going on underneath too. The painting on the wall is just one example, an enigmatic picture that's juxtaposed with Amanda Redman's character in what must be the signature shot of the story, revealing several layers of mood in just a few seconds.

And there are other flashes of inspired direction you won't normally see in TV drama, such as the Francis Bacon-esque struggle of two characters superimposed on a travelling shot through a house towards the end result. It's stuff like this, where a lot of thought has been put in to adding visual depth to a story, that makes for worthwhile viewing.

Rock-solid performances all round and an outstanding sound mix/music score complete one of the best examples of the genre this year.

The Final Programme (1973)

Under-appreciated 70s classic

[8/10 · 5 December 2003]

Michael Moorcock may not like it, but it made me start reading his books after I first saw it on TV in the late 70s.

Yes, the change from the ending of the book is a joke in every sense of the word, but you have a lot of fun getting there. Dozens of sly gags along the way will reward a repeat viewing. The design is a total work of art in itself.

The Dance of Shiva (1998)

A short film of epic proportions that manages in just 26 minutes to say more about faith, injustice and prejudice than many films four times its length.

[22 June 1999]

Visually and acoustically stunning: it reminds us of a golden age of British cinema and shows us that there is plenty of hope for another in the near future. Its strong anti-racist theme and argument for a wider multicultural understanding make it a very timely statement at the end of this century. This young director's remarkable achievement is clearly generating considerable envy among lesser talents. However the rest of us are eagerly looking forward to whatever he does next.