Gormenghast! Huh?

Subject: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: marty D
Date: 01 Jul 01 - 03:26 PM

Have you ever come in half way thru a movie on TV and been completely baffled at what you're watching? Not a clue, but you're still fascinated and hooked. I started watching this strange piece this afternoon, and thought because of the amazing British cast and the dialogue that it was some Shakespearian play unknown to me. The credits rolled by so fast I barely got the name. 'Gormenghast'. Anybody have any info on it?

marty

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jul 01 - 03:36 PM

Put Gormenghast into any decent search engine and you'll find lots of links.

There was a discussion about the TV series on Mudcat a while ago. Click here

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: marty D
Date: 01 Jul 01 - 03:45 PM

Oops, started this too soon. I wasn't even sure if I got the spelling right. You're certainly right about the series being discussed (Mudcatters hated it!) on the forum. I was here then, but tended to look mostly at guitar threads. That's fine, let this one drop off.

marty

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 01 Jul 01 - 04:16 PM

Only let it drop if there isn't interest in further discussion. I hated the book, but was intrigued by the TV series. I didn't think that the telly version fitted because it was visually too much like Alice through the looking glass. The book paints one of the most drab monochrome worlds which I have ever visited. That said, the Gormenghast Trilogy is regarded by many to be classic literature. Horses for courses mate!!
If you want to read something really outlandich try the Mudcat Tavern!
Quack!!
Geoff the Duck

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: Helen
Date: 01 Jul 01 - 07:15 PM

Not all Mudcatters hated it. I liked the tv show, tried to read the books years ago and got halfway through, but loved the visual images it created.

Helen

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 01 Jul 01 - 08:16 PM

The books (there are three) are an extraordinary piece of work.  The adaptation did the best it could, but was never going to be able to do justice to Mervyn Peake's original.  Read the books; they're in print and easily available through bookshops.

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: sophocleese
Date: 01 Jul 01 - 11:12 PM

I haven't seen the TV version yet but the books were so strong that images have lasted in my mind clearly for 20 years.

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: Helen
Date: 01 Jul 01 - 11:17 PM

sophocleese - I agree. The tree growing out of the sisters' apartment has been a strong visual image for me for going on 30 years. The one on the tv show was nothing compared to the image in my mind.

Helen

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 01 Jul 01 - 11:17 PM

I liked what I saw, and I LOVE Stephen Fry, ever since he was Jeeves... am I still a Mudcatter?

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: Terry K
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 01:35 AM

Read the first book and STILL keep meaning to do the others. Amazing stuff. And for those who want a lighter look at Mervyn Peake, there's always "Mr Pye", a captivating tale set on the island of Sark.

Terry

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 03:45 AM

Could never get into the books but loved the series. Guess that makes me kind of shallow;-) Am I still allowed to post seing as mudcatters hated it and therefore I am not a mudcatter?

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: GMT
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 04:31 AM

The books painted such powerful images. The TV series could not come close . But I watched it anyway of course.

Another interesting book by Peake is the Screwtape Letters .
Cheers Gary

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 04:39 AM

More interesting than "The Screwtape Letters" by C S Lewis! Do I detect the hand (paw!) of Maugrim here?

Steve

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: KitKat
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 04:40 AM

My sister had to study the trilogy as part of her A-level syllabus (it was over 20 years ago - doubt if it would be considered suitable now.) I tried to read the books but they were too weird for me. I thought the TV adaptation was brilliant - not for people looking for an easy eveing in front of the telly with lots of laughs though!

Pat

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: GMT
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 08:06 AM

Oops, thanks Steve what a slip, getting my books series mixed up. Don't know where that came from.

Gary

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: A Wandering Minstrel
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 11:27 AM

Damn, that means I'm not a real mudcatter either as I loved the books and the TV series.

Written by Mervyn Peake these are the definitive works of 20th Century gothic romance. Coloured by his experiences in the war and as a child living in China. Deliciously grotesque.

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: Fortunato
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 12:43 PM

I read and enjoyed the trilogy for it's richness of language, and Peake's ability to create vivid verbal images. The castle still looms in my memory. The extraordinary character of Fuchsia remains with me as well.

Marty where did you see the TV show? I didn't know it existed.

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: marty D
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 01:11 PM

OK,OK, so A FEW Mudcatters hated it! 'BG'. It just seemed from "Guest's" blue clickey that it was old news, and better off forgotten, but I'm happy to see that there are some supporters around. Personally I LOVE it when british character actors start going over the top and chewing the scenery. Especially 'The Twins'.

Right after posting this I realised that PBS was showing another episode which I checked out. Stephen Fry AND Spike Milligan, now there's some outrageous acting. Not sure I could tackle the books though. I saw 'Mr Pye' (also on PBS, Fortunato) and loved it.

marty

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: Grab
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 01:16 PM

The series wasn't at all like the book. By virtue of having some very good actors, it managed to create _characters_ instead of one-dimensional cutouts. Peake writes some very good situations and there's some lovely imagery there, but I felt the books came across rather like a Hollywood film, in that he had a series of set-pieces and then had to construct some sort of scaffolding to join between them.

Graham.

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: Fortunato
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 01:30 PM

Marty. Thanks, I guess I knew it must be PBS. We don't watch Television at all anymore. We forbade it for the kids during the week and the tv habit just eroded these past several years. But the loss is good BBC productions we never hear about.

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 02:11 PM

Didn't read the books, perhaps I should have done that first. I thought the show was lacking in depth and imagination. AND it just dragged on. I normally like British literature and TV shows, so I know that story and character development is treated with more emphasis and time in this genre. But, I just didn't feel the 'hook' I usually find.

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: Kim C
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 03:57 PM

I thought the teasers looked cool so I turned it on. It held my attention for all of five minutes.

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: Matt_R
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 04:03 PM

I only caught the last hour-and-a-half of the last episode, and I thought it was GREAT! I was delighted to see Stephen Fry (who I though was SO awesome in his role), also Fiona Shaw as Prunesquallor's wacko sister, Eric Sykes (Horace Harker!) as Mollocks, and Christopher Lee were great. Steerpike was the epitome of slimy villians. Can you tell I loved it? I'm only sad that I missed all that came before.

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 04:17 PM

Gack!

The book was horrible, and the film even worse!

a real WOMBAT... Waist Of Money, Brains And Time!

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: lady penelope
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 05:08 PM

I agree totally about Peake's ability to conjour up visual imagery, other than that, it bored me ridged. I can't take too much of other people's paranoia ( pardon my spelling). Especially when they take two books to act upon it!

TTFN M'lady P.

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 06:00 PM

See Marty, just when you think we DIDN'T hate it, Most of us do!

Me? I'm with Matt! Stephen Fry REWLS! Eric Sykes Too!

Rick

Subject: RE: Gormenghast! Huh?
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 03 Jul 01 - 12:39 AM

I caught it last weekend on a PBS station in Northern California after my gig in Turlock. Found it by accident while scanning, and was completely enthralled by the sets, the cast, and the acting. Still haven't a clue what the damned thing was about, but it held me for over 90 minutes. I'm with Rick and Matt R on this one.

Seamus