Classics

[ConnieK]

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DCGuy wrote:

Don't know if Mr Davies will come back to this forum in the future, but I want to extend to him a "job well done!".

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I felt the same way, DC!  I think it's great we all had the opportunity to interact with him here on the forum while LD was airing here in the U.S.

[DCGuy]

You beat me in posting the Emmy awards result. LOL

Congratulations to Andrew for the Outstanding Screenwriting award for Little Dorrit.  And also congratulations to Dearbhla Walsh who won for Best Director (Part 1) for Little Dorrit and also to the series producers as Little Dorrit won for Best Miniseries.

Don't know if Mr Davies will come back to this forum in the future, but I want to extend to him a "job well done!".

[dulcinea3]

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ConnieK wrote:

CONGRATULATIONS to our previous screenwriting guest, Andrew Davies, for his 2009 Emmy Award for Writing for LITTLE DORRIT!

How cool is that!?

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Yay for Andrew!!!  He deserves it - he's such an excellent screenwriter!

[ConnieK]

CONGRATULATIONS to our previous screenwriting guest, Andrew Davies, for his 2009 Emmy Award for Writing for LITTLE DORRIT!

How cool is that!?

[ConnieK]

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DCGuy wrote:

The TV Emmy nominations were announced this morning and Little Dorrit got ten nominations!  Among them were best writing for a miniseries (Andrew Davies) and Outstanding Miniseries.  The awards show will be aired on September 20.

1) Art Direction for a miniseries
2) Casting for a miniseries - Rachel Freck
3) Cinematography for a miniseries - part 1
4) Costumes for a miniseries - part 3
5) Directing for a miniseries - part 1
6) Hairstyling for a miniseries
7) Outstanding miniseries
8) Music for a miniseries - part 5
9) Outstanding supporting actor in a miniseries - Tom Courtenay and Andy Serkis
10) Outstanding writer for a miniseries - Andrew Davies

Message Edited by DCGuy on 07-16-2009 06:46 PM

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Indeed--Congratulations to our guest screenwriter from the PBS Masterpiece Classic series, Andrew Davies!

[dulcinea3]

Yes, I noticed a lot of nominations.  It was one of the few nominated shows that I've actually watched.  (I do watch a lot of TV, but evidently not the 'right' shows!)

Best of luck to Mr. Davies!!!  (and all the other nominees!)

(I did also see Grey Gardens, which was nominated in many of the same categories as Little Dorrit, and was also excellent.  I'd like to see Drew Barrymore win for that one.)

Message Edited by dulcinea3 on 07-17-2009 09:38 AM

[DCGuy]

The TV Emmy nominations were announced this morning and Little Dorrit got ten nominations!  Among them were best writing for a miniseries (Andrew Davies) and Outstanding Miniseries.  The awards show will be aired on September 20.

1) Art Direction for a miniseries
2) Casting for a miniseries - Rachel Freck
3) Cinematography for a miniseries - part 1
4) Costumes for a miniseries - part 3
5) Directing for a miniseries - part 1
6) Hairstyling for a miniseries
7) Outstanding miniseries
8) Music for a miniseries - part 5
9) Outstanding supporting actor in a miniseries - Tom Courtenay and Andy Serkis
10) Outstanding writer for a miniseries - Andrew Davies

Message Edited by DCGuy on 07-16-2009 06:46 PM

[DCGuy]

Here is a website with interesting comments from the cast about their character roles in the series.

http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/galleries/little-dorrit/01/

[DCGuy]

I've been watching the two versions of Little Dorrit on the BBC and PBS DVD and find that I preferred the way it was presented in the BBC presentation.  Because of the way that PBS airs the Masterpiece series on US TV, they could not broadcast it the way that it was originally shown in the UK.

Summary between the two for those of you who viewed both versions (no intended comparison with novel or scene comparisons).

I've been viewing the two versions of Little Dorrit (BBC and PBS) versions and can see where they ended each episode between the two broadcasts.  Each PBS episode was the equivalent of 3 BBC episodes.

The BBC version ended each episode with a "cliffhanger" ending to keep the viewer guessing as to what is going to happen next week.

At the end of each episode, this was the final scene:

PBS version

1)  Amy looks at the button in her prison room

2) Rigaud comes upon Affery in front of the Clennam house

3) Rigaud leaves after killing the dog

4) Mr. Dorrit takes out a ring while in bed

5) End

BBC version

1) Flintwinch's twin brother leaves Clennam house with box    (the viewer is kept guessing as to the contents of the box) 

2) Rigaud murders landlady     ("shocker" ending to show how evil Rigaud is) 

3) Amy looks at the button in her prison room     (tells the viewer that Amy kept the button and has started to fall in love with Arthur) 

4) Rigaud murders twin brother      (tells the viewer that Rigaud has the box now) 

5) Pancks reads Amy's palm     (leaves the viewer guessing as to what Pancks is going to let Amy know later) 

6) Rigaud comes upon Affery in front of the Clennam house     (leaves the viewer thinking that Rigaud might assault Affery) 

7) Arthur and Amy tell her father about his newly found fortune    (ending to show that a new direction to the series is going to begin) 

8) The Dorrits pack up and leave the lodging where the Gowans were also staying (Rigaud is in the woods)      (leaves the viewer thinking that Rigaud will be back again) 

9) Rigaud leaves after killing the dog    (another "shocker" ending to show how evil Rigaud is) 

10)   Mrs. Clennam tells Flintwinch that Rigaud is never to be allowed back to the house again after his visit to the house   (leaves the viewer thinking that Mrs. Clennam wants Rigaud out of the way permanently)

11)  Amy is told that she cannot return to London with her father      (leaves the viewer to share Amy's grief that she is left behind in Italy and may never go back to England) 

12)  Mr. Dorrit returns to Venice and goes to bed rambling about " demanding respect"      (leaves the viewer with the early signs of Mr. Dorrit's dementia)

13)  Merdle suicide    (self explanatory graphic death scene) 

14)  Rigaud confronts Amy outside the prison and gives her two letters     (leaves the viewer thinking as to what is in the two letters) 

15)  End   (leaves the viewer with the happy ending for both the hero and heroine of the story) 

Message Edited by DCGuy on 06-05-2009 05:22 PM

[blbBB]

One more additional scene:

 As Mr. Meagles and Arthur Clennam leave Miss Wade's residence after the unsuccessful attempt to convince Tattycoram to return to the Meagles, they have an extended dialogue as they descend the stairs to the street. An angry Mr. Meagles tells Clennam that for the first time in his life he almost struck a women (Miss Wade); to which Arthur replies that Miss Wade surely enjoyed her triumph. Mr. Meagles then hopes that Tattycoram will come to her senses. He states that there is something "unnatural" about Miss Wade.

[DCGuy]

Here are some outtakes from Little Dorrit series from YouTube.  A few spoken gaffes and prop miscues.  Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op6hF---I8I&feature=related

[DCGuy]

The PBS DVD version is the exact presentation as seen on the US TV broadcast with all of the edited scenes missing.  It does not allow you to go straight to a place within an episode (no frame selection) and has all of the PBS "advertisements" and Laura Linney introduction material.  If you find both the BBC TV and PBS TV versions on DVD, go for the BBC copy.

The DVD is not available on Blu-ray.  But, I was able to view it with a HDMI connection to my LCD TV and the picture clarity and detail is much better than when I first saw it through the "rabbit ears".

Message Edited by DCGuy on 05-19-2009 07:44 PM

[DCGuy]

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blbBB wrote:

 Two additional scene extensions (although it is getting harder for me to recall the PBS masterpiece broadcast version):

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I am going to try to obtain a copy of the PBS Masterpiece show version that are being sold online (these are the press release ones originally given to media persons before the actual US airing and Emmy award consideration review copies).  I don't think they are selling the PBS aired version that you see listed by many DVD sellers.  Since it was an edited and reduced version of the original airing, the original BBC version is preferable.

Message Edited by DCGuy on 05-14-2009 03:59 AM

[blbBB]

 Two additional scene extensions (although it is getting harder for me to recall the PBS masterpiece broadcast version):

1. After Gowan and Arthur make their departures from the Meagles estate, there is a very brief snippet showing Pet Meagles pivoting back toward the house with glee. My assumption was that she was thrilled about receiving the attentions of two suitors.

2. In the scene at the theater, where Amy and Fanny discuss their interview with Mrs. Merdle, there is an extension of the scene showing a snippet of Fanny's on stage performance. (I cannot recall exactly, but the dialogue might also be extended.)

[DCGuy]

I think much of the editing done for the PBS show was because of the switch from a 14 episode BBC series to a 5 episode PBS one.  The editors had to decide where to end one episode and due to overall run times, it probably had to be shortened to accommodate the ending of an episode at a particular point in the series.  When you don't duplicate the way that a show was originally broadcast, you tend to shorten it at certain points so that each episode runs the same amount of time.  I understand the reason for the editing, but feel that it sort of "cheated" me because of it.

Another edited scene I found - 

The scene when Arthur gets frustrated with his mother who refuses any help from him was edited right after he slams the door and walks out.  In the PBS version, it quickly shows him walking towards his lodging place and he then abruptly stops at the stairs and turns around and looks at the woman who is standing down the street corner from the rain.  In the complete version, Arthur is shown walking for quite a while and then walks down a street and the figure with the blue cover is shown walking in front of him having come from a slightly different direction.  The camera focuses on the woman figure briefly (I presume it to be from Arthur's perspective) and then he starts to turn around to the stairs and then stop and then thinks that the figure may be familiar.  That edited scene did not quite make sense when I first saw it because it made it look like he decided to turn around for no reason at all to look down the street.

[blbBB]

One more additonal scene extension:

At the conclusion of the first Merdle dinner. the doctor and Bar have a discussion about Mr. Merdle, in which they take note of Mr. Merdlle's habitual low spirts, lack of any known medical condition, and finish up by stating they would not trade places with Mr. Merdle in spite of his millions.

[blbBB]

A few more additional scenes from the dvd:

• An extension of the scene where John Chivery returns to the Marshalsea after Amy has refused him. He gives us his first epitaph.
• The crackling Mrs. Merdle-Fanny interview is extended, with more parrot interruptions and venomous class snobbery and insults from Mrs. Merdle. There is an additional added short scene between Mrs. Merdle and Sparkler, in which she informs him that Fanny has ditched him.
• A short scene with Mr. Pancks poring over voluminous records from his Dorrit investigations.
• A brief extension of the scene where Flora and Aunt F visits Arthur at Doyce and Clennam. Flora blurts out that her Father is a rapacious money-grubbing landlord.
• A brief extension of the Mrs. Gowen-Meagles interview, with Mrs. Gowen stating that the different social classes will never see eye to eye.
• An extended scene in which Mrs. General attempts to teach Amy how to properly engage in social conversation.

Message Edited by blbBB on 05-10-2009 09:07 PM

Message Edited by blbBB on 05-10-2009 09:16 PM

Message Edited by blbBB on 05-10-2009 09:17 PM

[DCGuy]

I found two listings of sellers who were offering a press preview copy of Little Dorrit (it is an early press release to select members of the media for review before the actual broadcast) for the Masterpiece Classics series.   The picture on the DVD cover art has the photo of Amy Dorrit with the finer clothing (which is how most newspaper TV guides clip photo of the series had shown).  On the bottom of the front cover it says "CONTENT WILL BE EDITED FOR BROADCAST".  That appears to explain why scenes were edited out.  But, you wonder why? 

Update on viewing episode 3 of the PBS series versus the DVD.  There was a big "hole" in this episode that I did not quite understand during the TV airing.   When Amy goes to talk to Pet who is resting after her fainting spell, the Gowan's dog growls when Amy and Pet are talking and Pet tells the dog to shush.  The dog appeared to be upset about something.  In the US TV show after Amy exits the room, the scene then jumps to the next morning when the Dorrits are packing to continue their travel.  There is a very big scene edited out.  In the DVD, as Amy exits the room, she is confronted by Rigaud, who insists that he escort her back downstairs.  The dog knew that he was close by and so he growled.  Rigaud takes her back to her father and they sit down and have a small chit chat.  Rigaud gives a patronizing comment to Mr. Dorrit which he happily accepts.  Mr. Dorrit then says goodnight to Rigaud as they go to retire.  Then the scene changes to next morning with the Dorrits packing up.  This missing scene also explains why Mr. Dorrit was so eager to help out when Rigaud was reported missing in London later.

When I saw the dog growling scene, I was a bit perplexed by it and knew that something was up.  The PBS TV version took out the reason for the dog's growl as well as provide the patronizing scene between Rigaud and Mr. Dorrit which helped to explain his offer of help when Rigaud was reported missing.

I probably will find more "cut scenes" as I finish the DVD viewing.  I guess this was one mini-series that was changed first from the novel by the screenwriter and then a second time from the movie editors too.

If you don't want to hear anymore on the "cut scenes" (moderator or anyone else), please PM me and I will "shut up" for good. 

Message Edited by DCGuy on 05-10-2009 02:30 AM

[DCGuy]

Another scene also popped up that I am not sure if it was in the US TV presentation.  It was the scene where Arthur's father is in bed and is being fanned by a Manchurian man and he gives the watch to Arthur.   This might have been in the US TV episode, but not sure.

[DCGuy]

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DCGuy wrote:

By the way, I got the DVD copy from B&N yesterday, so if you want me to look over some scenes from the TV show, I can replay the show and let you know how it went.  I also have the BBC TV book copy of Dickens' Little Dorrit that I got a few weeks ago and can also refer to it as well.

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Has anyone viewed the DVD version of Little Dorrit?  As I was watching the BBC Episodes 1-8 (which is the equivalent of the PBS Episodes 1-2), there were scenes that I had never seen before.  It appears that the WGBH USA production edited the program when it was shown to US audiences.  I am not sure why that did that (maybe due to limited air time?).  I noticed the following scenes were not shown on the PBS and online show versions.

1) Henry Gowan visits Arthur in his lodgings after the marriage proposal to Pet and discusses with him about how marriages could be like a "sham".  He then asks Arthur if he would accept being his best man in the wedding which he agrees. (I thought his asking of Arthur to be his best man very odd since he was his rival for Pet and that Tite Barnacle would have been a more appropriate choice).

2) Right after Arthur tells Amy about the Dorrit fortune news, there is a scene as they both walk together towards Mr. Dorrit's prison room and Mr. Chivery and John, who are seated on the bench outside, make a comment that something must be up upon seeing the two of them walking together.

3) Soon after Arthur finds out about Pet accepting Henry Gowan's marriage proposal, there is a scene where he is standing behind Mr. and Mrs. Meagles who are sitting (they look like they are not that happy about the marriage) and the camera focuses on a closeup of Arthur who appears very distressed.

There are probably more later scenes that were edited out of the US TV presentation.  I wonder why they did that?  Commercial time should not be an issue since PBS has no commercials.  I know that some DVDs have "alternate endings" material that were not shown in the original broadcast.  But, I was a bit surprised to find scenes that were brand new to me (since I didn't see the BBC TV broadcast from last year.

Message Edited by DCGuy on 05-09-2009 08:02 PM