Now this is how to conclude an adaptation of a literary masterpiece. How to convey so many emotions without getting too sentimental or heavy, not always easy to do and sentimentality and heaviness are common traps fallen into fairly frequently. How to keep making characters and character relationships already so well fleshed out interesting up to the very close. How to end any series of anything or anything in general.
All eleven episodes of 'Brideshead Revisited', one of the finest examples of how to adapt a masterpiece with faithfulness without falling into the traps that over-faithfulness can bring (i.e. blandness, lack of momentum, rambling), are consistently superb with not a misfire or less than average part in the lot. It is not everyday where one sees something consistent in quality and in a brilliant way. All eleven episodes are superb on their own merits too, that has always been a fairer way to judge for me and cannot find any flaws in this respect. Also consider the final episode "Brideshead Revisited" one of the series' greatest episodes.
"Brideshead Revisited" is special due to primarily its emotional power. Not just the lump-to-the-throat ending, made even more interesting when reading up on analyses of it and the characters which illuminated me hugely, and the character writing and interaction for Charles and Julia in some of Evelyn Waugh's most powerful writing. But especially the whole story with Lord Marchmain, in easily the most interesting and impactful of his two appearances in the series (the other being the second episode "Home and Abroad"). This story brought non-stop tears to the eyes, which flowed in tha latter stages, even Jeremy Irons and Laurence Olivier must have found it not easy to film.
Some of the adaptation's best acting can be seen here too. Irons' performance is very deeply felt and he shows no signs of being daunted acting alongside a cinematic legend like Olivier, their chemistry is actually quite special. As is Olivier's performance, whose movingly sincere acting makes for the best performance of the episode and one of the standouts of the whole series. Diana Quick is not quite as good but her and Julia came on a long way and she works beautifully with Irons, their final moments packing a punch where one can see how hard it was.
As aforementioned, the writing is incredibly powerful throughout and really shines with Lord Marchmain. That final voice over too (delivered sublimely by Irons, one of the greatest when it comes to narration), one of the series' best in a series that is a primary example of how to do voice overs in visual media. The dialogue is of sheer eloquence, poetry and class, very true in spirit to Waugh's prose. The direction always keeps the drama from being dull, even with the deliberate pace, while allowing room for breathing space. Cannot say anything to complain about with the period detail or photography and the scoring throughout 'Brideshead Revisited' is how to score a book to television period adaptation.
In conclusion, emotions run high here in a perfect conclusion to as timeless in quality as one can get. 10/10
All eleven episodes of 'Brideshead Revisited', one of the finest examples of how to adapt a masterpiece with faithfulness without falling into the traps that over-faithfulness can bring (i.e. blandness, lack of momentum, rambling), are consistently superb with not a misfire or less than average part in the lot. It is not everyday where one sees something consistent in quality and in a brilliant way. All eleven episodes are superb on their own merits too, that has always been a fairer way to judge for me and cannot find any flaws in this respect. Also consider the final episode "Brideshead Revisited" one of the series' greatest episodes.
"Brideshead Revisited" is special due to primarily its emotional power. Not just the lump-to-the-throat ending, made even more interesting when reading up on analyses of it and the characters which illuminated me hugely, and the character writing and interaction for Charles and Julia in some of Evelyn Waugh's most powerful writing. But especially the whole story with Lord Marchmain, in easily the most interesting and impactful of his two appearances in the series (the other being the second episode "Home and Abroad"). This story brought non-stop tears to the eyes, which flowed in tha latter stages, even Jeremy Irons and Laurence Olivier must have found it not easy to film.
Some of the adaptation's best acting can be seen here too. Irons' performance is very deeply felt and he shows no signs of being daunted acting alongside a cinematic legend like Olivier, their chemistry is actually quite special. As is Olivier's performance, whose movingly sincere acting makes for the best performance of the episode and one of the standouts of the whole series. Diana Quick is not quite as good but her and Julia came on a long way and she works beautifully with Irons, their final moments packing a punch where one can see how hard it was.
As aforementioned, the writing is incredibly powerful throughout and really shines with Lord Marchmain. That final voice over too (delivered sublimely by Irons, one of the greatest when it comes to narration), one of the series' best in a series that is a primary example of how to do voice overs in visual media. The dialogue is of sheer eloquence, poetry and class, very true in spirit to Waugh's prose. The direction always keeps the drama from being dull, even with the deliberate pace, while allowing room for breathing space. Cannot say anything to complain about with the period detail or photography and the scoring throughout 'Brideshead Revisited' is how to score a book to television period adaptation.
In conclusion, emotions run high here in a perfect conclusion to as timeless in quality as one can get. 10/10
