The Pillars of the Earth continued this week, and Jack took a more central role in the series. He’s an interesting character, and it will be fun to watch him develop further as the show goes on. I’m curious to see how much of the character development from the novel is going to make its way onto the screen. I was expecting a little bit of a breather with this third installment after the first two last week, but there was still quite a bit of action in “Redemption.” I think I’m forgetting how large the scope of the book truly was. Eight hours seems like a lot of time, but there is a whole lot of material to cover.
I think a good amount of the character development is coming through. The series is doing a great job with the relationship of Tom and Ellen. There’s so much passion there, and a considerable amount of trust considering that their history together is on the short side. The pathetic villainy of William Hamleigh is translating to the screen well, including his crippling (and a tad comical) fear of hell.
I have to say that there is a good amount of hokum in the adaptation. It’s funny how something can be translated to the screen so faithfully and yet come across differently. Certainly not everything is hokey, but at the end of the episode when all the people came to aid Kingsbridge, it came off as a little cheesy to me. I’m still enjoying the series, though, don’t get me wrong.
One regret that I have so far is that there has not been more Waleran. Ian McShane is great in just about anything, and I was really looking forward to seeing him in this series. When I first heard that he was going to be in it I wondered which part he was going to be playing. Waleran makes sense for him, but the villain really wasn’t featured that heavily in the novel. As such, I don’t think we’re going to be seeing as much McShane as I would have liked. That’s not to say the other actors aren’t doing well. To the contrary, I think Sewell, Redmayne, and Macfadyen are all doing well in the main roles of Tom builder, Jack, and Prior Philip. I think the jury is still out on Hayley Atwell as Aliena. The character has been a bit one note to date (lots of righteous anger). That will change and I think Atwell will be given a chance to shine.
What are you thinking about The Pillars of the Earth so far?
Clacked by Bob Degon
on Jul 31, 2010 @ 13:27 EST5EDT
I’m still enjoying it, but the incest freaks me out. I hate to think that that’s what people were really like in wealthy families. And that bishop’s are such awful people. I don’t like McShane’s character, so I wouldn’t be upset if he fell off entirely. He’s too good at being bad and I want to smack him.
Aliena needs to have righteous anger to make up for the loon that is her brother Richard. What a waste of manhood.
I don’t remember the incest plot at all from the novel. I was talking with some friends who also read the book and they couldn’t remember it either. I’m wondering if the writers added it to give William some more motivation for being such a jerk. Definitely all sorts of creepy though.
I’m willing to cut aliena’s bro some slack, he’s only sixteen!
In those days, at 16 men were kings. Richard is such a wuss it amazes me.
I have no idea what their motivation could be William and his mom. It’s so creepy – sometimes movies will try to make it titillating with back story that would lead to at least some sort of understanding of it (which is gross to admit), but there is nothing but creepiness in this one.
After posting I watched Ian McShane in Death Race. Now THATS an Ian I can get behind. ;-)
Alright, Mod, that’s a good point (RE: Richard). I’ll give that one to you.
Since you mentioned the actors, can I just say that I’m glad Rufus Sewell gets to be a good guy (I always think of him as a villain).
And how does Macfadyen (cutest Mr. Darcy ever) manage to be so adorable with that Friar Tuck hair?
You can’t go wrong with Ian McShane as your bad guy. That was good casting.
I can’t look at Sewell without thinking about Dark City. An amazingly good sci fi flick if you haven’t seen it. And he even plays the good guy.