Agatha Christie’s
Poirot – The Classic Collection
(Acorn Media)
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: C- Episodes: B-
Last time we looked at David Suchet’s version of Hercule
Poirot, it was one of the single Acorn Media DVDs and in comparison to the DVD
release of the 1974 Murder On The Orient Express with Albert Finney as
Hercule Poirot. Now, the entire
original series of Suchet/Poirot shows have been collected in a very nicely
produced 12 DVD boxed book-like set called Agatha Christie’s Poirot – The
Classic Collection. Each of the 12
DVDs offers three installments of the popular series that adds up to 36
shows. Like Acorn’s Cadfael set,
the DigiPaks are bound together like pages of a book though this one has no
lock on it.
After reviewing these shows, I still have not
changed my mind about Suchet, an otherwise fine actor. I again admit he has brought new fans to
Christie’s novels, but the production, directing and acting seem lite all
around and the books are not. As a
matter of fact, the show low-balls the books in certain ways. As the ultimate statement against what I do
not like about this version of Poirot, I recently found out that controversial
director Paul Verhoeven was approached to direct a theatrical feature film
version back in 1980 of the 1944 Christie novel Death Comes At The End
for Columbia Pictures. This sadly fell
through, despite a screenplay by no less than Anthony Shaffer. Despite the mixed business of the Poirot
feature Death On The Nile in 1978, Columbia was willing to do a location
shoot in Egypt, as this was not a Poirot or Marple story.
Too bad it did not happen, but it is the kind of
excitement that used to be associated with Poirot and the Mystery genre. This is just too stuffy, though the new
Marple series Acorn has just issued on DVD (reviewed elsewhere on this site)
finally may change that. The hour-long
time slotted episodes here are as follows, with the original date of the
Christie work first published after each title:
1) The
Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim (1924 Christie short story)
2) The
Veiled Lady (1924 Christie short story)
3) The Lost
Mine (1924 Christie short story)
4) The
Cornish Mystery (1951 Christie short story)
5) Double
Sin (1929 Christie short story)
6) The
Adventure Of The Cheap Flat (1924 Christie short story)
7) The
Kidnapped Prime Minister (1924 Christie short story)
8) The
Adventure Of The Western Star (1924 Christie short story)
9) How Does
Your Garden Grow?
10) The Million Dollar Bond Robbery (1924
Christie short story)
11) The Plymouth Express (1951
Christie short story)
12) Wasps’ Nest (1929 Christie short
story)
13) The Tragedy At Marsdon Manor (1924
Christie short story)
14) The Double Clue (1925
Christie short story)
15) The Mystery Of The Spanish Chest (1939
Christie short story)
16) The Theft Of The Royal Ruby (1960
Christie short story)
17) The Affair At The Victory Ball (1951
Christie short story)
18) The Mystery Of The Hunter’s Lodge (1924
Christie short story)
19) The Adventure Of The Egyptian Tomb (1924
Christie short story)
20) The Underdog (1951
Christie short story)
21) Yellow Iris (1939 Christie short
story)
22) The Case Of The Missing Will (1924
Christie short story)
23) The Adventure Of The Italian Nobleman (1924
Christie short story)
24) The Chocolate Box (1924
Christie short story)
25) Dead Man’s Mirror (1937
Christie short story)
26) Jewel Robbery At The Great Metropolitan (1924
Christie short story)
27) The Adventures Of The Clapham Cook (1951
Christie short story)
28) Murder In The Mews (1937
Christie short story)
29) The Adventures Of Johnny Waverly (1950
Christie short story)
30) Four & Twenty Blackbirds (1950
Christie short story)
31)
The Third
Floor Flat (1949 short story)
32)
Triangle At
Rhodes (1938 short story)
33)
Problem At
Sea (1939 Christie short story)
34)
The King Of
Clubs (1951 Christie short story)
35)
The Dream (1960
Christie short story)
36)
The
Incredible Theft (David Reid & Clive Exton original [?])
Obviously, it would be a stretch to turn the short stories
into feature films and many others exist, but the show eventually wrapped up
despite its critical and commercial success.
Suchet would return to the role and no one else has tried to play him in
the classical period since. At least it
was a success of some sort, though the feature films keep getting the short end
of praise. Ultimately, though, it is
just more success for Christie, who still remains the most successful and most
published female author of all time.
The full frame image is a bit soft throughout all the
episodes, despite being shot in 16mm film using Panavision equipment. It partly is just the non-HD nature of the
transfers, all shot by the following cinematographers: Peter Bartlett, Peter
Jessop, Norman G. Langley, Vernon Layton, Jason Lehel, Chris O’Dell and Ivan
Strasburg. Despite all these talents,
the show never has any kind of distinguished or memorable look. This is not to suggest that it should have a
clichéd look, but it is just far too flat for its own good. That remains a setback to the show along
with it other issues.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is fairly good, but lacks any
major Pro Logic surround information.
The dialogue is just clear enough and the music is mixed. Extras are all text, including segments on
the actors from all the shows per each DVD and their previous works, bios on
Suchet and on Christie. That includes a
list of Poirot’s adventures. That is
standard for this series, but nothing extraordinary. Fans of the show seem to like it that way and now can get all the
original shows in one much easier to store box. A&E has additionally issued Suchet’s return to the role on
DVD if this is not enough of Suchet’s Poirot for you.
- Nicholas Sheffo
