A Dance To The Music Of Time (Acorn Media/1997 British Mini-Series)
Picture:
C Sound: C Extras: C- Episodes: B-
Based on
Anthony Powell’s 12-book look at one man’s journey through a half-century of
upper-class living and the world changes that affected it, A Dance To The Music Of Time is a decent TV mini-series adaptation
with James Purefoy as Nicholas Jenkins as a school student in the 1920s to
London in the 1960s. Running a decent
eight hours, the four-DVD set never wears thin, the adaptation is nicely
written by Hugh Whitemore and the guest cast including Edward Fox, John Gielgud
and Miranda Richardson is solid. It even
has a good sense of humor about it.
If I have
one complaint about it, the use of period music is overdone, breaks narrative
momentum and becomes a spoof of itself.
It also becomes an interesting distraction from and even filler over
examining the British caste system still in effect today. Otherwise, despite that tendency towards
overproduction, it is definitely worth a look if you have the time.
The
letterboxed 1.66 x 1 image is softer than you would want for a TV production
that is only about 10 years old, with haziness that is often more that just
styling, while depth is also compromised.
Too bad they did not have anamorphic versions, because the production
design and locations are good. The Dolby
Digital 2.0 Stereo is barely so and along with the picture are
second-generation materials. Extras are
few, including stills, text bio on cast, Powell and a character guide printout
in the box.
- Nicholas Sheffo
