Murder Most English – A Flaxborough Chronicle (1977/Acorn Media DVD)

 

Picture: C     Sound: C+     Extras: C-     Episodes: B-

 

 

Produced by the BBC in 1977 and based on the Colin Watson novels, Murder Most English – A Flaxborough Chronicle is a very good, enduring set of mystery programs with the great Anton Rodgers as Detective Inspector Purbright, solving murders in the peaceful town of the location.  Guess all that peace and quiet drives some people to kill.

 

There are seven episodes covering the following four cases:

 

1)     Hopjoy Was Here

2)     Lonelyheart 4122

3)     Coffin, Scarcely Used

4)     The Flaxborough Crab

 

 

When one ends, if any time remains in the episode, the next one begins.  I like that, but that might drive some programmers nuts.  However, it is a good approach that does not force the writers and producers to fit the story into TV chunks of under a half-hour or hour with commercials in mind.  The show did not last, but it was not for lack of quality. These are smart mysteries and the adaptations are effective in a way more typically of British TV in their last golden age.  Fans should get this set, but others will be surprised how good this really is and give it a try.

 

The 1.33 X 1 image was shot in analog PAL video that is a little blurry and has both softness and flaws throughout more than expected for whatever reason, but the show is blocked out well in its shooting and the credits are filmed with hand-drawn animation included.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is better, though some compression and distortion can be heard from episode to episode.  Extras include text on DVD 3; cast filmographies and Watson biography.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo