A (so far) regular look at what sort of stuff I’ve been consuming this week.
DVD: Poirot
When we went to China a couple of years ago I took an Agatha Christie book with me, a Poirot omnibus of four novels. Christie books are a pretty easy read and I had finished it by the end of the trip. Almost as an afterthought I asked our tour guide, Oscar, if he would like it. He took the tatty dog-eared book from me like I had handed over a first edition Dickens. I guess English language books aren’t too easy to get hold of in China.
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I’m a big fan of murder mystery. Not the bloody and harrowing silence of the lambs type serial killer stories mind you. No; I like the more cerebral, genteel, Sunday evening TV type of murders: Jonathon Creek, Sherlock Holmes, Midsommer Murders, and of course Poirot. I like to pick up clues, spot the twist, savour the characterisations, and fall for the red herrings. If I ever wrote a book I think I’d choose this genre.
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Of course some of it can be complete pants. For example, I recommend you avoid the bland and unsatisfying Agatha Raisin series of books.  But Poirot? Poirot is sublime. I love him in all his incarnations whether it be in the books, the films or the excellent BBC radio dramatizations. But my favorite version is David Suchet’s portrayal in the long running ITV series. There is much to love about this program: the gentle humor, the quality acting, the intricate mysteries. It’s all absolutely fantastic stuff.
A few things niggle though. I really wish that every single building, chair, lamp, and bed shown in the program didn’t have to be art deco. Yes, I get it, it’s set in the 20′s, art deco was all the rage in the 20′s. But surely there must have been some other styles kicking around somewhere? The odd gothic church? Victorian terrace? Even a brief glimpse of a hand me down sofa from great aunt Mildred would be a welcome relief. Every object in the program looks like it has been lifted wholesale from the set of Metropolis. It all gets a bit visually grating after a while. Mind you I’ve always been more of a nouveau man myself so i suppose I’m biased.
Stylistic issues aside I’d recommend anyone picking up a series or two of this excellent program. I’ve recently ripped nine or ten episodes to my video iPod and am slowly making my way through them during quiet periods at work. I can think of no finer use of my time.
You can buy Poirot DVD’s from amazon.co.uk for about £15 a boxed set.
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The only mystery show I can handle right now is Blue’s Clues.
Poirot is one of my guilty pleasures when I am weak and ill. Yes, it is total pants, but who cares. David Suchet is brilliant in the role.
Oscar has probably been shot.
You see, this is where we differ.
I can’t stand those sunday afternoon/sunday evening murder mysteries, just can’t do with the Agatha Christie stuff at all.
I do however haunt the “Crime/thriller” shelf of my local library and yes, its the “Silence of the Lambs” stylee that grabs my attention – I wish I could tell you of some of the authors names, but I’m rubbish at names.
The most sublime moment on an overnight atlantic flight happened to me once when I’d been upgraded to Club and stayed awake all night determined to make the most of it – Silence of the Lambs started at around 5am just as dawn was breaking outside and I sat and watched it while everyone else slept and then had breakfast, my own private showing :)
Poirot is interesting, although I’ve never really had the patience for it. I definitely *do not* enjoy the slasher visceral stuff.
I’m more of a Columbo fan. We know who did it, but can it be proved? And more importantly can the killer be tripped up by this scruffy little man, and be accidentally incriminate him/herself?
Amelia – You cant say that about Oscar – I still have his telephone number in my phone.
My favourite Oscar-ism was “I am saving my money to get a car, then I can get a girlfriend!” (funnier in broken English).
I like mysteries that are a little more Noirish – like the Spencer series. But genre mash-ups really float my boat, e.g. the Harry Dresden novels by Jim Butcher (I haven’t seen the TV series but the novels are awesomely entertaining – Buffy meets Marlowe)
David Suchet was also brilliant as Blot in Blot on the Landscape.