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What a great article about Philip and how terrific that he's stretching himself by taking on this role. I admire the actors who do that, rather than falling into the rut of playing the same character, just with a different name. Obviously, Judi is at the top of the list of risk-taking actors and so is Philip.
Marla
Euclid OH, USA -- Friday, May 16, 2008 at 10:06 (PDT)
This article appeared on the This is Nottingham website on My 16, 2008. My thanks to our anonymous friend who always sends me something wonderful to post. I also noticed that Philip appeared in a movie called Dark Floors and I watched as much of the trailer as I could -- this is not my kind of movie -- and didn't notice him. There are several trailers for the film, in fact.If the face looks familiar he was the Coronation Street car dealer who had his wicked way with Sally Webster.
Philip Bretherton, also Alistair Deacon in the sitcom As Time Goes By and ice-cool manager Stefan Hauser in Footballers' Wives, is in Nottingham to take the central role in Stephen Poliakoff's drama Breaking the Silence.
"Nikolai Pesiakoff is a flamboyant character," says Bretherton of the patriarch of a family uprooted in the Russian Revolution.
"He is eccentric and emotional. He is also an anglophile with his taste for English clothes and English manners - but he has a very Russian temper. It's nice to have a part to get stuck into."
The story of middle-class engineer Nikolai was inspired by the history of Poliakoff's own grandfather.
In the play, his family have been turned out of their home by the Soviet system and he has been appointed a travelling inspector of telephone lines. The family travels thousands of miles in an old imperial railway carriage.
While Nikolai is hopelessly wrong for what turns out to be an impossible job, he secretly works on what he believes is his life's mission - to pioneer the introduction of sound to moving pictures.
The rise of Stalin brings matters to a head, and Nikolai's son Sasha plays a decisive role. His father is caught unbearably between fleeing the country or fulfilling his life's ambition.
"Nikolai's wife Eugenia is also an interesting character," says Bretherton. "She is much more restrained and keeps a lid on what her husband does.
"I think the play shows how the Soviet system tried to shoot down individuality and sit on self-expression."
As a schoolboy Philip Bretherton longed to play men on stage.
"I went to a boys' grammar school and when the school play came around the women's roles were handed out to callow, pre-pubescent boys. After three or four of those parts it was my greatest ambition to play a man - and at last it happened, I think in John Whiting's play A Penny For a Song."
He subsequently chose to study both English and drama at Manchester University, but picked up an Equity card while still a student and elected to "give it a couple of years".
His successes include Alistair Deacon in As Time Goes By - later this spring he travels to the US for an event in support of the Judi Dench/Geoffrey Palmer sitcom, which is massively popular on PBS television.
In Coronation Street three years back he was philanderer Ian Davenport: "He was a sleazy dealer in high-end second-hand cars. He employed Sally Webster as a secretary and he was soon closing the blinds at the back of the office. "My character cooled off and treated Sally very badly. Kevin got wind of it, punched me on the nose and that was it. At least they didn't kill me off!"
Esther Richardson directs Breaking the Silence, which has its first preview tonight and continues until the end of the month.
Stephen Poliakoff's TV dramas often explore the impact of memory and family history. This play, premiered in the 1980s, tackles these themes directly, immersing the audience in a historical situation so remarkable that it would seem fantastical were it not grounded in fact.
Playing Eugenia is Diana Kent, who has had screen roles in everything from Bergerac to Billy Elliot, Heavenly Creatures and New Tricks, and among many theatre credits was in the original cast of Stephen Daldry's landmark production of An Inspector Calls (twice seen at the Theatre Royal). Celia Meiras plays the formidable family maid Polya, towards whom the balance of power inexorably tilts, and Ilan Goodman is Sasha, maturing from spoiled boy to self-possessed young man.
Party official Verkoff is played by Owen Aaronovitch, who once portrayed Jon Lindsay, the Coronation Street conman whose fraud sent Deirdre to prison. Jim Findley and Jonathan Wright, both familiar to Playhouse audiences, are two guards with a pivotal role in the Pesiakoffs' fortunes.
A play about invention has an appropriate Designer in Jamie Vartan, in international demand for both theatre and opera work. Renowned for extending the possibilities of the acting space, his set for Breaking the Silence is a railway carriage that can swivel and tilt.
James Farncombe contributes lighting design, sound is by Stuart Briner and movement by Vik Sivalingam.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Friday, May 16, 2008 at 8:12 (PDT)
After reading the reference about Krossroads and the movie trailer, I did an IMDB search for Morgan Freeman, who was also listed in the movie credits. Supposedly, he's involved with a project called "Rendezvous with Rama", in production for 2009. (Perhaps that is the title of the movie, not Krossroads.) It's based on a novel by Arthur C. Clarke, set in the 22nd century and centering on a team of astronauts sent to investigate an interstellar spaceship. You can view a more detailed synopsis at this link.NOTE FROM BONNIE: I did a similar search yesterday and also included a search for Gary Dourdan, who is also in the credits on the Krossroads video. He is not shown as part of anything in production. Considering that Judi has been in so many voice-only productions lately, maybe this is an animated project. Again, who knows?
Margaret
Clearfield, KY - USA - Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 8:34 (PDT)
A couple of interesting You Tube videos featuring Geoffrey Palmer in the Season finale of UK's Ashes to Ashes and Krossroads -- a curious reference to an upcoming something or other that I haven't yet been able to figure out. If you do a search for Krossroads and Judi Dench you can find a few blog references to Star Trek and something new coming in 2009, but I have no idea what and neither, apparently, does IMDB. The song sung by Johnny Cash is nice, though, so if anything comes from it, at least you'll not be caught unaware.NOTE: I've just been told that the whole Ashes to Ashes episode is online. Go here to see it in 6 parts. [And thanks, as always, to our friend, who wishes to remain anonymous, but provides such great information to the site.]
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Monday, May 12, 2008 at 9:54 (PDT)
Happy New Year all! I am re-watching the entire series (I always do after Christmas, it chases the post-holiday blues away better than any therapy!)�and I have a question ... something I've wondered about for a long time:I am watching "Rocky and Madge's Wedding" episode, and I want to know what are "crepes and drapes", and what is a "very old Teddy Boy?" Oh, and what is the reference to "old butlers discussing the 'relief of Mafeking' " ... not sure if I spelled it right. Just some things I have wondered ... thanks all!
Oh, and I got to ride the new "Spaceship Earth" at Epcot the other day, with none other than Dame Judi as the new narrator ... it's awesome! Come see it if you are in town!!!!
NOTE FROM BONNIE: I remember in one of the the Reunion Shows the topic of the Relief of Mafeking was discussed in connection with how old the magazines in the Dr. Plankk's waiting room were. That's because Mafeking is a town in Africa which was liberated and celebrated around 100 years ago during the Boer War. I don't remember how it was used in context in the other episode, but if you're interested in more specifics, you can do a search for "Relief of Mafeking" in any search engine. As for Teddy Boys, according to Wikipedia, "The British Teddy boy subculture is typified by young men wearing clothes inspired by the styles of the Edwardian period, which Savile Row tailors had tried to re-introduce after World War II. The group got its name after a 1953 newspaper headline shortened Edward to Teddy and coined the term Teddy boy (also known as Ted). The subculture started in London, England in the 1950s and rapidly spread across the UK, soon becoming strongly associated with American rock and roll music of the period. The Teddy Boys were the first youth group in England to differentiate themselves as teenagers, thus helping to create a youth market." Again, you can look this up at Wikipedia or use any search engine to find out more. And you can look up crepes and drapes in connection with both Teddy Boys and ATGB here.This episode took place pretty early on in the series and it wasn't until later that I began to highlight and post links for things I really didn't understand because I thought other people might be curious about them as well. It's been so long since I've actually seen most episodes that I forget the context of many of the phrases.
Ann
Orlando Florida -- USA -- Friday, May 9, 2008 at 18:04 (PDT)
And now, we have the rest of the story. Judi might have envisioned a different kind of plan for her contribution, but at least it won't be sitting in storage for another seven years.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Friday, May 9, 2008 at 9:23 (PDT)
Masterpiece's 'Cranford' allows a peek inside Victorian life This article was written by Maureen Ryan for the Chicago Tribune and appeared online on May 4, 2008It's been an excellent spring for devotees of costume drama.
HBO gave us an upstanding look at colonial life in "John Adams," Showtime is offering a sexed-up version of the reign of the Tudors and among a slew of decent-to-good Jane Austen adaptations, PBS' Masterpiece has also given us the period dramas "My Boy Jack" and "A Room With a View."
But Masterpiece has saved the best for last. "Cranford" ... is a particularly savory treat. Even if you're not a particular fan of frock coats and corsets, I highly recommend this finely wrought, exceptionally well-acted three-part series. An adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's classic novels about an 1840s Victorian English village, "Cranford" teems with life and is packed with subtle, engrossing performances.
There is nothing like a dame, and "Cranford" has two: Dame Judi Dench plays Matilda Jenkyns, a sweet and slightly timid spinster who is part of the pack of middle-age, middle-class women who rule the small northern village. Their acknowledged and somewhat feared leader is Matilda's sister, the decisive Deborah (Dame Eileen Atkins), whose rulings in every matter, from how one should eat an orange to whether women should attend funerals, carries the force of law.
What "Cranford" does so lovingly is show the tender hearts that often lurked behind these formidable Victorian exteriors. Deborah is so rigid about the rules of propriety that she won't allow her servant girl to have "followers," and she rues the day the railroad will come to Cranford; the trains will bring not only change, Deborah sniffs, but "noise, disease and the Irish."
Yet Deborah also notices the broken heart of a new neighbor, the daughter of a retired Army officer, and does all she can to engineer a match for the woman.
The lively, gossiping women of the town, especially the excitable Miss Pole (a highly enjoyable Imelda Staunton), dominate every event, large and small. And though their adventures are sometimes played for laughs (as when a cow goes missing), "Cranford" doesn't settle for merely satirizing Victorian life. The fine script by Heidi Thomas depicts the women of the town with complexity and compassion, and the men don't get short shrift either, though they have to have commanding presences to compete with the formidable women of the town.
Philip Glenister, so forceful in BBC America's "Life on Mars," is more modulated but no less effective here as the savvy estate manager of haughty aristocrat Lady Ludlow. Simon Woods, so spookily fascinating as Gaius Octavian Caesar in HBO's "Rome," is quietly charismatic as the town's new doctor, who brings fresh ideas to a town that prides itself on never changing.
The doctor's sweet, tentative wooing of the rector's daughter has unexpected moments of tragedy, but the most affecting scenes are of Dench and Michael Gambon as two former lovers who had lost track of each other for decades but meet up again. Unlike some of Masterpiece's recent historical dramas, "Cranford" depicts their rekindled relationship without forced melodrama and with admirable restraint. The problem with the Dench and Gambon scenes is that there aren't nearly enough of them.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 8:35 (PDT)
Judi Dench feels at home in "Cranford"
If "Cranford" were a residence, the real estate listing probably would read:
"Charming Victorian, painstakingly constructed by skilled craftsmen. Absolutely packed with character. Must see to appreciate."
... Academy Award winner Judi Dench and former Oscar nominee Imelda Staunton ("Vera Drake") head a star-packed cast in this engaging adaptation of three novels by Elizabeth Gaskell ("Wives and Daughters"), set over the course of a year (1842-43) in a sleepy English village.
"This is Cranford, unchanging, perpetual, a society that knows itself, a place of peace," one villager tells a newcomer.
That peace is about to be shattered, however, by the Industrial Revolution, embodied by an encroaching railroad line that will bring unwanted change and strangers into this quiet hamlet, where tradition-bound order is maintained largely through a close-knit group of women: Miss Deborah Jenkyns (Eileen Atkins), the iron-willed spinster daughter of a deceased vicar; her mild-mannered sister, Matty (Dench); Miss Pole (Staunton), who has elevated gossip to the level of a news service; and the aristocratic Lady Ludlow (Francesca Annis), who feels a keen sense of noblesse oblige while clinging to prehistoric attitudes toward education for the lower classes. Lisa Dillon ("Hawking") plays Mary Smith, a new arrival in town.
All these characters are vividly realized in both the writing and performances, yet they feel familiar as well.
"I think anyone who comes from a place where there is a close-knit community recognizes this," Dench said. "It's just something to do with people looking out for each other. If you have somebody like Miss Pole, why do you need a computer or a mobile (phone)?"
"What is so charming about those books is that these people actually care about each other. The lucky ones of us have experienced that."
The early part of the miniseries is dominated by Atkins' iron-willed Miss Deborah, who keenly dreads the day, as she tells her sister, "when Cranford is overrun with noise and disease and the Irish, and there are more streets and more strangers than we can either know our neighbors or keep anything in check."
If Dench and Atkins make such a convincing sister act, it's partly because the actresses have known each other for nearly half a century.
"Working with her on this was just hugely fun, not to negate the fact that it was also very hard work," Dench said. "But you can cut certain corners when you know the way someone works, and knowing someone as long as we have known each other is really grist for the mill when you are playing sisters."
The only drawback to working in such a huge ensemble spread over multiple shooting locations, Dench said, is that she never got to see some of her co-stars, especially Annis and Philip Glenister, who stars as Lady Ludlow's compassionate steward, Mr. Carter.
"I said jokingly to Philip later, 'Oh, were you in this?'" Dench said with a laugh. "We all met for the first couple of days, of course, when we read and talked about the story and the period, and then many of us never saw each other. When I watched it, even though I knew the stories, I was terribly shocked when (one main character) dies. It just happened so abruptly."
"But it's everything you would ever want in a part, really. The whole business of acting is telling an author's story. I think everybody (in the cast) gets a good turn, and it was exciting to work with friends and people whose work you know. I have no interest in doing something on my own, a one-woman show. I've been asked to do that so many times, and I wouldn't know who to get ready for, in a way."
"Cranford" was both a critical and popular success in the United Kingdom. Now plans are under way for the cast to reassemble for a sequel revolving around the same characters.
"I'm not sure when that will happen," said Dench, "but I would just jump at it."
This article was written by John Crook for the Boston Herald and appeared online on Sunday, May 4, 2008.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 7:55 (PDT)
I'd also like to put my two cents in regarding "Cranford". I too watched it on YouTube in December, the short time it was available, and loved it. Those seeing it for the first time should look at the first hour as an introduction to the characters. As you may have noticed there are quite a few people to keep track of. The rest of the series will flesh out the characters and their story lines, as there is at least one for each of the characters we've been introduced to. For the DJD fans, you will be happy to see the character of Miss Matty come out from the shadow of her sister Deborah and her on screen time increase. I have heard from 2 friends that are not DJD fanatics like most of us are, but watched the first two hours on my recommendation, and they are hooked. So if anyone is "underwelmed" stick with it. You will not regret the time you invest.
Peggy in Ohio
USA -- Wednesday, May 7, 2008 at 11:21 (PDT)
Sharon Breden
San Jose California -- USA -- Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at 16:48 (PDT)
I recently wrote to silksoundbooks.com asking whether Dame Judi and Finty had ever recorded "Evelina" by Fanny Burney, as had been advertized by them last year. They replied that the taping had been delayed due to Dame Judi's many commitments, but that it is scheduled for completion early this month, and then the Audio Book should be ready a week or two later.
"Cranford" is charming and VERY moving. It cannot/should not be judged in the first viewing; every single line of the text is relevant and intense. I have watched the series on DVD four times already, and am still discovering bits I've missed. It's a pure delight, and the DVD special feature on how it was made is also tremendously informative, with great comments from the main actors.
Miss Matty's feelngs are breathlessy portrayed by Dame Judi, and the camera captures all the emotion she experiences from her knack of being totally inside the character.
Enjoy, and thank you Bonnie for this wonderful website which is a part of my daily routine !
Rosemary
Nevis, West Indies -- Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at 15:09 (PDT)
I am not saying that some pieces aren't better than others. As the years passed, due to the magic of DVD's, you can see what a great actor she has become. She makes me believe and for that particular short period of time I become lost in the adventure.
I agree with Bonnie. I have seen all of Cranford and I loved it. I watched it on YouTube where every nine minutes you have to move to a new episode, but it was worth every frustrating moment. I can't wait until the DVD arrives in the mail so I can sit with my iced tea, homemade popcorn, and fall in love all over again.
I am an unashamedly passionate DJD fan and always will be.
Kathy N.
El Paso, TX -- USA -- Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at 9:24 (PDT)
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at 8:52 (PDT)
Marla
Euclid OH -- USA -- Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at 8:34 (PDT)
Although I thought Eileen Atkins did an excellent job, I don't think her role was that creative or challenging to deserve a BAFTA for best actress. Certainly Judi's role was even smaller and less significant. One "bit" I did enjoyed was listening to "Mrs. Bale" coming through the voice of Eileen Atkins. Some of her phrases reminded me so much of Mrs. Bale in ATGB. Am I the only disappointed fan out there?
NOTE FROM BONNIE: I think it is a mistake to get an impression of a performance after having seen only 40 percent of it. Judi actually has a big part and it was only after her sister died that Miss Matty was able to expand her role in a life dominated by Deborah. As for the length of Eileen Atkins' role, I really don't have to say more than two words: eight minutes. And as for the quality of the performance: there's no accounting for taste. Personally, I don't think they should have even been in the same category. Apparently those behind the Emmy nominations agreed with me because they are not competing with each other. My advice is to stick with Cranford. It gets better with each episode and you can see the episodes online at PBS.org.
Sue
Portland, OR -- USA -- Monday, May 5 2008 at 21:41 (PDT)
Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista,Arizona -- USA -- Monday, May 5, 2008 at 10:54 (PDT)
Marla
Euclid, OH -- USA -- Saturday, May 3, 2008 at 14:25 (PDT)
NOTE FROM BONNIE: Harry Hill is profiled here. I'm sure that if you go to YouTube you can catch many examples of his work. Here's an odd one to start you off.
Marla
Euclid, OH -- USA -- Saturday, May 3, 2008 at 7:25 (PDT)
Thanks to Phil for sending this scan of a page from next week's Radio Times. He says that each photographed BAFTA winner was asked three questions. Here are the questions, along with Judi's answers:Q: What's next ?
A: Most likely the film of Nine, the musical. I'm scared though. I've sung in lots of things but I can only sing as I speak.
Q: The show you'd like to have done?
A: I loved Andrew Marr's History Of Modern Britain, but I couldn't do something like that. I can only be told what to do, and then do it, and then be told to do it better
Q: Who did you want to meet (at the BAFTAs) ?
A: Harry Hill. He's anarchic - a very funny man.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Friday, May 2, 2008 at 14:37 (PDT)
Christopher
Irvine, California -- USA -- Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 23:24 (PDT) )
Good thing Judi Dench has a healthy sense of humor.
The Oscar winner, 73, stars in PBS' Cranford, a miniseries set in an 1840s English village. She's one of a gaggle of busybodies, and as the saga unfolds, villagers drop dead left and right.
When a question arises about surviving for the sequel -- 2009's Christmas in Cranford -- Dench assumes her own longevity is being called into question.
"Well, I certainly hope I'm alive," she says with a slightly uncomfortable laugh.
Once she realizes it's her character who's in question, her little laugh becomes an outright guffaw. "Oh, that is funny," she says, assuring that she will take part in the follow-up.
In a suite at the Four Seasons Hotel, Dench is finishing the last of some hot chocolate with a side of miniature marshmallows. She has flown to L.A. for just a few days from her English country home on the border of Surrey and Sussex.
She tells how, in the VIP lounge at Heathrow before her flight, a man tapped her on the shoulder and told her he was going to inspect the plane for safety. It was Pierce Brosnan, who played 007 to her M in four James Bond films. "Please do," Dench told Brosnan, playing along. "Let me know if it's safe."
In November, she'll be seen for the second time with the latest Bond, Daniel Craig, in Quantum of Solace, her sixth Bond adventure. She spent four weeks shooting in London plus a week in Panama. This time, M will be giving Bond "a much harder time," she says. "It's gloves off!"
Things are far more restrained in the sleepy village of Cranford. Dench remembers reading the Cranford series of books by Elizabeth Gaskell when she was a schoolgirl.
"It's wonderfully intimate and the antithesis of parts I've been playing," Dench says. She's one of two spinster sisters who sacrifice joy for the sake of appearances. Michael Gambon co-stars as a lover with whom she reunites decades after she turned down his marriage proposal.
It is a bittersweet love story that mirrors the real-life loss in 2001 of Dench's husband of 30 years, actor Michael Williams. Dench believes Williams' spirit still visits from time to time. "Funny enough, quite often," she says. "In my house."
Five months after his death, a mole in her garden crossed her path. She believes it may have been Williams, who played a mole opposite her ferret in a 1972 Stratford production of The Wind in the Willows. "I'd never seen a mole anywhere," she says. "We lifted it away, and then it came back again."
Since then, Dench has not entertained the thought of dating, though that hasn't stopped the British tabloids from speculating. Not long ago she was photographed with her Iris and Notes on a Scandal director, Richard Eyre � the husband of Cranford writer/producer Sue Birtwistle. "And by God � wasn't it in the paper, asking, 'Is this my new man?' " Dench says with a chuckle.
"Poor Sue. But I thought it was very, very funny."
A colorful dame in more ways than one, Dench was dubbed "Dame Judi" by Queen Elizabeth in 1988. Though people routinely make the mistake of calling her "Dame Dench" instead of the proper form, she says with a shrug, "I don't care what I'm called."
She was also the recipient of an Oscar for 1998's Shakespeare in Love and has been nominated for five other roles, including Mrs. Brown (1997) and Notes on a Scandal (2006). She is now in line to take on the designer role in Nine, the movie adaptation of the Broadway musical to be directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago). "I sing exactly like I speak," says Dench, who received high marks for her role as Sally Bowles in the 1968 London premiere run of Cabaret.
Though she appreciates her Oscar and her many other awards, she is not defined by them. In fact, she is not above spoofing her little gold man's significance.
"We have a crossing near where I live that is very, very difficult to get across, so we call it 'Oscar Crossing,' " she says. "I had a replica made of my driver's car with a little Oscar in it."
But to her great disappointment, her driver, she says with a frown, "made no acceptance speech at all."
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 20:17 (PDT)
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 15:12 (PDT)
"Very excitable virgins" dominate town
"Cranford" doesn't follow the trend to sex-up TV adaptations of British classics, and the screenwriter is proud of it.
"There is no sex," laughs Heidi Thomas, who adapted Elizabeth Gaskell's witty and astute observations of mid-19th century village life in Northern England, where a group of spinsters dominate social mores. "You are dealing with a lot of very excitable virgins, and that to me is so much more delicious than sexing it up."
The cast concurs.
"If it's not there, you don't think about it," says Imelda Staunton, who plays Miss Pole, the most nosey and gossipy of the group.
"I think it can be sexy if it's suggestion -- touching hands can be erotic," observes Judi Dench, a teasing sparkle in her eyes. She plays Miss Matty Jenkyns, who's at the heart of the story, her chance at marriage denied by prudence, duty and fate.
Both diminutive but commanding, Dench and Staunton were seated side by side at a press appearance. With a few sidelong glances and an occasional chuckle -- but mainly with unfussy common sense -- they mused on an era where the cut of a bonnet denoted status, and feelings were buried deep beneath propriety and etiquette.
The three-part miniseries, on PBS Sunday at 9 p.m. EDT (check local listings), first aired on the BBC last year. The British media had expected the adaptation to be just another in a long line of period dramas. But the production went on to garner critical acclaim and strong ratings, prompting plans for a two-part sequel next year.
Dench feels the British audiences responded "to the sense of community" depicted in the sweetly sad and quaintly funny story of everyday life and eternal values. "Despite everyone knowing everyone's business, in a nosey way, nevertheless it's about being there for each other," she said in a later phone interview.
At one point, the project was deemed too expensive to film -- and ultimately, fewer episodes were made than originally planned.
Dench's involvement was always paramount. Luckily, when filming finally began last year, she was still available, despite her high-profile, international career, which includes her recurring role as M in the James Bond movies.
"I had read 'Cranford' at school, but I hadn't remembered much about it," says the 73-year-old Academy Award-winning actress. She reread the book and immediately recognized the quality of Thomas' adaptation. "You know straight away -- when you read something and you can hear how you are going to say the words. The whole situation and the characters just jumped off the page. The adaptation was very, very true."
She particularly likes that, although Miss Matty's joys and sorrows lie at the core of the adaptation, it's an ensemble piece. "Everyone gets a turn, and a very good turn, a very good go," she says.
The cast also features Eileen Atkins, who plays Miss Deborah Jenkyns, Miss Matty's firm but fair-minded sister; Michael Gambon as Thomas Holbrook, Miss Matty's one-time suitor; and Philip Glenister as Mr. Carter, a modern-minded land agent
Additionally, Francesca Annis portrays Lady Ludlow, the local landowner trying to cling to a heritage threatened by the rise of the Industrial Revolution and the coming of the railway. And Simon Woods proves that while the series may not depict anything blatantly sexy, it certainly offers up a handsome romantic hero. His character is Dr. Frank Harrison, whose arrival causes hearts to flutter.
The town of Knutsford, Cheshire, which Gaskell fictionalized for her story, proved to be too altered by time, so the historically preserved village of Lacock in Wilshire provided the main location.
Dench says that the Victorian costumes were a huge asset in dictating the way the actors portrayed the manners and mannerisms of the Cranford folk. "If you put on those clothes you can't slouch in a chair, you have to sit on the edge," she says. "The costume entirely informs -- the minute you put it on all the other bits fall into place."
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 14:32 (PDT)
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Monday, April 24, 2008 at 8:18 (PDT)
Judi Dench attends the Cranford press conference at the Four Seasons Hotel on April 24, 2008 in Beverly Hills, California.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Monday, April 24, 2008 at 7:27 (PDT)
Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, Arizona -- USA -- Saturday, April 26, 2008 at 13:52 (PDT) )
Thanks to Sue and Peggy for sending me a link to the National Public Radio site which is promoting the PBS airing of Cranford beginning May 4. To listen to an interview with Judi click on the red "listen now" button at the site. On the same page you will find links to a couple of scenes from the mini-series. Or you can click here to listen to the audio anytime.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Saturday, April 26, 2008 at 10:20 (PDT)
If you are are planning to attend Shakespeare & Stratford (see below), you may want to stick around to attend the 11th year of the Winchester Festival in July. Judi was named the first president in 2007 and she's appeared there in Fond and Familiar with various co-stars. Last year was the 10th year of the festival and it opened with a tribute to Dame Judi, presented by John Miller, her biographer -- and Artistic Director of the program. This year Miller will direct Judi and Michael Pennington in the Great Eccentrics...and the eccentricities of the Greats -- a comic recital with contributions from Oscar Wilde, Ogden Nash, Hermione Gingold and others. Performance is July 13 and tickets are can be ordered on the site.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Friday, April 25, 2008 at 16:05 (PDT)
 General's Official Residence on April 24, 2008 in Los Angeles, California |  |
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Friday, April 25, 2008 at 6:20 (PDT)
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Thursday, April 24, 2008 at 19:34 (PDT)
Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista,Arizona -- USA -- Thursday, April 24, 2008 at 10:36 (PDT) )
********
 |  |
I watched the Tavis Smiley show (which I uploaded to YouTube -- see link above) and while doing so commented on the fact that I thought she might have pre-recorded the appearance, but she mentioned things like the Eco-town that is proposed near Stratford (which she is against) and that's a fairly recent announcement. But I know she was in Hollywood yesterday. In the picture at the right ((L-R) Screenwriter Heidi Thomas and actresses Imelda Staunton, Judi Dench and Eileen Atkins attend the screening of "Cranford" at the Directors Guild of America on April 23, 2008 in Hollywood, California. Judi is up for an Emmy in Cranford and so is Eileen Atkins, by the way, but in this contest they are competing in different categories -- Eileen is up for Best Supporting Actress. So I'm done with all my guessing. I have no idea where she's at at the moment, but I hope she's having a good time here in America.I don't know whether or not she'll be doing other shows, but the Tavis Smiley show in the middle of the night doesn't seem to be the best pick for her publicists to make. In any case, this was a cute interview and Tavis seemed to get a kick out of her and she of him.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Thursday, April 24, 2008 at 8:30 (PDT)
I haven't been able to visit the web site for awhile, so I have just been catching up. As usual, everything is new and interesting for me. I did however agree with the general consensus about Headcases. It was truly ghastly. That being said, I applaud you for posting it and letting everyone decide for themselves. I thought that I have always had a great sense of humor, but this left me cold. Thanks so much for all of your hard work.
NOTE FROM BONNIE: I'm not sure if thought it was possible, but I found the second Judi-Helen-Kate show to be more idiotic and humorless than the first. I think there is a new show every Sunday night and anyone who wants to see it can go directly to YouTube and search for it. Someone sent me the link to the second episode and I found myself unable to watch more than a few seconds. As they say in Latin: De gustibus non est disputandum -- There's no accounting for taste.
Kathy N.
El Paso, TX -- USA -- Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 10:22 (PDT) )
I've been lurking in the shadows for about a year now, reading comments and enjoying everyone else's posts about ATGB. For Christmas, I treated myself to the DVD set, and have thouroughly enjoyed watching (twice, already!) the series in chronological order.
I'm not sure if the question was ever answered, but "Cranford" will be aired on PBS stations in the US during the first three weekends in May (4, 11, 18). I've heard so many interesting comments about it, and am looking forward to watching it.
Thank you for maintaining your wonderful website!
NOTE FROM BONNIE: Yes, Margaret, it's been mentioned, but let me mention again that, just to be sure, you should check your local station. Some people have reported it was appearing on their PBS station next weekend. I know that it is scheduled to first air on the Cable PBSHD station on May 4 and I've checked locally here in the Vegas area and confirmed that it is indeed scheduled on that same day. Some of the PBS stations, particularly in the east like to jump the gun locally, though. Also a reminder that Judi is listed as the guest on Tavis Smiley's PBS show on this coming Wednesday night/Thursday morning (depending on where you are located) and I'm guessing he didn't travel to London to do that interview. She probably is in the U.S. to promote Cranford so I'd keep an eye out for her to pop up on talk shows including Charlie's. If anyone hears of any radio or television show on which she's scheduled to appear, let me know.
Margaret LaFontaine
Clearfield, KY -- USA -- Monday, April 21, 2008 at 20:39 (PDT) )
Marla
Euclid OH USA -- Monday, April 21, 2008 at 13:11 (PDT) )
And on a personal note, a little late Happy Passover and a very timely Go Cubs!
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Monday, April 21, 2008 at 11:37 (PDT)
Marla
Euclid OH USA -- Monday, April 21, 2008 at 9:34 (PDT) )
This is the acceptance speech given by Eileen Atkins after she won the Best Actress Bafta last night.
*******
I also found another interesting tidbit at the digital Guardian this morning:
Some Dames do it, some Dames don't Dame Eileen Atkins, who won the Bafta TV award for best actress, played down any rivalry with her Cranford co-star Dame Judi Dench, who joked there would be a "huge catfight" after they were both nominated at last night's ceremony. However, there is one outstanding bone of contention between the pair. It's to do with mobile phones. "Dame Judi gets cross with me because I don't text," said Atkins. "But I don't live in that world." The Bafta winner, who was last nominated in 1969, also revealed that she was not overly impressed with her role in Cranford when she was first offered it. "I didn't think it was too good a part - I thought she was the only one who wasn't funny." Who's laughing now?
The reason I find it interesting is because, as far as I knew, Judi didn't know her way around electronics and was more like Jean Hardcastle in that respect. I guess she must have picked up a thing or as time went by.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Monday, April 21, 2008 at 8:57 (PDT)
There are way too many pictures of Judi Dench arriving at the BAFTA Ceremony (with Finty) and way too many articles about who won what -- you can just do a search in the Blue Box above for Judi Dench Bafta Cranford and you'll be reading all night long. Frankly, most of the pictures look the same and I don't see the point of posting more than one article unless there's a unique point of view. But I just can't resist posting pictures that make her look exceptional and this one of her arrival at the Palladium is one of them.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 15:05 (PDT)
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 14:55 (PDT)
Helen <info@helenayres.com>
Tenterden, Kent UK - Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 14:12 (PDT)
You can go to Bafta.org to watch clips and see all the winning performances. I'm sure the coverage will be updated frequently but I've pretty much had enough of it by now. And there probably will not be a re-count.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 13:45 (PDT)
Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista,Arizona -- USA -- Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 13:23 (PDT) )
Marla
Euclid OH USA -- Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 12:54 (PDT) )
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 13:07 (PDT)
TV BAFTA DAY: JUDI ON THE RED CARPET
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 11:40 (PDT)
Placards with the photographs of various celebrities, including Dame Judi Dench, lie on the floor as they wait to be placed on seats during preparations
for the Television BAFTAs, at the Paladium Theatre in London, Thursday, April 17, 2008. The BAFTA awards takes place at the Paladium on Sunday.
In the second photo the placard is positioned in Judi's seat (Number 16)
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Saturday, April 19, 2008 at 19:21 (PDT)
Nothing more about Judi, but if you actually care to read the article that ran in Premiere magazine about this year's "top women" in Hollywood go here and click on the picture.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Friday, April 18, 2008 at 9:37 (PDT)
Smokey Oakey will be at it again today. He's running in the Earl Of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket later today. His odds are 16-1. UPDATE: The winner of the race was Phoenix Tower. You can click on the Racecard link to see the entire field.
Some results I don't have now are the BAFTA Television winners. Judi is, of course, up for Cranford. The results will be made known on this coming Sunday when the awards for 2008 will be presented at the London Palladium.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Thursday, April 17, 2008 at 9:26 (PDT)
Anonymous
USA --
Monday, April 14, 2008 at 17:54(PDT)
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 18:00 (PDT)
For me, 9 seasons has not been enough, I would love to have watched more of As Time Goes By! Thank you again for your wonderful website!!!
Jean Mertens
USA --
Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 17:38(PDT)
Marla
Euclid, OH USA --
Wednesday, April 9, 2008 at 11:30(PDT)
Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, Arizona -- USA --
Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 10:06 (PDT)
There always seem to be people on either side of an argument. But there are few who would argue that these latest production stills from Quantum of Solace show Judi off in a much more appealing way than do the caricatures shown in the screen shots below.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 9:02 (PDT)
Joan in PA
USA --
Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 6:44 (PDT)
  |  Well, you can now go see Kate Winslet, Judi Dench and Helen Mirren in a clip from Headcases on You Tube. But I should mention to you that imagining it and looking at clips of the artwork was, to me, much more pleasant than the experience of actually seeing it. It seemed sophomoric at best. If you happen to like it, no offense. There are many others who also disagree with me. I'm guessing that Jack Nicholson is not one of them. Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com> |
If you haven't already seen it, you can go to YouTube to watch The Making of Mrs. Henderson Presents. It is a documentary short, in three parts, one leading to the link for the next.
I found the picture above to be amusing because she looks so mischievous. I was on a web site earlier and the blogger was commenting on the recent "inappropriate" words used by Jane Fonda and Diane Keaton on recent television appearances. The next sentence was something like "the next thing you know Dame Judi Dench will be performing her favorite dirty limericks for Regis." I have no doubt this is probably something she would do quite willingly.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 16:05 (PDT)
I've just enjoyed having brunch with Dame Dench. Judi says that the Americans sometimes refer to her that way. She seems to find Dame Dench as amusing as Sir Guilgud. See below for the link. It was an enjoyable program and it was clear that Judi was familiar and at ease with the interviewer. She did not run through the same old stories. Instead she told a few funny new ones -- about Eileen Atkins as well as about her grandson, Sam (who will soon be -- can you believe it? -- 11 years old). She also talked about the victory at the races on Easter weekend. You will be interested to know that she will be coming to the U.S. to promote Cranford, which is scheduled in May on PBS. Interestingly enough, she confirmed the possibility of a Christmastime Cranford, but said it may not be for this coming Christmas. The interview which takes place about 15 minutes into the second hour of the show and runs for about 35 minutes (including some of her favorite music).
The picture at the left is another snap showing Judi and Helen Mirren from the ITV program, Headcases.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 9:59 (PDT)
Thanks to Phil for keeping us up-to-date on Judi's BBC Radio appearances:Judi is a guest on a new series "Michael Ball's Sunday Brunch", next Sunday 6th April at 11:00-13:00 (UK time) on BBC Radio 2.You can listen online or on Listen Again for up to a week after broadcast via links on the Radio 2 page.
He also mentioned that Geoffrey Palmer was in the UK TV series Ashes to Ashes. I didn't mention this because it was not available in the U.S., although I knew he was going to make an appearance in the series finale as Lord Scarman. I'm not much of a science-fiction fan and didn't post it because there was no video available at the time I heard of it. So to make up for it I will post a couple of bits of information: first, Geoffrey and Sally just (March 23) celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary and second, you can see him in three of the roles he played on Dr. Who (one of them was in an episode than ran last year) at You Tube.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 7:41 (PDT)
Judi has often been rumored to be in talks for this project (Karolina's comment on February 26th) but, according to Empire Online, she has already signed to join the cast of Nine.
Judi Dench and Nicole Kidman signed on to star in Rob Marshall's adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical Nine and if you can think of a better Oscar-hoovering combo than two Oscar winning-actresses starring in a movie from the bloke who directed Chicago, based on a musical in turn based on Fellini's 8 1/2, ... then fair play to you.Dench and Kidman join a cast already teeming with Oscar-botherers, from Javier Bardem (who will play a film director juggling several women in his life) to Marion Cotillard, Sophia Loren to Penelope Cruz (who has presented at the Oscars).
No word yet on who the two new arrivals might be playing, though, but we are intrigued to see Dame Judi in full-on song-and-dance mode (she's got form in this department, winning an Olivier Award for Best Actress In A Musical as recently as 1995).
Click the link to read more. The start date for the Weinstein Brothers project, by the way, was supposed to be in March but it has been pushed back to September because Kidman is due to have a baby over the summer.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Friday, April 4, 2008 at 7:30 (PDT)
A bit more about Rage:Patrick J. Adams, meanwhile, will take a lead role alongside Judi Dench in a new film called Rage, from indie filmmaker Sally Potter (The Tango Lesson). Now, if you're familiar with the director and her 1997 film, this project should sound familiar. Potter had put Rage's script aside years ago to film Tango, but mentioned it within the other film. When describing the meta aspects of the film years ago, The Austin Chronicle had described Rage as a film where: "swan-like female models in haute-couture evening gowns are chased by a legless designer with murder in his heart." Interesting!
You can click on the link to read this and find other links mentioning The Tango Lesson. I've not heard of this before, but I came across a project in which Judi is mentioned as being a featured player in Sally Potter's Rage. This is described (under projects) as "a little like a mockumentary that begins as a series of filmed interviews (conducted by an off-screen presence known only as Michelangelo who we neither see nor hear) with a group of individuals working in and around a fashion house. According to this site it is in production in New York and London and also stars Steve Buscemi. Neither star is listed in the IMDB nor is the project listed. Another joke or the real thing?
There have been a few premature announcements of this nature in the past several years so I take each one with a grain of salt. Hardly sounds like an April Fool's joke, though. And, by the way, I have no doubt that Judi would be the first to laugh at the article below. She's known to be quite a practical joker and has always stressed that a sense of humor is high on her list of the most admirable qualities.
Kevin Spacey [once gave Judi] the biggest laugh of the [Shipping News] shoot. For 15 years, Dench and an actor friend, Tim Pigott-Smith, have played an elaborate game of hide-and-seek with a black glove: It pops up on each other's film or theater sets, the more surprisingly the better. Spacey discovered this and had the glove sent to Newfoundland. He hung on to it for a full month, until the day Dench shot one of her most emotional scenes, in which Agnis dumps the ashes of the older brother she loathed down an outhouse, then ceremoniously pees on them. Spacey positioned himself under the outhouse, with the glove on a stick. As Dench lifted her skirts and squatted over the seat, "I felt something tickling my bottom," she says. "Kevin says I jumped into the air, screaming. It took me quite a longtime to recover, and it will take even longer to plan the proper revenge."
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Monday, March 31, 2008 at 8:44 (PDT)
If you can take a joke you might want to read the April Fool edition of Student Life. If you don't have a sense of humor regarding the Dame, maybe you can just have a chuckle at the mug shot which accompanied the article about our self-described "menopausal dwarf". Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Monday, March 31, 2008 at 8:20
Dench to return to Cranford for two-part Christmas special Dame Judi Dench is to reprise her role as the good-hearted spinster Matty Jenkyns in BBC1's period drama Cranford in a two-part special that will be broadcast at Christmas next year.Dench will again be joined by Imelda Staunton, Francesca Annis, Julia McKenzie and Jim Carter in the return of the award-winning drama about the lives, during the 1840s, of the residents of the small Cheshire market town of Cranford.
The Christmas special, which will be filmed in Wiltshire and London, will pick up the story in September 1844, a year after the town celebrates the marriage of Sophy, played by Kimberley Nixon, to Dr Harrison, portrayed by Simon Woods.
BBC1's two-part drama, based on the Elizabeth Gaskell novel, has been commissioned by the BBC's fiction controller, Jane Tranter, and will be written by Heidi Thomas. The producer is the co-creator, Sue Birtwistle, whose credits include Pride and Prejudice, and the director is Simon Curtis.
Kate Harwood, executive producer of the drama, said: "Cranford captured the hearts of the nation last year as every week nearly 8 million viewers tuned in to catch up with Miss Matty and her fellow villagers. I am delighted that we are able to bring these much-loved characters back to life for a Christmas special in 2009, and once again unite an unprecedented pool of talent to thrill and entertain our audiences."
The first series proved a ratings hit, averaging 7.8 million viewers for its five-part run last November. The series has been nominated for four Bafta TV awards.
This article appeared online at Guardian UK, dated Monday, March 31, 2008.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Sunday, March 30, 2008 at 18:29(PDT)
Judi's daughter, Finty, is not the only relative of an ATGB cast member to follow a parent into the business.
Geoffrey's son Charles is also building up quite a resume - as a director - which you can follow at the IMDB.Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Sunday, March 30, 2008 at 18:12 (PDT)
This image was taken from the ITV website, which was promoting its show, Headcases. The show is characterized as "Think Spitting Image meets Toy Story." I was unable to see the video and I'm never sure whether it is because I'm using an Imac or because I'm in the U.S. (or both), so I'm not sure if there is any audio or video in the examples that are on the page. Those depicted in the cartoon seem to be Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet and, of course, Judi Dench.Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 15:23 (PDT)
Many thanks to Jan M for pointing me to the Expresso website. The site promotes the movie Expresso, a film by Kevin Powis and Martin Nigel Davey, featuring Geoffrey Hughes (AKA Onslow in Keeping Up Appearances), as well as Finty Williams, who is pictured at left. You can click on the gallery link to see other pictures and check out Finty's resume on the cast link. Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV - Friday, March 28, 2008 at 9:20 (PDT)
And an inspiring muse she is! Thanks for the gorgeous photo, Bonnie.Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, Arizona - USA - Thursday, March 27, 2008 at 22:48 (PDT)
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA - Wednesday, March 27, 2008 at 13:49 (PDT)
I would like to thank Helen for the reference for the "Rosemary and Thyme" website. What a delight it is! I knew nothing about the program and greatly enjoyed browsing through the novel format.As always, Bonnie, I learn something new when I visit ATGBCENTRAL. Thank you so much!
Kathy N.
USA - Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at 21:12 (PDT)
It is a great photo. I just ordered the play from this site, since I shall not be able to go to London. At least I'll be able to imagine her in that role!I am so sorry about Maggie Smith battling breast cancer. I hope she can beat the illness. I like her very much, albeit not as much as I like Judi. I think Maggie is more of a character actress, while Judi is really an all around actress. As she often says, she does not like to be be pidgeon-holed into a character.
Hope all of you had a happy Easter.
Thanks again, Bonnie, for your marvelous site.
Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, Arizona - USA - Sunday, March 23, 2008 at 19:16 (PDT)
I was startled when I heard from Marla that Judi's long time friend and co-star, Maggie Smith is battling breast cancer. I wish her well in this fight as I'm sure we all do.Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA - Saturday, March 22, 2008 at 13:38 (PDT)
As Bonnie kindly pointed out to me, the photo of Judi isn't from the program, but from the website. Looking at the photograph again, I see determination and a spine of steel. Who knows what the third time will bring?Marla
Euclid, OH - USA - Saturday, March 22, 2008 at 13:08(PDT)
Well, I'll be darned. Judi's horse is a winner! You can also read about it at the London Times online.Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA - Friday, March 21, 2008 at 13:07 (PDT)
Wow, that is one powerful photograph of Judi on the "Madame DeSade" program. I remember somebody saying that Judi had a way of looking into your soul and that was my first impression when I saw the photo.Marla
Euclid, OH, USA - Saturday, March 22, 2008 at 9:19(PDT)
Thanks for the R&T website and information, Helen. Ladbroke Grove and Notting Hill? Yes, I can see that. I've wandered around in both areas, although less so than in Holland Park. But that makes sense. Readers of this site always have the answers. Happy Easter to all of you who celebrate it, and Happy Spring (or Autumn, to those south of the Equator) to everyone.Larry Lain <Lain@udayton.edu>
Dayton, OH, USA - Saturday, March 22, 2008 at 8:45 (PDT)
Hello EveryoneLarry asked a while back about locations for "Rosemary and Thyme", a UK series starring Felicity Kendal and Pam Ferris.
Larry, here is a really sweet little website. It's quite fun to navigate around - laid out like a little book and has sections on synopses, locations and behind the scenes.
Some of the episodes were filmed in Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove which aren't a million miles away from Holland Park in London (where ATGB is filmed). The architecture would be very similar.
If you like being a bit of a detective, you can have a look here and see how close they all are!
Best wishes
Helen <info@helenayres.com>
Tenterden, Kent UK - Saturday, March 22, 2008 at 7:50 (PDT)
Just in case you'll be in London early next year -- here's a reminder of Judi's upcoming role. As I previously posted tickets have already
gone on sale. You can get more information by going to the web site. Nothing much new there, but I wanted an excuse to post the picure.Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA - Friday, March 21, 2008 at 15:55 (PDT)
I hear that ATGB TV adapted for radio is scheduled to run at the Brunch with the Brits website tomorrow morning. If you click the link to the web site you will see Archives on the left so if you miss it you MAY be able to listen again. I have no idea how many of these shows will run or how long they will be available. Thanks to Keith for letting me know. Click the links on the site to learn more information.And another tidbit I just spotted on the BBC UK website: "And the Sport of Kings will be the Sport of Dames if actress Dame Judi Dench's horse Smokey Oakey (9-1) plays a starring role." After searching for information at Google I found a lot of articles about Judi's horse, including this one. I had no idea....
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA - Friday, March 21, 2008 at 12:10 (PDT)
Just a note to clarify something that appeared to be a contradiction in the information I have been reading. The other day I posted a reference to an article which says that Judi Dench has received a record-setting 12th BAFTA nomination for her work in Cranford and ever since that time I've read that she's earned a record-setting 26 BAFTAs or a record-setting 24 BAFTAs, the number depending on the source. Most agree that 24 is the correct number and I wondered what accounted for the discrepancies. I find that this is the 12th nomination for her TV work, but I'm not sure how many she's received overall for her work in Film. The most often number used is 24. She's also been presented with a Fellowship. I continued the search, which lead me to the IMDB which only added to my confusion because a few times she's been nominated for more than one BAFTA in a year, but it was interesting to see that Judi has won two BAFTAs for her work in A Fine Romance and has been nominated for that role in all four years of the run. She has never won one for ATGB, and she was nominated only once -- in the first year of production.Anyway it is probably best to go to the source in situations such as this and the BAFTA site confirms that this is, in fact, Judi's 12th TV BAFTA nomination -- "Judi Dench's nomination for her role as Matty Jenkyns in 19th century period drama Cranford brings her running tally of BAFTA television nominations to an impressive 12."
According to the Age Concern Website in the UK,
"It is her 12th Bafta nomination for a TV role - a record she shares with comedian Victoria Wood - which together with her 12 nominations for film parts gives Ms Dench the record."Oh well, nothing's for sure, is it?
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA - Friday, March 21, 2008 at 9:06 (PDT)
Paul Scofield has died at the age of 86. Judi co-starred with him in Henry V.Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA - Thursday, March 20, 2008 at 8:56 (PDT)
The new Bond film will be released on Halloween - a week before its debut in North America on Nov. 7. Quantum Of Solace, starring Daniel Craig as 007, will premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square on Friday October 31, when it will also open at cinemas throughout the country.Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA - Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at 8:01 (PDT)
Bonnie, I love your website. Thanks for keeping it going, it's very informative. Also, I want to thank Helen Ayres for the link to the beautiful website, (blueandwhite.com). I found many, many great mugs to choose from. Thanks again!!Yvette <wilson2849@comcast.net>
Pittsburgh, PA USA - Tuesday, March 19, 2008 at 7:05 (PDT)
According to indieLONDON:
"THE BBC's star-studded costume drama Cranford leads this year's Bafta TV nominations with four nods, including best actress nominations for Dame Judi Dench and Dame Eileen Atkins.The popular show is also in the running for best drama serial and the audience award.
The British Academy Television Awards, which are supported by Sky + in 2008, will be announced at London's Palladium on Sunday, April 20 and include many categories, including the audience award chosen by members of the public."
Judi is nominated in the best actress category and, as mentioned above, her competition includes her Cranford cast-mate EILEEN ATKINS. Also up for that same award are GINA MCKEE - The Street (BBC One) and KIERSTON WAREING - It's A Free World (Channel 4)
Also note that according to the LA Times today,
"Dame Judi Dench, who won the first of her four TV BAFTA Awards upon her first nomination 40 years ago, received her record 12th acting nod today for her role in "Cranford," a genteel five-hour BBC miniseries adapted from Victorian novelist Elizabeth Gaskell's affectionate look at life in a village in the 1840s. Her last win was also in the best-actress race in 2001 for "Last of the Blond Bombshells." For her performance in that BBC/HBO co-production, she got her first Emmy nomination, but lost to Judy Davis as Judy Garland in "Me and My Shadows."Expect Dench to be a strong contender to compete again at the upcoming Emmys as "Cranford" will qualify when it's aired by co-producing partner PBS in May.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA - Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at 8:31 (PDT)
Apparently these lovely pictures were taken for a Vanity Fair photo shoot in early 2006, but were never actually used. Thanks to Keith for sending them to me.
Click here to get to an interesting site called M Radio where you can listen (among other things) to A View from the Mountain by Don Haworth. It stars Michael Williams and Judi Dench and was Produced by Gordon House for BBC World Service. This is a 60 minute drama which was first broadcast on June 7, 1987. You can click on othe word download to listen right then or right-click it and select your options to play it at your leisure.
Here is the description:
An old quarryman and his wife live on a mountain carrying out the instructions of the Emperor. A surveyor decides to try and release them from their burden.Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA - Monday, March 17, 2008 at 11:46 (PDT)
Dear Yvette
Regarding "The Great Mug Hunt" (!) The mugs used in ATGB are pretty bog-standard here - the sort of thing you can pick up here quite cheaply everywhere - I have a couple though Lord knows how/when/where I've acquired them. Have checked base of mugs - no clue there! That said, I have found this lovely site for you:Scroll down the main page under 'Search Stock Now' and select 'Cups, Beakers & Mugs' from the drop-down 'select item' menu.
De-select everything apart from 2000+ and New China above that and click 'start search' below.
That should lead you to about 200 items, many of which look like Judi & Lionel's beakers.You really willbe spoilt for choice - the whole website has thousands of pieces of all ages. They send items worldwide too.
Happy Shopping!
Helen Ayres
Tenterden, Kent -- UK -- Sunday, March 16, 2008 at 21:00 (PDT)
Spend some quality time listening to people share their stories abut acting, directing and generally being involved with Shakespeare. A BBC 4 radio program has been set to a lovingly-made slideshow on YouTube entitled Miss Moneypenny's Metre. It is narrated by Samantha Bond and features clips by Judi Dench, Peter Hall and many other theatre legends who are more than familiar with the topic. The link is to the first part and you can follow the rest from that.Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA - Sunday, March 16, 2008 at 10:11 (PDT)
WLIW, channel 21, in the NY metropolitan area showed the ATGB Reunion Special as part of a pledge drive. As part of the gift offers, there were tickets to a live interview with Moira Brooker and Philip Bretherton in NYC on Wednesday, June 18. They're supposed to talk about the show and answer questions during a 90-minute session. The program's pledge drive announcer also mentioned talk of a Christmas special (he cautioned that this was not firm, but very tentative) that might air next March, if filmed (of course). Anyway, I signed up for the June 18th event, and I wanted to pass this along to you!Your website is great; I look into it several times a week. Thank you for it & keeping it up!
Nancy
Pomona, NY USA -- Saturday, March 15, 2008 at 8:06 (PDT)
Does anyone know what company made the blue and white mugs that Jean and Lionel use for tea and coffee or how I can find a set of them? Thanks.NOTE FROM BONNIE: You can look in the archives -- the link is in the blue box above. Do a search for china or something like that. As I recall, there have been discussions about the china at Holland Park as well as in the country. I remember something about Blue Quail so you can search for Quail, too. But I don't remember whether or not that was what was used in the city. I do vaguely recall someone's mentioning a manufacturer, but I could be wrong. Anyone who knows more is welcome to answer.
Yvette Wilson <wilson2849@comcast.net>
Pittsburgh, PA USA - Saturday, March 15, 2008 at 7:47 (PDT)
A heads up for all readers: Amazon currently offers a 5 per cent discount on all pre-orders for books only. This discount can end at any time, so if there are any unreleased books you are thinking about ordering now would be a good time to do it. Meanwhile, pre-ordering DVDs and CDs entitles you to a price guarantee, so you would be wise to check for price changes prior to release. Click here to read more details. If you order through my store link you may not see the note that the book pre-order discount applies, but it reflected on the checkout page before you actually place the order.Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA - Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 8:12 (PDT)
Welcome Lynda. I've had this website for almost 10 years and no-one has ever asked the question about who actually wrote the letter. I know that I don't know and suspect it may be forever a mystery.Just wanted to mention that yesterday I saw a movie called Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. During the opening few minutes a friend of mine leaned over and whispered "there's Stephanie Cole." Although in retrospect I should have recognized her on my own both on sight and by the sound of her voice, I didn't. Anyway, she's one of my favorite Britcomics and I went home and took screen shot from the trailer so you can see what she looks like today. She's only in the movie for about a minute or so.
UPDATE: I'm pleased that someone just wrote me an FYI letting me know the question regarding the actual owner of the hand that wrote the opening letter HAS been asked before (in 2005). The reason I'm pleased is that the person who wrote it used the search engine in the blue box (above) and selected atgbcentral.com as the search source and put in "letter in opening scene" as the search. I think you can find almost anything you ever wanted to know about the website and the program by using that resource so I'm glad to have made that mistake. The question, by the way, doesn't appear to have been answered.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA - Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 8:12 (PDT)
I thought the Cinderella by Judi Dench was brilliant - thank you. Does anyone know who wrote the letter at the beginning of ATGB? I am sure that they are not Geoffrey Palmer's hands or his handwriting.Lynda Denny <ldenny@global.co.za >
Johannesburg, South Africa -- Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 1:01 (PDT)
A few thoughts while waiting for something ATGB related to happen:Last night in the Las Vegas area we were treated to an As Time Goes By Marathon as part of another pledge week. There were 4 episodes back to back to back to back. The first two were actually the last two episodes of season nine -- Stephen ticks the wrong box and refuses the OBE and old Harry is about to leave for Canada. (Sorry, I don't want to ruin the surprise for those who haven't seen the entire series, so my description is a bit vague.) The last two shows were parts one and two of the You Must Remember This compilation. Personally I was disappointed at the time that special was released because it smacked of the cheap reality shows that could be produced with little or no co-operation of the cast or crew. Anyway, I really enjoyed watching it a second time. Because I have little or no memory left I must admit that most of the ninth season shows seemed new to me and that's because I haven't seen them since 2002 when I wrote the summaries. In fact, I never opened the DVD because a wonderful friend of mine made me a DVD at the time the shows were shown in the UK and it was from those that I updated the web site. As I was watching the programs I was thinking of a lot of trivia questions that I'm sure would be real stumpers, but for the fact that I'll bet you can find most anything about the program by simply using the atgbcentral search engine (in the blue box near the top of this page). I had forgotten aboout why Stephen didn't get the OBE, I remember that Alistair's Best Man had an accident and figured that he would ask Lionel to substitute. I had forgotten that Moira was very pregnant at the time of filming.
What really surprised me, however, was that while watching this marathon, the representatives of the Las Vegas PBS station (KLVX) -- I believe it was the station manager and program director who were there -- mentioned that this showing was the first one of the final two episodes of season nine on their stations. Apparently they just acquired the rights at least 5 years after the programs had been shown in other parts of the country. I'm curious about how many people have not actually been able to see the programs on their local stations. Last week or the week before I noticed that episode 2, season 9 was running and I just assumed it was being re-run. I'm now guessing that the first episode of the season was also run the previous week. There seemed to be no fanfare. I only know that I wrote and called the station back in 2002 to advise them that there were new shows and I urged them to buy the rights. I'm glad that someone eventually listened.
Speaking of listening and new shows, I have got to let you know that this week the BBC will be running another Ladies of Letters radio program that all Britcom fans will probably enjoy. It will be available on Listen Again for a week after and it will run from March 10-14. It is under 15 minutes in length (little over an hour in total) and it is a part of Woman's Hour. This particular program is called Ladies of Letters Go Green I hope you are familiar with the radio series. If you aren't then you are missing performances by two amazing women: Patricia Routledge (Hyacinth Bucket, among many others) and Prunella Scales (Sybil Fawlty, among many others). The description of the show is: "The Ladies start to look beyond themselves at the future of the planet at large and soon become eco-enthusiasts: tying bricks to ballcocks, running cars on chip fat, and even emailing Al Gore to update him on the state of the local bottle bank."
There have been many of these programs before this and they are beautifully read by the women who are catty old friends with families that come to life as they read a series of emails that have gone between them.
I'd like to thank the person who pre-ordered Episode 3 of one of my OTHER favorite series, Waiting for God for alerting me that it will be released in the US (Region 1) on June 10, 2008. The series ran for 4 seasons -- 2 have already been released on DVD. Click on the link to pre-order it.
And finally, I want to advise those of you who are coming here for the first time or who haven't read through the comments section that there are three videos that I posted to YouTube and they are shown on this page. One is of Judi's last appearance on the Parkinson Show and the other two are parts one and two of Judi's reading of Cinderella. I have every intention of removing them in the next week or two, so if you haven't yet seen them, please do so soon.
Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA - Sunday, March 9, 2008 at 10:33 (PDT)
Hello Everyone...
New clip of Judi on YouTube.
Best wishesHelen Ayres
Tenterden, Kent -- UK -- Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 15:38 (PDT)
The ATGB family might be interested in the following. Last night the Harrisburg, PA, PBS station had a contest to determine which of three British comedies it would resume showing on Saturday nights--The Vicar of Dibley, Waiting for God, and As Time Goes By. You probably won't be surprised to learn that ATGB won with 53% of the vote (Vicar-29%; Waiting-18%). At one point ATGB had 67% of the vote!Joan in Pa
USA -- Sunday, March 2, 2008 at 12:33 (PDT)
I'd like to thank Meira for letting me know that the ATGB DVDs in Region 2 do have subtitles. Of course as soon as I got the answer it jogged my own memory. I do have the ATGB PAL Reunion DVD -- the one with the interview given by Geoffrey Palmer which was not on the Region 1 version of the DVD. It came out in the UK much earlier than it came out here in the States and I wanted to write the summaries for my website so I ordered it. Now I remember that I used the subtitles often when writing the summaries and in the end I never even opened the NTSC version when it came. I went back to the Amazon UK store and saw that there was, in the case of that particular DVD, no mention of the fact that it had subtitles, so I reached the wrong conclusion based on Amazon's omission. Again, thanks to Meira for clearing that up.Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA - Saturday, March 1, 2008 at 9:54 (PDT)
I just got an interesting question that I'm sure many of you can answer: Are there subtitles on the Region 2 DVDs? The person is from Northern Italy and, according to Amazon that is an area which uses the PAL format. I checked the Amazon UK store and the DVDs are not shown as being subtitled under "Formats" in the product description, while in the U.S. at Amazon.com the closed-captioning IS specified under Formats. Based on this, I concluded that they are not subtitled, but I also directed the person to watch this space for an answer from someone who might actually have a copy of the Region 2 DVD. Please help.Bonnie Rottstin <rottstin@atgbcentral.com>
Henderson, NV USA - Friday, February 29, 2008 at 10:03 (PDT)
Hello again.
I just wanted to say that Judi is up for a BPGA award for Cranford. I think all together Cranford has eight nominations.Karolina from Sweden
Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 1:12 (PDT)NOTE FROM BONNIE: Since you posted the list of nominations I thought I'd search around the internet to see if I could quickly find a supporting story, specifically about Cranford, but - of course - I got distracted on the way
Anyway, my search led me to a site which played many videos IN CHINESE. The odd thing was that the few videos I watched were subtitled, but the language track was English. I saw the beginning of Cranford, but closed the file, because I've seen it. I also saw the beginning of Breaking Bad, which is a new AMC original show that I enjoy but have already seen. On the way I also passed videos of Jane Eyre, Pride & Prejudice and many familiar BBC shows. This is the Cranford Video. Yoou can always use Babel Fish to translate a page from Chinese to English if you want to explore more. Check it out if you have time because, last I saw, they were not on YouTube.
I can't find the reference now, but sometime ago Judi was no longer listed in the cast of "Helen's Boy."Marla
Euclid, OH - USA - Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 13:06 (PDT)
Was anyone as surprised as me to learn that Geoffrey Palmer has a brother in law in the entertainment business, and in fact in the comedy business? I remember in an interview, GP stated that Sally refused to marry him initially because he was an actor. He implied that she believed people who wished to be actors were somehow unbalanced. Now we learn that her sister also married someone in show business. Does anyone know more?Sue
Portland, OR - USA -- Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 1l:04 (PDT)NOTE FROM BONNIE: I don't know any more about Geoffrey and his wife, but I do know that when I was a teenager in Chicago Bernie Sahlins was very well known to most people who were involved in the arts either as a fan or talent or both. Here's a bit of his biography.
Bernard "Bernie" Sahlins is an American writer, director, and comedian best known as a founder of The Second City improvisational comedy troupe with Paul Sills and Howard Alk in 1959. Sahlins also opened the Second City Theatre in Toronto in 1973. While his popular fame may be tied to improvisational comedy, Sahlins' roots and passion has always been in the theater. In 1953 he became a producer of Playwrights Theatre Club -- featuring such budding actors and directors as Ed Asner, Mike Nichols, Elaine May, and Paul Sills. In 1956, he presented a year of plays in Chicago's Studebaker Theatre, including the Chicago premiere of Waiting for Godot. He also co-founded The International Theatre Festival of Chicago. After launching The Second City, he remained as producer and, eventually, one of the directors until the 1990s. Among the many talents he hired were John and Jim Belushi, John Candy, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Harold Ramis, and Bill Murray. His years with The Second City are documented in his memoir, Days and Nights at The Second City. Sahlins was also one of the producers of the acclaimed TV show "SCTV." He is the recipient of The Sergel prize for playwriting, The University of Chicago Professional Achievement Award, The Chicago Drama League's Professional Achievement Award, Joseph Jefferson Awards for directing and professional achievement, The Illinois Arts Alliance "Legend" award, and the Improv Festival Achievement Award.If that isn't enough of a recommendation, there's also the fact that brothers and sisters quite often have different feelings about who might make a good mate. I can't see why anyone would hesitate to become involved with Bernie Sahlins. As far as unbalanced actors go, I'm sure we'd all agree that some are and some are not. I'm guessing Sally ultimately liked what she saw in Geoffrey and made her decision based on those observations.
Hi Bonnie and everybody!
There is more: check this link. It seems another film is announced with our Dame Judi. It sounds exciting.Best to all.
Marisetta Magliocco
Sierra Vista, Az - USA - Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at 22:17 (PDT)YET ANOTHER NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thanks for the link, which I found to be confusing. (The one you sent, by the way, was even more confusing but it did yield an old story from 1990 which some might like to read. It was written by Matt Wolf and called "If the Role Is At All Unlikely, Call Judi Dench").
At any rate, I found it confusing because everything seems to indicate it was an old project which was announced early in 2000 or 2001. Here's Variety's take on it.
On a Fortune City website devoted to Matt Damon, a 7/00 entry in the blog says "Dame Judi Dench has agreed to play the part of the doyenne of the New York publishing world in a new film, Helen's Boy, being developed by the British company Ecosse, which so successfully cast her opposite Billy Connolly in Mrs Brown."
In December 2001 the studio that was involved with the project -- Ecosse Films -- indicated they hard Judi Dench in mind, acccording to The Hollywood Reporter. I've seen a couple of other references with no dates showing open projects and listing that, but it is not shown in the IMDB, which usually lists films that are in the pre-production stage.
If anyone sees anything that indicates this might be a unpcoming project, please let me know.
Hi Bonnie. Thanks for your research and for answering so quick. I've ordered the shorter Region 2 version now and if a miracle turns up and the longer version is available I'll just have to get that then. I just couldn't wait any more. Anyway now for the real reason why I'm writing. I just noticed on the web that Judi might play one of the roles in the film version of the musical Nine. Other actors that might be in it is Johnny Depp and Nicole Kidman. Let's just hope this becomes reality.
Anyway, thanks again Bonnie.
NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thanks for letting me know about the movie. I looked it up and found the following on this website. Harvey Weinstein may be doing a bit of wishful thinking here, but he's got some pretty deep pockets and loyal friends.
"Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Kidman, George Clooney and Johnny Depp are being lined up to appear in a star-studded musical movie. Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein plans to make a big-screen adaptation of the award-winning musical 'Nine' and is determined to attract Hollywood's biggest stars.Speaking about the six leading female roles, Weinstein said: "I'm thinking Gwyneth Paltrow, Anne Hathaway, Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger.
"How will we pay their salaries? We'll figure it out. There are roles for six women in the movie who have to be beautiful and sing and dance. It's a terrible assignment to cast this."
Kidman demonstrated her singing talents in 'Moulin Rouge', while Dench starred as Sally Bowles in the first West End production of 'Cabaret' in 1968.
Zeta-Jones won an Oscar for her role in 'Chicago', starring alongside Zellweger.
Weinstein and director Rob Marshall are said to be considering Johnny Depp, George Clooney, Antonio Banderas and Javier Bardem for the male lead. 'Nine', which won five Tony Awards including Best Musical, tells the story of film director Guido Contini who is facing a mid-life crisis and trying to deal with the women in his life - which include his wife, mistress, protege and dead mother.
It is set in Venice in the early 60s.
Banderas - who starred in the movie adaptation of 'Evita' alongside Madonna - played Guido in the 2003 Broadway production. His performance earned him a Tony nomination.
Depp is currently filming musical movie 'Sweeney Todd' in which he stars as murderous London barber Benjamin Barker."
Karolina from Sweden
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at 11:21 (PDT)
Fans of the long-running Brit TV series ''As Time Goes By'' will want to know Geoffrey Palmer (Judi Dench's husband on the show) will be here Saturday to salute his wife, Sally's, sister Jane Sahlins and her husband, Bernie Sahlins, co-founder of Second City, as they're honored at the annual Legendary Landmarks gala at the Drake -- along with fellow honorees Gerald Arpino of the Joffrey Ballet and photographer Victor Skrebneski.NOTE FROM BONNIE: Thanks to Anne Marie and everyone else who let me know that this announcement appeared in Bill Zwecker's column in this morning's Sun-Times (for which I used to work). I'm not sure why I'm so pleased about it since I'm nowhere near Chicago now, but some of my heart clearly remains there. Speakiing of that, Larry, I waited online for 45 minutes in the Cubs "waiting room" before getting a pair of tickets to see the Cubs play the White Sox this June. I feel as though I've won a lottery. I hope I still feel that way when the game is over.
Anne Marie Bourdon
USA -- Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at 5:43 (PDT)
Hello everyone. I was finally going to order The Judi Dench Collection and when I loooked at the web I noticed that there were 2 versions, one with eight performances and only the interview with Richard Eyre, and one with ten performances with a lot more extra material. Of course I want the one with the ten performances but I've only seen it in Region 1 and since I live in Sweden I need it to be Region 2. Why is there a diffference? Is there a ten perfomance collection in Region 2 and where can I find it?I hope you can help me. Thanks! I hope everyone is well!
NOTE FROM BONNIE: I honestly never noticed that before. I looked and see that there were a lot more extras on the Region 1 DVD and as far as I know there were not 2 versions of the Region 2 DVD. So unless you have hardware that will play a Region 1 DVD I'm guessing that you won't be able watch it. Why it seems to be an abbreviated Region 2 disk is anyone's guess. They are done by different studios (Region 1 version was done by BBC/Warner and the Region 2 was done by 2 Entertain Studios. They were released at different times. One is quite a bit more expensive than the other and both of them are available at Amazon UK. I'm afraid I don't know any more than that. If anyone can help find the "long" version of this DVD, let me know.
Karolina from Sweden
Monday, February 25, 2008 at 1:42 (PDT)
Re: Cranford. I finished watching my Crandford DVDs over the weekend, and I loved every minute of them. I recognized many of the actors from other BBC productions and British films, including and especially Elizabeth Gaskell's Wives and Daughters, which I also loved. That prompted me to read the book, which I enjoyed, and I may now do the same with the Cranford novels.And Bonnie, thanks for posting the Cinderella clips. I can't wait to watch them.
Meira
Virginia, USA - Monday, February 25, 2008 at 12:59 (PDT)
Ooohhhhh, I have just watched "Cinderella" which has always been my favourite fairy tale, but to have seen and heard Judi tell the story has just made it perfect. My day just got brighter. Thank you for sharing this.Jenny
Western Australia - Sunday, February 24, 2008 at 18:02 (PDT)
About a month ago, my PBS station started showing ATGB from the beginning. The final episodes are the freshest -- Alistar and Judy finally getting married, Sandy going to Canada with Harry, Sandy being pregnant -- that I've forgotten how much I enjoyed being introduced to Jean, Lionel, etc. Last night was the trip to Norwich and watching relationships develop was great. Judy wants Alistair's attention, he's focusing on Jean, Jean can't believe Lionel would hook up with Denise, and Lionel is realizing that Jean is back in his life in an important way. That is a lot in less than 30 minutes of screen time, but Bob Larbey really knew how to move characters along. Of course, wonderful acting never hurts either!
Marla
Euclid, OH - USA - Sunday, February 24, 2008 at 3:05 (PDT)
Thanks, Bonnie, for posting that enchanting reading of "Cinderella." Judi's character of F.G. Goodsocks is wonderfully charming and intriguing, the costume, setting and Teddy Bear delightful and whimsical. I have found only another clip of her reading "The Tinder Box", as I searched the net for more about F.G. Goodsocks. I know the series (?) took place in the '80s. Can anyone supply more information? Thanks, in advance.
Joan in Pa
USA -- Saturday, February 23, 2008 at 7:57 (PDT)
I just watched Iris for the 2nd or 3rd time. I hadn't seen it for quite awhile so it was almost as fresh as the first time I saw it. I must say that the performances of Judi and Jim Broadbent were superior! I, too, agree with Sue about the challenges the John Bayley role provided and how wonderfully Jim rose to them. I also think Judi did an exceptional and Oscar worthy performance. I believe the film was first a love story, beautifully portrayed by Judi and Jim, and a believable expression of what a terrible toll Alzheimer's disease takes on a family. I have been through it twice and recognize the struggles. Now, about Away From Her and Julie Christie. I found the story and its details unbelievable and sometimes silly (the husband's strategy to bring her friend back to the "home"). The portrayal of the care givers was not what I have experienced either. Julie Christie didn't seem to change much from the beginning of the film to its end. She just seemed vacant to me all through the film and much to beautiful and well groomed . . . Remember The Notebook? I thought that was so much better than Away From Her . . . . first a wonderful love story and then struggles with the disease . . .Sorry to go on and on. But I have thought about this ever since seeing Away From Her (I had expected to like it).
Jan M
Oregon - USA -- Friday, February 22, 2008 at 22:11 (PDT)
Thanks for your response, Bonnie. You are probably right that not many people have seen it. I actually rented Away from Her. It has been out on DVD for quite sometime. I loved Juno, but my money is on Marie Cotillard winning the Oscar for playing Edith Piaf in La Vie En Rose. Its an amazing performance.NOTE FROM BONNIE: Duh! It never occurred to me that a film could be rented. I forgot about Itunes and Blockbuster and Hollywood Video, etc. I don't think I've ever rented one. How's that for keeping up with technology?
Sue
Portland, OR - USA -- Friday, February 22, 2008 at 19:03 (PDT)
About your question, Sue. I don't know for sure but I'm guessing that there are many, many people who haven't had an opportunity to see Away From Her even though most critics believe Julie Christie will win. I can't imagiine ne anyone improving on Ellen Page's performance in Juno, but it is probably like apples and oranges. Here in the Las Vegas area I haven't even seen it playing at the theatres near me. There is only one kind of artsy theatre which may have showcased it at one time, but it isn't around any more.Anyway, many thanks to Phil for sending me this lovely little film of Judi narrating the story of Cinderella. He tells me it was done in the 80s, but I have no specific information about when or where it ran. I had two split it into two parts to get it posted on YouTube and I apologize for the rough beginning of part two, which only lasts for a few seconds.
