Teresa reviews Grandmaster (2012) and found it fast-moving but incoherent Indian version of “The ABC Murders” (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel Fidelity to text: 3 stranglers The taunting letters, the loony patsy, and the faked serial killer remain in this Malayalam police procedural. Quality of movie: 3 stranglers Fast-paced and often incoherent with an entire, unclear […]
Teresa reviews Charlie Chopra and the Mystery of Solang Valley (2023) and it found a way of confounding Indian audiences used to elaborate fight and dance scenes: a woman addressing the camera. (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel Fidelity to text: 4 decanters Remarkably close, despite much added complexity to the characters’ relationships and an additional murderer. […]
Teresa reviews Now or Never (1997), (a.k.a. Aar Ya Paar), (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel Fidelity to text: 4½ blunt objects But only for The Sucker Punch, the novel the movie was really based on. There’s very little Agatha present, despite what other sources tell you. Quality of film: 3½ blunt objects Despite bad editing, a […]
Teresa reviews Portrait (2018), a 29-minute student adaptation of Five Little Pigs and marveled at how it succeeded in condensing the novel. (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel Fidelity to text: 4 beer bottles Considering the plot was boiled down to six people, including the detective, it’s amazing how closely it follows the text. Quality of film: […]
Teresa reviews Ragala 24 Gantallo (2019) and called this adaptation of Agatha Christie’s “The Unexpected Guest” a roller-coaster movie you’d want to see twice. (Translation: In the Next 24 Hours) Source: We bought ours on ebay, but as of 6/29/2024 I see a version with English subtitles on YouTube. (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel Fidelity to […]
Teresa reviews Quicksand (2016) and found it an excellent adaptation of “Cards on the Table.” (Chorabali) Based on Cards on the Table (1936) (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel Fidelity to text: 4 broken necks It’s a Bengali police procedural, Inspector Battle takes the lead, there’s an unexpected twist, but you’ll recognize every beat. Quality of film: […]
Teresa reviews Shubho Mahurat (2003) and while it was an adequate adaptation, it’s murky lighting and thin subtitling made us wish for more. English Translation: The First Shoot Based upon “The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side” (1962) My source: I found my copy on eBay. Fidelity to text: 2 poisoned glasses of soda You’ll […]
(Hungarian title: A Titokzatos Stylesi Eset) Teresa reviews The Mysterious Affair at Styles (2022), a Hungarian version using images, movie clips, and a sole narrator to tell the story. (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel Fidelity to text: 4 poison bottles Considering what a bizarre, short, avant-garde film this is, it’s amazingly close. Quality of film: unratable […]
Teresa reviews Darkes Forest Blues (2023), a short movie from Australia based on a scene from Murder on the Orient Express (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel Source: YouTube “Darkes Forest Blues” Fidelity to text: 2 guns The story’s central conceit, albeit gender-swapped, remains. Amazing for an 8-minute student film. Quality of film: 2 guns The second […]
Teresa reviews A Haunting in Venice (2023) and enjoyed this spooky adaptation of Hallow’een Party. (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel Fidelity to text: 2 drowning victims The names match. There’s a Halloween party. A chunk of Nemesis forms the true motive. Quality of movie: 4 drowning victims I hated Ariadne Oliver’s motivation. I refuse to believe […]