Teresa reviews “Murder on the Orient Express” (2010) and found this version forgot the true victims in the Daisy Armstrong case. Fidelity to text: 3 1/2 knives Add a suicide (caused by Poirot), a stoning (which he disregards), Ratchett supposedly repenting, and Col. Arbuthnot taking justice into his own hands. Quality of movie on its […]
Teresa Reviews “Murder on the Orient Express” (2017) in the third episode of our new podcast! Bill here. Yes, it took me three episodes to let y’all know that we launched at podcast! That’s actually pretty good response time, considering that we watched upwards of 160 movies before realizing we could talk about it! And […]
Bill reviews “Skipping Christmas” (2001) by John Grisham and found in its story of commercialism & societal pressure a Ur-text for Randians. John Grisham, the creator of straight-shooting legal thrillers, is carrying on the thrilling work of Ayn Rand, and he has outdone the master of “The Fountainhead” and “Atlas Shrugged” by taking the standard […]
Teresa reviews “The Pale Horse” (2020) and enjoyed Sarah Phelps’ changes to the Christie novel. Fidelity to text: 2 ½ poison bottles This is true to the spirit but not to the text. What is real? What is smoke and mirrors? Who can you trust? Quality of movie on its own: 4 poison bottles Hypnotic […]
Teresa Reviews “Murder on the Orient Express” (2001) and finds a rumpled Poirot who says, “Murder outside the law? Nah, it’ll be fine.” Fidelity to text: 3 knives Three fewer suspects, a date change to 2001, and our star’s 6 foot 2. But the story’s still there. Quality of film on its own: 3 knives […]
Teresa reviews The Pale Horse (1997) and found it enjoyable so long as you never read the book. Fidelity to text: 3 wrenches Bad witches transformed the leads into near unrecognizability and removed Ariadne Oliver. A good witch left most of the plot in place. Quality of movie on its own: 3 wrenches Choppy, uneven, […]
Teresa reviews “Dumb Witness” (1996) and finds the expanded story with racing boats and altered characters enriches the story. Fidelity to text: 3½ poison bottles Changes throughout made for a better, more satisfying movie and fixed two of Agatha’s mistakes. Quality of movie on its own: 4½ poison bottles Three boats and a dog, to […]
Teresa reviews “And Then There Were None” (2015) and thought Sarah Phelps version killed it. Fidelity to text: 4½ weapons The typical adaptation sticks with the play’s ending. This is the novel: gruesome, paranoid, atmospheric, horrifying, and, as God is my witness, the unlucky visitors earned their fates. Quality of movie on its own: 5 […]
Teresa reviews “Murder by the Book” (1987) and wishes the fantasy between Christie and Poirot was released in a clearer version. Fidelity to text: 3 hatchet jobs This is pure imagination, but solidly based on Agatha’s own writings and life. Quality of movie on its own: 3 hatchet jobs Our copy was terrible. Great acting […]
Teresa reviews “Hickory Dickory Dock” (1995) and found it as tantalizing as pig’s trotters. Read more of Teresa’s Agatha Christie movie reviews at Peschel Press. Also, follow Teresa’s discussion of these movies on her podcast. Fidelity to text: 2½ poison bottles Ch-ch-ch-changes galore. The plot, the characters, the subplots, the motivations, the relationships, even how […]