Fracture (Widescreen Edition)

Amazon.com

Anthony Hopkins plays a brilliant, pathologically serene killer outwitting the good guys at every turn and taking a shine to a twentysomething law enforcer who can't conceal a rural accent and rugged origins. Could it be...? No, not The Silence of the Lambs, but an original mystery, Fracture, which plays a little like Lambs as an episode of Columbo, minus Columbo. Which means the film tells us from the get-go that Hopkins' character, a wealthy engineer, shoots his philandering wife (Embeth Davidtz) and leaves her in a vegetative state. From there, it should be a simple matter for young, assistant District Attorney Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling) to nail Crawford, who provides a full confession and even eschews counsel. That's good for Beachum, a slick winner with a vague background of deprivation, rapidly on his way out of public service after attracting the attention of a deep-pocket, private firm. What he doesn't know, however, is that Crawford has masterminded more than vengeance against his wife, and that the state's case against him is full of pre-arranged holes and a huge time-bomb that will send Beachum scrambling to keep the pieces together.

The story, conceived and co-scripted by Daniel Pyne (Doc Hollywood), goes down easily with a minimum of blood and violence, and should easily appeal to mystery buffs as well as old fans of Hopkins and new admirers of Oscar nominee Gosling (Half Nelson). The latter holds his own in multiple, two-character scenes with the masterful portrayer of Hannibal Lecter, pacing Beachum's reactions to Crawford's polite provocations so everything spills onto his youthful face: torn loyalties, confusion, gullibility. Director Gregory Hoblit (Hart's War), still best-known for decades of distinguished television work (NYPD Blue), brings the necessary intimacy to make the stars' chemistry work effectively. His noirish atmosphere is a little over the top, sometimes pushing the audience to a level of expectation that the film isn't really ready to deliver, but this, overall, is an enjoyable work. --Tom Keogh

Description

Academy Awardï¿½ winner Anthony Hopkins and Academy Awardï¿½ nominee Ryan Gosling are brilliant in this "exceptionally suspenseful nail-biter" (Rex Reed) that's so smart it "doesn't let go, even after the final twist" (Gene Shalit, "Today"). Ted Crawford (Hopkins) brutally murders his wife and calmly waits for the police to arrest him. With the weapon and a signed confession in hand, Deputy D.A., Willy Beachum (Gosling), believes a conviction is a slam dunk; that is until the case completely unravels. Now, with little evidence, Beachum goes head to head with the cunning Mr. Crawford in a desperate search for the truth and the answer to one burning question: How is this guy getting away with murder?

Customer Reviews:

GREAT Movie!.......2007-09-17

This is a really great movie - I could not figure it out for anything! The ending was so great too it left you shaking your head saying "Nuh-Uh!". And wanting more! You get tied up in the characters wanting to know them more and the story line is one that has been done before but not to this extent. A super mind game!!
If you like Anthony Hopkins this is a must see! If you don't like Antony Hopkins you may very well change your mind after this movie!

Never sure what will happen.......2007-09-17

There's a few things that make this film one of the best of 2007:
1. It is not predictable. You believe the film will end one way and then the twist gets you.
2. Hopkins and Gosling do some great acting, especially together.
3. The plot idea is fairly unique: A man kills his wife and is playing a chess game with the prosecuting attorney with confessions and evidence.

I also liked the director's previous film "Frequency" so if you liked that, you may well like this, it is similar in genre.

The only possible draw back is that it does seem to drag on a bit two-thirds the way into the movie. They could have cut out a few scenes there.

All in all, great film.

Fracture.......2007-09-17

only Anthony Hopkins can play this type of role and do it justice. The book kept you tied to your chair until it was finished. Spellbinding!

Overly Tricky Plot Makes for Glib Entertainment Thanks Mainly to the Two Leads.......2007-09-17

There's a familiar bag of tricks at work in this 2007 courtroom-driven suspense thriller, and it goes beyond Anthony Hopkins' deliberate echo of Hannibal Lecter in his malevolently amusing performance as Ted Crawford, a wealthy and cuckolded industrial engineer. It involves the intricately plotted, marginally credible screenplay by Daniel Pyne and Glenn Gers, which reminds me of an old episode of Columbo. That's not necessarily a bad thing since those Sunday night shows could be entertaining whodunits, but the derivative veneer of this movie purposefully shortchanges logic for contrived twists. In fact, the central conceit of the film is that we know Crawford shot his beautiful, adulterous wife point blank. The story is really about how he plans to get away with it and how young Willie Beachum, an ambitious and unflagging assistant D.A. bucks the odds and seeks the truth in this case.

Giving away any more is unnecessary, as director Gregory Hoblit is no stranger to the courtroom giving us the equally twist-infested Primal Fear eleven years ago. While the twists are not as pronounced here, they also don't feel as hard-earned primarily because Crawford and Beachum feel more like movie archetypes than flesh-and-blood characters. This is where casting helps considerably since Hopkins can easily evince menace with minimal effort - a blank stare, veiled smirk, the delusion of befuddlement in the courtroom - before you can say The Silence of the Lambs. Impressive in last year's Half Nelson, Ryan Gosling plays Beachum in a likeably braggadocio manner with a heavy Southern accent and a variety of idiosyncratic tics. It is his character that goes through something of an arc from accepting a high-paying job at an exclusive private firm to a personal catharsis over his crusade for justice.

The two principal actors are well matched in their scenes together, even though one is a virtual replay of the one between Hopkins and Jodie Foster in Lambs. The rest of the actors aren't given much leeway to provide any meaningful depth to their characters - David Strathairn, in a complete role reversal from this year's Bourne Ultimatum, as Beachum's moral conscience and current boss, D.A. Joe Labruto; Billy Burke particularly lackluster as the indiscreet detective caught in the middle; Embeth Davidtz making her precious few moments count as Crawford's dissatisfied wife Jennifer; and former Bond girl Rosamund Pike as Nikki Gardner, Beachum's boss at his new firm. Her romantic relationship with Beachum seems like a particularly absurd plot convenience given the impropriety of a senior partner bedding an associate.

The twisty ending satisfies for the obvious reason but is tethered in legal precedents that seem strangely arbitrary (pardon the pun). As part of its set of extras, the 2007 DVD contains two alternatives to the final ending, both making the inevitable a more Baroque-level experience that borders on silly. The other deleted scenes are of marginal interest including two extended variations on the romantic coupling between Gardner and Beachum. While a trailer is included, there is surprisingly no commentary track from either the director or the two principals. For what it's worth, the film is a fun ride for the undemanding because a moment's thought afterward will inevitably spoil your memory of it.

Different Kind of Murder/Suspense Movie!.......2007-09-15

I enjoyed watching this movie a lot as it had some twists and turns in it that I haven't seen in other movies.... this way you won't have figured out the ending before it happens!!

In "Fracture", Anthony Hopkin's character attempts to kill his wife for having an affair with another man. It is no secret that he has attempted to kill his wife as he admits to shooting her to the police. He gets rid of nearly all the evidence, including the murder weapon.

So, now the movie in turn, focuses on how the police and district attorney's office go about making a case for attempted murder. The case seems to be straight forward ENOUGH and SHOULD PROVE TO BE AN EASY TO PROVE..... BUT PROVES TO BE OTHERWISE! Watch Anthony Hopkin's character play cat and mouse with a young, hot shot attorney from the district attorney's office!

Average customer rating:

I hate it when I know the story from the first five minutes.
If you look close enough, you'll find everyone has a weak spot :-)
Interesting crime but less than stellar delivery
Not 2 Bad
3.5, Ok, But Not Great.

Fracture (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Anthony Hopkins , Ryan Gosling , David Strathairn , Rosamund Pike , and Embeth Davidtz
Director: Gregory Hoblit
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000R4SMD6
Release Date: 2007-08-14

Description

Customer Reviews:

I hate it when I know the story from the first five minutes........2007-09-04

This movie was pretty good, except as a mystery it gives too many clues from the onset. The whole time I felt like talking to the screen. Although the acting was much better than average and the cinematic directing very engrossing, the story was too weak to match, and failed to engage any empathy with any of the characters.

Overall a pretty good but far from great movie.

If you look close enough, you'll find everyone has a weak spot :-).......2007-09-02

This is a very smart movie. I really enjoyed it (although some parts moved too slow). Anthony Hopkins is as on top as ever and he really delivered a great performance. Ryan Gosling also did a fantastic job and was very believable as a district attorney out to prove Hopkins guilty of shooting his wife.
I found this gripping and engrossing and there were enough surprises in it to keep me guessing. While there was one or two predictable parts, the ending was great and I like the fact that we were left to do a little bit of wondering. I don't know that it's the kind of movie to go out and buy to watch over and over, but as a first time viewing and maybe once more after you've pieced it all together, I really recommend you at least see this once. Very entertaining.

Interesting crime but less than stellar delivery.......2007-08-31

This ho-hum thriller starts slowly, once Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins) shoots his wife for cheating on him. Young prosecutor Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling) is assigned the case - believed to be an easy and immediate conviction - as he is about to leave for a lucrative corporate law position. A game of cat and mouse ensues between Willy and the arrogant and educated Ted, once Ted gets all the evidence against himself thrown out of court. The ending is fairly interesting, but it's a long, slow haul to get there. In between, the viewer must endure a stale romance between Willy and his new boss - an anorexic blond with the charisma of cardboard whose only acting skills are opening her gaunt eyes wide and intensely staring at Willy as if he was a sandwich she would kill to get a bite of. Hopkins sleepwalks through a toned down version of Hannibal Lector, albeit without the interesting homicidal nuances of that character. And Gosling, who showed he has true talent in Murder by Numbers - seems to flounder as a lower class, Midwesterner clawing his way to the top in LA. His accent and body language feel forced, and he isn't ever believable as a successful attorney. The whole movie has the feel of trying too hard, yet never quite succeeding at gripping the audience.
-Jessica Teel, MA

Not 2 Bad.......2007-08-26

I would say this was a really good movie. I would recommend to watch. i don't know about buy though. It was kind of predictable if you actually look at all the clues , think about the what's going on, and know something about law. Than it probably want be as interesting in the end, but it was still a good movie.

3.5, Ok, But Not Great........2007-08-19

Hopkins is a great actor and can always pull off any character he plays. The story line was too weak. It had the potential to be a good suspenseful story, but lacked enough substance. It was ok for a rental. I wouldn't buy this movie.

Average customer rating:

Dream A Little Dream 2
Starring: Corey Feldman , Corey Haim , Robyn Lively , Stacie Randall , and Michael Nicolosi
Director: James Lemmo
Manufacturer: Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000PKG6G2
Release Date: 2007-07-03

Product Description

With dreams like these who needs reality? The Two Coreys return as Dinger and Bobby in this hilarious sequel. When the roommates receive a box containing a matched set of sunglasses, they soon find that one pair lets that person control the actions of whoever is wearing the other pair. Their mundane lives in L.A. turn crazy in this fantasy comedy.

Average customer rating:

P.D. James: A Mind to Murder
Starring: Roy Marsden
Director: Gareth Davies
Manufacturer: KOCH VISION
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0008EN6MC
Release Date: 2005-06-07

Description

Commander Adam Dalgliesh (Roy Marsden) finds himself caught in a whirlwind of political intrigue, blackmail and deceit when he is called to investigate a savage killing at the Steen Clinic, a discreet psychiatric and drug abuse treatment center for the elite. He arrives at the scene under strict orders to conduct a quick investigation. As the pressure mounts to name the murderer, Dalgliesh senses a cover up among his superiors, hostility from the staff and a growing fear that the killer will strike again.

Average customer rating:

Just plain bad
Three Blind Mice **SPOILER**
Movie Seems Diffrent...
Movie Seems Diffrent...
Confusing and Messy Thriller Just Doesn't Work

Three Blind Mice
Starring: Edward Furlong , Emilia Fox , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Sara Stewart , and Gary Connery
Director: Mathias Ledoux
Manufacturer: First Look Pictures
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ASIN: B0000C504B
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Description

Thomas, a computer programmer, enjoys visiting webcam sites on the internet. One of his favorite sites is that of Cathy, a girl with whom he has developed a friendship, and fallen in love. But while the two are chatting, an intruder enters her room. Thomas has her website address - nothing more - and can only watch in horror as Cathy is brutally murdered. As the only witness, Thomas also becomes a suspect until he and the beautiful detective assigned to the case, Claire, begin to fall in love. In order to draw out the true killer, they start their own website using Claire as bait. But are they setting themselves up to be the next victims and risking a chance at a relationship beyond the computer screen and key pad?

Customer Reviews:

Just plain bad.......2005-01-21

Two things struck me about this film:

1. Ledoux clearly didn't bother doing his research into computer experts. Or people who didn't just buy a ready made PC from a chain store for that matter. Maybe he decided all the experts should use XP so 85% of the viewing world could relate to the computers but, damn, how many hackers/programmers would be using that ghastly piece of over priced bloatware commonly known as Outlook? So, the characterisation was bad with only stereotypes.

2. Is it just me or did it look like a cheap version of an English cop drama? We already know the characters are clichés, but so is the plot and dialogue. BTW, I like British cop dramas, well, Murder City at least. But TBM looked like it had a smaller budget than those shows. Ledoux could've at least overcome the look by spending money on a writer who'd graduated high school.

Don't watch this unless it's on TV and there is absolutely nothing else to do.

Three Blind Mice **SPOILER**.......2004-08-06

I agree with Dustin B - shame not to see Edward Furlong in T3 - this movie had so much potential (in the realm of Hitchcock) but went wrong in so many ways - it insulted the audience several times (old-fashioned cops and a hacker with a knack for buggin whose place is broken into and he doesn't check for bugs or wonder why someone was even there?) The ending fight was pretty lame tho the twist wasn't too bad - the older actors weren't very good - too stereotypical and one dimensional. It had the strangest clash of a 1940's/2004 that didnt mix. And yes, Furlong did seem too tired too much of the time (there were actual scenes where it looked like he had a good night's sleep). If you want to see something not so technical but along the same lines - rent 8mm

Movie Seems Diffrent..........2004-05-29

The actors in this movie did a great job; what
made this movie lose potential was the ending
(Which I will not reveal).

Here's how the storyline goes.
A young adult named Thomas visits a Web Cam Site
and falls in love with a nice looking lady. He
develops a habbit of watching her on his screen.
One day he logs on to her site and can't access it.
He then proceeds to "gain access" to it. He views
his "internet girl" as usual. Two seconds later
Thomas sees his lady get slaughtered.
The Police can not seem to help since the killer is
masked and Thomas viewed remotely. But then a beautiful
police officer named Claire gets involved. Afterward,
Thomas and Claire set up their own web cam hoping to
attract the killer. Things really started to really start
to get interesting. The movie was great until the ending.

Movie Seems Diffrent..........2004-05-29

The actors in this movie did a great job; what
made this movie lose potential was the ending
(Which I will not reveal).

Here's how the storyline goes.
A young adult named Thomas visits a Web Cam Site
and falls in love with a nice looking lady. He
develops a habbit of watching her on his screen.
One day he logs on to her site and can't access it.
He then proceeds to "gain access" to it. He views
his "internet girl" as usual. Two seconds later
Thomas sees his lady get slaughtered.
The Police can not seem to help since the killer is
masked and Thomas viewed remotely. But then a beautiful
police officer named Claire gets involved. Afterward,
Thomas and Claire set up their own web cam hoping to attract the killer. Things really started to really start to get interesting. The movie was great until the ending.

Confusing and Messy Thriller Just Doesn't Work.......2004-01-23

Edward Furlong stars in this British/French thriller. Emilia Fox ("The Pianist"), Chiwetel Ejiofor ("Dirty Pretty Things") Elsa Zylberstein ("Mina Tannenbaum") also appear, and the director is Mathias Ledoux. Well, the stars' names are pretty impressive.

Edward Furlong is a compuer programmer Thomas living in London, and perhaps has too much curiosity. Now, he is visiting his favorite site run by 'Cathy' ... but two strangethings happen. One: the internet connection is suddenly disrupted; Two: After the connection is back, Thomas witnesses an unknown person in mask sneaking behind Cathy, and ... you know what happens next.

Yes, this is a kind of Hitchcock in the internet age, or at least it wants to be so. You expect something like 'cyber-cop'? Sorry, but as you see soon, its uninspired direction and impossible story makes it a text about 'How Not To Make a Thriller." You know, the London cops step in, but they even don't seem to know how the net works. They suspect that the most unlikely person in the world actually did it (how stupid) while they can locate the whereabout of Cathy in a day or two. That is because, one of the cops claims, they are too "old-fashioned."

Things get slightly better when a beautiful police officer Claire with knowledge about the website (Fox) enters the plot. She and her trusted partner (Ejiofor) investigate the case, and these good actors raise the film a notch higher. But the good news end here, as the story shows most unexpected (and unbelievable) development in the second half. I won't tell you about that. I only say that there are so many twists and turns, but none of them is surprising or thrilling. Why should intelligent Claire do THAT in front of a web-cam remains the greatest mystery of this thrill-less thriller.

I saw the director's previous film "En Face" (in French), which was clearly influenced by Alfred Hitchcock's films like "Rebecca." But that thrilling experience and stylish camera of the master were not to be seen then, and not now again.

Finally, to the fans of Edward Furlong. It is sad to see him doing this while he should be doing "T3" or something like "American History X." He is not good at all, and always looks too tired. I don't want to say it, but it is true.

Product Description

When six of Roland Levy s friends accept an invitation to dine on his private island, they know it will be an extraordinary evening. Roland fascinates his guests with stories of his recent travels and the spiritual awakening he experienced in the Andes. Roland then reveals that he has poisoned everyone, just as he was poisoned before having his own epiphany. In order to get the antidote, each person must confess to the lies they have built their lives on or die!

System Requirements:

Running Time 84 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

More Comical than Scary.......2006-06-30

An author, after coming back from a sabbatical, invites six of his friends (three men, three women) to his island paradise. The only way on and off the island is by boat. During dinner he tells them of his intimate travels to Africa and Peru.

He went on sabbatical because he had recently lost the love of his life and had become thoroughly depressed. He wore his depression on his face but would not share it. In an effort to release his pain a shaman he meets on a mountain top poisons him to help him release his pain. In his mind he died up on that mountain and was reborn.

When his guests start to become shaky and nauseous they realize their host has poisoned them as well. This does not have the desired effect he expected, especially after one of them drops to the ground a few minutes later with no pulse. Hysterical anger ensues.

I really enjoyed the movie and came upon it immediately from a comedic perspective rather than a psychological horror one. I also knew it would be a B-movie. Lance Henrikson played the lead character (although you don't see him for the first 10-15 minutes) and had me in stitches with his quirky looks of disbelief and knowing smiles.

Some of the supportive actors were a bit stereotypical and over the top. In the beginning Lance had said their secrets affected everyone else at the table but I didn't see a complete weave with everyone. Some scenes were definitely better than other ones and it was predictable. If you can catch it on tv, rent it or find it in the discount bin go for it. It is comical.

Death might be a better option........2004-08-07

I guess that I realized it in the very beginning of the movie. When Lance Henriksen is the star and there are no other recognizable names or faces, maybe that is a cue that you might want to see something else. As a mystery, it does not work because what is going on becomes painfully clear pretty early in the movie. I do not feel that it is fair to blame the actors, who incidentally do not distinguish themselves. But, who could make something out of this simplistic yet muddled mess? It would have been somewhat interesting if we could make some sense of each character's epiphanies, but they are so garbled and unclear that there is never any payoff. And, on top of that, the ending (I shall not give it away) was contrived and trite. An almost complete disappointment.

WITH FRIENDS LIKE THIS...........2004-07-13

THE INVITATION's premise is fairly simple: Lance Henriksen stars as a man who invites eight of his friends to his remote island getaway. In the spirit of TEN LITTLE INDIANS with somewhat of a twist, he informs them that he has been "born again" and also, by the way, he's poisoned each of them. He will give them the antidote if they all confess to some hideous secret they all share that involves each other. The script is so shoddily written, however, that it takes a long time to fully understand just what it is each of these people have done. Also asks the question, who died and made Lance Henriksen God? He says he's doing it for their own good, to allow them "freedom in their lives". His method of freeing them however is ultimately cruel and sadistic; also the ending is predictable and the little dog is the clue to the esoteric climax.
An unusual premise given shoddy treatment. Henriksen does fairly well, but the rest of the cast is only average at best. Don't expect a horror movie, just a philosophical psychobabble.

Predictable.......2004-07-07

Spoiler Alert if you hate spoilers, don't bother to read any further.
This movie was OK. It wasn't all that good, but it wasn't terrible either. It was predictable. Throughout the film, I kept thinking "there is no way this guy would bring his friends to the island and then poison them. Just no way. I bet he's given them something that mimics death, and they'll wake up and realize they've had a mind-blowing trip with insights into their lives". Yep, sure enough, that's what happens. "Even then, I kept thinking, "he (Roland, Lance Henriksen's character) must be dying. How else would he not be worrying about MASSIVE lawsuits?". Sure enough, he dies in the last scene, or at least is dying. I watched it and don't hate it, it had some good scenes and I did sniffle a bit, but I don't particularly like it either. Watch it on cable like I did.

Oh God, my eyes are bleeding.......2004-03-13

Never have I been complelled to write a review, but I must warn my compatriots to stay away from this movie. What a monumental waste of time. Terrible acting with an even worse script, this movie ranks on my top 5 worst movies of all time. From meaningless breakaway camera shots that will make you nauseated to driveling pseudointelectual blathering this movie breaks all boundries in what a thinking person would tolerate. I was left wondering, "Why am I still watching this?" Praying for a turn in the plot or at least something more original than the pathetic beatnic philosophy spewed out by the main character. The ending was just as bad as the rest and I'm inclined to ask for the 4 dollar rental fee back. I too am driven to my knees, but only to vomit and then pray to the God so often misquoted in this movie that many of those who brought us this movie will see their careers end up in the stupid little 2 foot graves from the movie. I know Amazon is a place we can buy absolutely anything sold on the planet, but this movie should be the one exception.

Average customer rating:

great performances
"Your personal feelings are irrelevant."
A mind to assess PD James
Thought-provoking tale with excellent performances
A powerful story of mind games as well as murder!

P.D. James - A Mind to Murder
Starring: Roy Marsden , Mairead Carty , Sean Scanlan , Robert Pugh , and Peter Tuddenham
Director: Gareth Davies
Manufacturer: Lance Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001DCQZI
Release Date: 2004-04-20

Customer Reviews:

great performances.......2005-03-30

This adaptation is quite short, under 2 hrs. So the pacing is quicker and story necessarily a more direct than the other 6 hr adaptations. The acting is really nice though, and this is one of the adaptations that I have watched multiple times for that reason. The ending is over the top, but I loved it. I hope they paid that poor actor a lot to do the ending scene! You'll have to see it to see what I mean.

"Your personal feelings are irrelevant.".......2004-12-22

Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh (Roy Marsden) is ordered to investigate the murder of an employee which occurs at the prestigious Steen Clinic. The clinic caters to the wealthy and the privileged, and houses both those with chemical dependencies and those with serious mental problems. With a handful of brittle suspects, Dalgliesh tries to solve the crime. He's hampered in his efforts by superiors who clearly want the case wrapped up as quietly and as quickly as possible.

"A Mind to Murder" is one of the least satisfying Dalgliesh mysteries, and this is mainly due to the plot. This made for television film begins with a tragic event, and then moves onto the seemingly unconnected murder at the Steen Clinic. The plot contains several holes, which are never explained to one's satisfaction. Another problem with the plot is its setting--a clinic full of troubled patients very quickly boils down to one suspect, and while this character's acting is good, the character's problem itself seems a little too blatant and simplified for my tastes. "A Mind to Murder"--based on a P.D. James novel-- at 101 minutes is also considerably shorter than most of the other Dalgliesh mysteries. The tangled truth at the bottom of all the disruption at the clinic is vastly interesting, and it certainly raises some questions for discussion, but "A Mind to Murder" does not possess the quality of other Dalgliesh mysteries. Ultimately, some aspects of the film seem somewhat hurried, and the over-the-top ending is a bit silly. If you're a newcomer to Dalgliesh, I recommend starting with another, more enjoyable episode first--displacedhuman

A mind to assess PD James.......2004-05-04

"A Mind to Murder" is based on James' second (1963) novel, video-taped in 1996. Having never read her novels, but after repeated critical viewings of this and related TV productions, this reviewer reluctantly concludes that James' work is unfortunately not in the same league as that of other prominent mystery writers whose work has been moved to the small screen.

James' major writing flaw is that she frequently (almost always?) begins with the key murder having taken place. With no well-considered and interesting introductory characterizations and interplay in advance of the main events, we never get to enjoy the delicious anticipatory speculation (like one gets in a Christie) as to who is going to "get it", when, and maybe even who's next and why? (But then Christie was a grand master of the art!) There is no opportunity to engage with the victim before the crime. We cannot witness in time sequence the suspect interactions: their sizzling and fascinating cross-dialog, their threats, their hates, their MOTIVATIONS, building up to the point of murder. Subsequent to the murder, no prior suspect characterizations exist upon which to build. There are no delicious denouements where scenes are replayed showing what "really happened." With James, what we get is nothing more than a dry formulaic recitation of the relationships and circumstances that lead to the murder, presented retrospectively in a series of boring, dull he-said-she-said talking head exchanges amongst Dalgliesh and a horde of strangers, including his assistants of the moment. With none of these can one even remotely identify. Hanging over all of this like a wet blanket is James' cold, impersonal style, best characterized in Roy Marsden's authoritarian (he-who-must-be-obeyed?) portrayal of Commander Adam Dalgliesh - Metropolitan Police, who is such an arrogant cold-fish as to completely dispel any empathy viewers could ever possibly develop. He may as well be another victim stretched out on that morgue slab.

For someone posing as an expert in murder solving, Dalgliesh is NOT an investigative detective (or lawyer) in the Poirot, Holmes, Dr. Bell, Barnaby, Cadfael, Foyle, Lord Peter Wimsey, (or certainly not Perry Mason) tradition. When asked by an assistant why a particular murder occurred, he says (Chapter 8) "Why is not the here nor there. If we find the how, we'll find the who." Dalgliesh's sentiment is not new or isolated, but his personal modus operandi (and apparently James' raisonneur), expressed in other episodes as well! Thus, Dalgliesh says, MOTIVE IS OF NO CONSEQUENCE IN SOLVING MURDERS! (But note even he, kicking and screaming, cannot escape reality at times.) Such sentiments put Dalgliesh completely outside the panoply of great investigative detectives. He is the diametrical opposite of the above-named great ones, being first and foremost a police officer. Indeed, visions of Police Lieutenant Tragg of Homicide come to mind, but without Tragg's engagingly smirky wit. And even Tragg was ALWAYS interested in MOTIVE, though the wrong motive!

After watching these other classic series, then watching one of James', the regression in story quality is striking. The video image on this DVD is surprisingly sharp and free of grain, though perhaps a bit on the dark side. The audio, a major concern in this series, is clear and largely free of distracting background noise. Reluctantly NOT recommended unless you are a completist.

Thought-provoking tale with excellent performances.......2000-08-26

Since 1983, fans of P.D. James have relished the sumptuous TV adaptations of the mystery author's complex detective novels. For the most part, the books have been shepherded to the small screen with great care, and the casting of actor Roy Marden as Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh has been seen as nothing less than a masterstroke. The one complaint that could be leveled against the producers is the seemingly random order in which the books have been filmed. A Mind To Murder, James' second Dalgliesh novel, was the eighth adaptation for television in 1996. This trend has played more than a little havoc with the chronology and character development laid down on the printed page. A Mind To Murder underwent more changes from page to screen than any previous adaptation, but remains gripping and thought-provoking taken on its own merits.

Once again, Roy Marsden assumes the mantle of the poetry-writing, introspective Dalgliesh, and his performance here is riveting and intense as usual. This is no ordinary investigation, as events in the story will affect him personally on several levels. The tense opening scene sees Dalgliesh lose a young member of his team in a hostage crisis. Three months later, he and his team are dispatched to the remote Steen Clinic to invesigate a murder, an odd assignment considered they are the Metropolitan Police. Dalgliesh will learn the reason for this assignment, and stumble across some unnerving secrets relating to the death of his colleague earlier in the tale - secrets that lay submerged within the stated function of the clinic, which is to treat the addictions and depressions of the rich and the powerful...

The members of the large cast are all marvelous, and the production values are extremely high. As a James fan, I usually enjoy the adaptations, and tend to balk at overt changes made from the printed page. In this instance, though, my grumbles are minor thanks to the strength of the performances and some neat little flourishes which add zest to the proceedings. Dark and fascinating.

A powerful story of mind games as well as murder!.......2000-07-05

One interesting fact about this video, is that no writing credits are given for the adaption of P D James book that this is based on. Viewers should not expect this adaptation to be a faithful reproduction of the original. Even the murderer is different! But I'm not going to tell the prospective buyer who it is, so they will need to buy it and find out for themselves. Having stated these facts, I still found this video an excellent and enjoyable experience. As expected, Roy Marsden again puts in another solid performance and portrays Dalgliesh as no other actor can. The supporting cast is top class, with Cal Macaninch giving a wonderful performance of a highly disturbed young man. The murder victim, has no friends and lots of enemies. The Steen Clinic for the emotionally disturbed, depressed, alcoholic clients, and its staff all have the potential for a 'A Mind to Murder' and Dalgliesh is handed the unenviable task of trying to find the culprit. The final scene has the potential to submerge the viewers and leave them literally breathless. An excellent production, full of intrigue, pathos, and of course the action packed, unusual conclusion.

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