Amazon.com video review:
What would you get if you combined the BBC, six Victorian novels, and a cheesy 1970s soap opera? Well, this! The Pallisers is as lavish in its aristocratic intrigues (political scandal and opportunity, lecherous dukes, palatial country houses, a world where everyone knows their place) as it is in its soap opera aesthetic (characters' tumultuous struggles for power, money, love). This made-for-television production is a strange blend of exquisite costuming, remarkable sets, and surprisingly good acting on the one hand and video-quality production and an utterly melodramatic script on the other. Definitely pleasurable viewing for all who enjoy watching the period passion, pomp, and politics of upper-class Victorians.
Set 1 contains the first 8 episodes of the BBC's 26-episode serialization of Anthony Trollope's Palliser novels (1865-1880), introducing Plantagenet Palliser and Lady Glencora, whose politically expedient marriage sets the stage for the rest of the Palliser dynasty's saga. The DVD's special features include a 36-page viewer's guide, an interview with Susan Hampshire (Lady Glencora), and information on Anthony Trollope, his fiction, and the Trollope Society. --Tara Chace
Amazon.com video review:
What would you get if you combined the BBC, six Victorian novels, and a
cheesy 1970s soap opera? Well, this! The Pallisers is as lavish in
its aristocratic intrigues (political scandal and opportunity, lecherous
dukes, palatial country houses, a world where everyone knows their place)
as it is in its soap opera aesthetic (characters' tumultuous struggles for
power, money, love). This made-for-television production is a strange blend
of exquisite costuming, remarkable sets, and surprisingly good acting on
the one hand and video-quality production and an utterly melodramatic
script on the other. Definitely pleasurable viewing for all who enjoy
watching the period passion, pomp, and politics of upper-class
Victorians.
Set 2 contains episodes 9 through 17 of the BBC's 26-episode serialization
of Anthony Trollope's Palliser novels (1865-1880), following Plantagenet
Palliser and Lady Glencora's rise to an even higher social echelon and
the challenges that their growing family must face. These episodes
emphasize two
family intimates--the ambitious and attractive Phineas Finn, who divides
his
energies between politics and romance, and Lizzie Eustace, the comely young
widow with diamond troubles. The splendid cast includes Derek Jacobi as the
lovelorn Lord Fawn and Penelope Keith as his overbearing sibling. The
DVD's special features
include a new interview with Susan Hampshire (Lady Glencora) and cast
filmographies. --Tara Chace
