"The Crow Road" (1996) TV mini-series

Seasons:

1

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

An adaption of Banks' dark novel, whose central character is Prentice McHoan, a young Scots history student...

Plot Keywords:

TV Mini-Series | Glass | Family Secret | Murder | Scotland

Awards:

4 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Joe McFadden	...	Prentice McHoan (4 episodes, 1996)
Bill Paterson	...	Kenneth McHoan (4 episodes, 1996)
Peter Capaldi	...	Rory McHoan (4 episodes, 1996)
Valerie Edmond	...	Ashley Watt (4 episodes, 1996)
Stella Gonet	...	Fiona Urvill (4 episodes, 1996)
David Robb	...	Fergus Urvill (4 episodes, 1996)
Dougray Scott	...	Lewis McHoan (4 episodes, 1996)
Patricia Kerrigan	...	Janice (4 episodes, 1996)
Paul Young	...	Hamish McHoan (4 episodes, 1996)
Alex Norton	...	Lachlan Watt (4 episodes, 1996)
Elizabeth Sinclair	...	Mary McHoan (4 episodes, 1996)
Simone Bendix	...	Verity (4 episodes, 1996)
Claire Nielson	...	Aunt Antonia (4 episodes, 1996)
Jenny Ryan	...	Helen Urvill (4 episodes, 1996)
Sarah Gudgeon	...	Dianna Urvill (4 episodes, 1996)
Irene Sunters	...	Mrs. McSpadden (4 episodes, 1996)
Stephen McCole	...	Dean Watt (4 episodes, 1996)
Ian Bustard	...	Droid (4 episodes, 1996)
Julie Austin	...	Lizzie (4 episodes, 1996)
Edward Casey	...	Young Prentice (aged 10) (3 episodes, 1996)
Robert James	...	Blawke (3 episodes, 1996)
John Harding	...	Paxton-Marr (3 episodes, 1996)
Mark Johnson	...	Young Lewis (3 episodes, 1996)
Kyle Calderwood	...	Young Kenneth (2 episodes, 1996)
Paul Young	...	Young Fergus (2 episodes, 1996)
Graeme Hill	...	Young Lachlan (2 episodes, 1996)
Alan McCafferty	...	Calum Watt (2 episodes, 1996)
Brian Alexander	...	Gavin (2 episodes, 1996)
Anne Myatt	...	Mrs. Watt (2 episodes, 1996)
Jody Robertson	...	Young Diana (2 episodes, 1996)
Deborah McLaren	...	Young Helen (2 episodes, 1996)
Maureen Lynch	...	Young Marion (2 episodes, 1996)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Filming Locations:

Ardkinglas House, Cairndow, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK

Company:

BBC Scotland

Trivia:

Although the last name of Prentice's flatmate Gavin is never mentioned in the book or the series, there is a label on the front door stating it to be Millar. "Gavin Millar" is also the director's name.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Prentice arrives into "Partick Cross" train station the train he is seen arriving on is different from that which we then see leaving the station (a class 303 arrives, a class 314 leaves)

Quotes:

Prentice: It all started the day my Grandmother exploded.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Zomergasten: (#11.1)" (1998)

Sometimes things only come to you gradually

Sometimes a screen version of a story recognises that it doesn't have to be a slavish copy of the book in order to do it justice. Sometimes it remembers to rely on visuals rather than words. This mini-series utilised a very clever plot device to highlight Prentice's confusion, questions and internal dialogue.

The darkly comic story opens up at the funeral of Prentice's grandmother who subsequently explodes. This bizarre event sets the tone for the rest of the four episodes and lets you know right away, that you're not watching a standard mystery.

But more relevantly... shortly before Granny died, she set Prentice a little task. Find out what happened to Uncle Rory. Now, Rory has been missing for about seven years now and nobody knows where he is. He got on his motorbike one day and drove off - never to be seen again. Various family members have their theories on what happened to him, but they are a quirky and strange bunch with their own secrets, so their thoughts are open to interpretation, anyway. And the rest of the clues are present in Rory's memoirs which are haphazard, random and - due to his disappearance - incomplete.

So the story gradually unwinds. The viewer never knows any more or less than Prentice knows himself and he is unwilling to face some of the less savoury details. Further events, funerals and family gatherings, together with Rory's own notes inspire flashbacks and memories that flesh out all the characters, provide fresh suspicions and theories and ultimately provides one of those "Ooohh" moments where everything finally falls into place. I mean it. You might well find yourself shouting at Prentiss to "Make the #*$ing connections!" I certainly did.

Watch the series with a bunch of friends. Pause the DVD after every episode. Put the kettle on (or open some more beers or - if you really want to savour the mood - pour some whisky), recap what happened with each other, exchange theories and then settle back for the next instalment. Then later, you might even be inspired to read the book.

Very recommended.