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Amazon.co.uk review
Another costume drama, another classic literary adaptation, and another stellar cast. You can’t help thinking that it all becomes a matter of routine for commissioning editors at the BBC. But panic not: Oliver Twist is, yet again, a strong piece of work, and well worth adding to the corporation’s impressive collection.
Based, as you’d expect, on the Dickens text, and adapted with real skill by Sarah Phelps, Oliver Twist is a strong three hours of drama. The script isn’t ideal for the Dickens purist, as Phelps has brought some new ideas to her work, but it’s hard to quibble with the quality of the drama that results.
Oliver Twist’s outstanding cast is led by Timothy Spall, and also brings together Tom Hardy, Sophie Okenedo, Edward Fox, Sarah Lancashire and Gregor Fisher among others. They inherit and inhabit Dickens’ varied collection of characters with exceptional skill, and they help to vividly bring the tale of the artful dodger to the small screen.
It should be noted that Oliver Twist isn’t a perfect production, with the deviations from the source material presenting a couple of talking points. But it conforms ably to the high standards we’ve come to expect from BBC costume productions, and while it’s not their finest work, it’s a very good piece of television drama that’s well worth investing your time in. --Jon Foster
DVD Description
"A who’s who of acting talent captures perfectly Dicken’s army of exaggerated grotesques..." --The Times
Starring: Timothy Spall, William Miller, Adam Arnold, Tom Hardy, Sophie Okenedo, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Edward Fox, Anna Massey, Morven Christie, Sarah Lancashire, Gregor Fisher, Rob Brydon, John Sessions.
This gripping take on Charles Dickens’ classic remains faithful to the spirit of the novel while delivering a modern, thrilling, tragic and occasionally comic edge. Sarah Phelps (EastEnders), one of Britain's most dynamic television writers, has adapted this powerful story,
Oliver is born into poverty and misfortune – the son of an unmarried mother, who dies shortly after his birth; he is soon delivered to the workhouse. There, the cruel Mr Bumble oversees children tormented by starvation and suffering. When Oliver dares ask for more gruel, he finds himself cast out and forced to make his own way in the world.
Running away to London, Oliver meets the Artful Dodger and his gang, as well as the beautiful Nancy and gets the first warm welcome of his life – but he is soon to discover that this kindness requires its own type of payment.
As Oliver is drawn deeper into the dark and murky underworld, he remains unaware that the kind Mr Brownlow is searching for him, while others – the brutal criminal Bill Sikes, the manipulative Fagin and the mysterious Mr Monks – are vying to ruin and destroy his life…
Special Feature:
Behind-the-Scenes
A New Twist on Oliver Twist
Adapted by: Sarah Phelps.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
It always makes my heart sink when I watch the "behind the scenes" documentaries of TV adaptations of books, and the focus is on how they've changed things, tried to make it "relevant to the modern age" and, by implication, improved upon the original. This is an enjoyable story, but it isn't "Oliver Twist." Now, I'm not a purist. I've just finished acting in a local version of the musical, Oliver! which also strays far from Dickens' original. But this one just isn't quite right. The characters keep the same names, but are not the same people. My particular gripe is with the way the Artful Dodger is portrayed. Dodger is a boy who thinks he's a man, cynical, arrogant and a joy to read about or watch. Yet here, he is yet another sulky, stroppy teenager. Oliver, on the other hand, the writers have decided to make less wimpy than he usually comes across. No harm in that - yet is there no other way than to have him answering back the whole time? The story itself is fine, for there at least the writers have kept close to the original. But at times the characters are barely recognisable.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I'm a bit late with these comments because I've only just seen this version of "Oliver Twist" on TV. I will not be buying the DVD even though Amazon have already reduced the price by 75%, which seems to reflect a need to clear the stock.
I found the changes from the original story to be somewhat problematic.
Fagin and the boys keep calling Oliver "Nolly". This is grating. Dickens used that nickname only three or four times in the novel.
Rose sings "Abide with me". The novel was finally published in 1839. The music for the poem, making it a hymn, wasn't published until 1861.
The dialogue is an uncomfortable mix of mid-19th century street talk and early 21st century slang.
Nancy is described by Dickens as "stout and hearty", not as of mixed race and skinny.
Timothy Spall, as others have commented, turns Fagin into a less-than-believable caricature but he does use the right accent and turns of phrase to suit his character. His costume is extraordinary, but perhaps it would be deemed anti-Semitic to portray him in the same way as he is drawn by Cruikshank in the original novel.
Edward Fox was, for me, the greatest disappointment in a rather two-dimensional portrayal of Mr Brownlow.
William Miller, a photogenic boy with a face to tug the heart-strings, had been coached to play a more resilient Oliver but he seemed to finish up without much feeling at all.
The background music is jarring and distracting.
Some of the sets seem to have been borrowed from an earlier film version of the story.
On the other hand, I have no disrespect for people who enjoyed it. The photography and lighting are very good. The essence of the story is still there. It's good entertainment. So I'm not arguing -- just pointing out that it's less than perfect.
I found the changes from the original story to be somewhat problematic.
Fagin and the boys keep calling Oliver "Nolly". This is grating. Dickens used that nickname only three or four times in the novel.
Rose sings "Abide with me". The novel was finally published in 1839. The music for the poem, making it a hymn, wasn't published until 1861.
The dialogue is an uncomfortable mix of mid-19th century street talk and early 21st century slang.
Nancy is described by Dickens as "stout and hearty", not as of mixed race and skinny.
Timothy Spall, as others have commented, turns Fagin into a less-than-believable caricature but he does use the right accent and turns of phrase to suit his character. His costume is extraordinary, but perhaps it would be deemed anti-Semitic to portray him in the same way as he is drawn by Cruikshank in the original novel.
Edward Fox was, for me, the greatest disappointment in a rather two-dimensional portrayal of Mr Brownlow.
William Miller, a photogenic boy with a face to tug the heart-strings, had been coached to play a more resilient Oliver but he seemed to finish up without much feeling at all.
The background music is jarring and distracting.
Some of the sets seem to have been borrowed from an earlier film version of the story.
On the other hand, I have no disrespect for people who enjoyed it. The photography and lighting are very good. The essence of the story is still there. It's good entertainment. So I'm not arguing -- just pointing out that it's less than perfect.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I thought the product was very good, I especially liked the part at the beginning menu of the DVD where I could choose which chapter to watch which I thought was a good innovative option if I didn't want to watch the whole thing at once.
All in all a very good product and received here in NZ intact and it didn't take long to get here either.
Thank you
Kind regards
Sally Rout
All in all a very good product and received here in NZ intact and it didn't take long to get here either.
Thank you
Kind regards
Sally Rout
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
oliver twist
I bought this despite the fact that some of the reviews i read did not think much of it.
Forget all the other versions you have seen, this is a new version that is very... Read more
Forget all the other versions you have seen, this is a new version that is very... Read more
Published 3 months ago by samgamgee
Fit for Eastenders only
A travesty of Dickens, but only to be expected from a woman who writes for programmes like Eastenders. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Philip F. Purser
does NOT match the Book
I enjoyed watching the film, being the first I fully watch to Oliver Twist. After I started reading of the original text of the novel by Dickens for study and research purposes, I... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Muhammad
Not an especially clever Twist
As a piece of entertainment, this is in fact not at all bad; it is pacy, well-filmed and generally well-acted. There is much to enjoy. Read more
Published 14 months ago by M. Joyce
Horribly bowdlerised
If you are adapting a classic novel then leave the story intact - it is usually one of the main reasons it is a classic . Read more
Published 16 months ago by Music fan
Intersting
Someone has complained about the artful dodger and the way he is played in this version. Dodger is one of the outstanding portrayals in this superb production - which is the best I... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Harry R. Bendelow
Nolly
i really enjoyed this version and felt it brought out some aspects of the text that other adaptations haven't. i was very impressed with the whole cast esp. Read more
Published on 2 April 2010 by Crow
It has subtitles!
I just want everyone to know that this dvd has English subtitles.
I loved the film, and I do not care if it is not completely accurate from the book. Read more
I loved the film, and I do not care if it is not completely accurate from the book. Read more
Published on 25 Jan 2010 by Marie
Left wanting more
Everytime I've watch a new film version of a Dickens' work, I think I've seen the best and that it couldn't be beaten - well this version of Oliver Twist is right up there. Read more
Published on 25 Jan 2010 by Terry F
Oliver Twisted.
This production bears no resemblance to the Charles Dickens classic. In fact it makes you wonder if the people involved have read Oliver Twist. Read more
Published on 10 Aug 2009 by big al
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