|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Product details
|
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Despite its limited budget and rather clichéd special effects, Mark Gatiss' "Devil of Winterbourne" is written in such a way that the twists and turns of the story keep the viewers on the edge of their sets without the need for a sudden blast of Psycho-esque music or an almost unnecessary attention-grabbing movement of an object previously thought to be inanimate which is normal to specimens of this genre. The impossible-to-predict story line creates the sense of tension necessary to as sci-fi film, and it is so strong that it makes life easy for the actors. Although in some cases the acting is far from perfect, the fine portrayals of several both major and minor characters (namely Reece Shearsmith, Peter Davison and Gatiss himself) are detailed enough to ensure "Devil"'s capacity to betaken seriously by hard-core sci-fi fans and the general viewing public alike. In the context of Gatiss' more well-known role as a member of BBC2's "The League of Gentlemen", "Devil" accurately conveys his versatility and ability to write in a variety of different styles, although his evident love of horror which is at the forefront of "Devil" (and indeed the rest of the P.R.O.B.E. series) has obvious influences in his comedy work. The restricted setting for "Devil" (only the Winterbourne school and occassionally the house of Liz Shaw are shown) does not, in fact, limit the credibility of the film, but successfully increases the atmosphere of intensity, drawing the audience further into the world of Andrew Powell and co. Although shorter than an average film (running time approximately 1hr 15mins), the detailed plot denies any accusations of corner-cutting on the part of actor or director. The unpredictable ending which simultaneously rounds off the story and mysteriously leaves it open for further investigation leads effectively onto Gatiss' next effort and direct continuation, "Ghosts of Winterbourne". Overall, a fantastic use of minimised resources by all involved.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
for fans of Doctor Who and Peter Davison
23 April 2003
This video is the second in the P.R.O.B.E. series, a collection of films about the Preternatural Research Bureau. Although well-written, these videos have a low budget, and their primary appeal is that they feature actors and even characters from the Doctor Who television series. If you're a fan, these videos are for you! If you're not, it may be hard to fathom the appeal.
The story: When P.R.O.B.E. is threatened with closure, Liz Shaw (Caroline John) finds herself in direct conflict with her superiors, including her old friend and ally Patricia Haggard (Louise Jameson, reprising her role from "The Zero Imperative"). Liz hopes that her investigation into strange events at a public school will demonstrate the vital need for the Bureau. But she soon finds the fate of P.R.O.B.E. inextricably linked with the lives of three young men, each of whom has something to hide...
The always enjoyable Peter Davison has a prominent role at the Winterborne school. It should be noted that this is not a program for young children; essentially a horror story/mystery, there is a murder, mild gore and other adult situations. Nothing that couldn't be seen on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", but a bit much if you're expecting Doctor Who.
There is a sequel of sorts entitled "The Ghosts of Winterborne".
Was this review helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
