The Crow Road [VHS] [1996] : Joe McFadden, Bill Paterson, Stella Gonet, Dougray Scott, Peter Capaldi, Valerie Edmond, David Robb: Amazon.co.uk: DVD & Blu-ray

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Bill Paterson and Peter Capaldi star in this BBC adaptation of the Iain Banks novel. Seven years after Rory McHoan disappeared without a trace en route to visit his brother Kenneth, Rory's nephew Prentice decides to find out what really happened to him. He attempts to decipher Rory's inaccessible computer disks, but must make various discoveries about himself and his family first.

Product details

Is discontinued by manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
Rated ‏ : ‎ Suitable for 15 years and over
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Media Format ‏ : ‎ Colour, PAL
Run time ‏ : ‎ 3 hours and 48 minutes
Release date ‏ : ‎ 5 Feb. 1999
Actors ‏ : ‎ Joe McFadden, Bill Paterson, Stella Gonet, Dougray Scott, Peter Capaldi
Studio ‏ : ‎ BBC
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00004CY1A
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1

Best Sellers Rank: 242,502 in DVD & Blu-ray (See Top 100 in DVD & Blu-ray)
- 47,681 in Drama (DVD & Blu-ray)
- 51,815 in Television (DVD & Blu-ray)

Customer reviews:
4.5 240 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5

240 global ratings

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Cassie Walker

Superb drama

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 August 2009

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The Crow Road is essentially a story about growing up. But while most productions on this theme tend to be mawkish, the Crow Road is a brilliantly suspenseful, moving drama mixing elements of murder mystery, comedy, tragedy, love, sex and faith. The series comprises 4 hour-long episodes that follow Prentice McHoan, a young lad brought up by his father to question things in life. So when friends and family start dying, his older brother steals off with the woman of his dreams, and his beloved Uncle Rory goes missing, Prentice starts casting round for answers. Is there some spiritual meaning to all these people leaving him or is there a more human, and sinister, reason? Aided by his old friend Ashley Watt and imaginary visitations from the missing Rory, Prentice tries to solve the McHoan mysteries.

The acting here is superb, particularly from Bill Paterson. The story skips deftly between the present, Prentice's younger days, and even the childhood of his father and uncles, allowing the relationships between the characters to be fully realised and making it all the more heartbreaking when they break down. The extras don't amount to much unfortunately, with the audio commentary from the director and other crew a bit dry. Some contribution here from the charismatic cast (including such faces as Peter Capaldi, and even Supergran!) would have helped. Quite how this TV series compares with the book it's based on I don't know as I haven't read it but here's the author Iain Banks' opinion: "annoyingly better than the book in far too many places". There you go. Do watch this.

31 people found this helpful

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Mark P

One of the Best Adaptions of one of the Best British Novels

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 November 2004

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I just had to add my "hear, hear" to the first reviewer- Banks has one of the most eceentric, beautiful and cruel of literary outputs (let's ignore the SF stuff with the middle initial), and The Crow Road is perhaps in the Top Five of British Novels of the last 20 years.
For the BBC to have somehow made an adaption of such skill and care is remarkable- it genuinely adds to your experience of the story and is compelling, chilling and moving.
Special words should be said for Joseph McFadden as Prentice and Bill Paterson as Ken; McFadden is a charismatic narrator, and you never lose sypmpathy with him, even when he seems to be going off the rails.
Paterson's peformance is perhaps a lifetime best, and Dougray Scott, Peter Capaldi and Valerie Edmond all atmosphere as part of an excellent ensemble.
The Crow Road is everything that the British Novel and British TV Drama can and should be- challenging, entertaining, and serious in it's artistic intentions.
Truly a landmark production.

22 people found this helpful

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Great series, shame it had to end

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 September 2013

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I bought The Crow Road on DVD primarily because the BBC chose, for whatever reason, contractual or otherwise, not to repeat or put on iPlayer any episodes, but they were apparently happy to flog parts 3 & 4 for download at £7.75. The sheer effrontery of their choosing to profit from it, when by rights every quality drama should be available for viewing stunned me almost as much as the vague and nonsensical reply from the producer to my question about this reckless omission. Thankfully, the DVD was available and at a smaller sum than the download price.

The timing of this adaptation of The Crow Road, a novel I have never read, was apposite in view of the tragically early death of Iain Banks. Clearly the Beeb felt the same way, since a fine cast (presided over by the mythical presence of Uncle Rory in the shape of the new Doctor Who, Peter Capaldi) has been assembled to bring to life the words of Banks. As Wikipedia describes the plot:

"A pivotal period in Prentice McHoan's life is described, seen through his preoccupations with death, sex, his relationship with his father, unrequited love, sibling rivalry, a missing uncle, relationships, drink (and other intoxicants) and God, with the background a celebration of the Scottish landscape."

And so it is that each of these ingredients are wrapped into an intriguing mystery and whodunnit, with elements of dark comedy thrown in for good measure. What makes this 4-part drama so fascinating is that the characters are beautifully fleshed out, quirky and eccentric to a man and woman, bouncing off one another like snooker balls against the rich backdrop of Scottish scenery and architecture. It seems grossly unfair to single out any of them for praise, since they all contribute equally to the journey experienced by young Prentice in the person of Joe McFadden, but the playing is uniformly admirable by the likes of the archetypal craggy Scot Bill Paterson, Dougray Scott, Simone Bendix, Ashley Watt, David Robb and Paul Young, among many others.

The only real criticism I have is that the denouement, when it comes, is something of an anti-climax. Like an Agatha Christie and a Chinese takeaway, you wanted more to consume within the hour, so the ending seemed unfulfilling, as endings often are. Maybe, like Twin Peaks, it should have gone on and preserved the mystery while the characters continue to grow and mature, though sadly Banks is no longer around to write sequels with the same characters - unlike Stephen King and Roddy Doyle, who in the past week have respectively published sequels to The Shining and The Commitments.

Unquestionably worth watching, and likely to encourage further dips into the Banks oeuvre, both for reading and TV adaptation purposes.

This is the review I published on my own website, andyflavoured.co.uk (copyright)

4 people found this helpful

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J. Kirkland

A Scottish Gem!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 April 2002

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Whole heartidly scottish from the first with an outstanding cast, particullary Joseph Mcfadden as Prentise and Dougray Scott as his on screen brother. Both gave scene stealing performances and both there careers got a great boost from this as they were relatively unknown beforehand.
None the less the rest of the cast with years more experience helped nail this as one of the best scottish drama's in years. Bringing Iain Banks novel to live with great care and effection. A true star studied cast.
Although unable to give all Iain Banks quotes from the book & plot line missing here and there, they none the less gave the heart of the book combined with the scottish scenery (western Scotland more to the point!) and some heart rendering performances. Made this a one of truely great scottish story of fate, family, love and future and that's just for starters! As there is so much woven into The Crow Road!
Well Done to all and Joseph McFadden and Dougray Scott deserve all the success they have had since. Great acting all around and wish more scottish dramas like this could be produced.

14 people found this helpful

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Amanda Rose

I saw this on the 90s...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 August 2022

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...after I'd read the book, it was on TV in 1996. It was lovely to watch again and with such a superb cast and story by the late, great Ian Banks, what's not to love! arrived quickly!

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Gonzo

Vielen Dank

Reviewed in Germany on 13 July 2023

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Vielen dank

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Amazon Customer

Five Stars

Reviewed in Canada on 15 December 2017

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Very satisfied with purchase

Nightflyer

A fantastic series that challenges the viewer

Reviewed in the United States on 27 March 2008

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This is a terrific series, but it does make some demands on the viewer. The frequent flashbacks (sometimes flashbacks within flashbacks) can be confusing on a first viewing; the Scottish brogue is sometimes difficult to understand; and anyone who has not spent some time in Scotland will probably not fully "get it." But if you make the effort to get past these things, this series is enormously rewarding. I'm watching it for the second time and getting so much more out of it than I did at first. Still, I loved it the first time too. And I am not exaggerating when I say it sometimes has me in tears, it is so moving.

But if you're the sort of viewer who does not want any challenges, you should probably give it a pass.

8 people found this helpful

sarah_k

Alles bestens

Reviewed in Germany on 12 July 2021

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Alles bestens, vielen Dank!

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DebbyD

Love this Story

Reviewed in the United States on 13 February 2013

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I am so glad Crow Road has finally made it on to DVD. I have been enjoying a version I taped from TV for years. What a pleasure to see a decent copy and enjoy this mystery,comedy, drama all over again. Great characters and fun situations. Lots of Scottish humor.

2 people found this helpful

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The Crow Road [VHS] [1996]

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Format	Colour, PAL
Contributor	Bill Paterson, Dougray Scott, Stella Gonet, Valerie Edmond, Joe McFadden, David Robb, Peter Capaldi
Language	English
Runtime	3 hours and 48 minutes

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The Crow Road [VHS] [1996]

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