I have always wanted to see this because I'd heard for so long
how good it is, and I love Alec Guiness. However, I was very disappointed in it.
For one thing, it is very slow-moving, and not just because it's from 1979. I
have seen lots of shows from the 1970's, including British ones. I loved
"Upstairs Downstairs". They did not move as glacially as this does, with nothing
much happening. Frankly, I found it very boring.
I also found it confusing because they throw a lot of characters and names at
you right away, and then the characters talk about these people....it's kind of
hard to keep new names straight if you haven't actually seen them. It didn't
help that this DVD has no closed-captioning, so the accents made it even harder
for me to understand what was going on.
The show is very talky, with little action. I wouldn't mind that if I could
understand what they were saying or it made any sense.
Maybe one of these days they will closed-caption it, and I will try it
again...if I have nothing better to do. I do love spy dramas, but this one is
just too boring for me.
Even the features/extras were boring. There is an interview with John le Carre
(original author of the book that the movie came from). He is really dull, too.
The rest is just words and pictures, not video: production notes, glossary, cast
filmographies, and le Carre's biography. There's also a short booklet that has a
list of characters' names and some terms. I'm sure they designed this to help
you figure out who's who and what's what, but who wants to read all that before
watching a movie? Not me.
More Information:
Oscar®-winner Alec Guinness stars in John le Carré’s classic Cold War spy
drama;
Coincides with star-studded feature film adaptation starring Gary Oldman and
Colin Firth
On DVD October 25, 2011
"A smashing thriller"—The New York Times
"Exhilarating"—The Washington Post
"One of the most madly atmospheric and enjoyable literate films ever done
for television"—The Washington Post
Silver Spring, MD – Coinciding with the December 9, 2011 feature
film adaptation starring Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight)
and Colin Firth (The King’s Speech), John le Carré’s
classic Cold War-era spy drama Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy
arrives to DVD from Acorn Media on October 25, 2011.
Oscar® winner Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars,
Lawrence of Arabia) delivers the performance of a lifetime in his BAFTA-winning
role as George Smiley, a retired spymaster recruited to find a mole in the
British intelligence service. Hailed as one of the finest dramas ever made for
television, this 1979 BBC miniseries garnered universal critical acclaim for its
stellar ensemble cast, literate writing and intricate plots. This repackaged and
discounted DVD 3-disc set includes six episodes, along with a 28-min. interview
with John le Carré, cast filmographies, production notes, and more ($49.99,
www.AcornOnline.com).
Acorn Media is also re-releasing its sequel, Smiley’s People,
on October 25th. Available upon request (6 Episodes, $49.99).
No doubt remains: a mole has infiltrated the Circus, code name for the British
Secret Intelligence Service. It can only be one of four men operating at the
very highest level. Sidelined agent George Smiley is covertly tapped to root out
the mole, a task that requires a painstaking dig through the double-blind world
of Cold War-era espionage and his own past. Alec Guinness brilliantly captures
the weary heart and steely soul of John le Carré’s master spy.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy was nominated for an Emmy®
for best miniseries and won two BAFTA Awards, including best actor for Guinness.
The series also stars Ian Richardson, Michael Aldridge, Joss Ackland, Ian Bannen,
Bernard Hepton, Terence Rigby, Michael Jayston, Hywel Bennett, Anthony Bate, and
a memorable cameo by Patrick Stewart, who returns in a larger
role for the sequel.
Bonus Features: Exclusive interview with John le Carré (28 min.), production
notes, glossary of main characters and terms, cast filmographies, and le Carré
biography and booklist
Street: Oct. 25, 2011
SRP: $49.99
DVD 3-Disc Set: 6 Episodes - Approx. 324 min., plus 28 min. bonus - Closed
captioned (main program)
Headquartered in suburban Washington, D.C., Acorn Media U.S. distributes
distinctive home video releases to the North American market with a special
focus on the best of British television. 2011 releases include Upstairs,
Downstairs: 40th Anniversary Edition; U.S. debuts of must-see new
series Garrow’s Law, Vera, Identity, and Single-Handed;
more episodes from New Tricks, Doc Martin, Agatha Christie’s Poirot
and Marple, George Gently, Murdoch Mysteries; as well as the
Blu-ray debut of Brideshead Revisited; and acclaimed
documentaries from our Athena line. Acorn’s DVD sets are available from select
retailers, catalog companies, and direct from Acorn Media at (888) 870-8047 or
www.acornonline.com.
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