Neverwhere DVD

[Myste]

Has anybody seen the BBC production of Neverwhere? Is it any good? I really enjoyed the book, and the DVD set looks pretty cool, but it takes me a while to save up 3000 pennies and I want to make sure I'm trading them for something good.

[Ylva Kresh]

I have an old VCR-version (but it includes some behind-scenes and an inteview with Gaiman) and I like it very much. Of course it is obviously a low budget production, but I love the general idea and "local mythology of the underground".

[CovenantJr]

I saw Neverwhere when it was on tv a few years back, and I really liked it. I can't compare it to the book because I've only read a little bit of it.

[duchess of malfi]

I think the teleplay came first. Gaiman actually based his book upon his script, IIRC.

[CovenantJr]

Really? I was always under the impression the book came first. If nothing else, the phyisical description of Croup in the book is nowhere near his screen incarnation.

[CovenantJr]

Well Duchess, it seems you are quite correct:

Written by Neil Gaiman1 the serial is based on an idea conceived by Gaiman and British comedian Lenny Henry. A book by the same name, also written by Gaiman, is a novelisation of the serial and was published in 1997. A movie is reportably in pre-production.

From www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A471313

[Myste]

Wow, and I thought all novelizations were crap. Thanks, Duchess, Cov--I guess it's time to start collecting pennies!

[duchess of malfi]

I watched the first half of Neverwhere this morning. I found it to be pretty enjoyable.

The actors do a good job -- and they look like real people, which is something that I always enjoy about British TV miniseries. Sure, they tend to be on the high end of average, but they're not the plastic super-model/super-star types you'd get in an American production.

You can tell they did not have a high budget for special affects, but they do a reasonable, if low key job with them thus far (though I wish to reserve final judgement until I have had a chance to see the second half...)

I enjoyed the novel, which I have read, and the story certainly seems to work well on the small screen.

My only complaint thus far is that the music really grates on my nerves. I mean the music really irritates me. Nearly to the point of hitting the mute button during the moments when the theme is playing. Maybe I will do that (mute it) when I get a chance to watch the second half. I will have to see if there are English subtitles on the discs.

[duchess of malfi]

I finished it up this morning. I have to say that overall I was very pleased by it.

I had been worried in my last post how the special affects in one certain scene

Spoiler

The Great Beast of London

would hold up, and that was why I was reserving judement on the special affects. Well, I wasn't too thrilled with the scene

Spoiler

The Great Beast looked like a friendly farmyard cow more than a huge and savage boar

but other than that, things were handled pretty well.

[Tulizar]

Spoiler

The Great Beast looked like a friendly farmyard cow more than a huge and savage boar

That's a pretty accurate description!


Low-budget production issues aside, the series is fun to watch. In typical Gaiman fashion, a contemporary setting is the backdrop for ancient myths and religious beliefs that are seamlessly worked into an original story.

I can't wait to read the book.

btw duchess, you're right, the music was a bit off.






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