War and Peace

Good question grumppa

I have recorded it - I watched Endeavour instead. Is it good - worth watching the recording? grumppa seems happy with it - any other comments?

I too have recorded this. Looking forward to it!

Thermal underwear, grumppa!!!

We watched Endeavour too. Found it a bit slow sad to say.
W&P doesn't interest me.

I didn't enjoy it

We have both programmes recorded.
Does anyone think it's worth buying the book (W&P) ? I read it years ago, can't remember much about it except that I skipped a lot about the war.

It didn't hold our attention but we have decided to watch it again to see if it was just Sunday lethargy!

I loved this, I have never read the book but have decided to give it a go. There appears to be a number of translations available, could any of you who have read the book recommend a good one?

Sad to say I fell asleep after20 minutes but DH enjoyed it though he did have difficulty sorting out who was who.I think they must have taken considerable liberties with the text to get it all into six episodes.Think I will resort to Gransnet in the future !

I forgot to watch it; thank goodness my catchup seems to be [touch wood] working at the moment. I now tend to watch first episodes of things twice; in that way I get a [slightly] better understanding of who's who.

Looked forward to it but will probably not bother again. It is very beautifully produced but everyone is just so blatantly unpleasant or plain drippy (I know that is Tolstoy for you) but for me to be tempted into a Drama, I do have to feel some sort of connection with the characters and from last nights showing I do not see that happening.

As for all the tosh about James Norton being the 'Russian Darcy'...that's a huge non starter for me. He might be a good looking young actor but Mr Darcy was, deep down, a decent man with a strong moral compass and sense of duty......this character is a very unpleasant type so all the good looks in the world will not help.

I thought it was rather good. The battle scenes were gory, but really showed how awful face to face battle is, especially when you just have a sword and the other side have guns!

x

Watched it, but it didn't hold my attention. Not sure why.

Tegan - what a brilliant idea to watch first episodes twice - I will definitely try that.

I loved it. I have read the book three times the first two skipping the "war" bits but after hearing it on the radio last year read it again in full. I was worried that this production would spoil it but so far it's been very true to the book. Appygran I can't say which is the best translation but do give the book a go as it is wonderful.

I saw the film in 1956, with Audrey Hepburn, Mel Ferrer and Henry Fonder, to name just three! (well, it was a long time ago!!) and I loved it. Think I'm going to enjoy this version, as I love history and all historical.

I haven't seen the first episode yet but am looking forward to it. From what i've seen i can't imagine whoever it is playing Bezukhov carrying it off - he just doesn't look right. Henry Fonda played him in the '56 film, and even he seemed miscast. Anthony Hopkins in the seventies tele version came closest i think. I confess i'm a sucker for all those Napoleonic uniforms!! I'm ashamed to say i haven't read the book!

I watched it and quite enjoyed it, but compared it unfavourably with the 1972 version starring Anthony Hopkins and Alan Dobie. The current version is to be screened in only 6 episodes - not many to capture the essence of an epic length novel. The earlier version ran to 20 episodes and captivated me so much that I then read the novel in only 3 days. I really wonder why the BBC just didn't show the Dobie/Hopkins version again to a new and younger audience.

Fell asleep watching it just now so going to try again. Have to say what I did see wasn't very inspiring; the characters lacked any charisma and the music was awful.

I agree with vegasmags I would much prefer to see the 1972 version. The wonderful Angela Down was in it as well.

Blow me, tried again and the phone rang as I got to the bit where I'd fallen asleep before [phone never rings usually]. I'll stick with it but am seriously underwhelmed thus far. Natashas [I think it's Natasha] teeth are annoying me as well.

Grumppa a very valid point.

I watched and really enjoyed it. It is a very good story if a bit long.

I have read W&P. It's a long read but take it in sensible chunks. IMO it's a lot more interesting than anything written by JR Tolkien which I just cannot "get".

W&P seems to have a totally injustified reputation of being a difficult book.
It's just like any historical novel but a bit longer.

It's very much about the trials and tribulations caused by war and the love lives of the participants with a few moral dilemmas thrown in for good measure.

I've realised that one problem I have with it is that the main characters all seem to young; which I know is my problem for being so old. I thought the costumes all seemed very bright, but maybe they were at that time.