Tag: BBC

Take 3: Small Island Review

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I’ve brought it to my own attention how, in the eight years 18 Cinema Lane has existed, I have never reviewed any program from PBS Masterpiece. While I have brought up Miss Scarlet in the past, I didn’t review any episodes of the show. So, I chose to write about the mini-series, Small Island, with one reason being to make up for lost time. The other reason is because I wanted to write about one of the projects from Naomie Harris’ filmography, in honor of her birthday. Five years ago, when I created a post about The We Heart Pirates Week Tag, I mentioned how Calypso/Tia Dalma is my favorite character from a pirate movie. I explained Naomie’s portrayal of Calypso/Tia Dalma is one of the reasons why Calypso/Tia Dalma is a favorite character of mine. To show my gratitude as a fan, I checked out Small Island, especially since I have been meaning to see this mini-series for several years. As I just mentioned in this introduction, Small Island is a mini-series. Yet, on IMDB, the official run-time is an hour and thirty minutes, which is the typical run-time of a television movie. Therefore, I will refer to Small Island as a film/mini-series or a movie/mini-series for the sake of this review.

Small Island poster created by BBC Television, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Ruby Films, BBC One, Masterpiece Theatre, PBS Video, and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)

Things I liked about the film/mini-series:

The acting: Whether in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, the Jame Bond franchise, or in Small Island, Naomie Harris goes above and beyond when it comes to her performance. This is achieved due to how fluid her acting abilities are. That fluidity allowed her portrayal of Hortense Roberts, as well as the story surrounding Hortense, to be compelling. A great example is when Hortense receives a letter after class. As she’s reading the letter in question, Hortense is excited to hear word about a man she cares about named Michael. Her eyes light up with joy and her mouth is presented in a smile. But while she’s reading the letter, Hortense realizes it contains some troubling news. This causes Hortense to turn her mouth in a slight frown and her eyes to appear worried. But Hortense quickly goes back to looking happy, giving a brave face to the woman who gave Hortense the letter. The aforementioned fluidity of Naomie’s performance helped Hortense’s transition between emotions appear seamless!

While I’m still on the subject of Naomie’s performance, I want to talk about her on-screen chemistry with David Oyelowo! In Small Island, David portrays Hortense’s husband, Gilbert Joseph. The strength of Naomie’s and David’s acting abilities effectively showcased Hortense and Gilbert’s relationship blossoming over the course of the film/mini-series. One of their best scenes together takes place after Hortense encounters a setback. After being told her teaching qualifications from Jamaica aren’t eligible in the United Kingdom, Hortense tearfully explains her dilemma to Gilbert. She even confesses how she mistook a storage closet for an exit. With a smile on his face and jovial demeanor, Gilbert points out how disorganized the storage closet was as Hortense describes what she saw in it. As their conversation continues, Gilbert makes Hortense feel better when he suggests they face their problems like the British do: drink tea. This scene is a perfect example of how Hortense and Gilbert brought out the best in each other, with Naomie’s and David’s acting talents successfully presenting that idea in Small Island!

Another strong performance in Small Island came from Ruth Wilson! Her portrayal of Queenie Bligh was captivating due to her strong adaptability. In one great example, Queenie is distraught over the passing of her aunt, Dorothy. At Dorothy’s funeral reception, Queenie’s mother questions what her daughter’s future will look like. This questioning causes Queenie to adopt an overwhelming sense of anxiety in her eyes. But when Bernard (portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch) confidently proclaims he and Queenie will soon get married, Barnard’s confidence rubs off on Queenie. She then carries herself confidently as well, complete with her eyes displaying a look of determination. Similar to what I said about Naomie’s performance, Ruth’s performance in Small Island helped make Queenie’s part of the story engaging because of how seamless transitions between emotions were!

Historical accuracy: Even though I haven’t seen many programs from PBS Masterpiece, the ones I have seen have showcased historical accuracy as one of their major strengths. Small Island contributes to that strength, as the creative team behind the movie/mini-series prioritized how their production looked and felt. I’ve brought up before on 18 Cinema Lane the idea of “illusion of immersion”. One of the ways this idea is achieved, as demonstrated within Small Island, is the attention to detail. Dainty lace gloves and simple, yet elegant, pearl necklaces within Hortense’s wardrobe emphasize the conservative style women embraced in the 1940s. The shape of milk bottles reminds the audience how families in the ‘40s had milk delivered to their homes. Even the colors and fonts on items such as a box of cereal or a postcard help viewers feel transported to another time and place. Though the details I mentioned were small, the creative team’s efforts to make them and everything surrounding them appear historically accurate shows the care they placed into Small Island.

Use of piano music: Because this detail is smaller compared to other strengths in Small Island, I wanted to point it out so it didn’t become overlooked. In some scenes, the use of piano music not only emotionally elevated a given scene, it also made the scene itself feel more complete. When Hortense leaves home in order to attend college, the moment is intended to be sad, as Hortense departs from the place where she grew up. Playing over that scene is piano music with a touch of sadness woven through it, emphasizing the feelings Hortense is experiencing without utilizing dialogue. Later in Small Island, Queenie and Michael (the same Michael I referenced earlier in this review) share a discussion about hummingbirds. As Michael describes a hummingbird to Queenie, soft piano music can be heard. The gentleness of the music actually compliments the gentle nature of hummingbirds. It also highlights the tenderness shared between Queenie and Michael.

Since I’m reviewing Small Island on Naomie Harris’ birthday, I thought including a picture of her character, Hortense Roberts, in this review made sense. Image created by BBC Television, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Ruby Films, BBC One, Masterpiece Theatre, PBS Video, and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)

What I didn’t like about the film/mini-series:

The underutilization of Benedict Cumberbatch: Like I mentioned earlier in this review, Benedict Cumberbatch portrays Bernard, a man who desires to marry Queenie. In fact, Benedict is one of the top billed actors in Small Island. This detail led me to believe his acting talents would be utilized to their fullest extent. But throughout the hour and thirty-minute presentation, Benedict only appeared in a handful of scenes. Contextually speaking, I understand why he was in the film/mini-series for a shorter amount of time. But as someone who has only seen Benedict’s performances in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, I was disappointed to see Benedict and his acting talents underutilized.

Scene transitions feeling contextually and emotionally abrupt: Small Island juggles the stories of five key characters. The script bounces between the past and present in order to explain how these characters’ paths cross. But sometimes, mostly in the first half of Small Island, the transition between scenes felt contextually and emotionally abrupt, partly due to the abundance of stories. In the scene I brought up earlier in this review, where Hortense receives a letter about Michael’s whereabouts, the scene ends with Hortense screaming and sobbing over the potential fate of Michael. The next scene shows Gilbert and Queenie sharing tea while waiting for Queenie’s father-in-law, Arthur, to show up. This scene between Queenie and Gilbert is more emotionally light than Hortense’s scene, with very little time for the audience to sit with the characters’ emotions. Even though Small Island utilizes on-screen text and a voice-over, these resources weren’t consistently used in the movie/mini-series. If they had, some moments wouldn’t feel emotionally jarring and a bit confusing.

Competing stories in the first half: When I just talked about scene transitions feeling contextually and emotionally abrupt in Small Island, I brought up how the script bounces between the past and present in order to explain how the characters’ paths cross. Two interconnecting stories are Queenie’s and Hortense’s. The dream Hortense works toward of becoming a teacher in England provided an engaging story for her. Meanwhile, Queenie’s decision to “seize the day” also gave her an interesting story. But Hortense and Queenie spend the majority of Small Island’s first half carrying on separate stories, not really crossing paths until the second half. This creative decision made Queenie’s and Hortense’s story feel like they competed against one another for screen time, especially since Small Island only had an hour and thirty-minutes (not to mention split into two parts) to tell their story. As I watched Small Island, I sometimes found myself wondering why the movie/mini-series wasn’t just about Hortense’s story. This is because I initially believed Hortense’s and Queenie’s story were strong enough to stand on their own. However, when Queenie’s and Hortense’s path intertwines, their stories become more complimentary of one another.

Sketch of London image created by Archjoe at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/hand-drawn-houses-of-parliament_1133950.htm’>Designed by Archjoe</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Archjoe – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

2026 has become one of the best years for movies on 18 Cinema Lane. This is because I’ve seen more movies I’ve enjoyed than not. Small Island is one of the titles that has contributed to 2026 being a good year, as it is a film/mini-series that got better the longer I watched it! Like other PBS Masterpiece programs I’ve seen, the historical accuracy in Small Island successfully achieved the illusion of immersion due to the care placed in attention to detail. The acting also helped Small Island become an entertaining presentation. Even creative decisions like the use of piano music showcased how the creative team put genuine effort into how their production looked, felt, and sounded. However, there were flaws that held Small Island back from being a stronger picture. Some scene transitions felt contextually and emotionally abrupt. I also didn’t like how Benedict Cumberbatch’s acting talents were underutilized. It didn’t help as well how, in the first half of Small Island, Hortense’s and Queenie’s story felt more competitive than complimentary. But despite these flaws, I would recommend Small Island, especially if you want to check out more projects from PBS Masterpiece and/or Naomie Harris’ filmography!

Overall score: 7.6 out of 10

Have you seen Small Island? Are there any titles from PBS Masterpiece you’d like to see? Let me know in the comment section below!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Aladdin and the Forty Thieves (1984) Review

On By 18cinemalane5 Comments

I will admit I wasn’t familiar with Kenneth Williams as an actor before joining the Carry On Kenny! 100 Years of Kenneth Williams Blogathon. But like other blogathons I’ve participated in, I saw the event as an opportunity to expand my cinematic horizons. As I looked through Kenneth’s filmography, I discovered he starred in the 1984 made-for-tv movie, Aladdin and the Forty Thieves. Since I cover my fair share of television films, including those from the 1980s, I chose this production as my blogathon entry! When I recently wrote about Brigadoon, I said the fantasy genre was underrepresented on 18 Cinema Lane. I also said Brigadoon itself was a fine, pleasant presentation. With Aladdin and the Forty Thieves being the second movie from the fantasy genre to be reviewed this year, it almost seems like I’m making up for lost time. And now that I’ve seen the 1984 television film, I can say whether its stronger or weaker than Brigadoon.

Since Aladdin and the Forty Thieves doesn’t have an offical movie poster, I have to use this title card for my review. Title card created by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Things I liked about the film:

Kenneth Williams’ performance: Since Kenneth Williams is the reason why I chose to review Aladdin and the Forty Thieves, I’ll talk about his portrayal of Mustapha Drink. In the 1984 movie, Mustapha is a storyteller who shares a tale about two Mandarins named Wing and Wong. Throughout this tale, Kenneth utilizes facial expressions and vocal inflictions to bring the story to life. He even gives the characters distinct voices to add memorability to the tale. Even though Mustapha appeared in only one scene, Kenneth did a good job, acting wise, with the material he was given. I, honestly, wish Kenneth had been the narrator of Aladdin’s story, presenting the illusion he was reading a storybook to the audience.

The costume design: While we’re on the subject of Kenneth’s portrayal of Mustapha Drink, I want to talk about the movie’s costume design. As he told the tale of Wing and Wong, Mustapha wore a long blue jacket with gold trim and detailing. Whether he walked or sat, the jacket sparkled in the light. Mustapha also wore a long red gown boasting an intricate gold design. The elegance of his outfit allowed Mustapha to stand out, even though he appeared in only one scene. This is just one example of the attention to detail and effort that went into the costume design of Aladdin and the Forty Thieves!

Certain ways Aladdin’s story was adapted: I must confess the adaptation of Aladdin’s story I’m most familiar with is the Disney animated picture from 1992. With that said, it was interesting to see how Aladdin and the Forty Thieves adapted Aladdin’s story compared to Disney’s production. The 1984 film features two genies, Genie of the Lamp and Genie of the Ring. Though I think it was a missed opportunity not to have the genies interact with one another, it was still an interesting creative decision to have more than one genie solve the characters’ problems. Toward the end of Aladdin and the Forty Thieves, Aladdin and The Princess Balroubador receive a magic carpet as a wedding gift. From what I remember of the 1992 movie, the magic carpet was more of a sidekick for Aladdin. The iconic “A Whole New World” scene just wouldn’t be the same without the magic carpet. Though Aladdin and the Forty Thieves and the Disney film each approached the same story, they brought it to life in their own unique way!

The Carry On Kenny! 100 Years of Kenneth Williams Blogathon banner created by Virginie from The Wonderful World of Cinema

What I didn’t like about the film:

The musical numbers: Before I selected Aladdin and the Forty Thieves for the Carry On Kenny! 100 Years of Kenneth Williams Blogathon, I had no idea it was a musical. So, you can imagine my surprise when Genie of the Ring started randomly singing and dancing. Though the musical numbers themselves weren’t bad, some of them seemed like they were added to the movie just for the sake of including a musical number. When Aladdin’s Chinese village was first introduced in Aladdin and the Forty Thieves, some of the residents sang “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah”. As I was watching this musical number unfold, I kept wondering what this song had to do with Aladdin and his story, especially considering the song itself was released in 1946. Creative decisions like this musical number left me confused of the creative team’s intent.

Unclear time period: Remember when I questioned the inclusion of “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” in Aladdin and the Forty Thieves, pointing out how the song was released in 1946? I brought this up to address one of the flaws of the 1984 television film; an unclear time-period. Based on the set and costume design, it appears the story takes place in Ancient China. Yet, in one scene, a vending machine not only served drinks, but also “hot & cold food”. Because of creative choices like the two I described, it makes Aladdin and the Forty Thieves look like it’s having an identity crisis.

The special effects: I know a television movie is, more often than not, going to receive a smaller budget. I’m also aware how cinematic technology from the 1980s is going to be different from today’s cinematic technology. But with all that said, I couldn’t look past the poor special effects throughout Aladdin and the Forty Thieves. One painfully obvious example is when, toward the beginning of the film, Abanazar transforms into a bird. This very fake-looking bird is superimposed over still photographs of landscapes, trying to present the illusion of traveling from one place to another. Making a movie isn’t easy and does require working within your means. However, I think using special effects hurt Aladdin and the Forty Thieves instead of helped it.

Fancy jewelry image created by Freepic.diller at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/wedding”>Wedding photo created by freepic.diller – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Have you ever watched a movie and wondered “what the heck did I just watch”? That’s what I was thinking when I saw Aladdin and the Forty Thieves. Was the 1984 movie supposed to be taken seriously or was it supposed to be silly, goofy fun? Why was it difficult to determine the story’s time period? It’s a shame this wasn’t a stronger picture because there are aspects of it I liked. Kenneth Williams did a good job, acting wise, in his role as Mustapha Drink. In fact, I think Kenneth should have been the one narrating Aladdin’s story. It looked like there was a good amount of effort and detail put toward the set and costume design. I even liked some of the ways Aladdin’s story was adapted in the 1984 film. But I have no idea what I was supposed to get out of Aladdin and the Forty Thieves. Therefore, I hesitate recommending it.

Overall score: 5.3 out of 10

Have you seen Aladdin and the Forty Thieves? Which adaptation of Aladdin’s story is your favorite? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Why Stefan “Princ” Zdravković Should Appear on the Television Show, ‘Miss Scarlet and The Duke’

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This year, I was introduced to the television show, Miss Scarlet and The Duke, a mystery program airing as part of the PBS Masterpiece collection. While I have enjoyed watching the show, I believe it’s missing one person; Stefan “Princ” Zdravković. For those who don’t know, Stefan “Princ” Zdravković is a musical artist who tried to represent Serbia’s delegation of Eurovision by competing in the delegation’s national contest, Pesma za Evroviziju (also known as PZE). The more I watched Miss Scarlet and The Duke, the more I saw how Stefan “Princ” Zdravković could appear on the show. Therefore, I am presenting four key reasons why he should appear on Miss Scarlet and The Duke! Before I share my reasons, I want to give a reminder how any decisions about whether Stefan “Princ” Zdravković appears on the show are up to Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s creative team and Stefan “Princ” Zdravković himself, who I will be referring to as “Princ” throughout this editorial. Though I am aware the show is changing its name to Miss Scarlet from season five and onward, I will continue to call the program Miss Scarlet and The Duke in this article.

Pictures of Stefan “Princ” Zdravković found in the videos, ‘Princ “Cvet sa Istoka” Interview | Pesma za Evroviziju 2023’ and ‘PRINC – Cvet sa Istoka (INTERVIEW) // Pesma za Evroviziju 2023 // Serbia Eurovision 2023’ by the Youtube channels, wiwibloggs and eurovoxx. Images of Miss Scarlet and the Duke found on IMDB and created by Element 8 Entertainment, A+E Studios, 87 Films, Alibi Channel, and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)

Recruiting Local Talent

Since season two, Miss Scarlet and The Duke has filmed in Serbia. This decision has caused the show’s creative team to build their story’s world from scratch. According to the Executive Producer, Patty Lenahan Ishimoto, “Basically what ended up happening was we just built London. Anything that we couldn’t find, we built”. The decision to film in Serbia has also provided opportunities for Serbians to get involved with the program, either in front of the camera or behind it. Princ is from Serbia, specifically from Vranje. If he were to appear on Miss Scarlet and The Duke, he would receive an opportunity to, essentially, work within his own backyard. If any episodes were filmed on location, such as (for example) a part of the story taking place around Vranje’s White Bridge, Princ may also work in an environment he’s familiar with.

Serbian Flag image created by ibrandify at FreepikImage by ibrandify on Freepik

Built-In Enthusiasm

Miss Scarlet and The Duke will soon embark on its fifth season. During the show’s four-year lifespan, a fanbase from both the U.K. and the U.S. has been garnered, with the show providing reasons for the audience to return. But Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s creative team are not the only ones with built-in enthusiasm. When Princ competed in PZE last March, he not only qualified for PZE’s Final, he ended up receiving second place. Princ even received more televote points than Luke Black, the artist who was chosen to represent Serbia at Eurovision. To put Princ’s score into perspective, he acquired a higher score at last year’s PZE Final than Konstrakta did at this year’s PZE Final. For those who don’t know, Konstrakta represented Serbia at Eurovision in 2022. She qualified for Eurovision’s Grand Final, where she received fifth place. Going into 2024’s edition of PZE, Konstrakta had more name-recognition and built-in enthusiasm than Princ did in 2023. In his interview with the Youtube channel, Wiwibloggs, Princ said “I’m probably more famous in Bulgaria, actually, right now”. But, as I previously mentioned, Princ’s score in the PZE Final was higher than Konstrakta’s. He also obtained more televote points than Konstrakta, not only in PZE’s Final, but in the contest’s Semi-Finals as well. These numbers present an example of how there are people, including myself, who would be enthusiastic if Princ appeared on Miss Scarlet and The Duke.

In this chart of the PZE Final scores from 2023 and 2024, I highlight each competitor’s televote points, which were received from the audience. Also highlighted are Princ’s and Konstrakta’s overall scores in the PZE Final. PZE scores found on the website, Eurovision World.
This chart highlights the televote scores from Princ’s and Konstrakta’s semi-finals in PZE. Semi-Final scores found on the website, Eurovision World.

Work With What You’ve Got

In Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s second episode from season two, ‘The Black Moth’, William ‘The Duke’ Wellington, one of the show’s protagonists, tells Eliza Scarlet, the show’s other protagonist, to “use what you have to your advantage” in order to stand out as London’s only female detective. William’s advice could also be given to Princ if he appeared on Miss Scarlet and The Duke, as he possesses skills, talents, and attributes that would work in his favor. Like I have mentioned in this editorial, Princ is a musical artist. He not only has versatile singing vocals, he is also a talented guitarist. Perhaps he could perform a song in an episode or create a song for the show. Princ is also a marital artist with a black belt in karate. Marital arts have, so far, not been incorporated onto Miss Scarlet and The Duke, as fist-fighting and boxing have been the only fighting styles included in the show’s action scenes. Featuring martial arts in Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s story would bring something new to the show’s table as well as provide Princ with material to work with, as he would master the fight choreography. Miss Scarlet and The Duke establishes a world where characters with tattoos exist. When examining a specific tattoo in the first season’s second episode, ‘The Woman in Red’, Eliza says about the tattoo “It gave insight to a person’s past. Perhaps a badge of belonging like to the Navy or a quiet rebellion hidden on one’s body for one’s eyes only”. Princ has several tattoos on his arms, including one on his left forearm that appears to be a series of pine/Christmas trees. The inclusion of, at least, one of Princ’s tattoos in the show’s story could be used to serve a character’s backstory or symbolize a MacGuffin/clue. However, this specific idea is dependent on if Princ is comfortable with his real-life tattoos being incorporated onto the show.

In this photo, I point out the tattoo I referenced in this editorial. Photo found in the video, ‘Princ “Cvet sa Istoka” Interview | Pesma za Evroviziju 2023’ by Youtube channel, wiwibloggs

Steps Toward Eurovision

In some of his interviews, Princ has expressed a desire to compete in Eurovision. He said in his interview with Youtuber, Alesia Michelle, “I actually visualized myself winning Eurovision as a kid”. While you’re reading my editorial, you’re probably wondering, “If Princ wants to go to Eurovision, why would he spend his time working on Miss Scarlet and The Duke? What does one have to do with the other?” Miss Scarlet and The Duke broadcasts on Alibi, a U.K. channel owned by BBC Studios. BBC is the official broadcaster of the U.K. delegation of Eurovision. Princ is affiliated with the Serbian delegation of Eurovision through his participation in PZE. If he still desires to compete in Eurovision, Princ could use these connections, as well as his experience appearing on Miss Scarlet and The Duke, as a networking opportunity to get one step closer to Eurovision. This could be achieved by either finding people who could lead him in the right direction toward the song contest or by meeting people who could become vital members of his technical/artistic team. For example, Princ could collaborate with someone from Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s cinematography department to create a music video or figure out the most optimal camera angles for a live performance. Another example is Princ could receive advice from the show’s wardrobe department to achieve the most photogenic appearance for not only a live performance, but for other Eurovision related events, such as the Turquoise Carpet.

String of musical notes image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/pentagram-vector_710290.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a> <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com. 

I’ve made it a habit on 18 Cinema Lane to try to give more underrated people, characters, films, and topics their “standing ovation” because, according to Auggie from Wonder, “Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their life because we all overcometh the world”. But, as I said in April, in order for a “standing ovation” to take place, the person in question has to want it. Based on what I’ve observed, Princ is working toward that “standing ovation”. He’s even willing to deal with rejection and disappointment to make that “standing ovation” a reality. Princ could receive his “standing ovation” by appearing on Miss Scarlet and The Duke. It’s a situation where those involved with the program, including the fans, would benefit as well. In his interview with Alesia Michelle, when asked if he knew any of the fellow competitors of 2023’s PZE, Princ replied “So I think that, uh, supporting each other is very important”. Through this editorial, I’m hoping someone, either from Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s creative team or even a Eurovision delegation, recognizes Princ’s talent as well as his potential for success and provides him with the support to not only make his dreams come true, but to also finally give Princ his “standing ovation”!

Have fun on Miss Scarlet and the Duke!

Sally Silverscreen

Featured references:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Scarlet_and_The_Duke

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alibi_(TV_channel)

https://eurovisionworld.com/national/serbia/pesma-za-evroviziju-23

https://eurovisionworld.com/national/serbia/pesma-za-evroviziju-24

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovision_Song_Contest_2022

‘Team Serbia’ (Miss Scarlet and The Duke season two DVD featurette)

Video: Who is Pesma za Evroviziju’s Stefan “Princ” Zdravković? Check out the interview! by Alesia Michelle

Video: Princ “Cvet sa Istoka” Interview | Pesma za Evroviziju 2023 by wiwibloggs

Video: Stefan Zdravković “Dream on” from SvettRim

Take 3: Shadowlands (1985) Review

On By 18cinemalane9 Comments

Films are a way to visually tell a story. The subjects can range from the fictional to the historical. With movies belonging in the non-fiction genre, that story can introduce viewers to a particular person, event, or time period. This is the case for the 1985 made-for-TV film, Shadowlands! I will admit I knew very little about C.S. Lewis prior to The Two Jacks Blogathon, hosted by Taking Up Room. While I was aware of his contribution to literature, creating the Chronicles of Narnia series, my knowledge of the author was surface-level. By participating in this blogathon and by choosing to review Shadowlands, I hoped to learn more about C.S. Lewis and the literary world he created! Now, it’s time to open the wardrobe door and step into this review!

For some reason, Shadowlands has two titles: Shadowlands and C.S. Lewis Through the Shadowlands. Because the movie doesn’t have an offical poster on IMDB, I chose this poster for my review. Shadowlands (1985) poster created by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and BBC Enterprises.

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: In past reviews, when I talked about a movie’s acting performances, I’ve mentioned the believability of those portrayals. This believability comes from the actors displaying an understanding for their roles, as well as for the talents of their co-stars. As I watched Shadowlands, I could sense the believability from the cast. This element was so strong, it allowed the interactions to come across as realistic. Whenever C.S. Lewis and Joy Gresham shared conversations with one another, it seemed like they shared a mutual connection, being on the same page and even on the same paragraph. The combination of Joss Ackland and Claire Bloom’s talents allowed these performances to compliment each other! There were other interactions that appeared realistic in Shadowlands. When a medical situation takes place in the family, Douglas, portrayed by Rupert Baderman, asks C.S. Lewis about the situation itself. Douglas’ eyes display a longing look, desperate for things to get better. As C.S. Lewis reveals the answer, he has a serious expression on his face. These emotional expressions from both actors brought a sense of honesty to the interaction.

C.S. Lewis’ perspective: Because Shadowlands is based on a part of C.S. Lewis’ life, some of his perspectives are included in the script. The delivery of these perspectives and how they were incorporated into the story was insightful and thought-provoking. In a letter to Joy, C.S. Lewis explains how Narnia is a part of something bigger. From how I interpreted this statement, C.S. Lewis is pointing out how Narnia is a key component of the overarching story. It was interesting to hear Narnia referenced this way, as that world plays such a large role in its series, it seems like the star of the show. Amongst a group of colleagues during Christmastime, C.S. Lewis acknowledges how the birth of Jesus is considered a miracle. But he also points out how Springtime is a miracle, when plants are reborn and the world around the characters comes alive. Looking back on C.S. Lewis’ statement, it can be easy to take Springtime for granted, as it is a natural occurrence that happens on its own.

Historical accuracy: The historical accuracy in a historical/period drama can be found in the visual details. These details can also provide clues for the specific time a story takes place. Several scenes of Shadowlands show a rotary dial phone on a desk or on a table. The phones in the film are black, even though these types of phones can boast any colorful hue. In a scene where one of the characters is in the hospital, the bed is built with a silver metal frame. Even the knobs on a medical machine feature a simplistic design and make a loud, clicking sound. With these observations in mind, it appears that Shadowlands takes place in the 1950s or 1960s.

The Two Jacks Blogathon banner created by Rebecca from Taking Up Room

What I didn’t like about the film:

Sudden jumps in time: Shadowlands has a run-time of an hour and thirty-two minutes. This means progression of time is forced to be condensed for the sake of satisfying the run-time. Within the film’s first thirty minutes, however, the condensation of time was jarring, causing events to happen too quickly. After C.S. Lewis and Joy Gresham first become acquainted with each other, she tells him that she’ll return to England with her sons, in order for them to meet C.S. Lewis. In the very next scene, Joy has returned to England with her children. Several scenes later, Joy makes plans with C.S. Lewis about spending Christmas with him. A scene after that, Christmastime was already arrived.

An overshadowed brother: When I talked about this film’s sudden jumps in time, I mentioned Joy having two sons. These sons, David and Douglas, travel with their mother to England and eventually make England their permanent residence. Throughout the story, Douglas’ perspective is the one that is prioritized, as he is a fan of the Chronicles of Narnia series. The audience even sees how Douglas deals with a tragic situation. David’s thoughts about this tragic situation are referenced, but never showcased. I know there is only so much story to tell in an hour and thirty-two minutes. But I wish David’s perspective hadn’t been ignored.

Things left unexplained: In my review’s introduction, I said I hoped to learn more about C.S. Lewis by watching Shadowlands. While I did learn some things about the famous author, the story assumed the viewer already had basic knowledge about him. One example of this is how some things were left unexplained. There is a scene where C.S. Lewis is lecturing a group of students in a classroom. No explanations were provided for why he was lecturing these students or why he was teaching in the first place. It wasn’t until after I saw the movie that I learned C.S. Lewis was a professor at Oxford.

Sketch of London image created by Archjoe at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/hand-drawn-houses-of-parliament_1133950.htm’>Designed by Archjoe</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Archjoe – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

A person or event featured in a movie may be so fascinating, they deserve their own documentary. Some examples are the events that inspired Over the Edge and Evel Knievel. C.S. Lewis is one of these people that deserves a documentary, as he is an interesting literary figure. In fact, I think the story of Shadowlands should have been a documentary instead of a film. Even though I learned some information about the famous author, the movie assumed the audience already knew about him. This was the cause of things within the story not being explained. If the story of Shadowlands had been a documentary, important events could be discussed and prioritized without the program’s run-time being a concern. But reflecting on Shadowlands as a film, there are aspects of the project I can appreciate, such as the acting performances and hearing about C.S. Lewis’ perspective. With all that said, I thought the movie was just ok.

Overall score: 6 out of 10

Have you seen 1985’s Shadowlands? Would you like to see me talk about C.S. Lewis’ stories on my blog? Please tell me in the comment section!

Have fun in Narnia!

Sally Silverscreen