This review is from: The House of Cards Trilogy [1990] [DVD] (DVD)
The House of Cards saga is a tremendous achievement in television: expert direction including the use of ‘piece to camera’ monologues, beautifully constructed tension and an acting triumph by the main player, Ian Richardson. If shows like the West Wing capture our ideal politics, then House of Cards drenches it all in filthy water.
It is the story of naked, ruthless ambition in British politics that shows a staggering realism whilst at the same time allowing for dramatic flights of story. Richardson’s Urquart is beautifully played, and the character makes me uneasy in the same way that the Shield’s Vic Mackey does: you absolutely know he’s a villain, he has done despicable things but damn.
My only wish for television these days is that they invest in drama like this: it is a thoroughly watchable drama, and gets the full five stars for being so.
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This review is from: The House of Cards Trilogy [1990] [DVD] (DVD)
The House of Cards Trilogy must surely be rated as one of the best contemporary dramas ever made. Ian Richardson’s performance is simply breathtaking, and Andrew Davies’ scripts the work of a true genius. As well as the stunning central performance by Richardson, the cast and crew as a whole deserve great praise.
And there’s a bonus in the shape of commentaries over the first episode of each of the three series by Richardson, Davies and Producer Ken Riddington, which are both enlightening and at times amusing.
Would I recommend the purchase of this DVD set? You might very well think that…
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Excellence in television,
The House of Cards saga is a tremendous achievement in television: expert direction including the use of ‘piece to camera’ monologues, beautifully constructed tension and an acting triumph by the main player, Ian Richardson. If shows like the West Wing capture our ideal politics, then House of Cards drenches it all in filthy water.
It is the story of naked, ruthless ambition in British politics that shows a staggering realism whilst at the same time allowing for dramatic flights of story. Richardson’s Urquart is beautifully played, and the character makes me uneasy in the same way that the Shield’s Vic Mackey does: you absolutely know he’s a villain, he has done despicable things but damn.
My only wish for television these days is that they invest in drama like this: it is a thoroughly watchable drama, and gets the full five stars for being so.
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|Superb!,
The House of Cards Trilogy must surely be rated as one of the best contemporary dramas ever made. Ian Richardson’s performance is simply breathtaking, and Andrew Davies’ scripts the work of a true genius. As well as the stunning central performance by Richardson, the cast and crew as a whole deserve great praise.
And there’s a bonus in the shape of commentaries over the first episode of each of the three series by Richardson, Davies and Producer Ken Riddington, which are both enlightening and at times amusing.
Would I recommend the purchase of this DVD set? You might very well think that…
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|Thoroughly enjoyable,
Gripping! I will not repeat what others have said here, some of the best television I have seen in a long time.
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