Crooked House [Blu-ray]

I had just finished Agatha Christie's book and then watched this flick. It misses some significant plot points and takes liberty with the plot to make things a little more violent. Close but no cigar is my final say on it.

This is not a review of the official DVD or Blu-ray version of the film, as I saw this on Amazon Prime Video and cannot guarantee that this presentation was uncorrupted. I am writing a bit of a warning-centered review of the streaming version presented here combined with a warning about the camera style of this production, all of which added up to a terribly nauseating experience for me and mine.The picture wobbled terribly at times, as though it had been filmed using a hand-held camera although the setting was clearly set up for a camera on a tripod, not a crane or in a man's hand being moved as the man moves. The picture wobbled up and down at random points when people were walking, where, again, the camera was clearly on a tripod in a fixed position. At other points, where the camera was clearly on a crane, a similar wobbling of the picture occurred. In order to watch this on a large television, I had to take a meclizine (bonine, the newer better version of the old standard dramamine) for motion sickness. This may be due to the video presentation or it may be due to a terrible director and I am sorry I just don't know which for the up and down movement of the camera that resembles bouncing.I can say, also, that the aspect ratio is off on Tivo presentation, on a friend's Roku as well, but not on the computer so we attached the computer to the television and saw this in the correct aspect ratio. The wobbly picture, with quick up and down movements that I can't explain, comes and goes throughout as does an irritating zooming in and out that I can say to a certainty the director did actually intend, unfortunately, sometimes using that same wobbly crane such that the zoom is uneven and bounces up or down and then back again and then resumes a smooth motion. The use of zoom and panning is apparently something the director likes and so the defective crane was used far too much to go unnoticed although not in all shots utilizing this technique.In fairness, these effects are most common in films where the director or producers rushed their camera crews, through no fault of the camera crews. However, the result is terrible at times, regardless of cause, and the uneven panning and zooming is particularly distracting when the bouncing seems to have gone away for five or ten minutes. In short, it is distracting enough to pull the viewer out of the film at many points throughout even though the effect varies greatly over the course of the film. I was made ill and distracted for about half of the film in total but nausea will do that. The person next to me, who can tolerate just about anything, needed no medication for the seasickness effect but was distracted every few minutes and complained about every ten. Our third complained about every ten to fifteen minutes and claimed afterwards that she was only complaining when she "really noticed it".The acting, on the part of most actors is quite good and up to the standards of the actors, but in a couple of cases is terrible, rather like watching a high school production where a couple of people decided to ham it up and opted for spontaneity over preparation, with those same individuals also acting as though there were no boom microphone above them to catch their voice and, so, these same individuals resorted to shouting out many of their lines, in contrast to their quieter scene-mates. Funny thing, these few included some of those that I consider to be among the best actors in the film, perhaps driven by ego to believe they didn't need to work as hard as the character actors surrounding them. There is a sound mastering problem in that the sound is uneven, with some conversations featuring the same quiet actors speaking in the same quiet voices being boomed through the television as though they forgot to go through that scene to even out the volume and bass on the recording, again, a sign of a rushed production.It is not Agatha Christie as she deserves but is a wonderful reminder of the value of UK's BBC and ITV collaborations with Masterpiece in the US. An experienced crew working with Agatha Christie's original material and a fantastic script adaptation will give a far better product than this, not including the periods of oddly rapid up and down movements that I mentioned first, which, again, may be unique to this video presentation. If only that defective crane had been fixed before shooting, all of the zooms and pans would have been equally beautiful to those that went off without a hitch, or in this case a bounce.I hope you can enjoy this film for what is has to offer but I wrote this just to warn about the wobbly nature of the picture and the volume variations so that you don't watch it expecting that perfect Masterpiece experience. This is not our Belgian hero nor our aged knitter in style or sound. While I can get over the modern interpretation of period makeup, very distracting at times where eyeliner has been applied for a fashion show when the actress will be acting in a movie, the sound and picture issues were significant enough to decrease film enjoyment. Also, there are more zooming shots in this film that I have seen in recent years which added to the motion sickness issue. It is sad because, when the sound is stable and the camera is not moving, this film has such potential and sophistication. But, because it felt like watching that high-wire act with Joseph Gordon Levitt again, as though I had an IMAX screen in my home, where my screen is only 40 inches, and the music sometimes drowned out the actor's voices to varying degrees, I can't advise watching this.If you are willing to attempt it, I hope you can find a time and setting to watch this for optimal enjoyment, without the illness factor. Keeping the lights on helps, sitting far away to shrink the picture, and not eating just before viewing will help. Good luck.

Agatha Christie’s works have never been out of style, but the success of Kenneth Branagh’s recent reinvention of “Murder on the Orient Express” has again rekindled the interest of movie and TV viewers. So, it may come as a surprise that another Christie film, “Crooked House,” based on a book the author called her personal favorite and featuring an excellent cast, went nearly directly to video just weeks after the Branagh movie hit the theaters. In this case, however, the lack of public acclaim is warranted; the film version of “Crooked House” has some structural problems.The film takes place in England in the mid-1950s. A wealthy octogenarian dies under suspicious circumstances, and the deceased’s granddaughter asks her ex-boyfriend, private investigator Charles Hayward (Max Irons), to look into the matter. Hayward discovers, in the usual Christie tradition, that the case is indeed a murder and that the dead man had a bunch of relatives with millions of pounds worth of reasons to kill him. Further, since they all lived in the same mansion with the victim, everyone had ample opportunity to commit the murder.The various supporting characters are the usual sort of Christie eccentrics, played in many cases by some very familiar actors, including multiple Oscar nominee Glenn Close, top-billed as the victim’s sister. Close doesn’t just mail in a performance either; there are some powerful emotions on display later in the movie. Other notables in the cast are Christina Hendricks as the dead man’s trophy second wife, Terence Stamp as the police inspector, and Gillian Armstrong (in a jet-black wig) as the victim’s daughter-in-law. But while the supporting performers shine, the lead detective is a considerably lesser light. Max Irons displays little of the charisma or screen presence of his father Jeremy or the other cast members, and he spends much of the movie merely going around from room to room listening to the various suspects’ stories.Of course, at the heart of any Christie work is the central mystery, and, without giving too much away, I could see when I read the book why it was her favorite, but the mystery seems much less important in the film version (and, as well, the presentation of clues makes the killer’s identity considerably more obvious to observant viewers). Instead, Julian Fellowes, creator of “Downton Abbey” and “Gosford Park,” wrote a script that de-emphasized the mystery (and Hayward’s attempts at rekindling his romance) in favor of allowing the talented cast to dispense acerbic quips similar to those emanating from Maggie Smith in the two works mentioned above. When Fellowes’ dialogue works, as in a dinner-party-from-Hell scene where Hayward dines with the relatives, “Crooked House” is quite clever and charming. However, much of the time, the relatives’ accusations hurled at each other more closely resemble the bickering of school children.“Crooked House” does not end in the usual manner for a Christie work with the detective gathering all the suspects together and explaining his solution. Instead, director Gilles Paquet-Brenner sets up a climactic car chase that is entirely out of place here (watching vintage 50s autos tooling around the English countryside isn’t the most suspenseful set piece in the world, nor what one would associate with an Agatha Christie work).I would guess that most people thinking about watching “Crooked House” have certain expectations from a Christie movie, and, in that regard, the film is worth watching, if for the performances and occasional bitter banter alone. But the central mystery, as presented in this film, isn’t the most compelling, nor is the reveal the best, and the detective on the case is a far cry from Hercule Poirot, or, for that matter, from any run-of-the-mill TV detective either. “Crooked House” isn’t the best Christie adaptation around, but it makes for passable weekend watching for fans of the author or the genre.

If you like mysteries this is a good one, very good actors good storyline I was surprised at whodunit at the and.

This Agatha Christies book that was the last before she die that’s now turn into a movie made me all fussy all over.and seeing that Julian Fellows had a hand in the screenplay makes it even more enjoyable.this is one of Christie’s twisted tales that surround the death of the wealthy Aristide Leonides”from there who can tell who’s who from who’s not...love it. the British do it so well just plain old investigating with words.Lovely Time Spent For 2 Hours..Widescreen 2.39:1Runtime 115 Min.English 5.1 DTS-HD Master.

This movie was amazing!! And well shot - with an excellent cast - and BEAUTIFUL locations. It was well acted, well told, and kept you guessing to the very end! This movie really slid under the radar as this film was released the same year as another big budget Agatha Christie adaptation - Murder on the Orient Express. I love a good mystery and Crooked House delivers!! I am ALWAYS amazed at what comes out of Agatha's mind. It's pioneers like Agatha that influence pop culture. Would I recommend this movie? YES!!! If you love a good mystery and adore a good old fashioned murder mystery in a mansion - then this movie is for you!The blu ray was shipped quickly and safely - and it works (playable) - so no issues there.

The only reason I bought this movie is that this title from Agatha Christie had never been adapted to cinema before, and it is apparently the last novel she wrote. The reason it's not so good is the same as for all the other most recent adaptations, and that is, a lack of talent from everybody involved in the creation process. These adaptations are not to be mentioned in the same phrase as everything that has been done with POIROT, MISS MARPLE, and other various titles decades before. There is too much talking and too little suspense to maintain a great interest and say it's a great movie, which it is not. BUT, it was interesting to see what Agatha Christie had in mind for her last novel anyway!...

L'ho rivisto la sera stessa della consegna e la qualità sia video sia audio è ottima. L'ho avevo per la prima volta alla multisala Wiz e mi era piaciuto moltissimo. Ho molto apprezzato la regia ed è molto curato nella messa in scena. La sceneggiatura è ottima, con personaggi ben scritti ed approfonditi. Inoltre ho molto apprezzato come hanno sviluppato i rapporti fra i vari membri della famiglia. In conclusione un film che saputo tenuto in tensione per tutta la sua durata e un colpo di scena che, non avendo letto il romanzo, mi ha spiazzato in senso positivo. Inoltre, nel vederlo ho notato qualche somiglianza con il bellissimo Gosford Park, ad esempio nella costruzione dei personaggi essendo lo stesso sceneggiatore.

von Agatha-Christie-Verfilmungen.Jede Komponente ihrer Krimimuster wird hier in Vollkommmenheit übertragen: eine kleine Horde von gutgestellten Reichen der sehr englischen Gesellschaft, mit allen Macken, die typische Christie-Figuren beleben, trauert nicht im Geringsten um den vergifteten Patriarch. Blasiert, neurotisch, weltabgehoben, verletzbar, grantig, eifersüchtig, aber auch sehnsüchtig und sinlich prallen sie aufeinander, gehen sie sich erfolglos aus dem Weg, schieben sie Schuld anderen zu, treiben sie das Wer-war-es-Spiel auf die Spitze.Der ermittelnde Detektiv kommt unfreiwillig zu dieser Aufgabe. Die von einer früheren Beziehung her bekannte Enkelin des Ermordeten fordert ihn dazu auf. Er muss erst die Abneigung aller Bewohner des großen Herrensitzes überwinden. Dabei wird er zunehmend mutiger und frecher, er lässt sich nicht mehr abwimmeln.Die Einzige, die ihn unterstützt ist ebenfalls eine klassische Christie-Figur: eine selbstbewusste Frau, eben jene Enkelin des Ermordeten, ambivalent in ihren Äußerungen, verstrickt in Gefühlen zum Detektiven.Interieur, Kostüme, Ausstattung sind einfach umwerfend in der Farbigkeit, dem Einfallsreichtum, dem gediegenen Eindruck, den sie erreichen, sie sind mit größter Sorgfalt abgestimmt. Die Kamera fängt alles ohne Gezappel ein, jede Einstellung vermittelt die passende Stimmung. Die Schauplätze wechselnd dabei geschickt vom Büro des erfolglosen Detektiven, zu Polizeiräumen, zu Gemächern des großen Anwesens, auf Türmchen, Galerien, in einen Club mit Live-Rock-and-Roll-Musik (verfilmt wurde erstmals der letzte Roman Agatha Christies) und früherern Schauplätzen in Rückblenden.Jede Person des Esembles wird mit typisierender Psychologie in Szene gesetzt. Gesten, Ausdruck, Stimmen und Stimmungen werden so genussvoll ausgespielt, dass alleine dadurch für nicht einen Moment Langeweile aufkommt. Absolut jede einzelne Szene ist durchdacht, sinnvoll, dringt tiefer in die Charkterisierung der Handelnden ein oder treibt die Aufklärung des Verbrechens voran. Mir fällt kaum ein anderer Film ein, der auf einem so ausgefeiltem, schlackenreinen Drehbuch beruht.Natürlich haben praktisch alle Bewohner der weltentrückten und in großen Teilen gescheiterten Familie ein Mordmotiv. Die Auflösung ist wieder verblüffend, ein Happy-End wird untypischerweise versagt.Einen starken Eindruck macht auch die Musik. Wer ein Ohr dafür hat, wird merken, dass sie nicht einfach nur moderner ist, als in allen bekannten Verfilmungen von Christie-Romanen, sondern auch düsterer, psychologisch fundiert, klassischer Avantgarde zugeneigt ist.Eine Perle von Film.Wie immer, empfehle ich den englischen Originalton, die deutsche Synchronisation schien mir aber (damals im Kino) nicht so schlecht zu sein, wie man sie viel zu oft erdulden muss.