Oliver Twist (BBC) [2007] [DVD]

This is a marvellous adaptation to the famous story, better than any except the delightful 60s musical with Mark Lester and Ron Moody; but much darker and grittier in tone and not to be compared. Probably this version is closer to the book, which I haven't read in years, but much of the dark , twisted underworld atmosphere I remember came through, shot through with love and hope: the costuming and sets were superb, the acting and choice of actors flawless. All were outstanding but I was especially convinced by Sophie Okonedo's moving portrayal of Nancy and her protective sacrificial love for Oliver. Gregor Fisher and Sarah Lancashire made a wonderfully monstrous couple who deserved each other; Julian Rhind-Tutt a combination of scheming gentlemanly evil with a dash of the posturing ridiculous ( a great comic actor as seen in Notting Hill with Hugh Grant). i though no one could equal Ron Moody as Fagin but the peerless Timothy Spall remakes him as a squalid, tragic, complex, yet strangely sympathetic figure, at the mercy of the environment made him who he is . Tom Hardy as fearsome psycho Bill Sikes convinced though did not quite match the sheer animal menace of Oliver Reed. Edward Fox , the artful Dodger and the boy playing Oliver were all perfect, Oliver being more streetwise and spirited that in earlier versions; having remarkably kept his sense of self despite the brutality he is subjected to. The entire film is one of the best Dickens adaptations I've seen. The nightmare Victorian world of poverty and its brutalised denizens is evoked with a deft, artful touch , lightened by the extravagance and nuance of Dickens' memorable, grotesque, larger than life characters.

I understand this is going to sound a bit odd, 'a TV version better than a major film', but in my humble opinion this Mini TV series is far far better than any other version of Dicken's best loved work. I liked Roman Polanski's film, especially the performances ofBen Kingsley as Fagin and Harry Eden as the Artful Dodger but I didn't like Barney Clark who played Oliver or Jamie Forman's Bill Sykes in the film. This version has a great great cast. Tim Spall makes a very good Fagin, Tom Hardy is as usual; outstanding! (can this guy do anything wrong?) as Bill Sykes and the lad who played Oliver, William Miller, was simply brilliant. He had some style and charisma and made the character of Oliver, far more endearing to watch than some weedy and whiny kid as those before him.Add, the excellent Sarah Lancashire, Edward Fox and Gregor Fisher to the mix and you have a fantastic adaptation.This may not be the most faithful adaptation of the book, it takes liberties with the plot but it has far more going on than the previous adaptation i mentioned and has a interesting twist to the Twist.My only gripe with this adaptation was the boy who played the Artful Dodger; Adam Arnold was not a patch on the excellentHarry Eden.

Really enjoyed this adaptation of Oliver. Have always loved the musical version with Albert Finney and don't think that can ever be out done.. This version however did not try to compete with such a version and is certainly no musical . This is a much grittier and darker tale and one well worth watching . Costume, acting , props right down to the disgusting highly visable detail of plaque build up on teeth ,all was thought out and done in detail. Only to criticisms! With such a darker tale and desire to bring us closer to the reality of the era and empathy for the characters. After Dodger encountered the the five sided side of Bill. (Quite a powerful and unexpected moment )For continuity and believability, Markings on his face to show such during the film should of been prominent . And at the end it would of been nice to have seen Dodger and Oliver looking at each other .Rather than the scene Oliver was given .(just a thought )Well worth watching . Yes would highly recommend it. Tom Hardy does as always give a great performance, as does the rest of the cast.

Even in fiction such as this film, it’s a window as to how people dressed and spoke in those days, the attention to detail with their dirty rotten teeth, better than the Hollywood spotless teeth.

Already bought the box set, and this one is included within it. Doh!!!!

Great story, far more than the musical.Great characters, fast plot. Superb story

I enjoyed watching the film, being the first I fully watch to Oliver Twist. After I started reading of the original text of the novel by Dickens for study and research purposes, I found it as if it was a simplified version of the original text (just as there are also simplified the texts of the original novel by Oxford Bookworms and Penguin Readers). Therefore I do not find this film well matching the book themes. It can be noticed from its length. It was expected to be much better than that seeing it published by BBC. Yet, I can imagine how it would be difficult for a producer to precisely match the book themes, but that is not impossible.

Love watching different versions of this story. One of my favourites

Super FilmBin begeistertAber oh Wunder, dieser Film läuft ganz ohne stecken zu bleiben ab.

Envoi rapide, bien protégé. Le film est fidèle à mes attentes. Je recommande ce film

I'm so grateful for movie companies like BBC who take novels from another time and create movies that we can understand better and appreciate more today. Because we don't live in the mid 1800's, most of us find it difficult to imagine what life encompassed in that time period. Again, BBC has given us terrific detail through costuming, lifestyle, food, language, customs and the interior and exterior of homes in urban and rural England. The streets of London become real to us. We understand the sharp reality of the difference between the classes. We grieve over the plight of the poor, and rage inwardly against those who exploit them to their own advantage. At the same time, we love those who are compassionate and kind.Dickens writes a powerful story about abandonment, greed, love, and the overcoming power of the human spirit. He gives an unforgetable demonstration of the surety of reaping what you sow. Again, superb acting, a sprinkle of humour, a wonderful ending where good triumphs over evil and love conquers all. An excellent movie.

Excelente versión que la BBC capituló sobre Oliver Twist. Audio únicamente en inglés como es usual en las series de BBC, pero muy buena realización. Personajes creíbles y sin sobreactuaciones, un Oliver quizás demasiado seco, pero muy buena ambientación en general. Está realizada en varios capítulos, por lo que es idónea para aprender inglés con la ayuda de los subtítulos para sordos si no dominas la lengua de Shakespeare.

I saw this DVD on sale in a Target store, so I took a chance on it. Luckily, I hadn't read the reviews here or I would have given it a pass. This production of Dickens' famous novel is the least faithful of all the versions I have seen, but I expected that going in. It's basically a stylistic rewrite of the story with a modern audience in mind. Had I been a Dickens purist looking for a mirror image of the book, I would have been appalled, as some reviewers here obviously were.Instead, it's a fresh take on an old story. It doesn't pretend to be faithful. The result for me is that I was highly entertained, and as someone else has pointed out, instead of looking for how many deviations I could find, I was enthralled by the fact that I did NOT know what was coming next. This in effect freed me from the book, which I have read several times (yes, I like Dickens), and allowed me to judge this fresh approach on its own merits.I was quite satisfied with the story as it stood on its own two feet, although the original story is much better. But that was a book (a newspaper serial, actually), not a 173 minute television mini-series. Were I to produce a faithful mini-series of Oliver Twist I would require at least ten hour-long segments. It's a very complicated yarn. (I'd love to film the chapter where Oliver is recuperating in the country.)The cast is excellent for the most part. William Miller (Pieter in "Krakatoa") was an inspired choice for what he was intended to do: portray an appealing yet fearless version of Oliver--a boy who has been subjected to the dreary trials of a workhouse upbringing, yet because of his character has come through it all as a soft spoken, kindly little soul. Adam Arnold as Dodger presents a new "twist" on the character, who is shown as being quite sensitive and vulnerable, and in love with Nancy (who throws him over for Oliver). Bill Sykes is played by Tom Hardy, and while he looks fine in the part, his accent is so extreme I could only understand ever tenth word. He also suffers in my eyes because he's no Robert Newton. That holds true with every other actor who has played Sykes. Similarly, Timothy Spall is no Alec Guiness. I had a hard time swallowing his Fagin, but again this is a rewrite of the story and he does an adequate job with the writer's reconstruction of the character. Mr. Brownlow is played by the ubiquitous Edward? Fox (is he William, James or Edward? I wish he'd make up his mind).If it sounds like I'm having fun with this review, it's probably because I had fun watching this DVD. The extra on the disk is a "making-of" documentary. I enjoyed meeting Will Miller, Sophie Okonedo (Nancy), and others. However, when you listen to the writer, Sarah Phelps, you begin to get an insight into why this Oliver Twist is so different from all the others. She strikes me as an angry, over-the-top liberal who has strong opinions on Dickens and other societal matters. She rubbed me the wrong way, but at the same time I did like very much what she produced. So there you have it in a nutshell.The music didn't bother me one little bit. In fact, its spirited tone fit the revised character of Oliver very well, and I felt it was perfect for this particular production. William Miller is a handsome, lovable boy, and I was very pleased to see Oliver Twist as an engaging, sturdy and athletic youngster for once instead of the meek, frail waif we have always seen, a character who we are to pity. It's a fresh outlook. The rest of the cast, the authentic costuming and backgrounds, yes and even the heavily rewritten story, support this new twist on Oliver Twist very well.It's a good movie. Don't miss it. Take the sour apple reviews with a grain of salt.