Customer Reviews
Sir Derek and the Chronicles of a Truly Rare Benedictine. - By: Themis-Athena, 06 Oct 2006 
When the decision was made to produce for TV several episodes from her mystery series about Brother Cadfael, that 12th century crusader turned monk turned detective who has been, ever since his creation, one of the most compassionate & unusual sleuths of literary history, novelist Ellis Peters (Edith Pargeter) was not entirely happy. In fact, as the series' star, Sir Derek Jacobi, explainsin the extra footage provided on the now-released DVDs, Ms. Peters had very mixed feelings about giving up her brain child & entrusting it to other people who went about cutting & adjusting everything, from the storylines themselves to the way the protagonists speak & even the Chronicles' sequence, to the necessities & limitations set by the new medium. But she eventually acquiesced & at one point promised that "the next one I write, I'll make sure it's easier for you all to film."
While the thirteen episodes that were eventually produced are, thus, not entirely true to the individual Chronicles they are based on, they are closer than many other movie or TV versions of famous works of literature. Most importantly, they maintain not only the core story lines but also the historical authenticity, atmosphere & spirit set by Ms. Peters's booksin a marvelous fashion. And Sir Derek Jacobi brings both the wealth of his experience & skill & all of his own shrewdness, intelligence, sense of humor & empathy to the role of the medieval Benedictine sleuth & thus truly becomes Cadfael -- for the thousands of new fans who are discovering the series through its enactment for TV just as much as for us who loved the books before they were ever transposed to a visual medium. A tremendous cast of supporting actors rounds out an overall excellent production; to mention just a few, Julian Firth as the ambitious & narrow-minded Brother Jerome, Terrence Hardiman as Abbot Radolfus & Sean Pertwee (and later Eoin McCarthy) as Under-Sheriff Hugh Beringar, who joins Cadfaelin his investigations whenever, as is so often the case, these transcend the world of monastic life & require the administration of secular justice as well as clerical insight. Several episodes also feature noted guest stars.
The episodes are not entirelyin the same order as the books; however, as most of the cross-references between the books have been eliminatedin the screen versions, this is no great harm (although the lacking cross-references are probably one of the things avid readers of the books will find missing). The DVDs also provide background information on Ellis Peters, Sir Derek Jacobi & a number of the individual episodes' other actors.
Summary of the episodes containedin this set:
"St. Peter's Fair" (fourth Chronicle): While traders arrive from near & far, townsfolk claim a share of the Abbey's dues from the annual fair. Then a merchant is found murdered -- but there's more to this than meets the eye!
"The Ravenin the Foregate" (twelfth Chronicle): Cadfael must solve the mystery behind two deaths; one of a young woman who (unsuccessfully) sought his spiritual advice, the other of the priest to whom Cadfael sent her: the new priestin Shrewsbury's foregate, an ambitious, power-hungry clericin direct allegiance with King Stephen.
"The Rose Rent" (thirteenth Chronicle): A grieving young widow, beset by suitors, gives her house to the abbey for a single rose's annual rent. But her gift of beauty turns bloody when the emissary delivering the rose, a young monk, is found murdered.
Episodes containedin other sets:
First set:
"One Corpse Too Many" (the second Chronicle).
"Monk's Hood" (the third Chronicle).
"The Leper of St. Giles" (the fifth Chronicle).
"The Sanctuary Sparrow" (the seventh Chronicle).
Second Set:
"A Morbid Taste for Bones" (the first Chronicle);
"The Virginin the Ice" (the sixth Chronicle);
"The Devil's Novice" (the eighth Chronicle).
Fourth Set:
"The Pilgrim of Hate" (the tenth Chronicle);
"The Potter's Field" (the seventeenth Chronicle);
"The Holy Thief" (the nineteenth Chronicle).
Brother Cadfael, Set 3 - By: B. Chandler, 21 Feb 2005 The Rose Rent
"We have this moment for good or ill"
The Rose rent is a great mystery &in the course of being solved leads people to evaluate what has worthin life. A young widow must now face the fact that she may have killed her husband & also plan the rest of her life.
I was going to print the quote from the back cover; yet as usual the person who wrote the blurb could not have seen the film or have read the book.
Of course people die & Brother Cadfael uses forensics to determine who the murderer/s are & the motive/s. You get more then sufficient clues on the way.
My favorite quote isin the morning as they are ringing the morning bell; someone asks Cadfael, "Are you awake?" & Cadfael staggering "No. But I am out of bed."
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A Morbid Taste for Bones
"A man may step out of his nature"
A monk has the ability of sight. While he is being bleed he gets a vision. With the help of Jerome he realizes that it is St. Winifred whose body is lostin Wales & wants to be here so people can visit. A retrieval expedition is launched against Cadfael judgment.
This is one of the best Father Cadfaels as it has meaning & story on many levels. True the ending is not exactly the book ending. But the feel is still there. The point that I like best is that the language is common but the cultures as dissimilar.
Although there is no Hugh Beringar (Sean Pertwee), this film contains one of my favorite actors John Hallam who plays the lord Richard. He has beenin many popular movies including "4.50 from Paddington" where he gets to play a similar character as Cedric Crackenthorpe.
I leave you with this thought:
"Those that seek to lay hands on St. Winifred are apt to perish."
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The Ravenin the Foregate
"Truth & justice are often at odds."
It is said, "All that evil needs to flourish is for good men to nothing." And this film has a few good men that do nothing. So once again it is up to Brother Cadfael to sort out the mystery & if separate mysteries are related. I will not go thought the story blow by blow, as that is part of the intriguein watching these films.
A part of the back cover paraphrased:
Father Ailnoth, the new parish priestin Shrewsbury, earns the scorn of his entire parishioners. After refusing to absolver a parishioner for carrying an illegitimate child, the priest is found deadin the river. There are plenty of suspects but a shortage of clues.
Too bad back covers are not clear & strait forward however the story is more complex & the acting is superior.
