i don't know! i want to know if it's any good.
― π ππ’π¨ (caek), Monday, 3 August 2020 05:21 (four years ago) link
I've binged all of those The Bureau seasons. It's somehow a huge phenomenon and casual mainstream reference point over here (in Norway).
I have actually made the "Tinker" comparison while talking about it before. There's not as much nostalgic pathos in the conversations, perhaps, but like Tinker it's brilliant at making thrilling television out of office work and careful smoking out of spies, mules and state secrets. It takes the spy work extremely seriously but it's still got plenty of larger than life characters. As a TV thriller it's one of the best.
― abcfsk, Monday, 3 August 2020 08:52 (four years ago) link
agreed. itβs tremendous. kassowitz is incredible but youβve got other absolute giants of cinema in there too. and the operations, and the centrality of the middle east, are (from what i understand) based on very detailed research.
― Li'l Brexit (Tracer Hand), Monday, 3 August 2020 10:43 (four years ago) link
Similar vein, is the 2007 adaptation of Robert Littel's 'The Company' any good?
― American Fear of Scampos (Ed), Monday, 3 August 2020 11:49 (four years ago) link
looks like he's recorded lots of le carre audiobooksβ π ππ’π¨ (caek), Wednesday, June 24, 2020 5:44 PM (four months ago) bookmarkflaglinkHe has got an excellent voice.β Future England Captain (Tom D.), Wednesday, June 24, 2020 6:00 PM (four months ago) bookmarkflaglink
β π ππ’π¨ (caek), Wednesday, June 24, 2020 5:44 PM (four months ago) bookmarkflaglink
He has got an excellent voice.
β Future England Captain (Tom D.), Wednesday, June 24, 2020 6:00 PM (four months ago) bookmarkflaglink
now listening to jayston's TTSS. flawless performance.
― π ππ’π¨ (caek), Tuesday, 17 November 2020 01:06 (three years ago) link
Watched episode one last night and every second guinness is on screen is incredible
― spruce springclean (darraghmac), Saturday, 21 November 2020 12:40 (three years ago) link
It may require a post idk
yes and yes.
― Fizzles, Saturday, 21 November 2020 13:08 (three years ago) link
also thanks for the recommendation of the bureau itt. itβs not ttss but iβm very much enjoying it which is more than i can say about anything else on television.
― Fizzles, Saturday, 21 November 2020 13:09 (three years ago) link
yw! i'm still sitting on the most recent season like a bottle of wine you don't want to drink yet.
― Li'l Brexit (Tracer Hand), Saturday, 21 November 2020 13:38 (three years ago) link
I literally started the novel in bed this morning and have already ordered the BBC blu ray. (I've seen, and enjoyed, the Alfredson version.)
― Vanishing Point (Chinaski), Saturday, 21 November 2020 13:44 (three years ago) link
Oh man, jealous
― spruce springclean (darraghmac), Saturday, 21 November 2020 13:50 (three years ago) link
Michael Jayston does a extremely good impression of Alec Guinness for his smiley voice in the audiobook.
― π ππ’π¨ (caek), Saturday, 21 November 2020 15:28 (three years ago) link
darraghmac, would love to read your full impression
― Mr. Cacciatore (Moodles), Saturday, 21 November 2020 17:13 (three years ago) link
deems' Alec Guinness is even better than Jayston's.
― Boring blighters bloaters (Tom D.), Saturday, 21 November 2020 17:37 (three years ago) link
Right let me see
― spruce springclean (darraghmac), Monday, 23 November 2020 21:50 (three years ago) link
Intro, beautiful.
But let's move to Smiley/Guinness.
NB this viewing has been stewed by previous viewings of the series, the movie, the book and indeed the remainder of the Karla trilogy and back again, nothing of the impressions gained can really be viewed as anything but projection on the part of the poster.
In addition, what Guinness/director/author have put out there as setting for the series specifically, or what is informed by book is likewise confused but we'll press on.
Guinness is first seen at the booksellers, pleasantly and relaxedly bantering. Not Smiley at all.
Spots Guillam, smoothly moves to evade without breaking character. Sends book by post, to what end I had a thought on but now cannot recall (if this irritates perhaps skip the post there may be a lot of this murkiness- I feel it befits the material however).
In the evasion he bumps into Martindale and what on first viewing was a painful inescapable dinner encounter (which is, from the book, at least that much genuine tbf) in Guinness' hands on this particular rewatch as smooth a decision to be caught as the decision to evade was in the booksellers. He fends Roddy off with studied (and tbf expected) irritation, paying the clumsier efforts to rise him with exasperated contempt, the gentler ones with a carefully (and likewise easily seen through from Martindale's pov) mournful helplessness. The whole time he's extracting the catch-up information he has decided (all along? since spotting Guillam? For the purposes, and again presuming it's not explicit in the book I prefer, this time, the latter) he is going to need while playing Smiley the defeated, retired, bitter cuckold as suits. Not Smiley, but at least Smiley in a conscious mode- an outer-Matryoshka Smiley, then.
Soused and slightly stumbling Smiley muttering indulgently to himself en route home with pieces to fit together- well we know from many book passages (to my greater recollection, from The Honourable Schoolboy tbh but again I'm due a TTSS re-read) that this is a genuine Smiley, but more a part of him that floats free while the machinations underneath receive his own fuller attention.
Guillam revealed- crotchety, verbose, im-going-to-the-cotswolds Smiley fusses around as he again pries and pushes to see -not what's up, we know on this watch that George knows the most part of at least the summoner and the approximate topic already- but the precise nature of the motivation for the approach that has activated him today. The wizard-gone-to-seed Smiley, total performance but for Guillam a different performance than was used to entice Martindale, a performance to demonstrate and re-establish connection as the niceties are observed between a former acolyte sent to summon his willing better.
The car- Smiley testing still, more a personable superior with Guillam than we will later see to be his habitual manner in his role, therefore again striking me as performance, save for the first flash of True Smiley- when Guillam provides a wittily evasive and circular response to a lazily-direct query to the heart of the matter, a resonant yet clipped approving "Quite right, Peter!" that exudes a relish for the game that is totally at odds with the sullen press and meander so far.
Smiley and Lacon passing mannerly time while Guillam is sent to make himself presentable for the interrogation of the unworthy Tarr (what a beautiful touch, btw)- Guinness positively thrumming to attention now, the game truly afoot and the path in now becoming clear, he stands upright and alert and bristling to go, Lacon hasn't made a play nor offer yet but Smiley the procedural bloodhound has already dropped all pretence that this isn't the breadcrumb that he has been waiting for through the long hibernation.
Finally, Smiley the interrogator- the scene & moment paid rightful tribute above and many other places, the boiled-down, five-steps-ahead archivist of the past and present who is merely waiting for Tarr to confirm which of the two or three paths he has already mapped out is to be the one we follow to the quarry, the look that pins the butterfly Tarr, the precision of tone and phrase designed and brilliantly executed to let the interrogated (and we the audience) know that Smiley was never being informed here, he was merely waiting to see what Tarr was able to reveal to the benighted Lacon to ensure that the quest may be correctly provisioned and outfitted. Essential Smiley, the pursuer Smiley, no mumbles no protests no hesitation Smiley, Smiley the cat at stalk.
I could, I'm sure, watch it again and pick out more but that's as I recall devouring the detail of the performance in real time, sheer bliss that is far above even the excellence around it. Absolute magic.
― spruce springclean (darraghmac), Monday, 23 November 2020 22:40 (three years ago) link
but you knew better, didn't you, mr. smiley? he only beat it further in.
― difficult listening hour, Monday, 23 November 2020 23:30 (three years ago) link
i also thought i knew at one stage why he decided to trust the book to the post office, but now can't remember - is it in the book?
― Fizzles, Wednesday, 25 November 2020 18:57 (three years ago) link
otm about the utterly compelling scene in the car. it *is* performance, he's working Guillam - it's a magical bit of acting and directing that we're both able to see that, doubt it and in the gap between the two recognise an underlying set of competences and dynamic, recognise intelligence at work.
― Fizzles, Wednesday, 25 November 2020 19:05 (three years ago) link
excellent post imo, makes me want to watch again.
i do think the muttering section is the 'real' smiley (you are right to be cautious), it's late, he's feeling peevish, irritable and justifiably *out of sorts*. but equally as you say, much is floating free at that point. it's almost like polishing your shoes, just something you do in the quotidian.
― Fizzles, Wednesday, 25 November 2020 19:07 (three years ago) link
Shiney
― spruce springclean (darraghmac), Wednesday, 25 November 2020 19:45 (three years ago) link
from memory the book (in the book) is left at the shop bcz he doesn't want to be carrying it round and after he meets and drinks with martindale he's crossly too late to pick it up as he meant to and is instead going to call them and ask for it to be posted?
this sounds slightly different to the tv version
grimmelshausen is an interesting hinted if unexpanded glimpse into his mind (le carre was also a germanist and presumably knows it as a consequence)): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplicius_Simplicissimus
― mark s, Wednesday, 25 November 2020 20:03 (three years ago) link
Love this line in the first smiley chapter describing his reaction to something foolish martindale says:βThe monstrosity of this, reaching Smiley through a thickening wall of spiritual exhaustion, left him momentarily speechless.β
― π ππ’π¨ (caek), Wednesday, 25 November 2020 20:23 (three years ago) link
In the TV show he spots Guillam, says to the bookseller "do you know I rather think that we might trust this to the royal mail, after all" and asks for a back entrance
It's worth pondering because a piece of this quality is simply fun and rich enough to ponder
― spruce springclean (darraghmac), Wednesday, 25 November 2020 20:47 (three years ago) link
Episode V
This time around, having read THS, Ackland really packs in all the Westerby detail and tics, it's a lovely little role and a lovely performance in it
Esterhase interrogation is far better in this, obviously, a real catharsis and Hepton hits all his spots very nicely too
― spruce springclean (darraghmac), Wednesday, 25 November 2020 22:10 (three years ago) link
Acklandβs performance really is something else. that compelling mixture you get in the book - both vivid social/class type and person. le carrΓ© v good at snobbery (and its victims like westerby).
― Fizzles, Wednesday, 25 November 2020 22:24 (three years ago) link
A victim of his lack of aggression as opposed to his status, as performed here I think
But perhaps I'm missing things here, I thought he was quite posh but shamblingly, disappointingly so as I recall him in THS- is he meant to be a cut below the top dogs in the circus classwise here?
― spruce springclean (darraghmac), Wednesday, 25 November 2020 22:30 (three years ago) link
Again, how much of this is stewed versions coming together as projection or how much is deliberate subtext agreed between director and actors is possibly moot, but Esterhase was the wrong person, as far as the TV version has it, to send back to Jerry to squash his Czech report.
Fits with his being (as suggested by Smiley) the lapdog inclusion in the gang of four Witchcraft privileged, the one useful for errands, the one most eager, but certainly Ackland's Westerby bridles at being savaged by this clotheaten specimen- driving him to write the letter to Smiley
― spruce springclean (darraghmac), Wednesday, 25 November 2020 22:39 (three years ago) link
The second-best moment of actual direction so far- the camera remaining at the bar when Jerry and George sneak off into the corner to conspire
― spruce springclean (darraghmac), Wednesday, 25 November 2020 22:40 (three years ago) link
"clotheaten" not right, tbf, but not the stuff of any of the other title pieces certainly
― spruce springclean (darraghmac), Wednesday, 25 November 2020 22:54 (three years ago) link
A victim of his lack of aggression
yes absolutely. it's not a class thing, but an *in-class* thing.
― Fizzles, Thursday, 26 November 2020 17:41 (three years ago) link
Tbh I've watched one each night the past five nights and
i. everything bar the most recent has already faded back into the roiling, bubbling mix of novel/film/series
ii. not unrelated, I could watch those first four starting right now again and enjoy them as much and, I think, see different things in them than I did last week
the richness is almost too much in real time
― spruce springclean (darraghmac), Thursday, 26 November 2020 19:00 (three years ago) link
i played them last night because i couldn't sleep.
incidentally, just on this bloody book. i'd forgotten that in the novel, Smiley, irritated at Ann's spending, decides to *sell* his copy of Grimmelshausen at the bookseller. he bumps into Martingdale before he gets there, and leaves the Grimmelshausen at the club, the realisation of which later causes him, after a bout of peevish muttering, to burst out sopra voce 'oh damn, damn, damn' in the street. in the series, this is completely detached from any cause, other than an overplus of sadness, frustration, self-loathing, irritation, age and boredom.
― Fizzles, Thursday, 26 November 2020 20:53 (three years ago) link
one thing regularly seen in the series, and can now be considered historical documentary evidence - the easy camaraderie of cigarettes.
― Fizzles, Thursday, 26 November 2020 21:42 (three years ago) link
Ah we've only bloody been watching the six episode version ffs
Have to do the full one again after christmas
― spruce springclean (darraghmac), Friday, 27 November 2020 23:41 (three years ago) link
wait what do you mean βthe full oneβ?
― Fizzles, Saturday, 28 November 2020 10:10 (three years ago) link
Int the UK miniseries 7 eps?
― spruce springclean (darraghmac), Saturday, 28 November 2020 11:09 (three years ago) link
the original UK version is 7 eps, the us version is 6 eps (i guess to fit US schedules? #whoknow)
― mark s, Saturday, 28 November 2020 11:33 (three years ago) link
ah right. is it cut or are the episodes just edited to different lengths?
― Fizzles, Saturday, 28 November 2020 11:39 (three years ago) link
maybe they leave it as a cliffhanger
― mark s, Saturday, 28 November 2020 11:43 (three years ago) link
lol
― Fizzles, Saturday, 28 November 2020 11:46 (three years ago) link
In the United States, syndicated broadcasts and DVD releases compress the seven UK episodes into six, by shortening scenes and altering the narrative sequence.i had no idea. good excuse to watch it again tho.
― Fizzles, Saturday, 28 November 2020 11:53 (three years ago) link
Yep the new year week I reckon we'll do it all over again.
Interesting to spot what changes were made and then speculate as to why smiley allowed them
― spruce springclean (darraghmac), Saturday, 28 November 2020 11:57 (three years ago) link
Fuck me I've only seen the six ep version and I didnt know anything else existed
― Politically homely (jim in vancouver), Saturday, 28 November 2020 12:48 (three years ago) link
tbf it's just another hour of clips of alec guinness polishing his glasses
― mark s, Saturday, 28 November 2020 12:54 (three years ago) link
Can never get enough of that.
― ILXceptionalism (Tom D.), Saturday, 28 November 2020 13:05 (three years ago) link
I've also only ever seen the 6 episode version. Now I feel like I didn't truly understand it.
I have very distinct memories of my parents watching this when I was little. I recall being very disturbed when I caught the scene where the kid spies Jim changing and sees those bullet wounds.
― Mr. Cacciatore (Moodles), Saturday, 28 November 2020 14:26 (three years ago) link
if prideaux doesn't cream a flaming owl with a quidditch bat who can say this even makes sense
― mark s, Saturday, 28 November 2020 14:43 (three years ago) link