Red Riding

[Keef]

Anyone been watching this? For those who haven't, it's a trilogy of dramas set in the grim north (Leeds) in the late 70's / early 80's (last night was the middle one, and was set at the time they caught the Yorkshire Ripper). Each film is directed by someone diferent.

What do people think?

I chatted to Mockney about last weeks one, and we both agreed that it was basically shite! Reasonably simple story told incredibly badly over 2 hours, with lots of arty shots of the bleak moors. Mrs Keef however, disagrees, and thought that last weeks was stunning.

I didn't want to watch last nights instalment, but actually ended up rather enjoying it. Much preffered the style of direction, and thought it was wel done, if rather depressing!

What do others think?

[Brendan]

I liked the first one. Have recorded the second and will probably watch it Sunday.

The Mash has this to say:

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/arts-%26-entertainment/fears-grow-that-red-riding-may-have-been-shit-200903101632/

[Marmora Man]

Watched the first episode as pre reviews were good - but agree, a basically sound story ruined by poor direction and a very muddled narrative.

Have recorded second episode and, if it's clearer as you say, will give it a go.

[Ted Max]

The second episode was much more evenly paced, which helped. And it had Paddy Considine and Maxine Peak in it, which always helps.

But I think for any of it to really tie up the third episode is going to be crucial.

The problem with the first was that originally they were going to make four episodes, not three, but ran out of money and ended up eliding a lot of the material into one episode, including some composite characters. This meant we had a lot of atmospheric scene setting, with the action distilled into a mad final 10 minutes. I think that's why it felt so wrong.

[mattham]

I enjoyed the first one although you are right; the tricksy editing; dream sequences etc were a bit silly; like they were trying to make an edgy Life on Mars. I liked the arty shots of the Moors, but why did everyone spend so much time in concrete underpasses? It was supposed to be the 70s. It felt like the 70s after a nuclear war. Last night's was more conventional and probably more believable as a result.

[reenie40]

Did they explain, in the first one, why the wings were sown onto the girls backs? I wasn't sure if I missed the explanation with all the mumbling (had to turn the volume way up for all the whispered conversations) or if it was ignored along with a lot of other stuff.

I did think it was a bit style over substance - not seen the second one yet.

[capt_birdseye]

mattham Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

why did everyone spend so much time in

> concrete underpasses?

I would imagine that's the only area they could find that still looks just as it did in 1974.

[Ted Max]

Swan's wing thing was never outright explained, reenie. There's more to come on that story though, in ep 3. Who knows, they may bother to tie all these things together or it may stay the disassociated nightmare-scape that it is at the moment.

[*Bob*]

We started to watch it, but Mrs *Bob* fell asleep after ten minutes, leading to a minor altercation about 'her' and 'my' choices of recording currently backed-up on the Humax.

'my' = subtitled films I'll never watch, heavygoing dramas, more films I've already seen a thousand times

'her' = Crimewatch, real-life medical drama, plus An Officer and a Gentleman

I think we'll just have to split up. I'll certainly never see Red Riding otherwise.

[reenie40]

Thanks Ted - just wondered why they bothered with such detail if there was no reason. Will catch up with episode 2 and 3 in the hope that it all becomes clear and it was worth going to bed completely depressed and confused!

[Keef]

You won't be confused after the second one, but depression will probably grip you all night like an icy hand under the covers!

[reenie40]

no change there then!

[Ted Max]

Recording Crimewatch is very useful - especially if you run a small jewellers in a mid-sized market town, get a lot of roofing repairs done, and have the horn for Matthew Amroliwala.

[*Bob*]

I think I accused her of being unwilling to watch anything which might be 'too demanding'.

Little does she know that after the Red Riding incident and she'd sloped off to bed, I turned over and watched Overboard, with Goldie Hawn.

[Ted Max]

Oh you're watching that now, I thought you were watching that other thing.

I am, it's the ads, I'm just flicking over.

It really annoys me that you can't watch something without flicking over all the time.

I am watching it.

*Silence*

Are you going to bed soon? You look tired, perhaps an early night.

*Turns back to Ice Road Truckers. Decides La Notte can wait for another day.*

[dukesdenver]

Last week's looked great but was very mumbly and hard to follow. It was better with subtitles (and I speak as someone with Northern as a first language).

Last night's was much more straightforward although one of the characters had a white PVC front door which didn't seem quite right for 1980 (no doubt I shall be speedily corrected if I am wrong :)).

[woofmarkthedog]

Boring

[mattham]

You are correct dukesdenver. I'm glad I'm not the only one with PVC OCD

[bigbadwolf]

I didn't really enjoy the first installment as I wasn't convinced that they could trigger such an unexpected killing spree so easily.

The second installment however was awesome and Paddy Considine and Maxine Peake were excellent. One thing they should have done though was to flesh out /explain the other officers character (the one who shot Paddy's character) as that was a bit baffling but the again I was pretty pissed when I watched it. Looking forward to the final one.

And one other point, was the ginger bloke speaking another language sometimes as it certainly seemed like it. Should've had subtitles like on Trawlerman.

[Huggers]

The books are totally brill and I'm thinking maybe the telly might pull this one off in terms of complexity and atmosphere as long as the final episode does the biz in enlightenment wow factor. The books are chronological so everything unfolds and reveals itself bit by baffling bit- whereas this adaptation is putting the first last, I think. I really recommend the books- they are unputdownable and mesmerisingly written.

[bigbadwolf]

Don't forget everyone, last installment is tonight at 9 p.m.

[reenie40]

Think it was all worth it in the end...

[bigbadwolf]

Did any of count how many cigarettes were smoked? I gave up during the opening credits.

[Ted Max]

Should have taken your socks off. That might have got you to the first ad break.

[bigbadwolf]

I doubt it Ted. I'd probably got further if I started counting the hairs on my head.