War and Peace [CAUTION: SPOILERS]

[QuizteamBleakley]

Anyone watching? All British actors appearing here...

I've read the book and thought it was as true an adaptation as possible.

Some of it felt a bit... clunky. I don't quite know what I mean by that, but there were times when it felt a bit forced.

I do like Pierre, though. " Oi, Russian Count Wanker "

Enjoyed it. Battle scenes were very good. Lily James possibly too old for Natasha, but good in that role. Not keen on the incest scene though,rather unnecessary. Loved the bit where Rebecca Front got the will from the nasty Prince Varsity, then made it clear to Pierre she expected a bit of a reward!

I like it

It failed the Bechdel test, the women in it are not much more than props, and its all about shouty men saving them. I'm aware that this may be Tolstoy's fault rather than the BBC, but nothing grabs me yet. Hoping it will change, Rebbeca Front's character has potential, and Gillian Anderson can play a good ball breaker...

Watched some of it. Will watch the rest later as I couldn't really get into it. Either it's my ears or the sound is muffled. Couldn't catch the conversations.

His English accent was excellent though.

Prior to watching, my impression of war and peace (both the book and the old previous adaptation) was dark and gloomy and too many characters to follow.

Whereas I thought this was bright and light and it was clear who most of the characters were.

6 hour long episodes is somewhat encouraging as well, isn't it? Although as Greta Scacchi says, surely it should have been more?

Found it a bit flat. Not sure what I think really. Pierre is the most important character to me and I'm not sure Dano is cutting it.
Norton was good as cold arrogant Andrei though.

I read the book once. I think there are something like 500 carachters.

Can't remember anything whatsoever about it.

I liked Paul Dano. He did have the main part in it this week though. I'm presuming they will concentrate on some of the others later on.

I loved it, Thought it was excellent, and I am hard to please.

Didn't feel Russian to me... too many British actors who are too familiar from other recent dramas.

For example, I still can't get James Norton's Happy Valley character out of my mind.

Real sense of Pride and Prejudice goes to St Petersburg.

Someone said earlier that they had a sense of the book as dark and gloomy.

I agree, this was too bright - too English - no sense of being Foreign.

Interesting the media reviewers are generally positive - BBC PR Machine in full flow.

At one point I thought they were out by Thetford in their carraige - I mean fair enough, perhaps some parts of Russia do have a resemblance to Norfolk - But it's not what the common perception is - it's not the first thing one thinks of...

No more for me - but I'll probably give the book another punt

Pride and Prejudice goes to St Petersberg

It was beautifully set and costumed but all felt a bit flat. Hoping it's just character setting and next week will be better.

I enjoyed it! Have missed BBC Dickens in recent years. Although if it was Dickens then the will would have been destroyed. I thought it was pretty and Rebecca front's character was fun. Good Sunday night fluff.

I have it recorded. I did watch the first few minutes and loved the costumes.

I reckon most of the budget has gone on the extras for battle scenes. I really don't think the acting is that good - so far and a lot of muted fast mutterings that I can't hear very well.

We have subtitles on, ostensibly for hard of hearing DH, but it helps

Didn't Andrew Davies produce it? The same dude who produced P and P?

The Weinstein Co have put a load of money into it, which is probably why it's not too 'foreign'. They are hoping to recoup much of the cost in sales to America, and the Far East, who have developed an appetite for British period drama, even if it is meant to be Russian!

If I miss it next week, I won't be bothered.

It's far too derivative of P&P and the 'added incest' scene was straight out of Gladiator.

I think in the book there was a suggestion of an incestuous relationship between the two. I thought it went OK nwith the story. It added to the callousness of the characters and was only a tiny bit in the first episode. I've broken my foot so have downloaded the book to read while recuperating. I'm hoping watching the telly will help me with the million characters at the beginning!

I enjoyed it, thought the incest was a bit much though. As in the book, I can't stand Pierre. As Natasha is supposed to be about 13 she was as giggly as she's supposed to be.

Yes I think she finishes the book aged about 30 so I suppose they had to have an older actress at the beginning. I'm a bit over seeing her do the same pretty but a bit dim girl characters. She seems a bit more interesting than that in interviews!

It failed the Bechdel test, the women in it are not much more than props, and its all about shouty men saving them.

I read the book this year and it took about 100 pages to pass the Bechdel test. There's not much interaction between the women overall though, possibly some while they pack to leave Moscow as Napoleon approaches. There's some fantastic parts to the book (some of the battle scenes are so intense) but the 'happily ever after' ending with a fat Natasha just annoyed me.

The incest is in the book although obviously we don't 'see' anything but it is gossiped about by some of the other characters.