What's a summer without an Agatha Christie book? Or a movie? Or a series? Nothing. The universe of the quintessential queen of mystery it is, and will continue to be, so immense that every year there is something new. A reissue of his novels, a new film adaptation, another revision for television ...
Last year the umpteenth version of Murder on the Orient Express with Kenneth Branagh as the immortal Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. Well, the last to join this universe and give life to Poirot es John Malkovich in a new BBC miniseries. I review the multiple faces who has had this pristine and shrewd character.
The BBC
Saying, writing or referring to the BBC in the production of television series is synonymous with quality and exquisiteness in higher degree. You have to admit it. The British at this are some of the best. And if they take their huge historical and literary heritage, they usually do wonders in all aspects, from the realization, photography, costumes, setting and interpretation.
It is well known that british actors They are considered one of the best in the world. But from time to time the BBC do get their hands on foreign material and people. And these are the ones that end up acquiring the tone british that surrounds them.
Poirot's new miniseries
This is the adaptation of The ABC Murders, novel published in 1936 which here was translated as EThe mystery of the railroad guide. It supposes the return to television of Hercule Poirot now incarnated by the North American John Malkovich.
They will be three episodes that have already started filming. The cast is completed Rupert Grint (the eternal Ron Wesley from the Harry Potter movies), as Inspector Crime. andrew buchan (from also British mystery series Broadchurch), Eamon Farren (Twin Peaks) or Tara fitzgerald (Game of Thrones).
Set in 30 years, tells how Poirot receives the cart of a murderer who signs like ABC and that challenges you to catch it. He tells her that he plans to commit a series of crimes by following the letters of the alphabet. The first will be that of an old woman named Alice ascher that has a tobacconist. Before the detective can react, another victim appears named Betty barnard. So Poirot will have to find clues to avoid more crimes.
Poirot's faces
That have been several since the oldest in movies from the 30s until now. The most televised is undoubtedly that of David Suchet, but the list includes these most relevant names.
Tony randall
American, Tony Randall's face is that of eternal friend, with a conscientious voice or more comical counterpoint, of the characters of Rock Hudson in the sixties comedies that he starred in alongside Doris Day (Pajamas for two, Confidences at midnight, etc.).
Precisely Randall starred as Poirot in this new adaptation that is now made of The mystery of the railroad guide. It was in the British production film Crimes of the alphabet who directed Frank tashlin en 1965. His script differs a lot from the novel and has a more comedic touch.
Ian Holm
This renowned English actor seen in Alien, Fire cars o The Lord of the rings, played Poirot in a movie for television directed by Lawrence Gordon Clark on 1987. It was in Murder by the book.
Alfred Molina
Also English and seen in a multitude of movies as famous as Raiders of the Lost Ark, Chocolat o The Da Vinci Code, Molina played Poirot in 2001. It was in another quite current adaptation for television of Murder on the Orient Express.
Albert Finney
Another great of the British scene, seen in Tom Jones, Two on the road, The duelists, Un buen año o Skyfall. His Poirot of Murder on the Orient Express that 1974 He directed Sidney Lumet for the cinema it is one of the most recognizable. But he refused to repeat it in the next adaptation that was proposed to him and passed the baton to his colleague and also a great actor ...
Peter Ustinov
… Who played Poirot six times. Two for the cinema in Muerte en el Nilo (1978) and Death under the sun (1982). Three other TV movies that were The death of Lord Edgware (1985) The Nasse House Temple (1986) and Tragedy in three acts (1986). And he took it up again in the cinema in Appointment with death (1988). It was the least physically similar to the original literary character, but he knew how to give it his most personal mark.
David Suchet
The television Poirot most famous undoubtedly. He played it throughout 70 chapters in the series Agatha Christie's Poirot, from the British chain ITV (can now be seen in Paramount network), from 1989 to 2013.
Kenneth brannagh
The last and perhaps least successful of all, that it happened without pain or glory by the cinema a little less than a year ago. Maybe that umpteenth version of Murder on the Orient Express, for being the most exploited. And the also hackneyed great accompanying cast did not work either.