MovieChat Forums > Brimstone & Treacle (1982) Discussion > Dreadful

Dreadful

posted 14 years ago by salen
1 reply | jump to latest

This is truly dreadful, do not waste your time on this dirge starring the most irritating man on planet earth who can't and never could act!
Check out the original 1976 version starring Michael Kitchen (Foyle's War) "Brimstone and Treacle was recorded by the BBC in 1976 but not shown at the time because Alasdair Milne, then Director of programmes, found the play 'brilliantly written and made, but nauseating'. A slightly edited version was transmitted on 25 August 1987. SInce then it has lost none of its relevance, humour, or power to shock"
I was given the Sting version as a gift from a relative who knew I liked Dennis Potter and I consider it an act of war!
The original is available on Amazon in region 2 format.

[–] Professicchio 13 years ago

I agree 100% with you, I have just watched this version and was utterly disappointed, Sting should better credit himself as "Stinks" when it comes to acting, this is a thought-provoking play that really REALLY needs a strong lead actor to pull it off while his hammy presence is just too painful to watch. Not that the stupid horror-prog soundtrack by his band Police is much better, or that silly ending for that matter.
Well, at least I just paid 50p for it, but not sure it was even worth that much.

The made-for-TV 1976 version I watched 8 years ago and totally blew me away and, yes, I also think is more relevant now than ever, sadly with these enforced politically correct times we live in who knows if it's going to be transmitted again or have a decent cinema adaptation; I don't see that happening any time soon, and hope not probably, as they might do an even worse job than on this one seeing the current 'remakes' trend.