"Agatha"

[rayban]

This 1979 atrocity looks like an art film - sounds like an art film - but is a demeaning speculation about the never-explained disappearance of Agatha Christie.

 

Vanessa Redgrave gives a very weird "non-performance" - perhaps she thought that writers can only fully express themselves on the page.

 

Dustin Hoffman works really hard to fit himself into a role that couldn't be more ill-fitting.

 

The director, the very talented Michael Apted, carries on like he's handling one of the greatest mysteries of all time.

 

Everyone who was connected with this one - should've been sent to their room without dinner!

 

IS IT LOVE? - IS IT CONSTIPATION? -

 

[TopBilled]

TCM has been airing it quite a lot in the past year. It has a certain pedigree, but that does not always lead to strong results. I feel the film is a bit too -- what's the word?

[rayban]

TCM has been airing it quite a lot in the past year. It has a certain pedigree, but that does not always lead to strong results. I feel the film is a bit too -- what's the word?

Odd?

 

Or, as the French would say, "etrange".

[TopBilled]

Odd?

 

Or, as the French would say, "etrange".

 

Yes, their approach with the material is most strange. Like they're forcing the artfulness of the picture. So what we get, ultimately, is an ornately decorated bag with no goodies in it.

[rayban]

Yes, their approach with the material is most strange. Like they're forcing the artfulness of the picture. So what we get, ultimately, is an ornately decorated bag with no goodies in it.

Jarrod -

 

A superb definition of a film that isn't very good, but would like to be.

[TopBilled]

AGATHA will be rebroadcast on February 1st, as part of TCM's 31 Days of Oscar.

[rayban]

AGATHA will be rebroadcast on February 1st, as part of TCM's 31 Days of Oscar.

Quelle horreur!

[TopBilled]

According to notes in the TCM database, AGATHA received one Oscar nomination. It was for best costume design. It lost to ALL THAT JAZZ.

[Sgt_Markoff]

I've seen it, but no, it didn't leave me with any particular ill-will towards it. I'm certainly no fan of V. Redgrave; but Dusty is always Dusty --I'd watch him in anything--and the overall 'look and feel' of the film pleased me as well.

Is it overall lacking in 'ooomph'? Sure, but these days --when you can't even find more than ten movies per year which aren't comic-book superhero blockbusters--we should be so lucky, even to get this kind of film anymore.

[TopBilled]

19 minutes ago, Sgt_Markoff said:

I've seen it, but no, it didn't leave me with any particular ill-will towards it. I'm certainly no fan of V. Redgrave; but Dusty is always Dusty --I'd watch him in anything--and the overall 'look and feel' of the film pleased me as well.

Is it overall lacking in 'ooomph'? Sure, but these days --when you can't even find more than ten movies per year which aren't comic-book superhero blockbusters--we should be so lucky, even to get this kind of film anymore.

So is that how we are evaluating/judging films now? They are automatically "good" if they are not about comic book characters?  

[TopBilled]

On 1/7/2017 at 11:56 AM, rayban said:

Dustin Hoffman works really hard to fit himself into a role that couldn't be more ill-fitting.

I just re-watched the film tonight on Britbox. I agree that Hoffman doesn't quite fit into the role, though the writers do go out of their way to make his character American.