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"HALLOWE'EN PARTY" (2010) Review

Many years have passed since I last read Agatha Christie's 1969 novel, "Hallowe'en Party". Although it is not considered one of Christie's better novels, the story possessed a style that struck me as rich and atmospheric. I never forgot it. So, when I learned about ITV's 2010 adaptation of the novel, I could not wait to see it.

Directed da Charles Palmer and adapted da actor Mark Gatiss (who appeared in 2008's "APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH"), "HALLOWE'EN PARTY" begins with mystery autore Adrianne Oliver visiting a friend named Judith Butler in the small village of...

"CARDS ON THE TABLE" (2005) Review

Most Agatha Christie fan tend to regard movie and Televisione adaptations of her novels with a kindly eye. Especially if those adaptations closely followed its literary source. Not all adaptations have done this, including "CARDS ON THE TABLE", ITV's 2005 adaptation of the author's 1936 novel.

I have always wondered how Christie fan regarded "CARDS ON THE TABLE". I suspect many Christie fan would not regard it as a close adaptation of the 1936 novel. Also, the story turned out to be one of those mysteries of the "locked room" variety that many fan sometimes...

"MURDER IN MESOPOTAMIA" (2001) Review

One can categorize the "AGATHA CHRISTIE'S POIROT" Televisione Film into two categories. The ones made between 1989 and 2001, featured the supporting characters Captain Arthur Hasting, Miss limone (Hercule Poirot), and Chief Inspector Japp. The ones made post-2001 sporadically featured the mystery writer, Adriande Oliver. The very last Televisione movie that featured Poirot's close friend, Hastings, turned out to be 2001's "MURDER IN MESOPOTAMIA".

Based upon Agatha Christie's 1936 novel, "MURDER IN MESOPOTAMIA" told of Hercule Poirot's investigation into the...

"MRS. McGINTY'S DEAD" (2008) Review

Since it first aired on television, I must admit that I have paid scant attention to "MRS. McGINTY'S DEAD", ITV's 2008 adaptation of Agatha Christie's 1952 novel. I find this amazing, since the novel has always been a preferito of mine. I am not claiming that the 2008 movie is terrible. I was simply distracted da other matters during my last two viewings. This third viewing proved to be the Streghe#The power of three and I finally was able to ascertain the movie's quality.

Unlike its literary source, "MRS. McGINTY'S DEAD" was not set in the early 1950s. Because the television...

"PERIL AT END HOUSE" (1990) Review

I just realized something. I have never read Agatha Christie's 1932 novel, "Peril at End House". I find this ironic, considering that I have seen the 1990 Televisione movie adaptation of this novel at least three o four times. One of these days, I will get around to Leggere Christie's novel and comparing it to the Televisione adaptation. Right now, I am going to focus on the latter.

Directed da Renny Rye and adapted da Clive Exton, "PERIL AT END HOUSE" is the first full-length Televisione movie aired on "AGATHA CHRISTIE'S POIROT". It is also about Belgian-born...

"THREE ACT TRAGEDY" (2010) Review

When I was in my early teens, I had shifted my attention from Nancy Drew mysteries to those novels written da Agatha Christie. And I have not stopped since. I confess that this shift in Leggere material was the result of seeing the 1978 movie, "DEATH ON THE NILE", for the first time. Properly hooked on Christie's works, I focused my attention on her 1934 novel, "Murder in Three Acts", also known as "Three Act Tragedy".

I have seen two adaptations of Christie's 1934 novel. The first was Televisione adaptation in the mid 1980s, titled "MURDER IN THREE ACTS", which...

"MURDER ON THE LINKS" (1996) Review

I have never read Agatha Christie’s 1923 novel called "Murder on the Links". But I have seen the 1996 Televisione adaptation that starred David Suchet as Hercule Poirot. On several occasions.

While on holiday in Deauville, France with his close friend, Captain Arthur Hastings, Hercule Poirot is approached da a wealthy businessman for help. Paul Renauld, whose assets include several South American business interests and the hotel where Poirot and Hastings are staying, claimed that someone – probably from South America – has made threats against his life....

"THIRD GIRL" (2008) Review

Looking back on her career, I suspect that Agatha Christie was not at the superiore, in alto of her game as a novelist during the last decade-and-a-half of her life. There were a handful of novels during the period of 1960-1976 that I found unique. However, her 1966 novel, "Third Girl" was not one of them.

I take that back. I did find "Third Girl" rather unique . . . to a certain extent. I thought Christie did a pretty good job in re-capturing the Swinging Sixties atmosphere in her novel. Unfortunately, her streak of conservatism and a too complex plot made it difficult for me to...