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Brideshead Revisited [1981] | ![Brideshead Revisited [1981]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51HZCB1VV4L._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Actors: Jeremy Irons, Ken Thompson, John Whitehall
Studio: Cinema Club
Category: Video
List Price: £14.99
Buy Used: £5.98
You Save: £9.01 (60%)
Used (18) Collectible (4) from £5.98
Rating:  17 reviews
Format: Box Set, Pal
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Media: VHS Tape
Discs: 3
Number Of Items: 3
Running Time: 640 Minutes
Model: cvi1300
EAN: 5016500130029
ASIN: B00004CM6I
Theatrical Release Date: January 18, 1982
Release Date: April 8, 2002
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: SUPER FAST SHIPPING, DISPATCHED SAME DAY FROM UK WAREHOUSE. GREAT VIDEO IN GOOD OR BETTER CONDITION, VIDEO IN PAL FORMAT. MORE GREAT BARGAINS IN OUR eSHOP. amazon.co.uk/shops/awesome_books_001
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Amazon.co.uk Review
Fill a bowl with alpine strawberries, break out the Chateau Lafite (1899, of course) and bask in Brideshead Revisited, the 1981 miniseries based on Evelyn Waugh's classic novel, adapted for the screen by John Mortimer (Rumpole of the Bailey). In his breakthrough role, Jeremy Irons stars as Charles Ryder, a disillusioned Army captain who is moved to reflect on his "languid days" in the "enchanted castle" that was Brideshead, home of the aristocratic Marchmain family, whose acquaintance Charles made in the company of an Oxford classmate, the charming wild-child Sebastian. Anthony Andrews costars as the doomed Sebastian, whose beauty is "arresting" and "whose eccentricities and behaviour seemed to know no bounds". The "entitled and enchanted" Sebastian takes Charles under his wing ("Charles, what a lot you have to learn"), but vows early on that he is "not going to let [Charles] get mixed up with [his] family." But mixed up Charles gets. He becomes a friend and confidante, not to mention a lover, to Sebastian's sister Julia (Diana Quick). Meanwhile, the self-destructive Sebastian's life spirals out of control. Brideshead Revisited boasts a distinguished ensemble cast, including Laurence Olivier in his Emmy Award-winning role as the exiled Lord Marchmain, Claire Bloom as Lady Marchmain, and the magnificent John Gielgud as Charles's estranged father. Grand locations and a haunting musical score make this a memorable revisit of an irretrievable bygone era. --Donald Liebenson
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| Customer Reviews:
 Brideshead FINALLY revisited! June 6, 2003
MartinP (Nijmegen, The Netherlands)
60 out of 62 found this review helpful
After acquiring a DVD player just over a year ago, this was about the first thing I went looking for. And guess what: it wasn’t there! Whereas every last B-movie and sitcom-futility seemed available on disc, nobody had thought of issuing this towering monument of TV-history on DVD. Imagine my euphoria when, on a visit to Hong Kong six months later, I nevertheless found it! Fortunately the lady at the counter was kind enough to point out that it would be useless in Europe, as it was coded Region 1. As it turned out, Brideshead has been available on DVD for years in the US – but not in Europe! (The same, by the way, seems to be happening to another masterly TV-adaptation of a classis English novel, Vanity Fair).
Well, finally the waiting is over, and here it is. After opening the package, it still struck me as somewhat of a rushed job (an impression not helped by the fact that the first copy I got was faulty): the three discs come in a flimsy cardboard slipcase, and there is no additional material either in a booklet or on any of the discs, not even an index for the scene-tracks per episode. It is just the series, and nothing more (though the architectural drawing of Castle Howard from Campbell's Vitruvius Brittanicus, on the reverse of the fold-out containing the discs, IS gorgeous).
But well – who needs more, really? For anybody with a little sense of nostalgia, with a taste for the Twenties or for the English country house, or with even the slightest symptoms of Anglophilia, this is irresistible – and when you have two or more of these, be prepared to be blown away. Waugh's slow-paced, multi-faceted baroque tragedy is reproduced faithfully on screen from its exuberant start to its bitter-sweet ending. As an adaptation of the novel, the screenplay is a masterpiece in itself. Casting, locations and camerawork are all as near to perfection as humanly possible (apparently the success of Castle Howard as Brideshead was such that many people seem to think the house is actually called Brideshead). Anthony Andrews is astoundingly adept at portraying both Sebastian's lighter and darker sides; a still very young Jeremy Irons succeeds in keeping Charles and his tremendous character development centre stage in spite of the motley crowd surrounding him; and John Gielgud supplies marvellous comedy as Charles's subtly and somewhat maliciously deranged father; - to mention just a few. In short, and notwithstanding some excellent productions of later years, this series still has a very strong claim to being the best thing ever done for TV.
I have seen some DVD-buffs complain about the quality of the images: 'dull patches', 'dead colours' and 'unquiet backgrounds' seemed to interfere with their viewing pleasure. Frankly, I have no idea what they are talking about. If you own a giant TV-set and push your nose against the screen, who knows what you will see, but to me the DVD version looks infinitely better than the VHS-copy I owned. It is sharp, steady and clear, and better still, these qualities will remain intact over time – which is a good thing, for if ever there was a TV-series warranting repeated viewing, it is this one!
Simply the finest British Drama series ever made. May 23, 2000
david.whelan@islworld.com (London)
42 out of 42 found this review helpful
When 'Brideshead Revisited' first came onto the nations screens back in the early 80's, it had a huge weight of expectation resting on its lofty shoulders. Adapted from one of Evelyn Waugh's finest novels by the brilliant John Mortimer, with an all star cast and a very large budget, the country expected greatness and they were not disapointed. This is simply from start to finish, the finest British television drama ever. The stellar cast from Laurence Olivier down, seem to sense throughout that they are involved in something special and momentous and most give life time best performances. (The late John Gielgud's vague, but mischievous father is worth the admission price alone). The sets are sumptious and authentic and the tragic and intriguing story never fails to engage throughout. Words can never hope to sum up how wonderful this production is. It is almost twenty years since I first saw it and I still can vividly recall most scenes. Give yourself a treat and see what quality televsion can really be like. In this age of digital multi-channel programming, where quantity over quality is the new maxim, we will probably never ever see its like again, but thank heavens we still have it to treasure and wonder at today.
 Great film, terrible DVD quality July 8, 2003
M. E. Amyatt-leir (Brighton, UK)
29 out of 38 found this review helpful
This was one of the best screen adaptations and I agree with many comments other reviewers have made in regards the original film/TV series.However, the quality of viewing on DVD is just simply appalling. They claim it is digitally re-mastered, yet the background is fuzzy, the colours are dull and there are still glitches and artefacts from the original tape showing. Watched one episode and thoroughly disheartened and disappointed. You'd get better quality watching on a portable TV in a coal mine frankly.
Revisit great television March 22, 2003
Caillie (Scotland)
17 out of 21 found this review helpful
The magic of the original television programme (repeated in the '90s) is finally coming to DVD. I always loved this programme, partly because it portrayed the life of Charles exactly as I had imagined as I read the book, and also just because it was a superb production. A proper, big budget television series that did not feel the need to drift from the plot, and allowed the story to slow down, in order that we might better understand the world of Sebastian. The book (by Waugh) is, in my opinion, a fantastic tale of the time, and this series does it perfect justice. But maybe I'm biased...
Exquisite May 3, 2001
16 out of 19 found this review helpful
There are some things which only the British can do. Hollywood can produce Titanic, but this is a feast of the senses. Like "The Jewel in the Crown", it's hard to say there's much plot involved. If you want nothing slower than Bruce Willis, then don't bother! But there is such a sumptuous evocation of the time and place that you don't need a plot. Jeremy Irons' narration is mesmerising; the cast is superb; every detail fascinates. Reserve a wet weekend to watch it.
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