#James Strong | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

Visit Blog

Explore Tumblr blogs with no restrictions, modern design and the best experience.

Fun Fact

Tumblr was created by web developers David Karp and Marco Arment.

brb-on-pluto · 4 months

Text

Mr Bates vs The Post Office (2024)

Directed by: James Strong

Written by: Gwyneth Hughes

Genre: Drama | Based on Real Events

Runtime: 200 Mins

Rating: 8.9/10

Watched: 01/01/2024 - 04/01/2024

■■■■

I have never been more angry at a woman, person or company as I am at Paula Vennels and The Post Office.

The amount of people who will never get justice from the lies and sentences pushed by the Post Office.

This happened during my lifetime, my 10th birthday being a date directly referenced in the series. And I had no clue this travesty of justice was happening.

Great acting by all in this series omg - so so good.

Toby Jones was incredible. All the actors were. The friendship between Alan and Jo was so well done.

Oh, and the events depicted are still ongoing - Justice for the SubPostmasters.

#Mr Bates vs The Post Office #TV Series #ITV #ITVX #James Strong #Gwyneth Hughes #Toby Jones #Julie Hesmondhalgh #Monica Dolan #Shaun Dooley #Ian Hart #Will Mellor #Lia Williams

8 notes · View notes

claudia1829things · 9 months

Text

"VANITY FAIR" (2018) Review

“VANITY FAIR” (2018) Review

When I had first heard that the ITV channel and Amazon Studios had plans to adapt William Makepeace Thackeray’s 1848 novel, “Vanity Fair”, I must admit that I felt no interest in watching the miniseries. After all, I had already seen four other adaptations, including the BBC’s 1987 production. And I regard the latter as the best version of Thackeray’s novel I had ever seen.

In the end, my curiosity got the best of me and I decided to watch the seven-part miniseries. In a nutshell, "VANITY FAIR" followed the experiences of Rebecca "Becky" Sharp, the social climbing daughter of an English not-so-successful painter and a French dancer in late Georgian England during and after the Napoleonic Wars. The production also told the story of Becky's school friend and daughter of a wealthy merchant, Amelia Sedley. The story begins with both young women leaving Miss Pinkerton’s Academy for Young Ladies. Becky managed to procure a position as governess to Sir Pitt Crawley, a slightly crude yet friendly baronet. Before leaving for her new position, Becky visits Amelia's family. She tries to seduce Jos Sedley, Amelia's wealthy brother and East India Company civil servant. Unfortunately George Osborne, a friend of Jos and son of another wealthy merchant, puts a stop to the budding romance.

While working for the Crawleys, Becky meets and falls in love with Sir Pitt’s younger son, Captain Rawdon Crawley. When Sir Pitt proposes marriage to Becky, she shocks the family with news of her secret marriage to Rawdon. The couple becomes ostracized and ends up living in London on Rawdon’s military pay and gambling winnings. They also become reacquainted with Amelia Sedley, who has her own problems. When her father loses his fortune, George's own father insists that he dump Amelia and marry a Jamaican heiress. George refuses to do so and thanks to his friend William Dobbin's urging, marries Amelia. Mr. Osborne ends up disinheriting George. However, the romantic lives of Becky and Amelia take a backseat when history overtakes them and their husbands with the return of Napoleon Bonaparte.

I wish I could say that the 2018 miniseries was the best adaptation of Thackery's novel I had seen. But it is not. The production had its . . . flaws. One, I disliked its use of the song "All Along the Watchtower" in each episode's opening credits and other rock and pop tunes during the episodes' closing credits. They felt so out of place in the miniseries' production. Yes, I realize that a growing number of period dramas have doing the same. And quite frankly, I detest it. This scenario barely worked in the 2006 movie, "MARIE ANTOINETTE". Now, this use of pop tunes in period dramas strike me as awkward, ham-fisted, unoriginal and lazy.

I also noticed that producer and screenwriter Gwyneth Hughes threw out the younger Pitt Crawley character (Becky's brother-in-law), kept the Bute Crawley character and transformed him from Becky Sharp's weak and unlikable uncle-in-law into her brother-in-law. Hughes did the same with the Lady Jane Crawley and Martha Crawley characters. She tossed aside the Lady Jane character and transformed Martha from Becky's aunt-in-law to sister-in-law. Frankly, I did not care for this. I just could not see characters like Bute and Martha suddenly become sympathetic guardians for Becky and Rawdon's son in the end. It just did not work for me. I have one last problem with "VANITY FAIR", but I will get to it later.

I may not regard "VANITY FAIR" as the best adaptation of Thackery's novel, I cannot deny that it is first-rate. Gwyneth Hughes and director James Strong did an excellent job of bringing the 1848 novel to life on the television screen. Because this adaptation was conveyed in seven episodes, both Hughes and Strong were given the opportunity retell Thackery's saga without taking too many shortcuts. The miniseries replayed Becky Sharp's experiences with the Sedley family, George Osbourne, and the Crawley family in great detail. I was especially impressed by the miniseries' recount of Becky and Amelia's experiences during the Waterloo campaign - which is the story's true high point, as far as I am concerned. Also, this adaptation had conveyed George's experiences during Waterloo with more detail than any other adaptation I have seen.

Aside from the Waterloo sequence, there were other scenes that greatly impressed me. I really enjoyed those scenes that featured the famous Duchess of Richmond's ball in the fourth episode, "In Which Becky Joins Her Regiment"; Becky's attempts to woo Jos Sedley in the first episode, "Miss Sharp In The Presence Of The Enemy"; the revelation of Becky's marriage to Rawdon Crawley in "A Quarrel About An Heiress"; and her revelation to Amelia about the truth regarding George in the final episode, "Endings and Beginnings". There were people who were put off that the series did not end exactly how the novel did - namely the death of Jos, with whom Becky had hooked up in the end. I have to be honest . . . that did not bother me. However, I was amused that Becky's last line in the miniseries seemed to hint that Jos' death might be a possibility in the near future.

The production values for "VANITY FAIR" struck me as quite beautiful. I thought Anna Pritchard's production designs did an excellent job in re-creating both London, the English countryside, Belgium, Germany, India and West Africa between the Regency era and the early 1830s. Not only did I find the miniseries' production values beautiful, but also Ed Rutherford's cinematography. His images struck me as not only beautiful, but sharp and colorful. I would not say that Lucinda Wright and Suzie Harman's costume designs blew my mind. But I cannot deny that I found them rather attractive and serviceable for the narrative's setting.

One of the production's real virtues proved to be a very talented cast. "VANITY FAIR" featured some solid performances from it supporting players. Well . . . I would say more than solid. I found the performances of Robert Pugh, Peter Wight, Suranne Jones, Claire Skinner, Mathew Baynton, Sian Clifford, Monica Dolan, and Elizabeth Berrington to be more than solid. In fact, I would say they gave excellent performances. But they were not alone.

Michael Palin, whom I have not seen in a movie or television production in years, gave an amusing narration in each episode as the story's author William Makepeace Thackeray. Ellie Kendrick gave a very poignant performance as Jane Osborne, who seemed to be caught between her loyalty to her bitter father and her long-suffering sister-in-law. Simon Beale Russell gave a superb, yet ambiguous portrayal of the warm and indulgent John Sedley, who also had a habit of infantilizing his family. Frances de la Tour was deliciously hilarious and entertaining as Becky Sharp's aunt-in-law and benefactress Lady Matilda Crawley. I could also say the same about Martin Clunes, who gave a very funny performance as the crude, yet lively Sir Pitt Crawley. One last funny performance came from David Fynn, who gave an excellent portrayal of the vain, yet clumsy civil servant, Jos Sedley. Anthony Head gave a skillful performance as the cynical and debauched Lord Styne. I thought Charlie Rowe was superb as the self-involved and arrogant George Osborne. Rowe, whom I recalled as a child actor, practically oozed charm, arrogance and a false sense of superiority in his performance as the shallow George.

I have only seen Johnny Flynn in two roles - including the role of William Dobbin in this production. After seeing "VANITY FAIR", it seemed that the William Dobbin role seemed tailored fit for him. He gave an excellent performance as the stalwart Army officer who endured years of unrequited love toward Amelia Sedley. Tom Bateman was equally excellent as the charming, yet slightly dense Rawdon Crawley. At first, I thought Bateman would portray Rawdon as this dashing, yet self-confident Army officer. But thanks to his performance, the actor gradually revealed that underneath all that glamour and dash was a man who was not as intelligent as he originally seemed to be. Amelia Sedley has never been a favorite character of mine. Her intense worship of the shallow George has always struck me as irritating. Thanks to Claudia Jessie's excellent performance, I not only saw Amelia as irritating as usual, but also sympathetic for once.

Television critics had lavished a great deal of praise upon Olivia Cooke as the sharp-witted and manipulative Becky Sharp. In fact, many have labeled her performance as one of the best versions of that character. And honestly? I have to agree. Cooke was more than superb . . . she was triumphant as the cynical governess who used her charms and wit in an attempt to climb the social ladder of late Georgian Britain. I would not claim that Cooke was the best on-screen Becky I have seen, but she was certainly one of the better ones. I have only one minor complaint - I found her portrayal of Becky as a poor parent to her only son rather strident. Becky has always struck me as a cold mother to Rawdon Junior. But instead of cold, Cooke's Becky seemed to scream in anger every time she was near the boy. I found this heavy-handed and I suspect the real perpetrator behind this was either screenwriter Gwyneth Hughes or director James Strong.

I have a few complaints about "VANITY FAIR". I will not deny it. But I also cannot deny that despite its few flaws, I thought it was an excellent adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray's novel. Actually, I believe it is one of the better adaptations. "VANITY FAIR" is also one of the best period dramas I have seen from British television in a LONG TIME. And I mean a long time. Most period dramas I have seen in the past decade were either mediocre or somewhere between mediocre and excellent. "VANITY FAIR" is one of the first that has led me to really take notice in years. And I have to credit Gwyneth Hughes' writing, James Strong's direction and especially the superb performances from a first-rate cast led by Olivia Cooke. It would be nice to see more period dramas of this quality in the near future.

8 notes · View notes

denimbex1986 · 5 months

Text

'James Strong (director of episodes featuring the Tenth Doctor, and Torchwood, 2006-2009) My favourite moment is from the 2007 Christmas special, Voyage of the Damned. Aboard the stricken Titanic, the Doctor convinces the survivors why he’s the one to lead them to safety. David Tennant looks so good in his dirty tux and as the ship explodes around him, he looks straight at us and delivers: “I’m the Doctor. I’m a Time Lord. I’m from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. I’m 903 years old and I’m the man who is going to save your lives and all six billion people on the planet below. You got a problem with that?’ ‘No.’ ‘In that case, allons-y!’”

Graeme Harper (director during the classic and revived series, 1966-2009) When Rose and the Doctor have to say goodbye to each other at the finale of series two, as Billie Piper was leaving the series. We had to complete it in a very short space of time. The first take was so moving, beautifully controlled by Billie, holding back the tears until she says, “I love you”. But we had to go again, and I was embarrassed to ask Billie to repeat it. The wind blew so strongly her hair wrapped around her face, it was a nightmare. But when I looked back at the recording, I was so moved.

Nick Hurran (director of episodes featuring the Eleventh Doctor, 2011-2013) Blink is an all-time standout episode which made the Weeping Angels a classic foe. In the later episode The Angels Take Manhattan, the moment when the Doctor, Raggedy Man, has to witness Amy Pond choose to blink rather than live without her beloved Rory is a moment that stays forever in my memory.

Jane Tranter (former BBC head of fiction and executive producer of the 60th anniversary specials, 2005-2023) Journey’s End – I never fail to feel emotional over the return of all the Russell T Davies-era companions rallying together to save the Doctor and consequently the universe. They are given the name the Children of Time by Dalek Caan and Davros, and they make me think of myself, Julie Gardner, Phil Collinson and the team working to Russell’s vision. It was the last episode I properly oversaw before leaving for a new life in LA, and a moment that felt fitting to be my final one with Doctor Who. But here we all are in 2023 working on it again for one more adventure!'

#Jane Tranter #Russell T. Davies #Blink #Weeping Angels #The Angels Take Manhattan #Amy Pond #Journey's End #Julie Gardner #Phil Collinson #Nick Hurran #Graeme Harper #Doomsday #Rose Tyler #Billie Piper #James Strong #Voyage of the Damned #David Tennant #60th Anniversary #Doctor Who

5 notes · View notes

doctorwho-rewind · 1 year

Text

S3 E4 & 5: "Daleks in Manhattan" & "Evolution of the Daleks"

The Doctor and Martha travel to New York in 1930, where people have been mysteriously vanishing from the streets, and an old enemy resurfaces. // In 1930s New York, the Daleks' plan is in full force. Faced with the cyborgs' most evil and dangerous scheme yet, will the Doctor and Martha be able to defeat their greatest opponents?

Episode: S3, E4: “Daleks in Manhattan” & S3, E5: “Evolution of the Daleks” Date: April 21, 2007 / April 28, 2007 Writer: Helen Raynor Director: James Strong

Doctor: 10th Companion: Martha Jones Main Villain in This Episode: Daleks

–

(Note: We're 3 series in and finally we have our first female writer. I have to say, Doctor Who up to this point has been very male-dominated, so it'll be interesting to see if this changes over time.)

I'm not entirely sure what to make of this pair of episodes. The story is okay, but I kind of sit here thinking, Daleks again? I don't really know why they had to be a part of it, and why people were being turned into pigs, of all things. I was also distracted throughout by over-the-top New York accents – I half expected someone to say, "HEY, I'M WALKING HERE!"

However, some positives of these episodes were the absolute star that is Andrew Garfield before The Amazing Spider-Man shot him to Hollywood fame, and the idea of the Daleks evolving into something more human which is then immediately squashed by the already-existing Daleks. It was interesting to explore, even if the "human Dalek" was horrifying with his weird tentacle face.

The second episode dived a little more into the whole "Martha can't replace Rose" thing, and Martha expressed her discomfort that she still feels like he won't see her the same way he saw Rose. Martha definitely has big shoes to fill, not just in the Doctor's life but in the eyes of the viewers too, because Rose left a big void behind that isn't easy to fill. However, as much as I empathise with Martha for that... she still annoys me with her constant shouting, lol.

–

⬅️ Previous episode: S3 E3: "Gridlock" ➡️ Next episode: S3 E6: "The Lazarus Experiment"

#doctor who #doctor who rewatch #10th doctor #martha jones #daleks #andrew garfield #helen raynor #james strong #series 3

2 notes · View notes

dynamofilms · 4 months

Text

Mr Bates vs the Post Office (4 episodes, 2023)

#tv #2023 #Gwyneth Hughes #James Strong

0 notes

dailysudeikis · 11 months

Photo

Jason Sudeikis and the rest of the Ted Lasso cast at the WGA strike in LA - May 30, 2023.

#jason sudeikis #ted lasso #jeremy swift #nick mohammed #james lance #kola bokinni #moe jeudy-lamour #billy harris #brendan hunt #hannah waddingham #marie roscoe #wga strike #wga strong #30/05/2023

3K notes · View notes

polniaczek · 1 month

Text

now that i've watched quiet on set (2024), here are some of the people who submitted character letters defending convicted sex offender brian peck and asked the judge for a lesser sentence

#quiet on set #james marsden #taran killam #alan thicke #rider strong #will friedle

420 notes · View notes

doctorwho-rewind · 2 years

Text

S2 E8 & 9: "The Impossible Planet" & "The Satan Pit"

When the Doctor and Rose become stranded on a planet orbiting a black hole, they find a human expedition crew and their servants, the Ood, being terrorised by the Devil.

Episode: S2, E8: “The Impossible Planet” & S2, E9: “The Satan Pit” Date: June 3, 2006 / June 10, 2006 Writer: Matt Jones Director: James Strong

Doctor: 10th Companion: Rose Tyler Main Villain in This Episode: The Ood / The Devil

–

Terrifying. Toby Zed’s smile outside the spaceship when he’s literally possessed by the devil is forever burnt into my nightmares, and it’s still as sinister and horrible as I remember finding it as a kid. Will Thorp, who plays Toby, is so good at showing tiny little signs of being possessed, like subtle face twitches and an unsettling smile. It gets to a point where Toby and the devil are so blurred that you don’t know what he’s saying as him, or as the possessed him. Genuinely I think one of the best actors to play a side character that there has been so far, if not of all time.

(It’s weird seeing Will Thorp as Tony Zed, because he narrates mine and my sister’s favourite ever Doctor Who audiobook, Sick Building. Thought that was quite cool!)

The story is so well-written, and every character is well utilised. The cliffhanger at the end of The Impossible Planet is one of the best, and the second episode launches right back in where it ended. So much goes wrong at every turn, and you truly don’t know how they’re going to get out of each situation they find themselves in, so it’s a tense ride.

–

⬅️ Previous episode: S2 E7: “The Idiot’s Lantern” ➡️ Next episode: S2 E10: “Love & Monsters”

#series 2 #10th doctor #rose tyler #the ood #matt jones #james strong #doctor who #doctor who rewatch

0 notes

juanarc-thethird · 2 months

Text

Who the hell wrote this?!

At the biweekly Huntsmen and Huntress atlas staff meeting.

Ironwood: Thank you very much, Dr Smith, for that talk on personal hygiene. Now our next point, Jaune Arc would like to talk to all of you about a situation regarding the suggestion box.

Ironwood leaves the podium and Jaune takes his place.

Jaune: Thank you sir. *ahem* Ok, I checked the suggestion box I put out a week ago, and I have a question for you all. Who the hell wrote "I want to be impregnated by our cute Knight, Jaune Arc"?! *He says angrily*

~Silence~

Jaune: Okay?! Anyone?!

Ruby: *She stands up and starts clapping*

*Clap Clap Clap Clap*

Jaune: *Confuse* What are you doing?

Yang: *She also stands up and starts clapping*

*Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!*

Jaune: Hey, this is serious. Stop it!

Weiss, Blake and Winter follow them and start clapping

*Clap!Clap!Clap!Clap!Clap!Clap!Clap!Clap!*

Jaune: Stop! This is not a game!

Ignoring what he says, more people start to get up and clap.