Okapi Watches Scary Movies in the Dark

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

I just returned from the cinema to see "A Haunting in Venice," which is a modern adaptation of Agatha Christie's Hallowe'en Party. I know Hallowe'en Party intimately because I did an adaptation myself in fic form in the Jeeves & Wooster fandom called Boo, Jeeves! so I was interested to see what they would do with it.

I originally thought it was on Netflix, but I was happily corrected and able to get to the cinema before the boys' father left. (I suppose I could go to the movies while the boys are at school but it would make me nervous).

I enjoyed it. Kenneth Branagh will never be Poirot to me but I still enjoyed it. It is set in Venice and it is good to see that on the big screen. The scenery and setting were suitably atmospheric (there is a horrible storm). There is still a children's party. There are ghosts. It's interesting to see how the first victim (Joyce Reynolds) is transformed from her book version and I think it makes sense. I really liked Tina Fey as Ariadne Oliver. You need someone with comedic timing in that role.

If you are a veteran mystery reader, then you will guess one of the plot points early on. And if you've read any Christie at all the murderer won't come as a surprise. But I enjoyed myself.

[I had a side plot in the theatre as I kept feeling something tapping the top of my right shoe. At first, I thought something had slipped from my lap, then I thought something had rolled under the seat, finally I concluded there was a leak in the roof--unless it was GHOSTS!]

Comments

[smallhobbit]

Glad you enjoyed 'A Haunting in Venice' - I may get to see it, it's on at our local cinema, but it depends what else we do this weekend.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

It was enjoyable. I like the scenes of Venice and the house where the action takes place. All very atmospheric and seasonal (if not quite how Christie wrote it!)

[tau31]

Glad you enjoyed it. :)
I watched the trailer when I was in the cinema to watch "Oppenheimer" and it looked really good.

To be honest, these days I´m also much more interested in the costumes, the atmosphere and the scenery of those movies. In case of the story I prefer the books.

When Kenneth Branagh is not your Poirot, who is yours?

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

I think Suchet did a good job and probably looks most the part, but I also really enjoyed Peter Ustinov, too, who did 2 films.