The Ebony Tower [1984]

years ago and enjoyed it and then came upon it again and thought I would buy a copy and revisit this story again.

This is a thoughtful film about a young art writer (Roger Rees) visiting an old artists (Lawrence Olivier) in an idyllic French countryside setting. Adding to the glamour are Greta Scacchi and Toyah Wilcox. While superficially about the relationships of the characters, the meat is in the discussions about art and life. While not a lot happens overtly, there is enough going on under the surface to make the journey worth taking.Needless to say, all performances are excellent.To flesh these ideas out further, read the John Fowles novel on which the film is based.

first things first picture quality , o.k. so the picture is not to the standard of the original T.V. transmission ,but its really not that bad .I think you have to remember this was made over 27 years ago and although it was shot on film ,may only now exsist on a video tape master and even if network had spent the money to remaster the picture, it would never be blueray quality plus now many people you pay the extra.The play itself although it is an excellent drama [the sort they just can't make today], its not my cup of tea and if I am honest Toyah Wilcox naked is the main attraction for me.I live in hope that Network continue to release stuff like this , considering the economic climate we live in I am amazed at their output.p.s. re picture quality, on the bbc dvd realease for Dr who's Black orchid [1982]there is a piece that shows before and after restoration of a video source that was originaly shot on film.

It one of Toyah Wilcox films I needed, I will be watching it this Tuesday

Well acted. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

I wanted to re-visit a film I had vaguely enjoyed decades ago made shortly before Olivier's death.Unfortunately this DVD by Network DVD UK is not the complete film and cuts crucial scenes -- notably the key one centered around Manet's 'Dejeuner sur l'herbe' in which art and the tawdry situation in the story is balanced and blown apart in two stages.It is a very slight but pretentious film of its time somewhat copying French 'art films' of the 1960s and John Fowles' story is hacked to death by John Mortimer. Minor actor Roger Rees, Greta Scacchi and Olivier are wooden throughout (Olivier had the excuse of pleurisy) and the only natural acting flow comes from Toyah Willcox, who at the time was not a trained actress.Music was by Richard Rodney Bennett and is a 3rd rate rip off of Debussy and Delius aping musical use in early Ken Russell films.This DVD seems to have been ripped from VHS and is in an aspect ratio closer to 4:4 than 4:3 which makes it hard to adjust.Thus the product is not what it claims to be and this is fraudulent selling by the manufacturer and not the retailer.Do dot buy unless you like to be swindled. My copy is in process of return.

Not as bad in terms of picture quality as some have made out. It was made for TV in the mid-80s, so it's never going to be HD.My problem with it is in the liberties screenwriter John Mortimer took with the novel, introducing many incongruous lines of non-original dialogue to no great advantage, and - much worse - completely changing the ending, which ruins the ambiguity I have no doubt Fowles intended.I thought the two women completely outshone the two men in the acting stakes.Still, as a great fan of the novel, I had to check it out. It's safe to say there is a really good film waiting to be made of the Ebony Tower; it is equally safe to say, this isn't it.

Waiting for this to appear in dvd, it may well be under-stated (as former review) but even so - knocks the socks off many, many latter day dramatic offerings. I trust it will appear again in an accessible form, have had to wait for such delicacies as: Enchanted April; The Rumpole Series, A Voyage Round... so... hopefully it will materialise. Yep, I liked it...one for quiet contemplation of days gone by.