recommend a miniseries

sunandshadow

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There are several tv miniseries based on novels that I love: Pride and Prejudice, Shogun, Gormenghast, and The 10 Kingdoms spring immediately to mind. Can anyone recommend other similar miniseries? (Someone will probably ask about anime since an anime series is similar to a miniseries - you can recommend them if you've want but I've probably already seen most of them.)
 

plaidearthworm

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I'm not sure if this is out on DVD, but on Japanese tv a couple of years ago they did 'Musashi' with Ebizo Ichikawa. A bit longer than the average mini-series, it had many chapters, but was a complete one-shot, not an ongoing series. Completely compelling; I loved it from start to finish. They did an English subtitle version for the Hawaii market, so you don't have to know Japanese to enjoy it. A great way to get lost in a different world for a while--I even read the Book of Five Rings after watching it.
 

zahra

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Band of Brothers was a 10-part miniseries.
But how short does it have to be to not be a series? Or is it just that it has to be finite?
 

alaskamatt17

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Merlin was pretty good. I'll second that.

I heard that HBO has a Game of Thrones miniseries in the works. It has a lot of potential.
 

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If you like the sprawling, epic-style miniseries, try The Winds of War and War and Remembrance. They made some casting changes between the two parts, replacing Ali McGraw (thank God) with Jane Seymour, and sulky Jan Michael Vincent with a-much-better-looking-actor-with-much-more-talent-whose-name-I-can't-remember.

Robert Mitchum was old for the role, but did a good job anyway. Really good effects for the war/battle scenes. And the concentration camp scenes were harrowing.

I'm a WW II buff, so found it all fascinating.

Loved Shogun. Waiting impatiently for them to release Noble House on DVD (Pierce Brosnan was fantastic in that role).

The Kennedys of Massachusetts was a good one -- also not yet available on DVD as far as I know.

Rich Man, Poor Man was another fav, but I haven't seen it in years and I'm betting it hasn't aged well. Some don't.

North and South (both books) was really good, ditto The Stand. Just got the anniversary edition DVD of Roots and am looking forward to seeing it again.
 

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But how short does it have to be to not be a series? Or is it just that it has to be finite?

It definitely has to be finite, but in the end, I think it's up to the networking airing it to label it.

Miniseries are fewer and further between nowadays, but we are seeing more of what they're calling a "limited series." Daybreak and The Black Donnelly's were limited series' aired this year. Instead of saying "this is a really, really long movie broken up over a couple of nights," they are saying "We're telling a story in one-hour increments, over the course of eight weeks."

It gives them a chance to air something, without committing to an entire season, or the expense of producing a traditional miniseries.
 

Kentuk

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One of the first mini-series was Once an Eagle, based on the book by Anton Myer (think that's his name, can't find the book right now.) It was about a professional American soldier (fictional) who fought WWI, and finally died in Vietnam. I liked it because both sets of grandparents were army of the same generation and I gained alot of insight. This played back in the early seventies and I haven't seen it on tape or DVD.
 

Writer2011

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Well i've seen a few...

North And South Books 1 and 2

Heard Roots is exceptional and it's out on DVD

V was a good one too :)
 

zahra

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Thanks, chaostitan. OK, then. British triumphs: 'Charles 2nd: The Power and the Passion', with Rufus Sewell, and 'State of Play', with Bill Nighy, John Simm and James McAvoy of 'Last King of Scotland' fame. Great stuff.

I also have fond memories of a US one that came out long ago - it has Charlton Heston, Billy Dee Williams and (am I imagining this?) Brad Davis of Midnight Express fame in it and was called 'Once Upon a Murder'. It was about a serial killer who rejoiced in the name of Foxy Funderburke. I loved it. I think it was also released under the name of 'Chiefs'.
 

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I also have fond memories of a US one that came out long ago - it has Charlton Heston, Billy Dee Williams and (am I imagining this?) Brad Davis of Midnight Express fame in it and was called 'Once Upon a Murder'. It was about a serial killer who rejoiced in the name of Foxy Funderburke. I loved it. I think it was also released under the name of 'Chiefs'.

Yeah, in the US it was "Chiefs." Brad Davis was in it. Hmm. I wouldn't mind seeing that one again. Wonder if it's available on DVD? I'll add it to my check list.

Another one was "Celebrity." Three teenage boys share a secret they have to keep as they each become famous men. (Can I write back cover copy, or can't I? :D )

 

aadams73

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North and South (The BBC series)
Wives and Daughters (You'll like these first two if you liked P&P)
The Thornbirds (Yeah, so what, I loved it :D)

Ohhh Cheshire Cat, I remember Celebrity! IIRC it's based on an equally good book.
 

CheshireCat

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North and South (The BBC series)
Wives and Daughters (You'll like these first two if you liked P&P)
The Thornbirds (Yeah, so what, I loved it :D)

Ohhh Cheshire Cat, I remember Celebrity! IIRC it's based on an equally good book.

What's the BBC "North and South" about? I don't recall seeing or reading anything about it. But since I enjoyed "Wives and Daughters" and most other BBC series and minis, I'd probably enjoy it.

Two of my all-time favorite multi-part series are still "I, Claudius" and "The Six Wives of Henry VIII."

 

The_Grand_Duchess

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It definitely has to be finite, but in the end, I think it's up to the networking airing it to label it.

Miniseries are fewer and further between nowadays, but we are seeing more of what they're calling a "limited series." Daybreak and The Black Donnelly's were limited series' aired this year. Instead of saying "this is a really, really long movie broken up over a couple of nights," they are saying "We're telling a story in one-hour increments, over the course of eight weeks."

It gives them a chance to air something, without committing to an entire season, or the expense of producing a traditional miniseries.

I think the two you mentioned were supposed to be actual shows with mutlitple seasons but the ratings weren't good enough for them to commit. So they became 'limited series' :)
 

Cassie

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North and South (The BBC series)
Wives and Daughters (You'll like these first two if you liked P&P)
The Thornbirds (Yeah, so what, I loved it :D)

Ohhh Cheshire Cat, I remember Celebrity! IIRC it's based on an equally good book.

Thornbirds is the first one that comes to mind. Loved it!
 

ChaosTitan

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I think the two you mentioned were supposed to be actual shows with mutlitple seasons but the ratings weren't good enough for them to commit. So they became 'limited series' :)

Daybreak was meant to air in a limited run during Lost's winter hiatus. I didn't watch it (and apparently neither did a lot of others), so I don't know if the concept would have supported multiple seasons.

The Black Donnelly's was meant to air during Studio 60's spring hiatus, and a limited number of episodes were ordered.

If either one had actually done well in the ratings, maybe the networks would have picked them up for second "seasons." I guess we'll never know, but "limited series" is definitely a new category.
 

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Ooh if you like hot men on tall ships, the Horatio Hornblower series is awesome. They made one group of a series, and then a few years later another one. The acting and writing is amazing, and it's really a nice old fashioned yarn. (by the way if you don't like hot men on tall ships, but just like shows about life at sea and war and battles and stuff, this is still a good'un for you!)
 

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Brideshead Revisited. Had it on tape. Watched it all the time. Brilliant adaptation of a brilliant book. To me that is still the epitome of a mini-series.

Edited to add: How can I forget the Prime Suspect mini-series? Loved them all. I was sorry to see it end, but it was a great end.
 
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