Oliver Twist

I saw this DVD on sale in a Target store, so I took a chance on it. Luckily, I hadn't read the reviews here or I would have given it a pass. This production of Dickens' famous novel is the least faithful of all the versions I have seen, but I expected that going in. It's basically a stylistic rewrite of the story with a modern audience in mind. Had I been a Dickens purist looking for a mirror image of the book, I would have been appalled, as some reviewers here obviously were.

Instead, it's a fresh take on an old story. It doesn't pretend to be faithful. The result for me is that I was highly entertained, and as someone else has pointed out, instead of looking for how many deviations I could find, I was enthralled by the fact that I did NOT know what was coming next. This in effect freed me from the book, which I have read several times (yes, I like Dickens), and allowed me to judge this fresh approach on its own merits.

I was quite satisfied with the story as it stood on its own two feet, although the original story is much better. But that was a book (a newspaper serial, actually), not a 173 minute television mini-series. Were I to produce a faithful mini-series of Oliver Twist I would require at least ten hour-long segments. It's a very complicated yarn. (I'd love to film the chapter where Oliver is recuperating in the country.)

The cast is excellent for the most part. William Miller (Pieter in "Krakatoa") was an inspired choice for what he was intended to do: portray an appealing yet fearless version of Oliver--a boy who has been subjected to the dreary trials of a workhouse upbringing, yet because of his character has come through it all as a soft spoken, kindly little soul. Adam Arnold as Dodger presents a new "twist" on the character, who is shown as being quite sensitive and vulnerable, and in love with Nancy (who throws him over for Oliver). Bill Sykes is played by Tom Hardy, and while he looks fine in the part, his accent is so extreme I could only understand ever tenth word. He also suffers in my eyes because he's no Robert Newton. That holds true with every other actor who has played Sykes. Similarly, Timothy Spall is no Alec Guiness. I had a hard time swallowing his Fagin, but again this is a rewrite of the story and he does an adequate job with the writer's reconstruction of the character. Mr. Brownlow is played by the ubiquitous Edward? Fox (is he William, James or Edward? I wish he'd make up his mind).

If it sounds like I'm having fun with this review, it's probably because I had fun watching this DVD. The extra on the disk is a "making-of" documentary. I enjoyed meeting Will Miller, Sophie Okonedo (Nancy), and others. However, when you listen to the writer, Sarah Phelps, you begin to get an insight into why this Oliver Twist is so different from all the others. She strikes me as an angry, over-the-top liberal who has strong opinions on Dickens and other societal matters. She rubbed me the wrong way, but at the same time I did like very much what she produced. So there you have it in a nutshell.

The music didn't bother me one little bit. In fact, its spirited tone fit the revised character of Oliver very well, and I felt it was perfect for this particular production. William Miller is a handsome, lovable boy, and I was very pleased to see Oliver Twist as an engaging, sturdy and athletic youngster for once instead of the meek, frail waif we have always seen, a character who we are to pity. It's a fresh outlook. The rest of the cast, the authentic costuming and backgrounds, yes and even the heavily rewritten story, support this new twist on Oliver Twist very well.

It's a good movie. Don't miss it. Take the sour apple reviews with a grain of salt.

I am a big fan of classic literature, and I love well-done adaptations. I really enjoyed this version of Oliver Twist. The mannerisms of the characters and the music are all very modern, and though I enjoy the more closely representational adaptations, I enjoy the ones that take more liberties as well.
I personally thought the acting was well-done. I enjoyed the different takes on Dickens' characters. The camera work added another modern and fun note. It's a very up-beat, fast-paced, and exciting adaptation.

In short, there are an abundance of bad reviews for this movie, so I thought I'd try and give it a lift. Check it out. If you like classic literature adaptations, and you're not of the overly-purist sect, I think you'll enjoy it.

The cast showed up for work in this darker adaptation of Dickens's novel. They are all terrific and make for a memorable movie. In particular, William Miller plays Oliver with remarkably gritty determination--you're pulling for him throughout the movie. Hardy and Rhind-Tutt are scarily evil as Bill Sikes and Monks respectively. Tim Spall plays an interestingly ambiguous Fagin; Sophie Okonedo wonderfully captures Nancy's sympathy for Oliver despite her trapped circumstances.

This is much more of a thriller/ suspense story than a light-hearted adventure through London's slums. A few annoyances are present such as barely audible dialog in some scenes, occasional jarring music and irritating anachronisms, but they do not seriously damage an emotionally affecting and compelling film. Bravo!
Oliver Twist

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