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Dame Agatha Christie's Detective Fiction Discussion (Novels, Short Stories, Plays, Film, TV & Radio)

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  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited December 2023 Posts: 25,751
    Murder Is Easy | Trailer - BBC Trailers

    Airing now on BBC1/BBCiplayer

    Edited: I enjoyed that, admittedly I have only seen the Bill Bixby version and not read the book. I forgot who the killer was, I will rewatch this to see what I missed.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,488
    4EverBonded wrote: »
    Love Poirot and Marple stories! Both lifelong favorites, so enjoyable to read again. Along with Sherlock, too. As for being "typical" detectives, or hard to see them as realistic, well I have thoughts. Mainly I CAN picture them being real. So I consider the characters realistic enough, yes. But they are different, and I think that is quite good (and necessary).
    Both Poirot and Marple were not exactly gumshoe, physically active or strong characters. (Sherlock at least did box, fence, and us that Japanese wrestling technique I cannot remember.) Poirot and Marple were just brilliant, keen, observant, and able to think outside the box and look at things, always, from a psychological perspective. I enjoy them being eccentric in their own ways and different from all others in their worlds.

    One of my favorite Poirot stories is The ABC Murders. One of my favorite Marple stories is Nemesis. Suchet's episode on The ABC Murders is perfect, in my opinion. Joan Hickson's Nemesis also my firm favorite (and I appreciate the gentle humor with her nephew being part of the story; and also prefer the episode's final ending more than the book's).

    Oh and just because someone is old don't discount them at all as far as reasoning and deduction goes. Miss Marple has seen the gamut of humanity in her little village and she can apply all those memories, knowledge, and experience to give sharp deduction. Her instincts are also sound.

    I actually thought I would kick around an idea of writing about retirees solving murders now that I am fully (and so happily!) retired ... then I see somebody gone and done it, so to speak with the Thursday Murder Club series. I have not read any of them yet. Who of you has, and do you think they are good? I do want your opinion. Thanks! :)
    Here is a bit about it. It also says Amblin has bought the rights and there will be a film. I'm intrigued. I hope the books are good. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thursday_Murder_Club

    I don't think either Poirot or Marple (especially the latter) are remotely believable, but neither are Indiana Jones and Lara Croft. Part of the appeal of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple is that they solve violent murder through entirely nonviolent means. It's the victory of the kind hearted thinkers over the bullies.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,488
    An article about ATTWN and its influence over the horror slasher genre: https://collider.com/agatha-christie-and-then-there-were-none-bbc/
  • VenutiusVenutius Yorkshire
    edited January 2024 Posts: 3,261
    Looking at ATTWN, it's difficult not to think that if Cubby had been around it would've been Turner's (successful) audition for Bond. £5.49 on Amazon Prime - time for another watch.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,751
    Poirot Star Sir David Suchet Opens Up About His Life and Career in New Tour | Good Morning Britain
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,594
  • LudovicoLudovico
    edited April 6 Posts: 15,488
    Article about the few Christie novels never adapted, and why they should be: https://www.slashfilm.com/1820266/agatha-christie-only-novels-never-adapted/

    I'm surprised it says Hallowe'en Party is so poorly reviewed, even by fans. It might be poor whodunit, but I loved it, because of its atmosphere and darkness.

    Oh and if someone can make sense of Postern of Fate, please explains it to me.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited April 6 Posts: 18,594
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Article about the few Christie novels never adapted, and why they should be: https://www.slashfilm.com/1820266/agatha-christie-only-novels-never-adapted/

    I'm surprised it says Hallowe'en Party is so poorly reviewed, even by fans. It might be poor whodunit, but I loved it, because of its atmosphere and darkness.

    Oh and if someone can make sense of Postern of Fate, please explains it to me.

    I had heard they were going to adapt Death Comes as the End a few years ago. Sad to hear that the project now appears to be dead in the water. I believe that Christie's later novels were affected by her cognitive decline as they now think that she had Alzheimer's Disease in her last years.

    https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/apr/03/agatha-christie-alzheimers-research
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,488
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Article about the few Christie novels never adapted, and why they should be: https://www.slashfilm.com/1820266/agatha-christie-only-novels-never-adapted/

    I'm surprised it says Hallowe'en Party is so poorly reviewed, even by fans. It might be poor whodunit, but I loved it, because of its atmosphere and darkness.

    Oh and if someone can make sense of Postern of Fate, please explains it to me.

    I had heard they were going to adapt Death Comes as the End a few years ago. Sad to hear that the project now appears to be dead in the water. I believe that Christie's later novels were affected by her cognitive decline as they now think that she had Alzheimer's Disease in her last years.

    https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/apr/03/agatha-christie-alzheimers-research

    Yes that's why the plot is so confused, borderline absurd at times, and there's so many lose ends and plot holes.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited April 6 Posts: 18,594
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Article about the few Christie novels never adapted, and why they should be: https://www.slashfilm.com/1820266/agatha-christie-only-novels-never-adapted/

    I'm surprised it says Hallowe'en Party is so poorly reviewed, even by fans. It might be poor whodunit, but I loved it, because of its atmosphere and darkness.

    Oh and if someone can make sense of Postern of Fate, please explains it to me.

    I had heard they were going to adapt Death Comes as the End a few years ago. Sad to hear that the project now appears to be dead in the water. I believe that Christie's later novels were affected by her cognitive decline as they now think that she had Alzheimer's Disease in her last years.

    https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/apr/03/agatha-christie-alzheimers-research

    Yes that's why the plot is so confused, borderline absurd at times, and there's so many lose ends and plot holes.

    I've read that Christie's vocabulary was much smaller and she reused familiar words and phrases throughout the last novels. Elephants Never Forget is also cited as one of her worst novels. Sadly it couldn't have been helped. At least she tried to keep going and didn't give in. Alzheimer's and dementia are very cruel diseases. Poor lady. She has my sympathy.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,488
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Article about the few Christie novels never adapted, and why they should be: https://www.slashfilm.com/1820266/agatha-christie-only-novels-never-adapted/

    I'm surprised it says Hallowe'en Party is so poorly reviewed, even by fans. It might be poor whodunit, but I loved it, because of its atmosphere and darkness.

    Oh and if someone can make sense of Postern of Fate, please explains it to me.

    I had heard they were going to adapt Death Comes as the End a few years ago. Sad to hear that the project now appears to be dead in the water. I believe that Christie's later novels were affected by her cognitive decline as they now think that she had Alzheimer's Disease in her last years.

    https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/apr/03/agatha-christie-alzheimers-research

    Yes that's why the plot is so confused, borderline absurd at times, and there's so many lose ends and plot holes.

    I've read that Christie's vocabulary was much smaller and she reused familiar words and phrases throughout the last novels. Elephants Never Forget is also cited as one of her worst novels. Sadly it couldn't have been helped. At least she tried to keep going and didn't give in. Alzheimer's and dementia are very cruel diseases. Poor lady. She has my sympathy.

    Yes, it's a horrible way to live one's last few years. Her late novels suffer from it. But for all its flaws, I think Postern of Fate makes for great material for an adaptation: it has lots of atmosphere, the idea of old evils casting long shadows is a potent one and it has heroes made vulnerable with age.
  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 6,105
    On the other hand, Passenger to Francfort should not receive any kind of adaptation whatsoever. At least, IMHO. But feel free to disagree.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,594
    Yes, I've heard that described as one of Christie's worst novels. That has no doubt held it back from adaptation. Still, I think that Christie has surely had more of her work adapted than any other detective writer since Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,488
    Gerard wrote: »
    On the other hand, Passenger to Francfort should not receive any kind of adaptation whatsoever. At least, IMHO. But feel free to disagree.

    Boy that one was painful.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited 6:14am Posts: 18,594
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Gerard wrote: »
    On the other hand, Passenger to Francfort should not receive any kind of adaptation whatsoever. At least, IMHO. But feel free to disagree.

    Boy that one was painful.

    It's more of a spy thriller I believe as opposed to a detective story?
  • LudovicoLudovico
    edited 8:27am Posts: 15,488
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Gerard wrote: »
    On the other hand, Passenger to Francfort should not receive any kind of adaptation whatsoever. At least, IMHO. But feel free to disagree.

    Boy that one was painful.

    It's more of a spy thriller I believe as opposed to a detective story?

    With weird elements of science fiction dropped in it, as well as politic fiction. And dubious moral implications.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,594
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Gerard wrote: »
    On the other hand, Passenger to Francfort should not receive any kind of adaptation whatsoever. At least, IMHO. But feel free to disagree.

    Boy that one was painful.

    It's more of a spy thriller I believe as opposed to a detective story?

    With weird elements of science fiction dropped in it, as well as politic fiction. And dubious moral implications.

    I see. It all sounds very involved!
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,488
    It seriously makes little sense. The hero disappears entirely about halfway through the novel. Then I think he's mentioned near the end? My memory is fuzzy.

    But I'll always say Hallowe'en Party is underrated. Flawed, yes, but with lots of good stuff in it.
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