Sunday, January 11, 2009

a television show can make me drool

There was just the teensiest bit of excitement in the household last night. A night for elegant voyeurism.

The return of Poirot.

Granted, it was a very old episode first shown exactly 20 years ago. And I understand there were new ones made in 2008 and that David Suchet wants to continue until he has done every single story written.

So far he has done over 60. That's right - bet you didn't realize there were so many. I certainly didn't, as we probably keep getting the same 2 dozen every time, repeated.

Still.

It is that 1930's decadence. The glamour. That art deco style. That apartment!
Much of Hercule Poirot's world is influenced by the art deco movement and the television series has been permanently set in 1936 to take full advantage of it. The architecture and artifacts are just as much a star of the show as Poirot, Japp, Hastings and the ever efficient Miss Lemon (with her curls on her forehead!). All of them play off each other beautifully as an ensemble and often with understated hilarious effects.
But it is the houses and the artifacts within that really hold my attention. Someone pours tea and I freely lust after that tea service. It is all a visual delight and the many closeup shots of the details only add to the feast.

14 comments:

  1. I love the deco style too... That retro tea picture has me drooling...

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  2. I adore that period - now I'm just going to have to add these to my netflix.

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  3. Jazz: And I take down my teapot and sigh. Wishing I could afford such luxury.

    Char: Poirot is definitely worth looking into. It is the best for accuracy in detail.

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  4. Art deco is so cool! When I went to New York and did the Rockefeller Centre tour, I learned so much and was totally amazed at all the art deco elements to be seen around that city. I look for art deco all over the place now (one of the few styles I actually recognize now).

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  5. Pinklea: I want to go back to NYC to see more.

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  6. I read my way through every Agatha Christie book I could get my hands on in college. That looks like a great series.

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  7. I love them all too, & can watch them over & over. I am sure you would love Napier, in New Zealand. It was an art deco style city, which was destroyed by an earthquake, & was rebuilt in wonderful Art Deco style.
    You can read about it here,
    http://www.artdeconapier.com/, if you would like to see the styles.
    I have visited, & must say it is very interesting.

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  8. Citizen: I'm sure I've read many of the books as well, though i remember the television series more. It is great, if you get the chance. It's on PBS here.

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  9. Meggie: thanks for the link - it's now been bookmarked. I have been to NZ and could cry when I think that we didn't go to Napier, but we were running out of time and I didn't do enough research beforehand.

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  10. oh Poirot.. adore him... thank you... :)

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  11. Well I wish I could watch it! Is it on BBC? We get BBC America. I'll have to check into it.

    You wrote this beautifully, and now I WANT DECO I WANT DECO . . .

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  12. Katie: have you seen the new epsiodes?

    Ruth: I watch it on PBS (out of Buffalo). I've never seen it on BBC Canada, only PBS, but I think I read somewhere that the latest episodes will be seen on BBC America.
    If I had a chance to redecorate with an unlimited budget of someone else's money, this would be my style.

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  13. I been listening to him on audio but I didn't know there was a television show...

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  14. Gwen: The audio isn't enough, you need the visual. And you need David Suchet. Does the library have the video's or dvd's?

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