Starring: Ian Holm, Maureen O'Brien, Ann Bell, Tim Pigott-Smith, Anna Cropper Directed By: Rodney Bennett Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Binding: DVD Format: Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC Label: Koch Vision Number of Items: 2 Region Code: 1 Release Date: June 06, 2006 Running Time: 275 minutes Theatrical Release Date: 1979
Product Description: Ian Holm stars in the BBC s haunting story of the life of J.M. Barrie the creator of Peter Pan. A chance meeting with a little boy turns into a friendship that inspires the story that changed the world.System Requirements:Running Time: 270 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS UPC: 741952635598 Manufacturer No: KOC-DV-6355
When Words Are Not Enough How does one entitle a review of a television drama series that is so absorbing and thought-provoking that one cannot possibly describe it without becoming mired in the platitudinous swamp of review-speak? As true as the words "hauntingly beautiful," "brilliantly scripted," and "splendidly acted" might be, they nevertheless fall flat in respect to "The Lost Boys." Similarly, the words "subtly nuanced performance" sound cheap in respect to Ian Holm's remarkable portrayal of Sir James Barrie. Nor can words do justice to Maureen O'Brien, Ann Bell, Tim Pigott-Smith, Anna Cropper, and the dozen or so boys of different ages who portray the five Llewellyn Davies brothers.
The story centers on a paradox of words and loss of words. Ironically, Barrie, who writes hundreds of thousands of words in his plays, his books, his letters to his adopted family of five boys, cannot express himself in actual words either to them or to his wife. Partly because of his failure to communicate, his desire to protect those he loves results too often in loss. The title, "The Lost Boys," is particularly poignant, since it connotes far more than the evident allusion to Peter Pan. It connotes not only loss of youth, loss of friends, parents and children, but also loss of innocence embodied in the loss of an entire generation of young men in the Great War that was supposed to end all wars. In the final estimation, the title connotes the most poignant loss of all: the loss of something imagined that never existed, nor ever could exist.
I must say that I am impressed with Koch Vision--the NTSC distributor (of which I had not previously heard)--although they might want to rethink the plastic double-carrier of the two DVDS, one hinge of which was broken. The Box names the actors in letters that one can actually read, and the DVD has an enlightening interview with the author of the script. Each episode is a riveting hour-and-a-half long. The costumes and settings are magnificent; and now I have sunk once again into the Swamp of Critical Platitudes!
"Ian Holm & Andrew Birkin ... J.M. Barrie and the Lost Boys (1979) ... Koch Vision" Koch Vision present - "The Lost Boys" (aka: J.M. Barrie and the Lost Boys) (1979) - Ian Holm (270 mins/Color) (Dolby Digital) --- 'The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up', J.M. Barrie the novelist, playwright and author of 'Peter Pan' led a life almost as magical and interesting as his famous creation ... Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, OM (9 May 1860 - 19 June 1937), more commonly known as J. M. Barrie, was a Scottish novelist and dramatist. Most people remember him for inventing the character of Peter Pan, whom he based on his friends the Llewelyn Davies boys ... Barrie grew close to the five young boys of the Llewelyn Davies family ... childless in his marriage to Mary Barrie, ultimately becoming the boys guardian and devoted surrogate father when they were orphaned ... this dramatisation tells the story of this remarkable man.
Under Rodney Bennett (Director), Louis Marks (Producer), Andrew Birkin (Screenwriter) ----- the cast includes Ian Holm (J.M. Barrie), Maureen O'Brien (Mary Barrie), Ann Bell (Sylvia Llewelyn Davies), Tim Pigott-Smith (Arthur Llewelyn Davies), Anna Cropper (Mary Hodgson), Barnaby Holm (George), Paul Holmes (George), Nicholas Borton (Jack), Jean-Benoît Louveaux (Peter), Sebastian Buss (Michael), William Hootkins (Charles Frohman), Peter Tuddenham (Dr. Rendel), Diana Sinden (Mrs. Arden (as Diana Mahony), Roger Ostime (Sir George Lewis) and Hugh Martin (Savoy Grill Manager) . . . . . the BBC three parter miniseries on the life and times of James M. Barrie who authored "Peter Pan", after his contact with Llewellyn-Davies family ... the children George, Jack, Peter, Michael and Nico make up the Lost Boys and the Never Never Land clan, George describes death as "An Awfully Big Adventure", thus the little boy wo neve grew up comes into to play ... this is considered factual as it also includes Arthur Llewelyn-Davies (the father of the boys) and confronts the issue of Barrie's affection for the Davies boys ... The first name of Peter Pan was almost certainly taken from Peter Llewellyn Davies... The BBC made an award-winning miniseries by Andrew Birkin immortal, much as Peter Pan.
BIOS: 1. Ian Holm (aka: Ian Holm Cuthbert) Date of birth: 12 September 1931 - Goodmayes, Essex, England, UK 2. Maureen O'Brien Date of birth: 29 June 1943 - Liverpool, England, UK 3. Ann Bell Date of birth: 29 April 1940 - Wallasey, Cheshire, England, UK 4. Tim Pigott-Smith Date of birth: 13 May 1946 - Rugby, England, UK 5. Anna Cropper Date of birth: 13 May 1938 - not known
BONUS FEATURE: 1. Interview with Andrew Birkin (Director) 2. Photo Gallery
Great job by Koch Vision for releasing "The Lost Boys" (aka: J.M. Barrie and the Lost Boys) (1979) - Ian Holm, the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the foreign film market --- order your copy now from Amazon or Koch Vision where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch drama mixed with an outstanding cast and director --- gotta love it!
Total Time: 270 mins on DVD ~ Koch Vision KOC-DV-6355 ~ (6/06/2006)
Heartbreaking! FINDING NEVERLAND was pure fiction. If you want the REAL story of JM Barrie and Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, this is it! Impeccably researched by Barrie biographer Andrew Birkin and acted to perfection by a fist rate cast including Ian Holm, who seems to BECOME Barrie in a way Johnny Depp didn't even come close to, this TV mini-series is one of the most emotionally moving films you will ever see. It follows Barrie's life beyond where FINDING NEVERLAND takes you and is absolutely heartbreaking. Don't be thrown off by the fact that this is filmed on video --it is an expert production and is simply not to be missed!
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