Agatha Christie Archivi - Keep Calm and Drink Coffee

A HAUNTING IN VENICE

Nov 19, 2022 | MOVIES, MOVIES

If I say A haunting in Venice what do you think?

Curiosity, enthusiasm, and even a little bit of awe, for me.

What happens when several things you particularly like add up by blending together?

The perfect recipe.

Though the risk increases because the expectation is high.

And I would say that this is definitely the case with A Haunting in Venice i.e., the new movie coming out in 2023 that will see Kenneth Branagh acting under the quintessential mustache: those of Hercule Poirot.

The first element that strikes me: Venice!

“My” Venice, you know by now.

But which Queen Agatha book are we talking about?

A Haunting in Venice grew out of Hallowe’en party, a book published in 1969.

Shall we read together a few lines from the first two pages?

Or we can listen to

Agatha Christie therefore brings us back to the subject of All Saints.

But … Venice?

In a statement shared with the press, Branagh said, “This development of the character of Hercule Poirot, as well as the Agatha Christie franchise is based on a complex and little-known mystery story set on Halloween in a pictorially enchanting city...”

The screenplay is by Michael Green, among his work I would recall Blade Runner 2049 just to get your thoughts.

20th Century Studios described the adaptation, written by Michael Green, as a disturbing supernatural thriller in which Poirot, now retired in self-imposed exile in the world’s most glamorous city, reluctantly attends a séance in a decaying, haunted mansion, during which one of the guests is murdered. The detective thus finds himself in a sinister world of shadows and secrets.

Certainly quite a leap of imagination from Woodleigh Common … but if it’s jumping to Venice … we trust!

By the way, Kenneth Branagh decided to start filming right on Halloween leaving one doubt: the cast has been announced, but for now we can only speculate what the roles will be.

Do you want to give it a try?

Kyle Allen
Camille Cottin
Jamie Dorman
Tina Fey
Jude Hill
Ali Khan
Emma Laird
Kelly Reilly
Riccardo Scamarcio
Michelle Yeoh

CHRISTMAS WITH WHO?

Dec 29, 2021 | BOOKS, MOVIES

Who did you spend Christmas with?

Thanks to Luciana’s gift, I spent it with Agatha: and with Poirot’s Christmas.

A reading that takes you back to the classic situation typical of the riddles to be solved: room and windows closed, inside only the victim, no one enters, no one leaves …

Agatha dedicated this story to her brother-in-law, James, according to whom her murders “were getting refined.”
“You yearned for a good violent murder with lots of blood…so this is your special story – written for you.”

Among other things, there is also a quote from Shakespeare: “Yet who would have thought the old man had so much blood in him?“

The one who pronounces it is not Lady Macbeth but a member of the Lee family, reunited for Christmas at the behest of the elderly father, despite divisions and disputes of various kinds.

“And families now, families who have been separated throughout the year, assemble once more together. Now under these conditions, my friend, you must admit that there will occur a great amount of strain. People who do not feel amiable are putting great pressure on themselves to appear amiable! There is at Christmas time a great deal of hypocrisy, honourable hypocrisy, hypocrisy undertaken pour le bon motif, c’est entendu, but nevertheless hypocrisy.”
Hercule Poirot

What to say?
Sadly true.

In the film version, Poirot was played by David Suchet.

Speaking of cinema as well as family reunions, as well as with the Lees, I also spent Christmas with the Colardo and Marinelli families, do you know them?

I saw the first time Every cursed Christmas by chance, without knowing anything about.

So its main feature: the duality of all the performers, for me it was an unexpected surprise as much fun.

If you haven’t seen it yet, you can retrieve it here: together with laughter which he will give you.

And you, who did you spend Christmas with?

COFFEE IN ENGLAND ALWAYS TASTES LIKE A CHEMISTRY EXPERIMENT Agatha Christie

Aug 27, 2020 | BOOKS, MOVIES, BOOKS, MOVIES

An entire blog should be dedicated to the one who is the absolute Queen, just to express that minimum of admiration and esteem She deserves.

But to remain in our space-time measure of coffee in the meantime, I would start from the bottom: that is, from the trailer for the next Death on the Nile. Have you already seen it?

Needless to say, I am very curious, not to mention that as soon as I heard the first notes of Policy of Truth a standing ovation was triggered.

Unfortunately I haven’t been to many concerts but Depeche Mode in Milan in the 80s was a big yes.

But let’s go back to Death on the Nile: we can consider this one as the third version after the film with Peter Ustinov in 1978 and Poirot on the Nile in 2004 with David Suchet.

I’d say Kenneth Branagh feels comfortable playing the detective born from the pen of Agatha Christie if he’s decided to replicate after Murder on the Orient Express.

Yet Hercule Poirot is a very particular character, apparently uncomfortable I would say, and in general I would never have associated him with Branagh even if I consider him very good. Maybe because I have always perceived him as very English and as a Shakespearean actor par excellence.

Moreover, in Murder on the Orient Express, in my opinion Kenneth Branagh’s proof became even more complicated with the presence of Johnny Depp: since he is possessed by the spirit of Jack Sparrow he has accustomed us to caricature roles such as Lone Ranger, Dark Shadows, not to mention Mortdecai, who, as far as I’m concerned, caused the question “why is Depp Ratchett and not Poirot?”

To tell the truth, however, Branagh’s mustache, for how exaggerated it may seem, is more faithful to the mustache described by Agatha Christie, isn’t it?

So, leaving aside interpretations that have not left their mark such as those of Albert Finney, Tony Randall, Austin Trevor and Alfred Molina, who is your favorite Poirot?

Peter Ustinov, David Suchet or Kenneth Branagh?