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Reviews
The Lost Prince (2003)
Great Story Telling
I am a big fan of Poliakoff and was delighted by the superb two-part TV film of the Royal Family around the First World war through the eyes of the Lost Prince 'Johnny', who was indeed played very well. It was vivid, colourful and really striking cinematically. It had a well written screenplay and the actors were brilliantly case. Hollander as the King couldn't have got closer to the man. It was considerately done and I would recommend this to anyone interest in the period or indeed anyone who likes a good story.
I liked the bits where Johnny imagines the various kings of europe staying at his farm (where he doesn't like the chickens much), and I found that well-humoured and was a bit of fun.
The Treasure of Abbot Thomas (1974)
A chilling experience
The Treasure of Abbot Thomas is in part a sort of quasi-detective tale and also a ghost story. The setting of the story makes it very atmospheric, as it is set in a monastery building with a 'heavy' almost oppressive style of architecture.
It is a programme where someone who was adamant that ghosts are mere fiction, comes to find the most chilling encounter, while obtaining the hidden treasure of Abbot Thomas. The effects, although now far surpassed, are chilling, and especially with the tar like substance that bubbles under the door and from out of the hole where the treasure lay.
It has an open ending, for you to decide what happens (how obvious it may seem) and I wouldn't want to spoil it for you. It is a thing with M.R. James and the programmes made of his works, that you wish you had never seen them before, so that you can have the excitement of seeing them for the first time and not know what happens.