Isn't it time for some info on the new Murder on the Orient Express film?

Griselda

Hi Tuppence, Isn't it time for some info on the new Murder on the Orient Express film? Who has been asked to write a diary of the problems, dilemmas, interesting views, and fascinating detail about the train? Are they using the actual original train, or (is it the same?) the one that does the trip now? I'd like some science about trains being stuck in snow drifts. What I suggest is that the director be the one to keep a diary, and the team be told they can't finish the film unless they keep the fans fed with titbits of updates. A suitably familiar and key member of the David Suchet Poirot series could be asked to travel on the modern Orient Express and write an long article for the website, on the comfort, fixtures, fittings, service. A quiz, with questions on the novel and research items could be written for this website, with the prize a trip on the Orient Express itself. Let's face it, without the novel, the journey itself as a short break idea would not be nearly as appealing to the tour organisers. I'm sure they will happily cough up a prize.  I hope you like my suggestions. I've one more. The actor playing the murder victim. Does it ruin his chance of getting rounded parts in future if he's played such a repulsive character? Does the actor think so? I don't see many tv bad guys (like ones from soap operas) in later dramas.

ChristieFanForLife

I'm a little leery of the new Murder on the Orient Express film. The David Suchet version disappointed me a lot. Still the 1974 version is the best one in my opinion. 

tudes

ChristieFanForLife said:

I'm a little leery of the new Murder on the Orient Express film. The David Suchet version disappointed me a lot. Still the 1974 version is the best one in my opinion. 

I agree. 1974 version is the best! I was very exciting to watch Suchet version. A t the end, I was completely frustated. It's dull. Although, i think he's the best Poirot.
I hope this one will be better than the others. At least, so good as 1974 version.
But I see your point, @Griselda. They announce the news and don't share any information about what's happening to the project (film).

ChristieFanForLife

I think if David Suchet did Orient Express back in the 90's when we had those brilliant adaptations such as Peril At End House, Hercule Poirot's Christmas, and The ABC Murders, I think Suchet's version probably would have been one of the best or at least on par with the 1974 version. If Suchet did it back in the 90's they would have had to leave Hastings, Lemon and Japp out of it and let Suchet lead the show. Unfortunately I think they waited too long and instead of sticking to Christie's story they wanted to depart from it a bit and be a bit cutting edge but it just didn't work. The 1974 version reigns supreme in my book and even the ending had a kind of magic that the new ending that the Suchet version tacked on which I just didn't like. I think they were aiming at making the tone of the story really dark but again it just didn't work and the book's tone wasn't that dark. I don't even remember in the book Poirot struggling with the final decision that he finally proposes to tell whereas in the Suchet version he struggles and cries.  

ChristieFanForLife

Honestly instead of wasting time with another adaptation of Murder On The Orient Express, it would be great if they can make adaptations from books that have never been filmed before or films of books that have been filmed such as Endless Night and redo them properly. But I'm so concerned with the new direction these films are having, I'm not so positive about any Agatha Christie book being adapted these days. The days of properly adapting her books seem to be over. 

Griselda

Yes, it is really true what you say about the 90s adaptations being so much better - and faithful to the novels. I'm guessing that, during the 90s, the team may have felt that they could never better the brilliance of the 1974 version, but then later reconsidered after time had past and water had flowed under the bridge.

Tommy_A_Jones

I Agree with ChristieFanForLife, I would much rather see an Adaptation of a Book which hasn't been Adapted for Film rather than Another Film version of Murder On The Orient Express especially if Kenneth Brannagh  who looks nothing like my Idea of Poirot is going to be playing The Belgian, If it was going to be And Then There Were None which was last done for Television or a Book which has only been made into a Film once like Ordeal By Innocence I would be more enthusiastic but There have been 2 Films and a TV version of very 30 MOTOE and The Plot and Outcome is so well-known, every so often there should be a new version of ATTWN at The Cinema IMHO

tudes

I agree @Griselda and @ChristieFanForLife! They're very well done adaptions. They're faithful and the changes don't decharacterize the story. It's almost as you're reading the book. I think they're more concerned about the story itself, about telling the story". Nowadays, I think The story is not one of their main concern. Watching some of Poirot/Miss Marple adations I think they pushed too far the expression  "based on", because it was a "labor of hercule" to recognize the story and keep watching it.

ChristieFanForLife

@tudes: no, it doesn't appear as if the story is their main concern these days. It seems like they want to be more on the cutting edge and modern but you don't have to modernize Agatha Christie because she is relevant for 2016. Her books explores themes and human nature that are still relevant today from the time in which the books were written. Another adaptation that I felt was screwed up and dramatically changed for the worst was Appointment With Death. The cast was all wrong in that one. They had the potential to make a really good adaptation but alas, they messed it up just as they have done with Cards On The Table, believing they can improve upon Agatha Christie.....the Queen of Crime!

tudes

Agree, @ChristieFanForLife . Her books are about human nature. Poirot and miss Marple, for instance, they don't solve crimes looking for fingerprints or footprints. But they think about the crime, the crime's method, the motive, the circunstances, the victim (what kind of person is, his/her personality) and the find the culprit. In others words, they use psychology. It's much more an exercise of thought and it's atemporal.