Altogether I found it engaging enough. Readjusting to the period and setting might take some time. Even though I have Italian parentage, I'm still reading the subtitles as there's lots of names and places to absorb aside from the fast talking Italians
The dubbing thing is weird. The two german actors are not speaking italian or even english. Must make it harder for everyone to respond to audio cues during dialogue.
The voiceover dubber for the journalist(Dannunzio).....he's all over dubbed Italian TV. Job for life.
BBC Four's new series Inspector De Luca pulled in 723k (3.8%) at 9pm.
K
Judging by the comments on here it will probably be half that next week! I expect the audience drained away in the second hour.
No one seems to be running BBC4 any longer, it has no channel head. At some point the BBC will probably merge it back into BBC2 which will be a great shame.
Meanwhile I search Sky Arts for subtitled European drama and movies of high class. This week I watched Rembrandt and I in Dutch which I found charming, fascinating and quite educational, looked wonderful too! They're doing a whole set of lives of the great artists.
I liked it. Classier than Salamander, I thought. Slightly odd atmosphere, perhaps for arty effect - all those white clothes, languid shots in mirrors and stagey sex 'n' violence - but it did all create the impression of a disjointed time and place.
The byzantine plot boiled down to a simple crime of passion, which was a shame - and a surprise for me, because I thought it was a four-parter so I tried really hard to follow it! I watched it in two parts which helped.
I like De Luca and applaud his moustache work. Love the Italian language and setting, and the historical context is interesting too, with echoes bouncing right back to Berlusconi. So I'll be one of the select few, with scotch and futumtch, holding up the viewing figures!
...
Give the French a kick up the arse and let`s have the next Spiral instead.
I think BBC4 could usefully rerun Engrenages from the start, because it was the first whole euro-cop series shown, it fell "under the radar" so its ratings have never been that good, presumably because having missed its first series, the "post-TK" crowd were reluctant to pick it up with the later series...
The dubbing thing is weird. The two german actors are not speaking italian or even english.
I only noticed Dannunzio, and I thought he was speaking English. In fact, the dubbing was so distracting, I found myself trying to match his lip movements with the subtitles at the expense of following the plot!
Still, it seems to be a requirement in Italian cop dramas that at least one actor/actress speaks their lines in English which is then dubbed into Italian (like Livia in Montalbano).
Thank goodness we don't have to suffer German TV where all foreign language drama is dubbed.
Oh dear, not good then?! I recorded it so I've yet to see it, judging from the comments here it's not worth bothering with, but I'm curious to see just how bad it is and to see De Luca's moustache work
I think Mammon on More4 on Friday will be just the ticket, more Scandi noir!
Ten minutes in, I was bored stiff and have already found something else to watch.
Set in the past, too loud, too much talking (I'm not keen on the Italian language anyway, I'm afraid, although I love the slow-going Montalbano) and it's all too confusing.
The dubbing was far too distracting. Anymore of it and I'm going to turn off.
Wallander is being shown on the BBC. They bought the rights. I expect they can't show it within a year of the original air date which would mean not before August this year.
Oh dear, not good then?! I recorded it so I've yet to see it, judging from the comments here it's not worth bothering with, but I'm curious to see just how bad it is and to see De Luca's moustache work
I think Mammon on More4 on Friday will be just the ticket, more Scandi noir!
Please give it a try and decide for yourself. Among the usual BBC4 Saturday night subtitled drama, it's certanly not the best but IMO it was worth seeing and still better than most TV - especially if you're sick of US-sourced stuff as I am. I liked the style photography and seeing the Fascist era in Italy.
Also remember here on DS those with negative views are more likely to post them!
Please give it a try and decide for yourself. Among the usual BBC4 Saturday night subtitled drama, it's certanly not the best but IMO it was worth seeing and still better than most TV - especially if you're sick of US-sourced stuff as I am. I liked the style photography and seeing the Fascist era in Italy.
Also remember here on DS those with negative views are more likely to post them!
Oh no, I always judge for myself and wouldn't let the opinions of others stop me It just sounds a bit poor. I'll give it a go though. I love the Euro dramas, some have been better than others but you could say that about our stuff too
It was okay. Better than the boring Spiral or The Bridge.
I prefer the Italian dramas than the darker Scandinavian ones anyway.
Though what they say about the strength of the Italian male's character when confronted with a pretty woman is something else.
I too prefer the Italian dramas. Love both Young and Inspector Montalbano as well as Best Of Youth, Corleone and Romanzo Criminale. I'm afraid I find The Bridge etc... a bit dull. I love the italian vivaciousness and drama as well as the eye candy.
I too prefer the Italian dramas. Love both Young and Inspector Montalbano as well as Best Of Youth, Corleone and Romanzo Criminale. I'm afraid I find The Bridge etc... a bit dull. I love the italian vivaciousness and drama as well as the eye candy.
Well, that's one thing it has in spades. Kasia Smutniak was most distracting!
Overall, it was ok. The mystery itself was a bit flat but the period was done well, both interesting and disturbing. All that saluting was eerie. Not gripping as such but I'll give it another whirl.
I watched about 40mins of this but to be honest it bored me so much after 20mins that I literally lost the plot with it - had no idea what was going on or who the characters were as I had mentally switched off.
In terms of the Italian dramas, I like Mentalbaldo but my absolute favourites will always be the Scandi stuff. I love the bleakness, darkness and honesty - and the cinematography is always so classy.
I quite enjoyed it - Inspector De Luca is very easy on the eye, and it was interesting to see that era. The countess was very beautiful, but I thought she looked too modern. I'll definitely watch the next one and see how it goes.
I prefer Scandinavian crime dramas to Italian on the whole. They're more gripping and realistic, and I'm happier with the way women are portrayed in them. I do enjoy watching the Italian ones though, for the sun and gorgeousness. It's the same with books - I love Wallander but he's quite a demanding read so I often read an Inspector Montalbano afterwards for a bit of light relief.
Comments
The dubbing thing is weird. The two german actors are not speaking italian or even english. Must make it harder for everyone to respond to audio cues during dialogue.
The voiceover dubber for the journalist(Dannunzio).....he's all over dubbed Italian TV. Job for life.
K
Judging by the comments on here it will probably be half that next week! I expect the audience drained away in the second hour.
No one seems to be running BBC4 any longer, it has no channel head. At some point the BBC will probably merge it back into BBC2 which will be a great shame.
Meanwhile I search Sky Arts for subtitled European drama and movies of high class. This week I watched Rembrandt and I in Dutch which I found charming, fascinating and quite educational, looked wonderful too! They're doing a whole set of lives of the great artists.
The byzantine plot boiled down to a simple crime of passion, which was a shame - and a surprise for me, because I thought it was a four-parter so I tried really hard to follow it! I watched it in two parts which helped.
I like De Luca and applaud his moustache work. Love the Italian language and setting, and the historical context is interesting too, with echoes bouncing right back to Berlusconi. So I'll be one of the select few, with scotch and futumtch, holding up the viewing figures!
Another dropped ball from BBC4.
Give the French a kick up the arse and let`s have the next Spiral instead.
K
Still, it seems to be a requirement in Italian cop dramas that at least one actor/actress speaks their lines in English which is then dubbed into Italian (like Livia in Montalbano).
Thank goodness we don't have to suffer German TV where all foreign language drama is dubbed.
I think Mammon on More4 on Friday will be just the ticket, more Scandi noir!
Wallander is being shown on the BBC. They bought the rights. I expect they can't show it within a year of the original air date which would mean not before August this year.
Also remember here on DS those with negative views are more likely to post them!
I prefer the Italian dramas than the darker Scandinavian ones anyway.
Though what they say about the strength of the Italian male's character when confronted with a pretty woman is something else.
Oh no, I always judge for myself and wouldn't let the opinions of others stop me
Comedy post of the year! You were joking, right?
I too prefer the Italian dramas. Love both Young and Inspector Montalbano as well as Best Of Youth, Corleone and Romanzo Criminale. I'm afraid I find The Bridge etc... a bit dull. I love the italian vivaciousness and drama as well as the eye candy.
Well, that's one thing it has in spades. Kasia Smutniak was most distracting!
Overall, it was ok. The mystery itself was a bit flat but the period was done well, both interesting and disturbing. All that saluting was eerie. Not gripping as such but I'll give it another whirl.
No. They are far too grim for me.
Give me the Italian dramas with the corrupt officials and the femme fatales.
With their over-prominent nipples.
And the sunshine.
In terms of the Italian dramas, I like Mentalbaldo but my absolute favourites will always be the Scandi stuff. I love the bleakness, darkness and honesty - and the cinematography is always so classy.
I prefer Scandinavian crime dramas to Italian on the whole. They're more gripping and realistic, and I'm happier with the way women are portrayed in them. I do enjoy watching the Italian ones though, for the sun and gorgeousness. It's the same with books - I love Wallander but he's quite a demanding read so I often read an Inspector Montalbano afterwards for a bit of light relief.
Dubbing update...
I'm pretty sure the druggie daughter was dubbed as she was played by a Russian Actress
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1049555/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t12
It's quite rare to see war time drama from the losers and it's interesting if this does have some German connection in the making of it.