Agatha Christie's Poirot and Other Detective Fiction Discussion (Novels, Stories, Film, TV & Radio)

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  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,730
    I was thinking of The ABC Murders starring John Malkovich as Poirot earlier today. Do we know if he's likely to reprise this role, or was it a one-off?

    I'm not too sure but I understand the adaptation wasn't very faithful to the source novel? I've not seen the Malkovich Poirot yet.
  • Posts: 17,241
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    I was thinking of The ABC Murders starring John Malkovich as Poirot earlier today. Do we know if he's likely to reprise this role, or was it a one-off?

    I'm not too sure but I understand the adaptation wasn't very faithful to the source novel? I've not seen the Malkovich Poirot yet.

    I haven't read that novel myself, so I couldn't tell how faithful the adaptation is without reading up on it (or actually reading the novel). It didn't feel anything like David Suchet's Poirot, that's for sure.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,730
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    I was thinking of The ABC Murders starring John Malkovich as Poirot earlier today. Do we know if he's likely to reprise this role, or was it a one-off?

    I'm not too sure but I understand the adaptation wasn't very faithful to the source novel? I've not seen the Malkovich Poirot yet.

    I haven't read that novel myself, so I couldn't tell how faithful the adaptation is without reading up on it (or actually reading the novel). It didn't feel anything like David Suchet's Poirot, that's for sure.

    No, I haven't read that one either, though I do own a copy. I think it's meant to be one of the earliest novels featuring a serial killer in fiction.
  • Posts: 17,241
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    I was thinking of The ABC Murders starring John Malkovich as Poirot earlier today. Do we know if he's likely to reprise this role, or was it a one-off?

    I'm not too sure but I understand the adaptation wasn't very faithful to the source novel? I've not seen the Malkovich Poirot yet.

    I haven't read that novel myself, so I couldn't tell how faithful the adaptation is without reading up on it (or actually reading the novel). It didn't feel anything like David Suchet's Poirot, that's for sure.

    No, I haven't read that one either, though I do own a copy. I think it's meant to be one of the earliest novels featuring a serial killer in fiction.

    Didn't know that! An example of the significance of Agatha Christie to literature.

    I should try and get a copy of the book at some point.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited July 2019 Posts: 17,730
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    I was thinking of The ABC Murders starring John Malkovich as Poirot earlier today. Do we know if he's likely to reprise this role, or was it a one-off?

    I'm not too sure but I understand the adaptation wasn't very faithful to the source novel? I've not seen the Malkovich Poirot yet.

    I haven't read that novel myself, so I couldn't tell how faithful the adaptation is without reading up on it (or actually reading the novel). It didn't feel anything like David Suchet's Poirot, that's for sure.

    No, I haven't read that one either, though I do own a copy. I think it's meant to be one of the earliest novels featuring a serial killer in fiction.

    Didn't know that! An example of the significance of Agatha Christie to literature.

    I should try and get a copy of the book at some point.

    I think I'm right in saying that anyway. @Ludovico probably knows more about it than me, however.
  • Posts: 14,800
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    I was thinking of The ABC Murders starring John Malkovich as Poirot earlier today. Do we know if he's likely to reprise this role, or was it a one-off?

    I'm not too sure but I understand the adaptation wasn't very faithful to the source novel? I've not seen the Malkovich Poirot yet.

    I haven't read that novel myself, so I couldn't tell how faithful the adaptation is without reading up on it (or actually reading the novel). It didn't feel anything like David Suchet's Poirot, that's for sure.

    No, I haven't read that one either, though I do own a copy. I think it's meant to be one of the earliest novels featuring a serial killer in fiction.

    Didn't know that! An example of the significance of Agatha Christie to literature.

    I should try and get a copy of the book at some point.

    I think I'm right in saying that anyway. @Ludovico probably knows more about it than me, however.

    I am not certain about it, but I would say it is certainly one of the earliest examples, or proto-examples, of crime fiction about a serial killer. That said, in Christie's case, it is subverted: the murderer has very rational reasons to commit his crimes and he is not mentally ill. He disguises the murders as the ones of a maniac.

    That would be an interesting debate, actually: was Christie a precursor with The ABC Murders, or did she merely did a whodunit and accidentally stumbled upon a sub genre that she neither developed nor follow? I'd say other novels (ATTWN for instance), has an assassin more akin to a serial killer. Which makes me come to another point: I think Christie could have done horror stories easily, due to her fairly frequent use of macabre settings and characters. Some of her short stories are very close to this, but she never developed them.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,730
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    I was thinking of The ABC Murders starring John Malkovich as Poirot earlier today. Do we know if he's likely to reprise this role, or was it a one-off?

    I'm not too sure but I understand the adaptation wasn't very faithful to the source novel? I've not seen the Malkovich Poirot yet.

    I haven't read that novel myself, so I couldn't tell how faithful the adaptation is without reading up on it (or actually reading the novel). It didn't feel anything like David Suchet's Poirot, that's for sure.

    No, I haven't read that one either, though I do own a copy. I think it's meant to be one of the earliest novels featuring a serial killer in fiction.

    Didn't know that! An example of the significance of Agatha Christie to literature.

    I should try and get a copy of the book at some point.

    I think I'm right in saying that anyway. @Ludovico probably knows more about it than me, however.

    I am not certain about it, but I would say it is certainly one of the earliest examples, or proto-examples, of crime fiction about a serial killer. That said, in Christie's case, it is subverted: the murderer has very rational reasons to commit his crimes and he is not mentally ill. He disguises the murders as the ones of a maniac.

    That would be an interesting debate, actually: was Christie a precursor with The ABC Murders, or did she merely did a whodunit and accidentally stumbled upon a sub genre that she neither developed nor follow? I'd say other novels (ATTWN for instance), has an assassin more akin to a serial killer. Which makes me come to another point: I think Christie could have done horror stories easily, due to her fairly frequent use of macabre settings and characters. Some of her short stories are very close to this, but she never developed them.

    Thank you, @Ludovico. I knew that you could fill in more of the requisite background for us. It's much appreciated.
  • Posts: 17,241
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Ludovico wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    I was thinking of The ABC Murders starring John Malkovich as Poirot earlier today. Do we know if he's likely to reprise this role, or was it a one-off?

    I'm not too sure but I understand the adaptation wasn't very faithful to the source novel? I've not seen the Malkovich Poirot yet.

    I haven't read that novel myself, so I couldn't tell how faithful the adaptation is without reading up on it (or actually reading the novel). It didn't feel anything like David Suchet's Poirot, that's for sure.

    No, I haven't read that one either, though I do own a copy. I think it's meant to be one of the earliest novels featuring a serial killer in fiction.

    Didn't know that! An example of the significance of Agatha Christie to literature.

    I should try and get a copy of the book at some point.

    I think I'm right in saying that anyway. @Ludovico probably knows more about it than me, however.

    I am not certain about it, but I would say it is certainly one of the earliest examples, or proto-examples, of crime fiction about a serial killer. That said, in Christie's case, it is subverted: the murderer has very rational reasons to commit his crimes and he is not mentally ill. He disguises the murders as the ones of a maniac.

    That would be an interesting debate, actually: was Christie a precursor with The ABC Murders, or did she merely did a whodunit and accidentally stumbled upon a sub genre that she neither developed nor follow? I'd say other novels (ATTWN for instance), has an assassin more akin to a serial killer. Which makes me come to another point: I think Christie could have done horror stories easily, due to her fairly frequent use of macabre settings and characters. Some of her short stories are very close to this, but she never developed them.

    Thank you, @Ludovico. I knew that you could fill in more of the requisite background for us. It's much appreciated.

    +1! Interesting read, and I agree, Christie could have done horror stories easily.
  • Posts: 14,800
    Also, she was interested in the supernatural (like Conan Doyle) and dabbled into it in some of her stories.
  • Posts: 5,774
    Funny thing, today : while browsing the book section at the local mall, I found that :

    51BghZ5n8IL._SX344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

    Yes, spanish writer Ana Campoy has imagined what would have happened if Agatha Christie (then Miller) and Alfred Hitchcock had met when they were kids, and done some investigating together. There are eight books in the series :

    Los diez pájaros Elster
    El chelín de plata
    La caja mágica
    El pianista que sabía demasiado
    El gran truco de Houdini
    La carrera de Inglaterra
    La momia del Titanic
    El robo de la Gioconda

    Unfortunately, no english translation yet (I checked on Amazon).
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,686
    Production has started on Kenneth Branagh's Death on the Nile.

    The full cast has been announced: Kenneth Branagh, Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Ali Fazal, Dawn French, Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Rose Leslie, Emma Mackey, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Saunders and Letitia Wright.

    https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2019/10/death-on-the-nile-begins-filming-full-cast-announced/
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,730
    Production has started on Kenneth Branagh's Death on the Nile.

    The full cast has been announced: Kenneth Branagh, Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Ali Fazal, Dawn French, Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Rose Leslie, Emma Mackey, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Saunders and Letitia Wright.

    https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2019/10/death-on-the-nile-begins-filming-full-cast-announced/

    Well that is an interesting cast, to say the least of it! ;)

  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited October 2019 Posts: 23,108
    Its quite easy to determine which actor's will play which characters in Death on the Nile, I wonder if they will unwisely alter the story
  • Posts: 5,774
    Speaking of which :

    Couv_372449.jpg

    This is the third (by my count) adaptation in comic book form that I'm aware of. Here are the others :

    agathachristieproust02.jpg

    agathachristiecle03.jpg
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,686
    A new big screen adaptation of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None in the works at 20th Century Studios.

    https://deadline.com/2020/02/seberg-writers-anna-waterhouse-joe-shrapnel-adapt-agatha-christie-and-then-there-were-none-20th-century-studios-1202856346/
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited February 2020 Posts: 23,108
    I am always interested in another adaption of Ten Little Indians, though for me nothing will ever get close to arguably the greatest Mystery film ever made...

    MV5BYThiMzJiNzMtMzI4My00MmFmLThjODctNWE2MjMwZTM1NGFkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjUwMzI2NzU@._V1_.jpg

    ---

    I noticed a TV adaption of The Pale Horse has started recently on BBCi Player...

    MV5BMGQ4MTM3ODEtNzY1Yi00ZWIyLTlkODUtY2QyYzZkZDVmM2M4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTA0NjA5NDEz._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,1020,1000_AL_.jpgpg

    Just started watching episide 1, must have just become available as it's currently the only episode.
  • Posts: 7,653
    That first episode of the Pale Horse was flabbergasting to say the least.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 23,108
    The Pale Horse episode 1 was eerie, well shot and good production values. The scene near the end very creepy.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,686
    Good news: the first trailer for Kenneth Branagh's Death on the Nile will arrive soon.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,686
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 23,108
    Decent cast though I was not impressed with the last Brannagh effort, my expectations are low.
  • Posts: 5,774
    Two news : First, Agatha returns to sleuthing herself in the TV movie Agatha and the Midnight Murders, which airs tomorrow evening on Cahnnel 5 in the UK. The pitch :
    As the bombs fall on London during the Blitz, writer Agatha Christie decides it is time to kill off Hercule Poirot - her most famous creation. She decides to sell the novel featuring the Belgian sleuth's death to a private buyer, a superfan who will pay a fortune to own a piece of history and keep the beloved detective alive.

    https://www.radiotimes.com/film/mqgpf4/agatha-and-the-midnight-murders/

    webANXagathamidmurders.jpg?quality=60&mode=crop&width=700&height=422

    It's the third movie of the series, after Agatha and the Truth of Murder and Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar.

    And in France, the second team of detectives of Les Petits Meurtres d'Agatha Christie, which adapts Dame Agatha's stories in France, first in the thirties, then in the fifties/sixties, will soon be taking their leave, to be replaced by a new team, this time in the seventies.
  • Posts: 5,774
    Great news : David Suchet has been knighted !

    https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2020-10-09/mary-berry-damehood-queens-honours-list/

    Congratulations, Sir David ! Or should I say Sir Hercule ?
  • Posts: 12,506
    Congrats to Mary and David! <:-P =D> :-bd
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 23,108
    Well deserved Sir David Suchet
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,882
    I have a question for any Poirot fans, do they need to be read in order? I have a box set of 6 Poirot books, and was wondering if I could jump right in with one of them. I bought it on a whim about 3 or 4 years ago, and it's still sealed.

    Also congrats to Sir David Suchet. I'm surprised it took this long to be honest.
  • Agent_Zero_OneAgent_Zero_One Ireland
    Posts: 554
    I have a question for any Poirot fans, do they need to be read in order? I have a box set of 6 Poirot books, and was wondering if I could jump right in with one of them. I bought it on a whim about 3 or 4 years ago, and it's still sealed.

    Also congrats to Sir David Suchet. I'm surprised it took this long to be honest.
    Oh, they can absolutely be read in any order. Aside from a few reccuring characters they're all perfectly standalone (although Curtain is certainly more effective with a few books behind you).
  • Posts: 5,774
    Not exactly in any order : Murder on the Links follows The Mysterious Affair at Styles, and is followed by The Big Four. And of course, Curtain comes last. Here's a list in chronological order, thanks to Wikipedia :

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hercule_Poirot_in_literature#Books_in_chronological_order
  • Agent_Zero_OneAgent_Zero_One Ireland
    Posts: 554
    Gerard wrote: »
    Not exactly in any order : Murder on the Links follows The Mysterious Affair at Styles, and is followed by The Big Four. And of course, Curtain comes last. Here's a list in chronological order, thanks to Wikipedia :

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hercule_Poirot_in_literature#Books_in_chronological_order
    True, but what I mean is that, aside from Curtain, you lose nothing from reading them out of order.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,882
    Murder On The Links is one of the 6 in the set, the other 6 being: The Mystery Of The Blue Train, The Clocks, Death In The Clouds, Sad Cypress and Hickory Dickory Dock.

    I won't be reading them just yet, as I am still working my way through the Bond books. But I am lining up the next series to read, likely to be Poirot.
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