Search - The Singing Detective on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Not For Children, Adult Language, Adult Humor, Sexual Situations Movie Release: 1986 DVD Release: 04/15/2003 Format: DVD Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 3 Number of Discs: 3 Run Time: 7 hrs 30 mins Studio: BBC Warner Members Wishing: 6 Genres: Drama, Musical, Psychological Drama, Medical Drama, Musical Drama, Detective Film

With the notable exception of Pennies From Heaven, The Singing Detective was the best-known TV miniseries project of the iconoclastic, darkly humored Dennis Potter. A reworking of Potter's first novel -Hide and Seek, the six-part series starred Michael Gambon as crime novelist Philip E. Marlow. Suffering from a hellish skin-and-nerve disease called psoriatic arthroparthy (a painful infliction which ultimately killed the real-life Potter), Marlow was confined to a hospital bed, where under the influence of numerous prescription drugs he began to imagine himself as the hard-boiled hero of his latest detective novel. While trying to solve a difficult case, Marlow continually drifted backward in time to his childhood in the Forest of Dean, occasionally bursting into song to express his emotions. As fantasy and reality merged into one, Marlow was forced into a tortuous session of self-analysis and personal discovery. Virtually everyone in the cast was seen in double and triple roles, including nominal leading ladies Alison Steadman and Joanne Whalley (aka Joanne Whalley-Kilmer). The series earned two BAFTA awards (the British equivalent of the Emmys), one for Best Actor to Michael Gambon. After its initial BBC1 run from November 16, to December 21, 1986, The Singing Detective was shown in the United States via public and cable television, where it picked up another award, the prestigious Peabody, in 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Michael Gambon - Philip Marlow
Patrick Malahide - Mark Binney / Finney / Raymond
Janet Suzman - Nicola
Alison Steadman - Lili
Alison Steadman - Mrs. Marlow
Jim Carter - Mr. Marlow

The original BBC production of Dennis Potter's acclaimed television play gets a long-overdue DVD release in North America in this well-appointed release. The Singing Detective has been transferred to disc in the full-frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and the audio has been mastered in Dolby Digital Mono. The dialogue is in English, with optional English subtitles but no multiple language options. Bonus materials include commentary tracks from director Jon Amiel and producer Kenith Trodd, a documentary on the life and art of Dennis Potter, a little-seen interview with Potter, a gallery of production photos, and profiles of the leading cast members. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide