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Pennies from Heaven (1978 British Miniseries)

starring: Bob Hoskins, Cheryl Campbell, Gemma Craven, Kenneth Colley, Freddie Jones
directed by: Piers Haggard

: Pennies from Heaven (1978 British Miniseries)
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Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
Brand: Warner Brothers
EAN: 9780790790558
Format: Box set, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Original recording remastered, Miniseries, NTSC
ISBN: 0790790556
Label: BBC Warner
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
Number Of Items: 3
Publisher: BBC Warner
Region Code: 1
Release Date: July 27, 2004
Running Time: 517 minutes
Sales Rank: 21456
Studio: BBC Warner
Theatrical Release Date: 1978



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Editorial Review:

Product Description:
Dennis Potter's masterpiece mini-series follows the adventures mishaps and yearnings of a traveling song sheet peddler on a tight commission as he tries to make dreams fit the promises of the lyrics he carries.Running Time: 450 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 794051196323 Manufacturer No: E1963

Amazon.com:
Dennis Potter's astonishing six-part miniseries remains one of the edgiest, most audacious things ever conceived for television. The story tells of one Arthur Parker (Bob Hoskins), a sheet-music salesman in 1930s England. Beaten down by economic hard times and the sexual indifference of his proper wife (Gemma Craven), Arthur cannot understand why his life can't be like the beautiful songs he loves. On a sales trip through the Forest of Dean, he meets a virginal rural woman (Cheryl Campbell) he suspects may be his ideal. Ruination follows. Punctuating virtually every scene is a vintage pop song--lip-synched and sometimes danced out by the characters. This startling innovation makes the contrast between Arthur's brutish life and his bourgeois dreams even more dramatic.

Potter's dark vision digs into British stoicism, sexual repression, the class system, and even the coming of fascism in Europe. But it is especially poignant on the subject of the divide between art and reality. Piers Haggard directs the long piece with deft transitions between songs and story. (It was shot partly on multi-camera video, partly on film.) The cast is fine, especially the extraordinary Cheryl Campbell, who imbues her character with keen intelligence and no small measure of perversity. Bob Hoskins triumphs in his star-making part, bringing a demonic energy to his small-time Cockney, nearly bursting his button-down vests with frustration and appetite. Pennies from Heaven was remade in 1981 for the big screen (with Steve Martin), an interesting, Potter-scripted adaptation; it's one of the reasons the original has been unavailable on home video for so long. --Robert Horton



Customer Reviews
Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - Pennies from heaven (Potter)
I believe this series is one of the great artistic achievements of the age! I'm a fan of the period ... Read More


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - One of the greatest miniseries ever made....
A long time ago, television stations would take great chances and produce TV that was intelligent, thought ... Read More


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - Pennies from Heaven worth the wait
I've been looking for this series on DVD for YEARS! It's finally available, and it was definitely worth the ... Read More


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - Probably the best mini-series in the history of media
Great acting, great soundtrack, great reissue. God, if only there were another mini-series in the world like ... Read More


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - A marvel
This decidedly different 'musical' ain't gonna be to all tastes--but if you appreciate a genuinely offbeat concept ... Read More

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Copyright ©2003, Mark Carey.