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Epicurus.com - Brother Cadfael Series 1 Box Set: The Sanctuary Sparrow, One Corpse Too Many, Monk's Hood and The Leper of St. Giles
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List Price: $59.99
Our Price: $28.94
Your Save: $ 31.05 ( 52% )
Availability: N/A
Manufacturer: Acorn Media
Starring: Anthony Green (II)
Directed By: Sebastian Graham Jones, Graham Theakston
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Average Customer Rating: 
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Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9786303316048
Format: Box set
ISBN: 6303316042
Label: Acorn Media
Manufacturer: Acorn Media
Number Of Items: 4
Publisher: Acorn Media
Release Date: 1999-09-11
Running Time: 300
Studio: Acorn Media
Theatrical Release Date: 1995-01-12
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Editorial Reviews:
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The Sanctuary Sparrow, One Corpse Too Many, Monk's Hood and The Leper of St. Giles.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: The best of the series
Comment: These are the best of the series. It may be your introduction to the books or a chance to see the stories you've loved come alive.
These are the closest to the books (the characters and stories suffer some distortions) and perfectly cast and acted.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Sir Derek and the Chronicles of a Truly Rare Benedictine.
Comment: When the decision was made to produce for TV several episodes from her mystery series about Brother Cadfael, that 12th century crusader turned monk turned detective who has been, ever since his creation, one of the most compassionate and unusual sleuths of literary history, novelist Ellis Peters (Edith Pargeter) was not entirely happy. In fact, as the series' star, Sir Derek Jacobi, explains in the extra footage provided on the now-released DVDs, Ms. Peters had very mixed feelings about giving up her brain child and entrusting it to other people who went about cutting and adjusting everything, from the storylines themselves to the way the protagonists speak and even the Chronicles' sequence, to the necessities and limitations set by the new medium. But she eventually acquiesced and at one point promised that "the next one I write, I'll make sure it's easier for you all to film."
While the thirteen episodes that were eventually produced are, thus, not entirely true to the individual Chronicles they are based on, they are closer than many other movie or TV versions of famous works of literature. Most importantly, they maintain not only the core story lines but also the historical authenticity, atmosphere and spirit set by Ms. Peters's books in a marvelous fashion. And Sir Derek Jacobi brings both the wealth of his experience and skill and all of his own shrewdness, intelligence, sense of humor and empathy to the role of the medieval Benedictine sleuth and thus truly becomes Cadfael -- for the thousands of new fans who are discovering the series through its enactment for TV just as much as for us who loved the books before they were ever transposed to a visual medium. A tremendous cast of supporting actors rounds out an overall excellent production; to mention just a few, Julian Firth as the ambitious and narrow-minded Brother Jerome, Terrence Hardiman as Abbot Radolfus and Sean Pertwee (and later Eoin McCarthy) as Under-Sheriff Hugh Beringar, who joins Cadfael in his investigations whenever, as is so often the case, these transcend the world of monastic life and require the administration of secular justice as well as clerical insight. Several episodes also feature noted guest stars.
The episodes are not entirely in the same order as the books; however, as most of the cross-references between the books have been eliminated in the screen versions, this is no great harm (although the lacking cross-references are probably one of the things avid readers of the books will find missing). The DVDs also provide background information on Ellis Peters, Sir Derek Jacobi and a number of the individual episodes' other actors.
Summary of the episodes contained in this set:
"One Corpse Too Many" (the second Chronicle): King Stephen lays siege to Shrewsbury Castle and, finally victorious, orders the surviving defenders to be executed. But then there's an extra corpse, who clearly wasn't executed. Whodunnit -- and why?
"Monk's Hood" (the third Chronicle): Cadfael's and Shrewsbury Abbey's honor is at stake when a guest is found poisoned by Cadfael's own potions ... and the sheriff's sergeant over-eagerly jumps to the wrong conclusions.
"The Leper of St. Giles" (the fifth Chronicle): A leper's grim fate is unexpectedly intertwined with the story of an orphaned heiress, due to be wedded for money's sake to a despicable old baron, and her lover; who is everybody's favorite suspect when the groom turns up dead.
"The Sanctuary Sparrow" (the seventh Chronicle): A young singer is accused of robbery and murder and, hunted by a mob, seeks shelter in the Abbey.
Second Set:
"St. Peter's Fair" (the fourth Chronicle);
"The Virgin in the Ice" (the sixth Chronicle);
"The Devil's Novice" (the eighth Chronicle).
Third Set:
"A Morbid Taste for Bones" (the first Chronicle);
"The Raven in the Foregate" (the twelfth Chronicle);
"The Rose Rent" (the thirteenth Chronicle).
Fourth Set:
"The Pilgrim of Hate" (the tenth Chronicle);
"The Potter's Field" (the seventeenth Chronicle);
"The Holy Thief" (the nineteenth Chronicle).
Also recommended:
A Rare Benedictine
A Morbid Taste for Bones: The First Chronicle of Brother Cadfael
One Corpse Too Many: The Second Chronicle of Brother Cadfael
Monk's Hood: The Third Chronicle of Brother Cadfael
Leper of Saint Giles (Brother Cadfael Mysteries)
The Virgin in the Ice (Brother Cadfael Mysteries)
Brother Cadfael's Penance (Brother Cadfael Mysteries)
The Cadfael Collection
A Bloody Field by Shrewsbury
Customer Rating:
Summary: Exceptional Monk
Comment: Great series of DVDs! I love detective series and this one is excellent. Along with the wonderful detective stories it takes place in medieval times several years after the Crusades. Brother Cadfael, pronounced Cadfile, is played by a superb actor, Sir Derek Jacobi. Some may know him from the series "I, Claudius", or the movie "Dead Again" or any number of other roles.
Cadfael is a monk in an order in the village of Shrewsbury. The mysteries he encounters involve murder or mayhem over inheritance, love, jealousy, and property. Often there are interesting characters that seem involved with the case that are but not in the way we suspect. The sheriff Hugh Beringar, played by Sean Pertwee in this set does an exceptional job as well and is often helpful to Cadfael in pursueing the cases.
The stories in this set involves a variety of mysteries that Cadfael unravels with the assistance from a gamut of people of the times. Cadfael has led and interesting life which we get a peek at with each episode. Even if he was just a monk that cares for the ill using herbs from his garden it would be enough, but there is much more to him. It was hard not to sit through a marathon of watching the set because they are so engrossing. I had not seen any of this series until I bought this set on a whim. After seeing it I immediately ordered the next three sets.
The set is excellent and includes Bios, Background on stories, and much more. The picture and sound quality are first class. I highly recommend buying this set. Fans of movies like "The Name of the Rose" or BBC series like "Sherlock Holmes" with Jeremy Brett, or even TV series like "CSI" will probably enjoy it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Brother Cadfael, Set 1
Comment: One Corpse Too Many
"We deal with what is"
As complex as any of the Cadfael series, this one tells the story of how Master Hugh Beringar becomes sheriff. Also as Cadfael states, "By my reckoning there is one corps too many."
During the time of the civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Maud, the abbey tales a neutral stance. However Brother Cadfael is given a new assistant. The young lad is anything but; as he is a she. Naturally Cadfael being a man of the world detects this and must find out why she is hiding.
Meanwhile back to the war Shrewsbury Castle is under siege by Stephens's men for being a Maud holdout. When Stephen finally gets the castle he orders the rebel soldiers executed. Cadfael is preparing them for a Christian burial when he counts 95. It is trivial to the king but Cadfael presses that it would not bode well for a king to dismiss a murder under his very nose. Looks like it may have been the work of Hugh Beringar, a man who has appeared to have conveniently changed sides in the war. King Stephen is not unaware of this.
This time will Cadfaels tuition, forensics, and logic. Prove the case?
Is Hue a villain or will he turn out to be a friend?
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The Sanctuary Sparrow
"Under the certainty of Heaven nothing is certain."
When the town's goldsmith is robbed and left for dead, falls on a young juggler who was performing at the wedding feast of the goldsmith's son.
Pursued by the mob, the young entertainer stumbles through the town to the Abby where he seeks the sanctuary of the Alter. Cadfael is given the job of keeping an eye on the youngster while the authorities investigate. But his discrete inquiries are cut short when the goldsmith's neighbor is found dead floating in the river.
There is complexity or the beauty in the film as father Cadfael along with my favorite Hugh Beringar (Sean Pertwee) search for truth and justice using forensics, intuition and logic.
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The Leper of St. Giles
"There is always hope by God's grace and man's efforts."
A marriage of convenience is to take place between Baron Huon De Domville and the orphaned Iveta De Masssard. The Barron wants more land. Iveta on the other hand is really in love with another.
As the baron and Iveta are traveling by some lepers the baron whips them and Iveta tosses money. We pretty much can guess what is going to happen to the baron. On the eve of the wedding, the Barron mysteriously rides off alone into the night, and that's the last time he's seen alive. Cadfael sets out to investigate his disappearance. In the process we get to revisit Cadfael's past and maybe an old friend.
Naturally the description of this film is simplified and for readers of Ellis Peters' works the film is simplified from the story.
You have to take your hat off to Creeping Gromwell for helping Cadfael solve the mystery.
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Monk's Hood
"We learn more of Cadfael's past"
"No man is measured by the love he gives to others, but how he is loved by others."
A wealthy land owner Geravase Gurney wills his land to the abbey in exchange for a small home and to have the Abby supply the meals. His stepson is cut out of his inheritance this way. The mother is caught in-between and tries to reconcile them both. Before the deal is done he is poisoned. Yep too many people had access to the meal so it is up to Cadfael (Derek Jacobi) to figure out who did it and why. If you have a pretty good idea you are wrong.
Of occurs to add a little spice the toe story when Cadfael discovers a little something of his past that makes it imperative he find the answer.
This is the time that Abbot Herribert (Peter Copley) is replaced by Abbot Radulfus (Terrence Hardiman) see him in a different light as Walter Fane in "Miss Marple: Sleeping Murder"
Customer Rating:
Summary: LOVED THE SERIES 1!
Comment: I liked the videos as much if not more than I liked and enjoyed the Ellis Peters books. Truly well done and enjoyable to watch. I have a hard time picturing the actor who portrays Cadfael as a crusader, but he's very good anyway! Derek Jacobi plays it well.
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