Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4914 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-06-20
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Formats: Box set, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 5
• Running time: 830 minutes

DVD Description
This boxset contains five dramatisations of Minette Walters stories, featuring: The Ice House; The Scolds Bridle; The Echo; The Dark Room and The Sculptress What is it like to kill? What drives a man or a woman to such extremes? The stories journey through a kaleidoscope of human emotions: anger, hatred, bitterness, remorse, guilt, horror. In this psychological study of humanity on the edge of an abyss, some of the series' murderers get away with it, some of them don't. Amongst the subject matter is euthanasia, accidental murder, contract killing, revenge and even a sleepwalker who knows she's done something but not what or to whom.

Synopsis
Four features: 'The Ice House', 'The Scold's Bridle', 'The Echo', 'The Dark Room' and 'The Sculptress' which tells the story of convicted murderess, Olive Martin, who was nicknamed 'The Sculptress' because of the way she killed and dismembered her mother and sister. A journalist, visiting Olive in jail, for book research, becomes more and more convinced of her innocence.

Customer Reviews

The Sculptress
Its been quite a number of years ago now but I do remember seeing the TV Adaptation of The Sculptress on BBC1.

I think the acting by Pauline Quirke, who played Olive Martin, was quite chilling and showed that she could move away from the role of Sharon she played in Birds of a Feather and other comedic roles she was used to. You were also convinced of Olive's innocence within the film.

But I do look forward to reading the novel version of The Sculptress to make comparisons between the TV Adaptation and the novel quite soon.

The Dark Room
After I enjoyed Minette Walters' novel (like all her other books) I was looking forward to watching The Dark Room DVD as I had missed it on tv previously. I was sorely disappointed, I know not all novels are adapted well onto the screen but I had been rather impressed with the excellent 'Ice House'. I found the script for the Dark Room rather poor and many of the acting performances were wooden. I initally thought casting Dervla Kirwan as Jinks was a very good choice but the script rarely allowed her to portray her as the likeable quick witted character that the book portrays. Overall disappointing considering how well the story plays out in the book.

Chillingly good
Excellent adaptation of five Minette Walters novels.
I am not a great fan of her books, but the series has
brought them to life with excellent direction and acting.