Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1677 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-04-24
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1

Synopsis
Starring Sarah Smart (At Home with the Braithwaites), Joseph McFadden (The Crow Road, Small Faces), Alun Armstrong and Celia Imrie, Sparkhouse is a love story that works heartfelt romance with humour and pain into a tale as powerful and turbulent as a modern-day Wuthering Heights. Carol and Andrew have been in love since school. When Andrew prepares to go to university, his parents are relieved that he will be out of the clutches of reckless, volatile Carol, whose world is slowly beginning to fall apart. The secrets that have been buried among the chaos of her family home at Sparkhouse farm are working their way into the open.

Customer Reviews

Compelling and Tragic
I'm so happy that Sparkhouse is only loosely based on Wuthering Heights--I've never liked the book and consequently have intensely disliked every close TV adaptation. I bought this DVD on Amazon UK and am glad that I did. Yes at times the story is weighed down by tragedy but Carole the heroine of Sparkhouse is a survivor and a fighter and I ultimately found the story to be more inspirational than depressing. Sarah Smart is brilliant and I'm amazed I haven't heard of other work that she has done (but I'm American so maybe that isn't surprising). There is absolutely nothing lacking in her performance--she is vulnerable and strong and sad and beautiful all at the same time. Richard Armitage is also excellent--heartbreakingly shy yet strong--and I thought his performance was comparable to his work in North and South. I didn't think Joe McFadden's acting was of quite the same caliber as Smart's and Armitage's (a bit over-the-top in my opinion) but he was still very good.

One side note--the accents of some of the characters (particularly Carole and her family) are quite strong and I needed the subtitles to help me understand what was being said.

I highly recommend Sparkhouse. I only wish American TV productions were half as good!

Literally Breathtaking
I came across this BBC drama entirely by accident having caught a few minutes of it on late night TV. When my DVD arrived, my wife and I sat down to watch the first episode and ended up watching the whole three hours in one go. This has to be one of the most outstanding dramas I have ever seen. Sarah Smart's performance is simply remarkable and she is supported by an excellent cast where no one puts a foot wrong. I have just watched the entire film once again and I was surprised at how totally gripping it was even the second time round. Don't read the reviews, just buy this film - you certainly will not be disappointed. A more moving, harrowing, thought-provoking 3 hours you will be hard pressed to find anywhere. Magnificent!

Wild, passionate, gripping dramatisation!!!
After much deliberation I finally bit the bullet and decided to buy this dvd. I confess I was a bit wary as alot of reviewers have described this movie as being incredibly depressing, and combined with it's links to Wuthering Heights I couldn't help but hold reservations. However I must admit that it's been a while since I've watched a drama with such emotional intensity and general intrigue. Now I can't believe I didn't watch it sooner.

The storyline is absolutely brilliant. From the very first second the movie arrests your attention drawing you into the vicious circle of lies, betrayal and deadly passions that the characters find themselves in. It never slackens in pace and unlike so many dramas, which usually include some 'boring part' where you're tempted to go make a cup of tea or glance at your watch this was certainly not the case with this drama. The three hours zoom by keeping you guessing to the very end and are sadly gone before you know it.

The acting is flawless not one character was miscast, and in a drama like this it would have been incredibly easy to pick out any weak links because the characters are complex dealing with very serious issues such as abusive relationships. Together with an appropriately isolated location and a heart-pounding musical score this story is everything you expect from good drama and more.

This movie will undoubtedly be compared to 'Wuthering Heights'. Personally I never liked 'Wuthering Heights'. Not only did I find the story desperately pessimistic but also unbelievably hard to read. This film thankfully keeps it's links to Emily Bronte's renowned novel very subtle. In fact the majority of the time the story is completely different. The only major likeness is the depressing landscape on the moors, whose violent weather reflects the violence of the relationships of the habitants of the Moors.

Overall I'd recommend Sparkhouse to anyone who loves a good, original drama. Don't let the Wuthering Heights association put you off. The story may be depressing at places but there are some moments of joy and offbeat humour, and while the ending is tragic in it's own right it does offer some hope for a brighter tomorrow.