Death and Other Details, a new Hulu series, embraces the joyous silliness of its Agatha Christie-inspired murder mystery premise, featuring Mandy Patinkin as a genius detective solving murders at sea with his charming assistant Imogene. The show's satire isn't subtle, but it delivers a hoot with broad "eat the rich" themes, social media addiction, and light xenophobia. While the crimes themselves may not be particularly engaging, the series is a fun and entertaining watch that doesn't take itself too seriously.
British historian Lucy Worsley explores the life and works of renowned mystery novelist Agatha Christie in her three-part series, "Agatha Christie: Lucy Worsley on the Mystery Queen." Worsley delves into Christie's upbringing, her experiences as a 20th-century woman, and the impact of her famous disappearance in 1926. The series aims to introduce new readers to Christie's novels and provide existing fans with a fresh perspective on her work.
"A Haunting in Venice," the horror film loosely based on Agatha Christie's "Hallowe'en Party" novel, will be available to stream on Hulu starting October 31, 2023, just in time for Halloween. Directed by Kenneth Branagh and featuring a star-studded ensemble cast, the film has already grossed over $100 million at the box office. Fans can also purchase or rent the film digitally from major retailers. Additionally, the physical media release on Blu-ray and DVD is set for November 28, 2023, with bonus features including behind-the-scenes footage and deleted scenes. The movie is set in post-World War II Venice and follows the retired detective Hercule Poirot as he investigates a murder during a séance at a haunted palazzo.
Producer Judy Hofflund discusses the success of Kenneth Branagh's Agatha Christie adaptations, "Murder on the Orient Express" and "Death on the Nile," and hints at the possibility of future Poirot films. She also talks about the unique approach taken in "A Haunting in Venice," the casting choices, and Tina Fey's transformation into a leading lady. Hofflund reveals that a new project called "Grace and Lizzie" is in the works with Branagh, described as a blend of "Thelma and Louise" and "Promising Young Woman."
If you're a fan of Agatha Christie and have already watched "A Haunting in Venice," here are five other adaptations to check out. "Murder on the Orient Express" (2017) features a star-studded cast and stunning visuals. "Poirot" (1989-2013) is a classic detective series that remained popular for 25 years. "Death on the Nile" (2022) sees Kenneth Branagh returning as the detective in a recognizable yet intriguing plot. "The Little Murders of Agatha Christie" (2009-...) offers a fresh take on familiar stories. "Miss Marple" (1984-1992) stars Joan Hickson as the beloved character in a show loved by generations of fans.
Hair and makeup designer Wakana Yoshihara discusses the evolution of Kenneth Branagh's mustache as Hercule Poirot in the film adaptations of Agatha Christie's detective stories. Yoshihara takes facial hair seriously, creating, styling, and maintaining Poirot's iconic whiskers. The mustache has gone through iterations to find the right balance between grandeur and practicality, with refinements made for each film. The false mustache is a combination of human and yak hair, meticulously woven into a thin strip of silk and applied with a special adhesive. Challenges include eating with the prosthetic and dealing with water scenes.
Hildur Gudnadóttir, the acclaimed composer known for her work on films like Joker and Chernobyl, discusses her approach to scoring Kenneth Branagh's A Haunting in Venice, a supernatural thriller based on Agatha Christie's Hallowe'en Party. Gudnadóttir aimed to create an intimate and suspenseful score, focusing on Poirot's internal struggle rather than relying on big music. She also reflects on her collaboration with the late Jóhann Jóhannsson and the influence of his iconic Sicario cue, "The Beast," on other film scores. Gudnadóttir is currently working on the Joker sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux.
As Kenneth Branagh's latest Agatha Christie adaptation, "A Haunting In Venice," hits theaters, this article ranks a dozen of the best Christie movie adaptations. From classics like "Murder On The Orient Express" to recent limited series like "The Pale Horse," the list includes iconic performances by actors such as Marlene Dietrich, Albert Finney, Maggie Smith, and Peter Ustinov. While some adaptations capture the essence of Christie's mysteries, others fall short in translating her work to the screen. Nonetheless, these films and series offer thrilling murder mysteries and intriguing characters that have made Agatha Christie's stories timeless.
"A Haunting in Venice" is Kenneth Branagh's third adaptation of an Agatha Christie novel featuring detective Hercule Poirot. While the film has some highlights, including Branagh's performance as Poirot, it suffers from a slower pace and duller characters compared to Branagh's previous adaptations. The story, loosely based on Christie's "Hallowe'en Party," takes place in Venice and follows Poirot as he investigates a Halloween seance in a haunted palazzo. Despite the change in location, the film fails to fully capitalize on the potential of the setting. Overall, "A Haunting in Venice" is watchable but lacks the engaging mystery and suspense of its predecessors.
Kenneth Branagh's upcoming film, A Haunting in Venice, is the latest installment in his Hercule Poirot adaptations, based on Agatha Christie's novel Hallowe'en Party. The film, set in Venice, introduces Christie's character Ariadne Oliver, played by Tina Fey, and features a star-studded cast including Jamie Dornan, Michelle Yeoh, and Kelly Reilly. A Haunting in Venice is set to release on September 15.
A group of tourists visiting Agatha Christie's manor house, Greenway, in Devon, got trapped after a tree fell on the road leading to the estate. Despite the perfect setting for a murder mystery, the tourists failed to produce any deviously brainteasing murders, disappointing fans of Christie's novels. The tree was eventually removed, allowing everyone to leave without any murders taking place.
Over 100 tourists were trapped for several hours in Greenway, the former home of mystery writer Agatha Christie, after a tree fell and blocked the road leading to the property in Devon, England. The National Trust, which manages the site, ensured the comfort of the stranded visitors while they waited. The tourists passed the time in the tearoom and playing croquet on the lawn. They were eventually able to leave after local rescue services reopened the road. Greenway remains closed due to storm damage.
Publisher HarperCollins has edited some passages and removed others from its new digital editions of Agatha Christie's detective mysteries featuring Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple to remove racist references and other language considered offensive to modern audiences. Changes include removing references to a character's Jewish identity and replacing the word "native" with "local." The move follows similar revisions made to Roald Dahl's classic children's books, which divided fans.
HarperCollins will publish new editions of some of Agatha Christie's novels with potentially offensive language removed or revised at the suggestion of sensitivity readers. The changes involve removing references to ethnicity and terms including "Gypsy," "Oriental," "Nubian," "natives," and the N-word. Some edits are more subtle, and the move is likely to prove controversial, as was the case with similar changes made to books by Ian Fleming and Roald Dahl.
