Plot: What’s it about?
Lord Peter Wimsey (Ian Carmichael) has had some car trouble, but at least he knows the locals, since he visited a local estate about two decades earlier. His prior visit was a social one and this one seems to be accidental, but Wimsey will soon become involved in a most complex web of crime, perhaps a case even he cannot solve. He is taken in by a priest in a local church, who is obsessed with the bells above, the timing, the sound, and pretty much all other aspects of the massive ringing chimes. Wimsey stays to take part in a celebration of sorts, but then heads off, only to be called back a couple of months later. The same priest has discovered a murder victim on the lands, which he wishes Wimsey to investigate. As Wimsey looks into this unusual crime, he begins to find strands of clues that lead not only back to his prior visit months ago, but also his time spent there over twenty years before. In one of the most intricate, baffling cases he has ever seen, Wimsey will have to use all of his skills to solve this long open case of theft and murder.
This is a well crafted mystery release, dashed with all sorts of clues and such, but I think the format could scare some viewers off. The Nine Tailors is shown in four fifty-five minute episodes and of course, this means about four hours of total content. As with a lot of British dramas, The Nine Tailors moves at a slower pace, in order to allow characters and clues to develop, which I think works out very well. But those with short attention spans will be left in the cold here, as a slow paced four hour series won’t keep them from nodding off, I wouldn’t think. I found The Nine Tailors to be a very good series however, with well written details and a wealth of interesting characters to observe. The acting is not up to the highest of standards, but Ian Carmichael (Smashing Time, Five Red Herrings) is solid in his role, while the rest of the cast is more than decent. As the series progresses however, we’re shown more of the characters’ inner workings and by the time the last two episodes roll around, I think most of the cast offer improved turns. If you’re a fan of mysteries, then I more than recommend this release, even with some reservations.
Video: How does it look?
The Nine Tailors is presented in a full frame transfer, as intended. The image here is not too impressive, but given the age and nature of the series, I doubt the series could look much better than this. I know some restoration work could be done, but with a limited interest title like this, I can’t imagine that would be financially possible. The image shows signs of wear and age of course, but looks clean at times also, though the night scenes look pretty dismal. I’ve seen some of these episodes on VHS and they looked much worse that this however, so I suppose fans can be pleased based on that information. In the end, the video might not be superb here, but this is the best the series has looked and in truth, is probably the best it will ever look on home video.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included stereo option is your basic television mix, which means more than solid, but not too memorable in the end. The basics are covered and that’s about all you can ask for here, since dialogue and music are about you hear. The music sounds good when it is present, but the vocals are the main focus here, of course. I heard no errors with the dialogue in the least, all the words were crisp and clean from start to finish. Not the flashiest track of course, but it does what it needs to and that’s enough in this case.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This release includes some talent files, a trivia game, text information on the series, and a brief interview with star Ian Carmichael.
