Ken Follet: World Without End (2012/Sony DVD)
Picture: B- Sound: B- Extras: B Episodes: B+
Ken Follet: World Without End follows the highly successful Pillars of the Earth, picking up the story of the English village
of Kingsbridge, now in the 1300’s (some 150 years after the events of Pillars). Set against the backdrop of the 100 Years War
and the impending doom of the Black Plague, the village of Kingsbridge and its
inhabitants struggle against forces pulling them in opposite directions. The
scheming and backward forces of the church, embodied in the conniving and
treacherous Brother Godwyn (expertly played by Rupert Evans) vie for control
against the progressive beliefs of Enlightenment thinking represented by the
charismatic Caris (Charlotte Riley) and Merthin (Tom Weston-Jones).
Produced by Ridley & Tony Scott’s Scott Free Productions and
directed by Michael Caton-Jones, World features
a stellar ensemble cast, tremendous costume work and set design, and script
that lovingly captures Mr. Follet’s acclaimed novel. Originally aired as a Television miniseries,
this story spreads out over 8 episodes, and comes in two discs in this package.
While running some six hours, the story never feels padded, as Caris, Merthin,
Mother Cecilia (Miranda Richardson), Gwenda (Nora von Waldstätten), her husband
Wulfric (Tom Cullen), and others fight against illogical and destructive power
of a Church bent on maintaining its influence and acquiring land.
Much of the struggles of Kingsbridge’s denizens centers around a
bridge, not surprisingly. When the series opens it stands as a rickety, wooden
reminder of old thinking and older design. When Merthin, an apprentice builder,
seeks to rebuild it after it collapses under tragic circumstances, he must
contest the right to do so with his former master, an ally of Godwyn and the
Church. Indeed the struggle for the
bridge acts as a metaphor for the village’s fight to bridge the gap from the
Dark Ages into the Enlightenment.
Familial strife also comes into play when Merthin must also contend
with his vain and misogynistic brother, Ralph (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), a
fighting man, and a rapist and cad whose mistreatment of women masks the pain
of his unfulfilled life. Ralph is spared
the hangman’s noose by the press of history, as King Edward empties his jails
to fuel the war effort against France. He
soon shows his quality as a warrior in one of the story’s most epic battle
scenes in Episode 5.
The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image and lossy Dolby Digital 5.1
mix look and sound great for the format, though Blu-ray fans should note it is
available in that format as well. This
set also includes a special feature entitled “The Making of Ken Follet’s World Without End.” The featurette does a wonderful job of
showing how much care and work went into making the village of Kingsbridge, and
its colorful inhabitants, come to life. While made for television, the picture
and sound on this set are solid and do not detract from the story. Fans of Mr. Follet, Pillars of the Earth, and period pieces in general will find World Without End a worthy follow-up
effort.
- Scott Pyle
