Wide Sargasso Sea (2006/Acorn Media/British Telefilm)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C     Telefilm: B-

 

 

When the 1996 theatrical film version of Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea arrived with its explicit sex scenes, it became the subject of much writing, but it was not that good a film and the erotic side was not as amazing as it had been touted as being.  A new 2006 telefilm version is almost as comparatively erotic as a male outsider (Rafe Spall) becomes involved with a beautiful young woman (Rebecca Hill) in 1830s colonial Jamaica.  The relationship is intense, until race and some other issues come into play.

 

The African housekeepers have little hope for things and can see disaster a mile away, though maybe if all were not so serious and fatalistic about this, the story as played out here could have come to a different end.  Still, I liked the performances, look of the production and it can compete with its predecessor.  Literature fans will find it makes for interesting comparison indeed.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is a little softer than I would have liked, partly from styling, but it will take Blu-ray to see what part is the DVD and what is the seemingly HD shoot.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is just fine, nicely recorded and has no Pro Logic surrounds.  Extras include text bio of Rhys and text cast filmographies.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo