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Rillington Place: anyone watching?

(118 Posts)
gettingonabit Wed 30-Nov-16 17:23:27

Been looking forward to this for ages. Really enjoyed the film with a very creepy Richard Attenborough and John Hurt as Evans.

Great sets-very evocative of the time, and Samantha Morton portrays the downtrodden but knowing wife very well.

Really looking forward to next week.

Christinefrance Thu 01-Dec-16 09:02:41

I enjoyed it, and liked the understated feeling. I thought the set was excellent , the creepy wallpaper and you could almost feel the damp seeping through.
I didn't see the Attenborough film so can't compare.

PRINTMISS Thu 01-Dec-16 09:05:27

I enjoyed it, but once again, it was all filmed in the dark, yes I know that is atmospheric, and that houses were like that, but at times one wondered what was happening.

HildaW Thu 01-Dec-16 11:49:57

I am one of those strange people who cannot 'enjoy' a story about the murder of women and a dire miscarriage of justice....call me weird but there you are!

BlueBelle Thu 01-Dec-16 12:11:23

I wasn't as 'held' as I thought I d be was a bit bored in places hopefully it will improve for me I thought I d be more involved felt a bit of a by stander
I wondered why he had that strange whispery voice

tanith Thu 01-Dec-16 12:15:40

Blubelle I think he was gassed during WW1 or something similar.

Anniebach Thu 01-Dec-16 12:32:47

Hilda, if miscarriages of justice were ignored have you any idea how many people would still be in jail or those hanged not given a pardon?

HildaW Thu 01-Dec-16 12:54:12

Anniebach...miscarriages of justice need to be exposed and rectified....my problem is with the idea that this tv programme is 'enjoyable'. Its just not my choice of entertainment/enjoyment We all know there have been dark deeds done and they continue to happen...I just cannot view it as a dramatic entertainment.

Welshwife Thu 01-Dec-16 12:59:39

I understand exactly where Hilda is coming from - she did not say that she thought miscarriages of justice should be ignored but that she didn't want to watch it happen or the reconstruction of the murder of women. Christie was a hateful creepy man - I have seen a couple of trailers and think it likely he is being portrayed well but have no wish to see the series.
I know that anytime anyone was hanged - and I remember a few during my childhood - there was always a niggling as to whether they had got the right person.

ninathenana Thu 01-Dec-16 18:27:08

Just watched it as had recorded it. I wasn't gripped but did enjoy it. I Googled it as H was trying to find it in A-Z it was re named temporarily but later flattened and Andrews Square and Bartle Close built on the site but oddly neither are listed in the A-Z

f77ms Thu 01-Dec-16 18:39:13

I watched the first one with Attenborough which was very well done . Tim Roth is much more creepy as Christy I thought. As someone said , this one was about Ethel so I guess the next one will be about Christy then Timothy Evans . I actually watched a documentary about the murders only last week which explained Christy`s past as a petty criminal and apparently Ethel and him were known in the area for performing abortions in their kitchen ! How truly dreadful for the women who had to go to them in that filthy house .

tanith Thu 01-Dec-16 18:45:04

ninathenana I just took a look and its actually Bartle Road not Close, but you're right Alexander Squ doesn't appear although its really just a small block of flats with access road only so I guess why its not listed. If you look on Googlemaps its Bartle Road W11 the street view is interesting.

ninathenana Thu 01-Dec-16 23:56:56

Thanks tanith I will show H .

Swanny Sun 04-Dec-16 22:10:01

I've just watched the first episode of this on Catchup. The 1971 film starring Richard Attenborough was memorable but I've always thought Timothy Roth plays incredibly creepy characters and he didn't disappoint in this production.

I think I can remember hangings being reported on 8am radio news broadcasts but, being just a youngster, not understanding what that meant. However, as I grew older and more aware of the big bad world, I couldn't understand the logic behind hanging as opposed to long-term prison sentences, other than it was cheaper to bump someone off rather than pay for their imprisonment while they considered the error of their ways.

I don't watch much tv these days as I feel so much of it treats viewers as idiots but I'm looking forward to the next episodes of this series.

AyjayF Tue 06-Dec-16 22:16:20

This is so wonderfully acted. It's almost unbearable to watch.
One tiny, tiny niggle. Timothy Evans accent veered from London to Welsh. He was Welsh I believe.

Anniebach Tue 06-Dec-16 22:24:47

He was born in Wales, his mother remarried and they moved to London , his sister lived in Aberfan and it was to her he went after the death of his wife ,possibly he switched accents depending on where he was

AyjayF Wed 07-Dec-16 00:26:18

Ah, ok Annie Bach. That probably explains it

absent Wed 07-Dec-16 06:49:09

HildaW We all know there have been dark deeds done and they continue to happen... Those of us old enough to remember [many] miscarriages of justice that resulted in capital punishment or life sentences might, but perhaps it is no bad thing to inform a younger generation that sometimes seems aggressively in favour of harsh punishments and rough justice.

f77ms Wed 07-Dec-16 07:38:54

absent very good point .
After watching last nights episode, I think The Attenborough film was much more accurate . I know Tim Evans was Welsh and wondered why his accent kept changing !

Greyduster Wed 07-Dec-16 08:32:28

I am finding this soooo trying to watch. Tim Roth's Christie is one of the creepiest characters I've seen on tv for a good while. I didn't see the Attenborough film, but somehow see him as too 'cuddly' hmm for Christie! As to Evans' accent, DH has not lived in Wales for donkeys years but every time he goes home, even now, I can hear his accent creeping back in again!

PRINTMISS Wed 07-Dec-16 08:38:03

I think it is excellent viewing, based on fact obviously with some licence, as most of these things are. Last night in particular, the tension was upheld for the whole hour, and personally I was exhausted. Looking at the way people lived (and I remember that) and how things were done, thank goodness we have moved on.

Christinefrance Wed 07-Dec-16 09:02:56

I thought it was well done too. Tim Roth is so creepy and I thought it was evocative of the period.
I think it's good to remind people how miscarriages of justice can happen as absent said.

gillybob Wed 07-Dec-16 11:14:13

I must be too young to remember grin but I didn't realise it was a true story and now I wish I hadn't watched it ! I can't get over how rubbish the police were. I know there was no DNA then but surely they could see that the common denominator was Christie himself. That wife of his was almost as guilty as he was as she allowed it to carry on despite her suspicions.

Anniebach Wed 07-Dec-16 11:46:16

I have hunted out the book, Ten Rillington Place ,by Ludovic Kennedy , I recommend it if still in print. Evans did stay with his Aunt not his sister in Aberfan, the trial only lasted three days, Jury took under an hour to find him guilty , the chief witness was Christie , he was believed because he had been in the police , I think a special. Some evidence was withheld and the summing up by the judge was so against Evans he didn't stand a chance of justice

rosesarered Wed 07-Dec-16 14:03:19

Watched the first episode, good acting, not much dialogue! Found the 'set' far too dark and dank, the set of rooms wasn't fit for a dog to live in ( even though they did have a dog!)Christie as played by Roth was hardly a ladies man ( repellent) and was Ethel really such a doormat ?The street 'set' looked more akin to a theatre production.
That's my gripes over, won't be watching any more.

gettingonabit Wed 07-Dec-16 18:12:52

I know ab has explained, but Evans' accent is really bothering me. In the film, Hurt had a credible Welsh accent throughout. I can understand why someone brought up in an area different from that which they were born may change accent up to a point, but Evans goes from one broad accent to another completely different accent at will! People I know who've moved from South Wales soften their accents and/or pick up elements of their local one. They don't move from one to the other. And I think Welsh accents are difficult to lose.