To the North, where we do what we want!
– Bill Molloy
It must be very tough to round off a trilogy of films, but Red Riding seems to possess more than its fair share of challenges. On top of the expansive cast and somewhat convoluted plot, this trilogy of adaptations for Channel 4 actually omits an entire story from the source material. David Peace wrote Red Riding as a four-book series, and yet there was only enough in the budget for a three-film adaptation. On top of that, the inevitable realities of pragmatic adaptation means that various characters have to be omitted and reworked and reconfigured so that the series of films makes sense on its own terms.
Red Riding: 1983 isn’t quite a flawless resolution to the trilogy, but it does enough things with enough skill that feels satisfying. A few contrivances feel a little awkward or cheesy, and some of the plot points feel a little too obvious and easy, but the cast and the characters are strong enough to carry this ambitious series past the finish line.
Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: Anand Tucker, appeal, arts, batman begins, Big Bad Wolf, Clare, Craven, Crewe, david morrissey, David Peace, film, Leonard Cole, Little Red Riding Hood, London, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, Morrissey, Movie, non-review review, Peter Hunter, Red Riding, review, Royal Courts of Justice, Solicitor | Leave a comment »