Manor House [VHS]

Manor House [VHS]
by Caroline Ross-Pirie, Nick Murphy (IV)

Manor House [VHS]

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Product details

Actor: Anna Olliff-Cooper, Avril Anson, Guy Olliff-Cooper, John Olliff-Cooper, Jonty Olliff-Cooper
Director: Caroline Ross-Pirie, Nick Murphy (IV)
Edition: VHS Tape
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: NTSC
Release Date: 2003-05-27
Audience Rating: Unrated
Publisher: Pbs (Direct)
Studio: Pbs (Direct)

VHS Movie Reviews of Manor House [VHS]

Movie Review: One of the best of the House series...
Summary: 5 Stars

Out of all the House DVDs I have so far the best two are Frontier House and Manor House, both produced at the same time, both reacting to 9/11 in their own way, both dealing with the social pressures, gender issues and historical problems of their time period.
Manor House has a family and 12 servants placed in a Manor for 3 months. The time period is the turn of the last Century. The servants are divided into two groups, the upper servants who interact with the family, and the lower servants who are not seen. In fact, if they run into a family member during their duties they sometimes stand in the corner and pretend not to be there. The Butler is Mr. Edgar who seems to be the most interesting person on the whole show.
His grandfather was also a Butler and Mr. Edgar seems to have absorbed much of the ideals, or at least character, of his grandfather. Silent, strong, never seeming to step out of character, he is a refreshing change to many of the whining 21st Century people who are always stepping out of their position in the shows to prove how much of a HERO they are. BLAH!
I can't decide if the Tutor had real problems or was just paranoid because I barely get to see him. He appears on and off. I don't remember seeing him in half the episodes.
I kind of liked the Chef. He was hyper and anger half the time but he seemed to know his stuff and sometimes had interesting insight.
Most of the people in the Manor House stay in character as best they can. Or they leave. A few, like Mr. Edgar, were truly focused on doing their best and learning. The family, the Olliff-Cooper family, seem to step into the roles without a problem. Funny enough, while they do show some insight during their time there I think only the two sons really come away with any real insight. I think Jonathan got the most out of it.
There is romance, parties, a lovely house, humor, sadness, and even a ghost - but that could be somebody just freaking out in a new house. Yes, there is a romance between two of the servants but you wonder how much of the bond was real love or the pressure of working in such a setting - fighting the system, the hard work, the need for somebody to turn to with their troubles. Once they left the Manor, into the real world, would the relationship hold? Unlike the PBS versions of the House series the Manor House had no follow-up two to three months later.
There are extras in the form of more Edwardian House Diaries. I suggest waiting till watching all the episodes before watching them. They are somewhat revealing.
Full five stars out of five. If you have never seen the House series before this would be a great DVD set to start with.

Movie Review: Manor House is entertainment that satisfies on many different levels
Summary: 5 Stars

I didn't know what to expect when I got this DVD, but in the end I was very satisfied with this purchase. The show goes into much detail in setting up the situation, explaining who the people are and what they are doing there.
Then the day-to-day life begins and the people are in store for a rude awakening at best.
The show will definately be of interest to many different sorts of people because it informs on different levels, history, reality TV drama, entertainment and visually appealing.

Movie Review: SEE HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVES-AND WHO PROVIDES THEIR COMFORTS
Summary: 5 Stars

With a deep interest in Social Psychology, this riviting view of English countryside life during the Edwardian period (roughly 1910-1914) highlights both the extravagances of the gentry class and the oppression of the lower (servant) class.

I'm sure that others have written more detailed or erudite reviews, but I was intrigued to see that, in the end, it was the lower servant class who developed a sense of family with each other, while the gentry class, possessing privilege and leisure, end feeling isolated from each other. The sister of Lady Oliff-Cooper has to leave the series and step outside of her role after becoming depressed and the Indian-born tutor feels resentful and alienated from everyone in the household.

The chef (who comes off as a real prima dona) serves a roasted pig head, causing (understandable by modern sensibilities) deep discomfort amongst the diners, but instead of being angry with the chef, it is the butler who is blamed because he was the one serving the head to the family. Geez, talk about killing the messenger!

Anyway, this is a wonderful show to watch on a Sunday night as you contemplate going back to work on Monday. It will give you an idea of how difficult life was for the working class blokes who came before us. Balancing physically demanding labor with the restrictions of class stratifications and their own personal needs.

Pip-pip, cheerio and all that sort of rot!

Movie Review: Six hours of in-depth history lessons on the Edwardian era
Summary: 5 Stars

The most fascinating part of history is learning how people's regular day-to-day lives were like. It is that which this type of series exploit so well. While seeing how things were done a hundred years ago, such as 16-hour work days, no time off, and making your own dish washing soap, is enough to watch this series, it is the human experience of the participants that is truly intriguing. From the lady of the house, an emergency room doctor in real life, becoming shockingly comfortable and happy as de-emancipated consort to her all-powerful husband Sir John, to the butler who goes full in to understand the life of his grandfather, who was "in service" during that time.

This DVD does a better job than anything else I've seen to let the 21st century viewer understand how incredibly dysfunctional society of the early 1900s truly was and how trapped just about everyone were and how extremely limited their lives were in ways people of today would simply never think of.

Movie Review: Heavenly Fun
Summary: 5 Stars

I came across this series at a time in my life when I was sad. This wonderful tale of the hardships and regimentation of the past, made me feel better. Also I fell in love with the footman Rob Daly
what a cutie pie !! This was a touching and tender series, and the Oliff Coopers became what the high class probally were simply annoying !!!

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