Monday 6 January 2014

Outlander

As a long time reader of Diana Gabaldon's Claire and Jamie adventures, I have to admit to a slight disappointment re the casting. Jamie was a redhead, and Claire had amber-gold colouring. Couldn't they have used a few packets of hair dye so the description matched the characters in the books? Also, she was some years older than Jamie. I forget how many exactly, but I did look it up once and it was a considerable gap. The actor is 33, the actress who plays Claire, 34.

I would never have described it as a science-fiction-fantasy story, which is how it is being advertised. To me it is historical through and through, though technically it is a time-slip novel. But it will be interesting to watch if only to see if they twist the story as much as they twisted the history in the Tudors. I'll be tearing my hair out if they do. Here are some links to whet the appetite of any Outlander fan:

http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/arts/news/outlander-tv-show-will-secure-scots-film-future-1-3166093

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2507425/Sci-fi-fantasy-series-Outlander-begins-filming-Scotland-Super-8s.html

https://www.facebook.com/OutlanderTVSeries.starz


Much of the articles consist of  Scottish politicians/business people reacting to the news, but there are some nuggets to be had. The series will be of 16 episodes and will show in the US in 2014. (If it is peppered with adverts, then I suppose that will reduce it to a series of 12 episodes!)

It began filming in September 2013, with locations like Douane, Falkirk and Duns Castles.  To my knowledge, woefully inadequate about today's film world, there isn't a single "big-name" star to carry the series. I suppose they're banking on the success of the novels - 20 million sold and counting, with a new one almost ready to hit the streets. (Unless it already did? Note to self - check!) 




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