Cloudstreet

In Cloudstreet, Kerry Fox truly, deeply and a little madly embodies central character (well,at least in this iteration) Oriel Lamb, matriarch of an unfortunate Australian family which hooks up with another unfortunate Australian family to share a haunted house in Perth. The film, based on Tim Winton's popular novel of the same name, includes much magical realism as well as just plain spookiness. Also, a good amount of tragedy and some comedy ensues, but love and new birth offer redemption.My favorite character, besides Fox's, is a wonderful talking pig, apparently a reincarnated sea captain who sings chanties and dances a hornpipe, and (more realistically) expects to end up on the table at Christmas. Magical realism is an acquired taste, but it looks like it's here to stay, at least as long as folks continue to need a little magic in their lives. And who can blame them for that in our otherwise coldly scientific, less religiously mystical world. Plus, it sells tickets/dvd's.

I loved the cast. Each character superbly portrayed. Wonderful to see old friends playing such different parts. For example I am a fan of Miss Fisher series. Beautiful photography. Heartbreak and tears and joy. Australia and Australians do not let us down.

Very good acting, BUT, you needed to know from the BEGINNING, that it's the story seen through the eyes of the younger boy,and you don't find that out until after it's ended. and only then if you watch the extra's I found it to be rather "disjointed" (because I didn't know)Anyway I will watch it again and see ( with the info I now have) if I can follow it any better, parts of it were awesome. and like I said the acting was terrific, sorry, I can't say anything more positive, I was rather disappointed.

An Australian film ,We found it easy to understand ,no problems with the accent. We also seemed to LIVE in the moment of the story feeling as if we were there amongst the two families.we loved the story .Buff said.

This is adapted from a famous Australian novel. It is the fascinating story of two vey different families who end up living together. The series traces their lives over a period of time. The series blends realism with fantastic elements in exploring these characters. It is beautifully filmed and acted as it details the larger changes taking place in the country as well.

Bought this because the subject matter looked very unusual plus I wanted to see more of Essie Davis (Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries). Was not disappointed in the series or Ms. Davis performance as Dolly Pickles. If you like the actors and actresses in Miss Fisher, you will also be pleased to see that Hugo Johnstone-Burt is a key character in this series. He plays Fish Lamb a very different character than Constable Hugh Collins.

We couldn't get past the first 15 minutes before giving up on it. The thick Australian accent is extremely difficult to follow, to the point we tried to use sub titles to translate the grunts and groans, and I have worked with many Australians over the years. The characters are not well developed and are left for us to try to figure out who is who. A story starts out with an unknown boy almost drowning and another non-related man (we think) losing his fingers in a fishing accident. Cheerful stuff.This was probably a good book and might have been a good series with a better screenwriter and director. Our copy will be donated to the local library.

Love it now I am looking for the international DVD of bbc's the corner starring Claire Goose

A sudden death. Unexpected inheritance in Perth of an old derelict house. It is too large for the Pickles family, so they let half to the Lambs. Back from the dead after a near drowning, youngest Lamb son, Fish, seems retarded, but sees, hears and feels what others cannot. He at once senses this house is special, its very fabric having absorbed emotions of those who once lived there. Surely a great tragedy must explain the lingering almost overwhelming sadness...?Mystical, atmospheric and totally involving, here is a vivid portrayal of two disparate families in Australia's 1940/50s. The Pickles seem destined never to achieve much: promiscuous mother Dolly forever drunk; father Sam a gambler, pinning his faith on eventual luck. The Lambs, prolonged drought having brought ruin to their farm, are industrious, soon with a flourishing garden and thriving shop.Unlikely neighbours. Will past and present challenges help draw them together?For many this series may prove exhilaratingly unlike any other, surreal elements (some more effective than others) interwoven with reality. Especially effective are those involving water-obsessed Fish and his troubled brother Quick (who blames himself for Fish's near fatal accident). Acting is great, characters ones to care for (even those who initially seem off-putting). A popular novel has been superbly adapted for the screen, author Tim Winton actively involved throughout - house and characters exactly as so many readers had imagined.(One aspect may puzzle. Why no attempt to find out the history of the house - neighbours surely easily able to reveal what happened there?)Five episodes of around fifty five minutes, the sixth feature length. At first sight there would seem a wide range of extras, but many are repetitive. (Better perhaps to avoid the PLAY ALL facility.) Bonuses nevertheless contain much of interest - cast contributions; details of how the spirit of the novel was preserved, the set created, music composed and special effects achieved.Heartwarming and great. Two lively families, for so long buffeted by life's "shifty shadows", now seem with hopes of stability, fulfilment and much to look forward to. Most viewers will hope that this all comes about and, particularly, that Fish will find what he has always sought.

On reading Cloudstreet, you could be forgiven for thinking that it was pretty unfilmable, following a house and two families over several decades, and with some magic realism-type touches. This (appropriately) Australian production makes an excellent job of it, probably helped by having author Tim Winton involved. Everything about it is superb, from the acting to the cinematography - at the very least the most grudging reviewer would have to admit that it looks fabulous - you certainly feel that there was no scrimping on the budget. More than that, though, the cast give amazing performances. There are one or two spots where already knowing the story will help you more easily understand what's happening - the breadth and scale of the book make it inevitable, even with a whole TV series, that a few points needed to be skipped in order to fit everything into the time available. It doesn't suffer much as a result, and you'll still love it even if you haven't read the book.

"Cloudstreet" is the story told over two decades of two Australian families, the Lambs' and the Pickles' who live in the suburbs of a town in western Australia, presumably Perth, and how events bring them together in one house and keep them together through the good times and bad times during the 1940s and 1950s. It is a totally involving and moving account of triumph and tragedy, disability, alcoholism, personal loss, devotion and the bonds between people that keep them going through thick and thin.The whole cast is superb, with Kerry Fox being particularly outstanding and the production is first rate and once you are hooked you must keep watching to see how the lives of the two families develop and change.

I loved the book so was apprehensive about the TV series which was screened by Sky Atlantic.Screenplay by Tim Winton, however, so the few changes that were made are totally acceptable.I enjoyed the DVD even more than the book and watch it over and over.This has to be the best acted, most beautiful production for TV ever. How I wish British television could produce such a masterpiece.I hope someone from the BBC saw the series. They could do with a few tips!

Once you get past the slightly depressing first ten minutes of the opening scenes, this is a charming yet poignant story of two dysfunctional Australian families struggling to survive in the Depression era. Beautifully acted and filmed, this is probably one of the best TV series of the last 30 years, epic on a par with Brideshead Revisited and Jewel in the Crown. As it was shown in the UK on Sky Atlantic, the program has not received the widespread exposure and acclaim it deserves.