Noble House

[Yuliya]

Thank you for the answer. Yes, I'm very glad he's my ex-colleague for more reasons than one, though in this case I think his reaction was caused by surprise and he didn't mean to hurt me.

[Lauryn]

johnnytodd said:

"Everything I Need To Know About Business I Learned From Noble House."

I am sorry for my late reply, but this topic required a lengthy and thorough re-watch of Noble House in order to get this right…

(Please bear in mind that the following observations are solely based on my own humble opinion and experiences )....

Forgive me for not responding. Somehow I missed your post. Thank you for expanding on all of the Asian "mysteries" and experiences and relating them so aptly to the mini-series. It's all very fascinating. I hope your assignment wasn't too strenuous. At least there were parts that should have been easy on the eyes. <wink>

[Ace]

FINALLY!!!!

An official release. I do hope it's remastered well. Lionsgate is releasing it and not some independent no name distributor.

Amazon.com: Noble House

March 25, 2008

$13.99 sale price (listed at $19.98)

2 Disc set

It says 2:35 aspect ratio but I'd be shocked though thrilled if it was. I don't think much for TV then was done widescreen, though I think the mini series "V" was in the mid 80s.

[sparklingblue]

Ohhh, this is lovely!! I'm very much looking forward to this release!

[lotsofluck]

Yes! Yes! Yes! I am so happy to hear this news. I am anxiously looking forward to this release. In fact, I believe I put a request in to Amazon.com a long long time ago to notify me if/when it becomes available. I will check to see if they have sent me a message.

[johnnytodd]

Great news indeed! I am happy now

[loogthan]

This is truly fantastic news! Currently I’m writing a film review for a Thai magazine to pique viewers interest in this classic mini-series, focusing on the cinematography of the story as well as the themes I felt were present throughout the film. Besides the article from TV Guide which complimented upon its greatness, I can’t seem to find any other articles or interviews with
the cast when the mini-series was promoted. There was a review in the New York Times; however, it dismissed the mini-series as a soap opera. Finally, a dream come true to own it on DVD!

[Ace]

Two pieces I have on Noble House, one a review and another an excerpt from an article.


People Magazine
Picks & Pans
1988
NOBLE HOUSE

I started playing the tapes for 8-hour mini, and suddenly the women couldn't help themselves. They'd hear that neo-Cary Grant accent, rush to my office and swoon at the TV. Their jaws would drop. Their knees would shake, rattle and roll. As if they were Juliets speaking Romeo's name, they'd sigh and say, "Pierce Brosnan". Noble House is his show. It is his coming-out party as an official debonair sex symbol. It is absolute proof that he should have been James Bond —a role that would have combined the humor he displayed in Remington Steele with all the grace, charm, cleverness, good looks and deft acting he displays in Noble House, a stir fried Dallas based on James (Shogun) Clavell's novel.

As Ian Dunross, the modern-day Taipan (that's Chinese for chief executive autocrat) of an ancient Hong Kong corporation, Brosnan plays puppeteer over a score of storylines. He fights back from financial ruin, then fends off hostile— and surprisingly exciting—takeover attempts by his evil rival, John (Raiders ol the Lost Ark) Rhys-Davies. He gets into business with Ben (Making Mt. Right) Masters an unethical American tycoon. He gets into bed with Master’s assistant Deborah (Lace II) Raffin. He inherits a mysterious, century-old obligation to grant any favor to the holders of certain half coin. He gets wrapped up in kidnapping, murder, spy stories, drug smuggling, fires, landslides and international intrigue. Brosnan controls every scene, calmly, coolly. He is the best of the show. There is more good acting from Rhys-Davies, the gorgeous Julia Nickson as a TV reporter, Gordon (Upstairs Downstairs) Jackson as a cop and Denholm Elliott in a cameo as Brosnan's predecessor. And Hong Kong co-stars too; it is a magnificent sight, delightfully photographed in the streets, the junk-filled harbor, the stock exchange and the penthouses of the city. Okay, so a few of the bit parts are awfully played. And yes, there is a bit too much talk about old tales. But ignore its pimples. Noble House is great. It is the salvation of the miniseries. For unlike Windmills of the Gods and every other mini in recent (and unhappy) memory, Noble House tells a story too big and too majestic for a mere two-hour movie. That's why it’s a miniseries. And this is what every miniseries should be.

Grade A



Chicago Tribune: TV Week
Feb 1988

Kenneth R Clarke

But it is Pierce Brosnan known to television viewers as Remington Steele, a lightweight come to life figment of Stephanie Zimbalist's imagination, who packs the biggest punch.

As Ian Dunross the new Tai-Pan of Straun Enterprises, which is the corporate name of Noble House, Brosnan is nitroglycerine in a bottle - cool and controled - but very perilous if not handled with care. He plays the role with an aura that harkens back to Hollywood's star system Clark Gable and Robert Taylor were elemental forces beyond mere talent.

Clavell who sold the screen rights to "Tai Pan" years ago when money wasn't as plentiful as it is now was most pleased with Brosnan.

"I'd like to see him in costume pictures - something like "The Scarlet Pimpernel" or "Tai Pan", if I could get the rights back to make it into a mini-series," he said. "He'd be great as Dick Straun. He's got that [ ] arrogance rather like Sean Connery has. He's very dignified but there's a brooding there. It's the Irish, that Celtic quality."

[loogthan]

Thankyou very much for the articles, Ace. After reading them I realized I also read the Chicago Tribune article and I recently bought it too.

[loogthan]

Out of curiosity, has anyone seen a copy of the script of "Noble House"? I've been searching on ebay and besides the Bond and Steele scripts, most of the scripts of Pierce's movies are hardly available.

[loogthan]

I checked on Amazon to look at the listing for the Noble House DVD again and they listed the running time as 376 minutes. I’ve never seen the original broadcast on NBC but I have the 3-tape version which was released in 1997 and its length is about 355 minutes. Since it is probably correct to assume there will be no special features included, I began to wonder about the
difference in length. Is it just a typo or is Lionsgate including the title and end credits for the four parts of the mini-series on the DVDs? I’ve watched my tapes several times over the years and there doesn’t seem to be anything missing or edited out.

[Ace]

I noticed the time as well. If it's a typo then Lionsgate made it because that 376m is also up at Barnes & Noble and DVD Empire. Lionsgate doesn't have it on their site yet though.

[Xenia]

I can't wait to see this mini, didn't catch it the first time it was out.

[Ace]

The info on the back cover says Widescreen and 376 min

[icyvice]

Too bad there are no special features in this DVD release. I really love the mini-series.

[Ace]

As of today the DVD selling rank is:

Amazon: #21
Empire: #20 overall (#15 current)
Barnes & Noble: #41

Pretty cool for a 20 yr old mini series with no extras.

[steeleinc]

I went to Best Buy yesterday to get it and they didn't have it - said it was available through their web site. So came home and ordered it from Amazon. I'd have pre-ordered it if I'd known I couldn't buy it in person.

Debra

[loogthan]

A rather brilliant restoration for such an epic mini-series! I pre-ordered it from Amazon and just received it yesterday--I couldn’t resist to take a look at it. The visual quality is nearly flawless, sharper and more stunning than I had anticipated (especially to see Pierce’s blue eyes). The sound is great: I love the grand Tai-pan theme playing on the main menu as well as Casey’s
romantic theme played during the scene selection menus. Otherwise, the clarity of sound effects, voices, and instruments is wonderful. Although I would’ve preferred moving images from the film on the main menu. Anyway, the mini-series is divided up into four episodes, two on each disc. This is such a personal reward to me--I’ve been looking forward to viewing this on
DVD ever since I wrote the film analysis article a few months back in honor of the 20th anniversary of its broadcast on NBC. It was my very first critique intended for publication since I graduated from Rider University. Actually, I decided to write the analysis right after I realized there were plans for this official release. Perhaps it was joss after all!

[loogthan]

I just finished viewing Episode 3 and had a few observations I wanted to share with everyone. Thus far, nothing seems to be missing (in comparison to the 3-tape version released in ‘97). It’s such a shame there are no extras on the discs--I would love to know what scenes were filmed but were deleted because of time constraints or NBC (especially if they were scenes between Ian and Casey). I can’t wait to locate a copy of the original script for the mini-series. Love the cliffhangers at the end of each episode, they always leave you wanting to know what will happen next. In terms of storytelling, the main and subplots keep twisting and turning; either truly satisfying or better than you would expect. The trick is that sometimes the acting as well as the cinematography work together to deceive the audience i.e. when there is a high angle shot of Ian’s car driving through traffic, the camera pulls back to reveal it is from Gornt’s point of view, he smirks which may imply he is involved with John’s kidnapping--which we find out later that he is not. I noticed a particular extra in the scenes at the races--he looks a lot like Bron Roylance [he is noticeable in the stands twice near Ian and in the background between Pugmire & Billsmith and later behind Havergill].

A bit off topic here: I was wondering about the “Shogun” miniseries. Is it worth taking a look at? I’ve tried the novel; however, it’s too violent. “Tai-Pan” was a more enjoyable read. What about “Whirlwind”? Is Ian a character in it? I wonder what is written on the coin; I’m assuming it probably reads: “In Jin-Qua’s Name” since there are four characters and Paul Choy mentions it when he makes the request, also from the
novel “Tai-Pan” Jin-Qua gave the coins to Dirk Struan in exchange for a loan to save the Noble House.

Extra bits of trivia: the novel was translated and adapted into a new novel & miniseries in Thailand in ‘98, situations and plots were readjusted to fit into the Thai culture during that actual time period when the government was in financial crisis with the IMF. Characters were condensed to ‘take over’ several roles, Ian’s love interests in the past were brought into the subplots with changes to their relations to him. I have a copy of this Thai version and just recently watched it right before I got the DVD. The themes which (in my opinion) existed in the original miniseries also are implied in this translated version. There was also another novel & miniseries partly based upon “Noble House” which deals with a trading firm (this
time located in Hong Kong in ‘91), complete with sibling rivalry for the position of “Tai-Pan,” the underworld, along with the luxurious lifestyle of the protagonist as supreme leader of the company. However, the first version is closer in proximity to “Noble House.”

[Ace]

Shogun is brilliant and rightly regarded as one of the premiere mini-series and TV events of all time. I'd buy a copy but the price is still a bit steep for something I probably wouldn't watch over and over because of it's length and because it's so powerful. Alas it's not for rental in any place around me (no I don't have nor will get NetFlix) I think it's Clavell's best novel from this group as well, maybe best overall and the mini series is a stunning adaptation.

Yes, Bron is an extra in NH and most clearly seen at that small party (I think takes place at the track) .

I haven't got hold of the NH DVD yet. Is it truly in widescreen? Or did they just cut the tops and bottom off a pan and scan version?