Greetings fans, time to put my political rantings aside for a bit and write about a miniseries now playing on Showtime. The series is called Pillars of the Earth and is based on a book written by Ken Follett. I first read the book back in 1989.

The story takes place in 12th century England and revolves around the construction of a cathedral. There are several central characters, Tom, Aliena, Jack and William. From Mr. Follett’s page:

In a time of civil war, famine and religious strife, there rises a magnificent Cathedral in Kingsbridge. Against this backdrop, lives entwine: Tom, the master builder, Aliena, the noblewoman, Philip, the prior of Kingsbridge, Jack, the artist in stone and Ellen, the woman from the forest who casts a curse. At once, this is a sensuous and enduring love story and an epic that shines with the fierce spirit of a passionate age.

The series is a period piece and so far is as intriguing as the novel. When I first read the book, I thought it would make a great miniseries, but not a very good movie. The details Mr. Follett wove into the written tome are just to much for a typical Hollywood 90 minute film.

The actress playing Aliena, Hayley Atwell, is cast perfectly in my mind. She is exactly as I pictured the character created by Mr. Follett. I will be perfectly honest that it’s been at least 15 years since I last read the book and I only remember bits and pieces. Of course I remember the cute girl. 😉

I also remember what a sick turd the character William Hamleigh is. He is a knight and of “Noble Blood” as is Aliena. Originally a marriage was being arranged between them but William showed his true nature, (Vicious psychopath), and tries to assault Aliena. She throws him out with the support of her father. William doesn’t take no for an answer and when Aliena’s family falls on hard times, he come in and rapes her. William Hamleigh is played by David Oakes.

The series is playing for the next 8 weeks on Showtime and if you are a subscriber I strongly recommend that you watch it. I also recommend purchasing the book. Books always have far greater detail then film.

~The Angry Webmaster~