Joanna Page in David Copperfield
Today's Joanna Page

Today’s Joanna Page: David Copperfield

Today’s Joanna Page is David Copperfield, in which she played Dickensian femme fatale Dora Spenlow – her first big role if you ignore the important part of “Servant” (not to be confused with “Servant” or indeed “Servant”) in Mike Figgis’ somewhat dry and empty yet sexed-up Strindberg adaptation Miss Julie. David Copperfield and Miss Julie mark the beginning of her costume drama period, which includes The Cazalets, To The Ends of the World, The Lost World and, of course, Aladdin at the Old Vic with Sir Ian McKellen, where she played ‘Panky’.

Dickens and I never used to get on together. Sure, everyone loves A Christmas Carol: that’s a truism. But after struggling manfully with Bleak House at school and my mother’s copy of Pickwick Papers at home, I decided I didn’t like him – too florid, the characters too grotesque and the Kingsley-esque character naming a major irritant.

But David Copperfield changed all that and we’ve never looked back. I’m going to rabbit on more about it after the break, to save you from spoilers, although the book’s 160 years old now – is that the longest ‘spoiler warning’ I’ve given so far?

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The Andromeda Strain out on DVD

The Andromeda Strain - The Mini-Series

Blimey! That didn’t take long. 

It hasn’t aired in the UK yet – no one’s picked up the rights for one thing – and it only aired in the US over the Memorial Day weekend, yet The Andromeda Strain mini-series is already out on DVD in the UK.

I wonder what the thinking is there:

  • No one’s going to acquire it so get the cash while there might be Internet buzz?
  • No one’s going to acquire it so get the cash before there’s Internet buzz?
  • Sci-fi fans will buy it immediately and then watch it on tele anyway?
  • If it gets sold on DVD a lot, the TV companies will acquire it?
  • Something else?
Sitting Tennant

Today’s Sitting Tennant

I’m going to hazard a guess this is a Casanova shot. Note that even though you cannot see that David Tennant’s rear is in contact with a piece of furniture or supportive surface, he is clearly sitting – these pictures are still eligible for the Sitting Tennant gallery.

As Marie wittily reminded me yesterday, you can provide your own captions for this or any other picture in the gallery to amuse us all.

Got a picture of David Tennant sitting, lying down or in some indeterminate state in between? Then leave a link to it below and if it’s judged suitable, it will appear in the “Sitting Tennant” gallery in due course

Thursday’s “18 inch monument” news

Doctor Who

Film

British TV

US TV

  • Comedy Central renews Lewis Black’s Root of All Evil
  • Some mistake, surely? Sharon Osbourne to teach etiquette
  • Polly Walker joins Caprica
  • Gordon Ramsay nearly eats a Hell’s Kitchen contestant’s thumb