The Scarlet Letter

Just like the novel except I could actually follow the movie! I'm glad I did because when I re-read the book, it's really good.

I remember this series as a tween of about 13 years old. It always stayed with me and I was curious if it was a good as I remembered it at such an impressionable age. I am pleased to report it is even better! With a lifetime of knowledge and experience I picked up on a lot of subtleties that went right over my head back then. New Englanders will remember is as a WGBH production - the Boston area local PBS channel. I think people forget that before cable access and streaming television what an important role local stations played to bring quality programing to its viewers. The production is top-notch here: the costumes are authentic to the era, acting is superb, camera work is excellent, and the adaptation remains true to author Nathanial Hawthorne's original voice. About 12 years later a cinema version was released that failed miserably on all these marks. This version of "The Scarlet Letter" remains the gold standard for me. Let's please introduce it to the streaming family of programing so a new generation may appreciate this timeless classic.

As a movie buff, I give this DVD 1.5 stars. As an English teacher, I give it 5.Cons:Ultra-low budget productionCostumes meant to be dramatic, are actually comicFilmed on video - looks and sounds almost submergedCampy music is source of uproarous class laughterSpecial effects that aren't special at all (i.e. hilarious meteor)It takes at least one hour to get used to Meg Foster's eyes"Boston" has the feeling of "this is all we could afford"Actress who plays Mistress Hibbens attempts to act "near the edge" and instead plunges over itPros:Extremely faithful to the bookMany critical scenes are reproduced word-for-wordHigh School appropriate, (unlike Demi Moore's version)Would be rated "G" if it had a rating - no profanity or nudityQuite compelling performances by Meg Foster and John HeardBecomes strangely more and more believable as it progressesNice use of natural light and sceneryConvenient menus divided by titles of book chaptersUntil someone decides to film this book properly, with a big budget, faithful script, THX sound and world-class actors, this 1979 PBS special on DVD is the only choice for English teachers.There are, of course, two earlier versions. The first is a silent film that I have not seen. The second is from 1934 and I've seen enough of it to know that it is so hopelessly ancient, with choppy, jerky black and white cinematography and sound that seems to have come from an Alexander G. Bell wax cylinder, that high school students will likely be unable to connect with it.The third version is this 1979 PBS miniseries on DVD. It is four hours long, and comes on two discs packed in one box. I have found that it lends itself quite well to being shown in conjunction with assigned chapters, and follows the book very faithfully.All in all, I'm pleased with my investment, and while my students enjoyed laughing at some aspects of the film's (lack of) production quality, they certainly seem to have benefitted from it in terms of comprehension. I recommend it to my fellow English teachers without reservation, until something better comes along.Final Note: My classes saw this DVD displayed on a big screen by a Hitachi CP-S318 digital projector feeding from a Panasonic DVD player. Crammed down to a 29 inch TV, I'm not sure if it would be visually tolerable. The big screen gives it, (and us,) room to breath.

I think this is a pretty accurate retelling of the novel, and the chapters are handled in a way that it easily follows the plot of the novel. Also the setting, designs and look of the film definitely has the feel of The Scarlet Letter. I think some of the scenes are handled quite well. I show my class certain scenes while we are reading so they can visualize the story a bit better.That being said, the budget for this film seems to have been quite low, or at least it looks that way from many of the scenes. Some scenes are unintentionally funny. Also, I don't know if it is just the DVD I received or if others are like this, but I had trouble playing or forwarding tracks in certain players. It was a little frustrating.Overall, I think this is a pretty solid rendition of The Scarlet Letter. It is a bit cheezy and low budget, sure, but it is also fairly accurate if you are reading the novel, and easily beats that dreadful Demi Moore version from the 1990s.

Meg Foster especially is a revelation. Captures and IMO goes beyond what Hawthorne conveyed. This purity of spirit is a realm of feeling ... this spiritual striving... that is unfamiliar to modern Americans. The visuals are really nice too, eg Hester's embroidery which actually gets more and more skilled and ornate as the film goes on.

Foremost, this production actually does the novel, and it is well acted. I think Meg Foster embodies the character of Hester and brings an occult quality to the role that is present in the book. Her performance both enhances and amplifies the text. Hawthorne's work with its heavy reliance on symbolism and allegory is not easy to translate to cinema. I think Meg does a great job with a difficult character, and I have always felt the book is primarily about Hester. Dimmesdale and Chillingworth kill themselves through guilt and revenge respectively. Hester survives them, transcends the original meaning of the letter, and goes on to create what in effect was a support group for women in the 1600's. Although written by a man and published in 1850, the novel is ahead of its time and a huge shoutout and compliment to womankind.