one of the best things made for television ever. originally aired on HBO in 1987, the first series featured nine episodes of veteran british actor john hurt as a giant nosed nameless storyteller in the habit of telling the most elaborate folk tales to his talking dog (puppeteered by son brian henson). some of the tales you might recognize but all are radically reworked from their commonly known versions being based on the stories as they're known in other parts of the world. in the show's version of cinderella ("sapsorrow"), the heroine does indeed have two mean sisters, but is also on the run from her father as he is bound by law to marry her after she accidentally puts on her dead mother's ring. the prince to whom she will supposedly marry has little to no respect for her, knowing her only as "straggletag", a hairy beast unrecognizable as female or even human working as a maid in the palace's filthiest kitchens. in "the soldier and death", a soldier uses some magical gifts won him with his kindness to capture death itself and put an end to the business of dying altogether. in "a story short", the storyteller recounts a time in his own life when he was a beggar and had to tell one story at the king's court for every day of the year, only to fall a story short on the very last day. the adaptations are all truly fantastic and further thanks to john hurt's brilliant acting, some ingenius editing and visual work the show is genuinely memorable. the second series was dedicated entirely to greek myths, this time with michael gambon in john hurt's shoes, and although it did not quite hit the same heights it was by no means bad. a dvd of both series is available for purchase on amazon here, and you can easily find most or all of the episodes on eMule.
one of the best things made for television ever. originally aired on HBO in 1987, the first series featured nine episodes of veteran british actor john hurt as a giant nosed nameless storyteller in the habit of telling the most elaborate folk tales to his talking dog (puppeteered by son brian henson). some of the tales you might recognize but all are radically reworked from their commonly known versions being based on the stories as they're known in other parts of the world. in the show's version of cinderella ("sapsorrow"), the heroine does indeed have two mean sisters, but is also on the run from her father as he is bound by law to marry her after she accidentally puts on her dead mother's ring. the prince to whom she will supposedly marry has little to no respect for her, knowing her only as "straggletag", a hairy beast unrecognizable as female or even human working as a maid in the palace's filthiest kitchens. in "the soldier and death", a soldier uses some magical gifts won him with his kindness to capture death itself and put an end to the business of dying altogether. in "a story short", the storyteller recounts a time in his own life when he was a beggar and had to tell one story at the king's court for every day of the year, only to fall a story short on the very last day. the adaptations are all truly fantastic and further thanks to john hurt's brilliant acting, some ingenius editing and visual work the show is genuinely memorable. the second series was dedicated entirely to greek myths, this time with michael gambon in john hurt's shoes, and although it did not quite hit the same heights it was by no means bad. a dvd of both series is available for purchase on amazon here, and you can easily find most or all of the episodes on eMule.