Armistead Maupin's Geschichten aus San Franzisko

Tales of the City is a film about which one has to impose oneself into a different mindset in order to write. This adaptation of Armistead Maupin's classic novel adopts a lampoon of chronicling story yarns, taking place in a progressive neighborhood in San Francisco where the least accepted felt in the time in which the film takes place was a place wherein they could live freely amongst their own, and the otherwise accepted were the ones who are subject to adjustment. At the same time it involves elements that are larger than life, its structure creates an atmosphere that is so close to life that it is larger than film.

It starts as the sumptuously sexy Laura Linney plays a naïve girl from the Midwest seeking a change in her life, impulsively to San Francisco, soon finding herself living in a neighborhood where things are out of control only because they are the natural way of the world unlike the perception of a reticent, sheltered American woman. Her life knots with her various neighbors and an incidental mass of quaint, intriguing, odd, bizarre, perfectly normal characters. It's an upturned impression of San Francisco in the 1970's, exploring what the rest of the world saw as "alternative lifestyles" and "underground culture," and what they saw of themselves. This includes a host of wonderfully entertaining performances, especially by the endlessly charming Parker Posey.

For anyone willing open their mind to the exploration of gays, casual drug users, free thinkers, different sorts of mysterious, nonconformist people, and the repressed, Tales of the City is a striking portrait with a picturesque environment, and the comings and goings in the lives of the multitude of characters strike a chord with us that love is as unpredictable as everything else, and that there always very well may be fathoms of new discovery and progression in our existence.

This mini-series has great writing, memorable characters, fine acting from a stellar cast, and is sure to flap even the most unflappable viewer.

The absolutely unflinching look at the lives and loves of a group of eccentric characters in the free-love environment of late 1970's San Francisco. Promiscuity and drug use run rampant, relationships and lives are destroyed and rebuilt, but gay, straight, or bisexual, we really care about the characters.

Excellent dialogue and acting, coupled with fine acting, turn what could easily have been a pornographic exlpoitation picture into a true work of art. I highly recommend it.

These actors were so well cast. I had read the book long before the mini-series came along. But this cast was almost exactly what I had imagined as I read the chapters. What an amazingly interesting and fun story of life. Not just life in San Fran in the '70's, but of human emotions and interaction anywhere and anytime. Very well acted and directed. If you like this, then by all means, pick up all of Armistad's books - you'll love them!

Why do current versions of this original series look bad? It looks like it was sourced from VHS tapes. I know the series was shot on16mm film. This format still wouldn't produce the poor quality we see now. If the original 16mm was used as the source, the quality would be much better than what we are now being offered.

I have had a copy of this series since it originally was broadcast on my local PBS station. Watch it many a time since.

I found the entire series to be a wonderful unflinching look at the times/situations relative to the mid to late 1970's San Francisco. I've heard and read of what went on during that decade, and found what was portrayed to be accurate, but deftly done to not offend in any major way. Yes, there was nudity, sex and what not, but like I said, it was deftly dealt with.

The characters were believable and had obviously been well fleshed out in their back histories. You understand, as the series moves along, the main character's histories, rare in productions of this type.

I find I like watching this series, partly because I was old enough to remember some aspects of the late 70's. (I was in junior high at the time) but because of the stories that are woven throughout the piece. A well cast and thought out production. It's rare to see a mini series, or film for that matter, be this accurate in portraying the late 70's.