The City and the City

While reading The City and the City I remember thinking how it would make an exquisite blockbuster. The CGI was needed not to hide the lack of story, which seems to be the standard for contemporary mainstream, but to enhance it.

Yet we got a TV show. At first I dismissed it, but didn't resist the urge to watch. Eventually I think this is a pretty good TV show.

Obviously, this production can't surpass a blockbuster, but the cohabitation of Beszel and Ul Coma was done in a best possible way with the budget given. As if Eastern Europe of the Cold War with its police state met with the contemporary business districts in the Middle East, tightly controlled by law enforcement and secret service. Sarcastically speaking, the only difference between the two was the appearance.

And what made this TV show even better than the literally template was the ending. In the book it slid towards not particularly convincing fantasy. Here it was done in the only possible way for the given setting, as an anticlimax.

Superbly atmospheric rendition, beautifully photographed and with strong characters. The first episode would surely be confusing for those not familiar with the book, but even then, the air of mystery and menace is so compelling that they must also be drawn in. Techniques that seem crude on the surface - blurring of part of an image to indicate that it's not culturally possible to perceive it, umlauts and other diacritics on signs in English - work surprisingly well. David Morrissey's gestures are sometimes a little irritating, especially his over-frequent technique of grimacing while he places one hand over his eyes to indicate that he's seeing something he shouldn't be seeing. Mandeep Dhillon great. Dominik Scherrer's soundtrack disappointing. An indication of how a two state solution could turn out? Loved it, but consider reading the novel first.

The confusing opening episode: the weird geography was bound to be disorientating, but the initial flashbacks of the detective's wife appeared, confusingly, to be contemporary.

The interesting journey of the middle two episodes: the teasing possibility of the existence of something mythical.

The disappointing resolution of the fourth and final episode: so this adaptation (if not the source novel itself) is really just a police procedural with a murder investigation that spans a border that's difficult to cross?

Highly stimulating, engaging and thought provoking - actually had to concentrate to understand what is going on. Definitely not a veg out - have to turn off the computer and watch. Reminded me very much of East Berlin in the 80s. Must read the book.

Two worlds who choose to ignore and avoid the other but are physically next door to each other as part of a greater metropolis city. Just to make things even more interesting, is there a third ancient city no one wants to admit exists?