Masterpiece on US Public Television has been airing the BBC Aurelio Zen series starring Rufus Sewell, This coming Sunday July 30 they'll show the last episode of the series at 9:00pm EST.
Below is a video interview with Michael Dibdin the late author of the Zen series of detective novels. Though Mr. Dibdin was British, the novels are set in Italy and Zen is very much a Venetian. In the interview below from The Guardian Dibdin talks about how losing his job led to writing the books and also his years and experience of living in Italy. He also talks about his relationship with his creation, Aurelio Zen.
Update: Video of Rufus Sewell talking about Zen from PBS Masterpiece
Watch the full episode. See more Masterpiece.
How have you found the series? I haven't watched it yet. Any good? Highly recommended? I love mysteries...
ReplyDeleteFor some reasons, Rufus is now firmly stuck in my brain as the character Jasper Bloom in The Holiday... I know he's done a lot of other roles but he's just Jasper to me.
@Calexora I love mysteries too, I like the series, and enjoying the views of Rome. Seems to be an Italian/British cast mostly, and I think the Brits do a good job of trying to be Italian. I recommend it. I've seen Rufus in many things, but never as Jasper Bloom in The Holiday. First time I saw him in Middlemarch, also like The Taming of the Shrew (Shakespeare Re-visited) and Cold Comfort Farm...
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this interview. How did you come upon the books? Or related reading due the adaptation? Must add I've never been more grateful for the introduction tradition. The British have a long history of spending time in Italy (think Merchant/Ivory) but these stories are all about Italian characters. And Rome the city plays a character too. Lovely smooth score too.
ReplyDelete@Fanny Mysteries are usually my escape and I prefer mystery novels set in a place or culture outside of the one I live in, or set in another time. In the days when I used to read newspapers I would read all the Sunday book reviews and I thought it was very interesting that an Englishman was writing mysteries about an Italian cop set in Italy. Once I read the first book, I liked and related to Zen,he's more world-weary in the books than Rufus' portrayal. He's somewhat of an outsider if I remember well. It was quite a few years ago though, before Dibdin passed away,and I read maybe three of them, I'm sure they're in one of my bookshelves. I would recommend them if you like mysteries.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking for a good distraction and I'm like you Fabo, when I need to 'décrocher' (escape a bit) I like mysteries. I love all sorts of novels but mysteries are wonderful to stop thinking and just be entertained and thrilled. :D So, I'll definitely add this series to my must watch list. Thanks for the recommendation. :D
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