More Tales of the City (3pc)

An important part to any DVD (or movie) purchase is whether it holds up after repeated viewing and this certainly passes the test. Unfortunately, the original PBS "Tales" is tied up in a legal mess and unavailable on DVD for the forseeable future. Looking forward to "Further Tales" set to air in Spring 2001. It is rare these days for an author to have such creative control over a movie/mini-series project. Maupin's love for these characters (and the actors who play them) is clearly evident. Hopefully, future "Tales" DVDs will have the caring treatment that was put into this set.


Not As Great As the Books But Still Good To See !!!   June 25, 2000
18 out of 18 found this review helpful

Ok. The stories of 28 Barbary Lane continue with more laughs, more sex and more mysteries with Armistead Maupin's More Tales of the City, a six-part miniseries (COMPLETE SET OF THREE TAPES) follow-up to the highly successful Tales of the City. Picking up where the original left off, Anna Madrigal (Dukakis) is still keeping watch over her tenants Mary Ann (Linney), who finds love with the mysterious Burke (Ferguson), and Michael "Mouse" Tolliver (Hopkins, replacing Marcus D'Amico), who falls hard for the dreamy Dr. Fielding (Campbell). Meanwhile, Mona (Siemaszko replacing Chloe Webb) heads off in search of her birth mother; and Beauchamp (Gibson) deals with his wife Dede's (Garrick) impending motherhood. More Tales is just as enjoyable as the original, and since there is less time introducing the characters, there's more time spent with them and developing them. Tensions about showing nudity and depicting homosexuality, which caused a controversy with the first production, have been lessened (this was made for Showtime, not PBS as the original was), making the sequel more relaxed. As before, the series captures 1970s San Francisco in all its glory, featuring fabulous period details in the clothes, music and fads of the era. It's like reuniting with long-lost old friends!


Happily Surprised   June 24, 2000
Kevin C. Key (Berwyn, Illinois USA)
14 out of 16 found this review helpful

I was a bit leary of this "mini-series" because I loved the books so much, and this production replaced a couple of the lead stars from the first series. Any disappointment I felt, though, was quickly lost as I fell in love with the characters all over again, and soon forgot about the changes. What a great story with deliciously satisfying surprise turns and twists! The actors obviously relished these roles and put everything into them. Especially terrific about the DVD is the commentary from the author and stars of the series. I found it captivating--couldn't pull myself away from their stories, and can't wait to sit down and listen to them again. There's nothing like this out there. It should be part of your library!


Superb sequel to a great TV Miniseries   January 27, 1999
A. Andersen (Bellows Falls, VT USA)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

MORE TALES fleshes out characterization, answers a few mysteries left over from the original and deepens our understanding of our beloved friends at 28 Barbary Lane as they grow and change. Most striking is Paul Hopkins creation of Mouse. The oriignal actor in the role was delightful and most appealing but Hopkins has something extra - besides his drop-dead gorgeous face - a quiet strength and sensitivity, a radiance, if you will- especially in his near deathbed monologue of a letter to his homophobic parents, proudly and eloquently stating his gay pride. His modulated and carefully controlled voice holds back strong emotion beautifully. Get out the box of kleenex! Dukakis is once again PERFECT as Anna Madrigal. Jackie Burroughs (where do these marvelous character actors come from) should have pulled off an Emmy for her original characterization of an octogenarian whorehouse madam. Warm glows, much love - God, I wish I lived with these people. Hope there are more to come!.


Loved it from start to finish   September 8, 1999
9 out of 13 found this review helpful

I've read all the books and loved them, but what thrills me about this is that I can see all the people I loved in the books fleshed out. I know some people didn't like the chages that where made with the charaters, but I didn't mind then at all. In fact I liked this cast better then the first. It had more depth and more chemistry. I enjoyed all the story lines but the one I enjoyed the most was Mouse and Jon. I was deepely sadden when they broke up in the first series, but like most people I love happy endings, and we get one here. For the most part. I hope they are going to make the next book, I would love to see how they translate it for the screen.