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Country Matters | 
 enlarge | Directors: Barry Davis, John Mackenzie, Richard Martin
Actors: Ian Mckellan, Peter Firth, Joss Ackland, Pauline Collins, Trevor Bannister
Studio: Koch Vision
Category: DVD
List Price: $34.98
Buy New: $16.35
You Save: $18.63 (53%)
New (26) Used (4) from $16.35
Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 12548
Format: Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: Unrated
Number Of Items: 4
Running Time: 411
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: KOC-DV6485
UPC: 741952648598
EAN: 0741952648598
ASIN: B00124SNJS
Theatrical Release Date: 1972
Release Date: April 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
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Product Description
One of the most widely acclaimed drama series ever produced these adaptations of short stories by A.E. Coppard and H.E. Bates present provocative and heartwarming tales set against the vast English countryside during the post-World War I period. Filled with acute and realistic observations of nature and character Country Matters reveals the timeless and constant qualities of the British landscape and its inhabitants. Includes eight lavish dramas: Craven Arms The Mill The Sullen Sisters The Watercress Girl The Little Farm The Black Dog The Higgler and The Ring of Truth. Starring: Ian McKellan Peter Firth Pauline Collins Prunella Scales.System Requirements:Running Time: 411 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/BBC UPC: 741952648598 Manufacturer No: KOC-DV6485
Amazon.com
Based on short stories by A.E. Coppard and H.E. Bates, this Country Matters collection includes eight of the 50-minute episodes that helped form Masterpiece Theater's hybrid theater/television identity as go-to programming for understanding Great Britain. Country Matters portrays mostly tragic romance, set in rural England just after the first World War. Each episode provides accurate and fascinating costume and set design to illustrate the class differences, living habits, and manners of Brits in various regions, giving viewers a deeper knowledge of the culture clash that has occurred within this tradition-bound society. "Craven Arms" stars Ian McKellen as David, a figure-drawing teacher in love with three of his beauteous students, Kate, Nancy, and Julia. Suffering from what he calls his lack of "constancy," David's inability to commit takes him nowhere except on a lonely journey. Alice in "The Mill," a 17-year-old ditched by her parents to earn her keep on a nearby farm, also suffers through lonely sexual exploration. The first disc, also including "The Sullen Sisters" about two sisters, Lindy and Rachel, feuding over Tommy, an extremely young boy, offers little in the way of cheerful love. "The Little Farm" on disc two provides the first glimpse of short-term romantic success, as Edna Johnson (Barbara Ewing) moves onto Tom Richards' (Brian Marshall) farm, transforming his veritable pigsty with her woman's touch. "The Higgler" also hints at fleeting emotional uplift as higgler, Harvey (Keith Krinkel) is invited to befriend an educated lady, Mary (Sheila Rusgrove). Each story unravels slowly, quietly, and in dark rooms oft lit by lantern to show what life's pace used to be. While some episodes are more riveting than others, slight action is well compensated for by meticulous script and acting. Like the best in British drama, these short story adaptations rely on dialogue to enliven characters rather than showy special effects or bawdy sex. Country Matters certainly opens a window into the past, which feels like respite from today's cinematic overload. --Trinie Dalton
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| Customer Reviews:
 Painful!!!!!! May 25, 2008
4 out of 11 found this review helpful
I almost never stop watching something I have started no matter how much I dislike it. I abandoned this steaming pile after 90 of the most painful minutes of my life. My partner was lucky: He lost consciousness halfway through the first story.
The first story features Ian McKellen as an art teacher who is courting three young women all at the same time. Each of the woman is more vapid and uninteresting than the next. The plot was that the art teacher was the most interested in the woman who was the least interested in him. This was one of the most tedious hours I have ever spent watching anything.
I decided to watch the second story hoping things would get beter. Foolish, foolish, foolish. The second story was about an ignorant dolt of a girl whose doltish parents seemed to have little interest in her. She was sent to work for a man and a woman. The woman was an invalid. The man took sexual advantage of the girl. The girl didn't seem to care. At this point I didn't care either so I gave up.
The characters in both episodes were of no interest at all, and the pacing of the stories was deadly. I can't imagine any one deriving any kind of enjoyment from watching these.
Frank Caesar Branchini
Edgewater, MD
 McKellen is always worth watching! May 19, 2008
Ian McKellen is an actor that shines in everything he is in. I wish all his filmed work were released on DVD like this Masterpiece Theatre series. Excellent as always.
 "Anthology presented on Masterpiece Theatre ... Country Matters (1972) ... Koch Vision (2008)" May 2, 2008
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
Koch Vision and BBC presents "COUNTRY MATTERS" (1972) (411 mins/Color) (Dolby Digital) --- Country Matters was an anthology of H. E Bates and A. E. Coppard adaptations that aired on Masterpiece Theatre throughout the '70s, and the dramatizations are of the Masterpiece cliche, including starched acting, longing glances, endless rain --- The DVD collects eight randomly selected episodes from both seasons --- Stories are so sparse that sometimes a single sentence can give away the entire hour, but they all boil down to the same plot --- Boy meets girl, romance ensues, things end badly but this was BBC television at its finest in the early '70s.
Under the production staff of:
Donald McWhinnie - Director
Barry Davis - Director
John McKenzie - Director
Richard Martin - Director
Silvio Narizzano - Director
Derek Granger - Producer
A.E. Coppoard - Writer
H.E. Bates - Writer
Hugh Leonard - Adapted
James Saunders - Adapted
Julian Mitchell - Adapted
"COUNTRY MATTERS" (1972) - Season, Episode and Original Date Aired:
DISC ONE (1)
Season 1, Episode 1: Craven Arms (Original Air Date: 20 August 1972)
Season 1, Episode 2: The Mill (Original Air Date: 27 August 1972)
Season 1, Episode 3: The Sullens Sisters (Original Air Date: 3 September 1972)
Season 1, Episode 5: The Watercress Girl (Original Air Date: 17 September 1972)
DISC TWO (2)
Season 2, Episode 1: The Little Farm (Original Air Date: 28 January 1973)
Season 2, Episode 2: The Black Dog (Original Air Date: 4 February 1973)
Season 2, Episode 3: The Higgler (Original Air Date: 11 February 1973)
Season 2, Episode 6: The Ring of Truth (Original Air Date: 4 March 1973)
the cast includes:
Ian McKellen ... David Masterman
Susan Penhaligon ... Ianthe Forrest
Prunella Ransome ... Katherine Forrest
Rosalind Ayres
Robert Keegan
Peter Firth ... Tommy Adams
Penelope Wilton ... Rachel Sullens
Susan Fleetwood ... Mary McDowall
Gareth Thomas ... Frank Oppidan
Brian Marshall ... Tom Richards
Jane Lapotaire ... Orianda
Stephan Chase ... Gerald
Keith Drinkel ... Harvey Whitlow
Mary Weinbark
Prunella Scales
Nicholas Hoyte
Great job by Koch Vision --- looking forward to more high quality titles from the BBC Collection film market --- order your copy now from Amazon or Koch Vision where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch releases --- where they are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector.
Total Time: 411 mins on DVD ~ Koch Vision KOCV-6485 ~ (4/01/2008)
 Missing the most historic episode :-( April 19, 2008
6 out of 10 found this review helpful
I'd been waiting years to find this series because I wanted one historic episode starring Peter Firth: THE SIMPLE LIFE - one of the very first gay-themed "romances" shown on national TV. I was truly let down to find that this 2 disc set did not contain that episode (even though it does contain another episode with Peter Firth).
When I ordered it, I saw Firth listed as one of the stars so I had no idea the set lacked the only episode I actually wanted. I hope this missing episode will be forthcoming at some point
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