Part of our Cable TV package includes HBO. This is a channel
that shows a lot of Movies.

They also show Comedy Show like Robin William performing Live from Broadway.

HBO also shows programs from other TV Networks. Some of them are:

Oz, (a drama set in a Prison, The Sorprano’s, (from Fox Network), Sex and the City and Dennis Miller Live.

Tonight they will be showing the films:

Held Up, Swordfish, the Hollow Man and Sex & The City 66. Moulin Rouge will be shown soon.

AN EXAMPLE OF THE FILMS THEY SHOW:

A few nights ago we watched THE GOVERNESS was Directed by Sandra Goldbacher and was released by Tri Star Films in 1998. It runs about an hour and three-quarters.

It takes place during the 1850’s in London and the Isle of Skye in Scotland.

It shows the prejudice, self-discovery and that the Victorian of England were not prudes.

During the film people who are not of the Jewish Faith will see many rituals performed.

THE RITUALS:

1) In the opening scene you will see a ‘Purim’, (this is the story of Queen Ester in the Old Testament).

It is a service at a Sephardic, (Jews who origins stem from Spain or Portugal), Synagogue.

In London the Jewish Men always wore black top hats to the Synagogue. They were seated on the lower level.

The Married Women all wore hats and the unmarried one’s, (like the Minnie Driver), are not required to wear hats and sit in the balcony of the Synagogue.

2) When her Father dies suddenly you will see how Jewish people sit ’Shiva’, (morn), their love ones.

3) In the scene wear Ms. Driver is eating an egg dipping it in salt water she is performing one of the Rituals of the Seder, (the Last Supper of Jesus).

You will notice she is wearing a blue and white large shawl. This is called a ’Tallit’ and in those times was only worn by Men. She is wearing her dead Father’s Talit.

THE STARS:

Minnie Drier plays Rosina da Silva and when she is the Governess she uses the name Mary Blackchurch.

Tom Wilinson plays Charles Cavendish the Father of the home the Governess goes to.

Florence Hoath play the young girl Christina Cavendish that the Governess comes to be a compainion to.

Harriet Walthers plays Mrs. Cavendinsh.

Arlene Cockburn plays Lily Milk.

THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE FILM:

Emma Bird, Diana Brooks, Raymond Brody, Joe Bromley, Kendal Crammer, Countess Koulinsky, Adam Levy, Bruce Meyers, Ralph Riach, Steven Robbins and Cyril Shaps.


THE MUSIC:

There is some Victorian Music but most of it is the haunting, wailing music of the Middle East with the late Ofra Haza singing the vocals.

MY REVIEW:

Following her Fathers death her Mother tries to arrange a marriage to a much older Fish Monger. Rosina will not marry anyone she does not love.

To support her family she takes a job as a Governess in Scotland. When she arrives there the house looks ’gothic’, the Mistress of the house is a snob who pretends to miss London, (she has never been to London in the life), a young girl who is a brat and teenage brother who falls in love with the Governess and a Master who only cares about his work.

The Fathers ’work’ is to try and discover a way to make photographs ’stick to the paper’. He is a loner and will not allow anyone in his Studio. He only appears to eat meals with his Family.

Mary sneaks into his Studio one night to see what he is doing. Charles finds out she is an interesting person who can think for her self and enlists her to help him catalogue his fading photographs.

Mary discovers the way to keep the images on the paper. He promises her that her name will follow his on a research paper.

From time to time during the night her Father pays her a ’ghostly’ visit. He is able to levitate her from her waste up off her pillow. He never leaves without saying, ’ Sh’ma Yis-ro-al A-do-nay e-lo-hay-nu A-do-noy-e-hod’, (a Hebrew pray meaning ’Hear, O Israel: the Lord our G-D, the Lord is One’. This is said every time we meet to pray and should be the last prayer we say before we pass away).

Mary fascinates Charles and seduces him or is it the other way around? I’m not quite sure! She falls in love with him but he is much to busy to admit that he has feeling for her.

This Family dislikes Jewish people. The teenage Son falls in love with Mary. He sneaks into her room whenever he can. He finds out her ’secret’. He doesn’t tell it for quite a while. He tells it comes by accident when he gets angry with his Father.

I will leave the review at this point because I never tell the entire story in case someone has not seen the film.

MY THOUGHTS:

Minnie Driver steals every scene she is in I think she is a beautiful Women. I respect her because she doesn’t feel she needs to starve herself to become thin like so many Actresses do today.

I especially love the Cinematography and the Music that was had a Middle Eastern Sound, (by using variety percussion instruments).

I enjoyed this film very much and highly recommend it to you.

THE COMPANY:

HBO is a Television Station that opened over 30 years ago.
At hat time it was an all movie Channel.

Today it is part of the AOL, Times Warner Brothers Empire. This Company also owns Newsweek Magazine and CNN TV. AOL is one wal you can use to acess the internet.

THE ADS:

All TV Stations need advertisments to survive. I find there are less on HBO than on most other Stations.

MY THOUGHTS:

I have no idea what it costs to have HBO added to your TV
at home, (as it comes as part of our package). If you can afford the fees then I hope you will pay them because HBO cheaper than renting Video’s. I hope you will give HBO a try
as I’m sure you will enjoy it.

©LL2002

Average Program Rating:	TV PG -- parental guidance suggested
Commercial Interruption:	No Comment