Good start, but then it gets ruined

Am I Missing Something?

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Noble House based on James Clavells novel was a hit mini series way back in the eighties and it still retains all the magic that made it compulsive viewing then. A first rate plot, the fabulous Hong Kong location, a brilliant production team and a cast headed by Pierce Brosnan and John Rhys- Davies. The newly released Blu Ray version is stunning and adds a new dimension altogether to the hugely impressive visual quality, with its vibrant colours and crystal clear focus. I have waited for years for this to be released on DVD and had almost given up hope it would ever happen. I believe that it would attract a whole new generation of fans if re-released and I strongly recommend it.

Writing strictly about the DVD release of this mini-series, the 16 X 9 treatment was a real nice addition to the excellent color, easy to use menu and beautiful sound that surrounds this great story. I am not a Pierce Brosnan fan, but he performs admirably the task of playing Ian Dunross, Tai Pan of the Noble House.The other characters jump off the screen in this crisp, vibrant and colorful DVD release.The only objection I have is to the tiresome way they always have to play the full credits at the beginning of each segment of the mini-series. Why can't they have a credit chapter that only plays once? All in all, one of the better releases on DVD of an old VHS set.

I still remember looking forward anxiously to seeing this miniseries when it first aired -- I had considered "Noble House" James Clavell's masterpiece, even greater than "Shogun." I had come away from reading the book with the sense of knowing the characters as if they were real people, and missing them when the book was finished.In some cases, the characterizations in the miniseries hit the mark. Pierce Brosnan does an excellent job as the supremely self-confident Ian Dunross, John Rhys-Davies gives a truly inspired performance of charming villainy as Quillan Gornt, Burt Kwouk is very convincing as the compradore of the Noble House, and Gordon Jackson did a fine turn as the committed, conflicted Superintendent Armstrong. I also thought Julia Nickson Soul really heated up the screen; she was much better than a young Tia Carrere (in her pre-"Wayne's World" days).Unfortunately, I thought the American performances were weak. Deborah Raffin was OK as K.C. Tcholok, but I would have preferred it if they had stuck to the story and not had her wind up romantically involved with Ian Dunross. The weakest in my opinion, though, was Ben Masters as Linc Bartlett. While Mr. Masters may be a good actor, I didn't think he carried this role off very well. In the book, Bartlett is a cool, calculating, and yet personable man who comes across as opportunistic but respectful of Hong Kong business and cultural traditions. Clavell wrote him as a friendly, likable man who moves easily into the circles of power in the Colony but who is an unknown, unpredictable quantity to all of the vying factions. I thought that Mr. Masters overplayed the part as too cocky, too brash, and too shallow to be a likable or sympathetic figure. In the novel, I thought Bartlett was an intriguing character on a par with Dunross. In the miniseries, I generally thought he was just a jerk.That aside, while the miniseries has to trim a lot of the interesting sub-plots in the interest of time, it does a good job of remaining true to the spirit of Clavell's novel. I'd agree with the observation that you should watch the miniseries, then read the novel to see what the story was REALLY about.

Noble House has been well represented on screen - mostly due to the involvement of the author, James Clavell, in the writing of the screenplay.Pierce Brosnan, in his role as Tai-pan Ian Dunross, shows the very talents that would have directly influenced the decision to offer him the role of James Bond. He perfectly blends the debonair with the ruthlessness required to survive in the competitive world of Hong Kong trading companies.Deborah Raffin's performance leaves something to be desired, portraying the corporate female executive making it in a 'man's world'.The book, as is usually the case, is far better, with more interesting sub-plots being developed.Inspector Cross is actually a KGB spy, KC Tcholok was never involved with Ian Dunross - she was Linc Bartletts mistress, and Ian Dunross was married. The reference made in the film to Linc's final question about 'how easy is it to get married in Hong Kong' was not related to Orlanda Ramos - but to Casey.Despite the shortcomings of the mini-series in direct comparison with the book, viewers should judge the mini-series on it's own - without reference to the book.My advice - see the mini-series first - then read the book. If you like the series, you must read the book - it is well worth your while.