Keep Agatha Fresh!

I don’t know why so many people get their panties all bunched up over KB’s adaptation of this one.

1) KB’s other 2 films already had wonderful, gorgeous, star-studded adaptations. They also both had great, faithful TV adaptations (and radio and graphic novel adaptations too.) KB’s earlier movies are pretty and good enough but completely unnecessary. Most importantly, they offer mystery fans no surprises. What mystery fan hasn’t either seen or read Agatha’s most famous stories? Orient Express should be considered a dead and buried story at this point. Resurrect it only if there’s a high concept change and a different ending.

2) Halloween Party isn’t one of Agatha’s best. It just isn’t. It’s also definitely not a “big picture” kind of story. It’s more suitable for television. And there already exists a faithful TV adaptation of it.

I don’t understand some Agatha fans. What joy can they possibly derive from seeing a faithful adaptation when (and this is the key point) a faithful production already exists. It’s like the 1990s shot-for-shot remake of Psycho. How boring. I also like to see movies based on books I’ve read. But once is enough.

I devoured everything Agatha years ago and I return to her stories and their adaptations occasionally. Unfortunately my Agatha cherries are all popped and there’s no going back: I’ll never again get that “ah ha!” feeling from one of Agatha’s surprises (the crappy “literary” efforts that the Christie estate has published certainly don’t scratch that itch!) KB’s lavishly produced films offer the chance for surprise. (And so do the books of many golden age detective fiction authors. Many are even better than Agatha’s.)

Granted, this film wasn’t incredible. But it was good. And it was pretty. And fun. And had some gorgeous imagery and spooky atmosphere. But I was more invested in the film because I didn’t already know whodunnit.

I think I’m part of a vocal minority of Agatha Christie fans who believe it’s time to mix and match, to experiment. We’ve already done faithful. Suchet and Hickson are definitive. Those series were amazing and they’ve been restored, so we’ll have them forever no matter how many Ks there are in our TVs. It’s time for something new.

And in that regard, at least as long as they stay true to the characters and the spirit of Agatha Christie, I hope they keep on mixing and I hope KB makes a ton more of these.

(That said, I’m not open to a Miss Marple who is actually a blind ninja with ESP who lives in St. Mary J. Blige just outside Detroit or a Hercule Poirot who is a “Woman” of the (Current) Year TikTokker in a polyamorous relationship with their “non-binary” sidekick Hay Stings Rivetdriver.)