Before seeing it a few days ago I had never heard of this movie and I guess there are many other people like me who don't know it yet. I don't think it has ever had much of publicity, which would explain why it is so unknown to the public. But of course you can find it on this website and all I read about it is that it is perfect, an absolute gem, the best comedy ever... Well, I'm afraid I can't completely agree with that. Yes it is good, but it wasn't brilliant and somehow it was never able to really keep my full attention.
Even though the movie has been made in 1995, so only 10 years ago, it feels a lot older. That's not only because of the subject (the story is set in the 1930's), but also because of the humor and the way everything is told. It seemed to me like if this movie was made in the 1950's: nice to watch, but a bit too honest. The humor can be quite dark from time to time (which I really like), but somehow the entire movie isn't as sharp as I hoped it would be.
The movie tells the story of the 20 year old Flora Poste, recently orphaned and left with only 100 pounds a year, who wants to become a writer and who is in desperate need of money and inspiration. She sends letters to many relatives and ultimately decides to go and live with the Starkadder, some distant relatives who live on Cold Comfort Farm. It is said that the farm and everybody living there is doomed, in reality it is the old grandmother who doesn't allow her family to do what they like to. As a real matriarch, she decides what the members of the family will do, but gradually Flora takes over power and makes her relatives see that there might be a better life...
The acting is OK, but the story is a bit too black and white in my opinion. Of course, you could see this as an extra point of comedy, but I think it would have been better if the differences and contrast between the rich people living in the city and the poor people on the countryside were a bit less pronounced. Anyway, that doesn't mean that the movie isn't any good or not watchable. I still give it a 6.5/10.
Even though the movie has been made in 1995, so only 10 years ago, it feels a lot older. That's not only because of the subject (the story is set in the 1930's), but also because of the humor and the way everything is told. It seemed to me like if this movie was made in the 1950's: nice to watch, but a bit too honest. The humor can be quite dark from time to time (which I really like), but somehow the entire movie isn't as sharp as I hoped it would be.
The movie tells the story of the 20 year old Flora Poste, recently orphaned and left with only 100 pounds a year, who wants to become a writer and who is in desperate need of money and inspiration. She sends letters to many relatives and ultimately decides to go and live with the Starkadder, some distant relatives who live on Cold Comfort Farm. It is said that the farm and everybody living there is doomed, in reality it is the old grandmother who doesn't allow her family to do what they like to. As a real matriarch, she decides what the members of the family will do, but gradually Flora takes over power and makes her relatives see that there might be a better life...
The acting is OK, but the story is a bit too black and white in my opinion. Of course, you could see this as an extra point of comedy, but I think it would have been better if the differences and contrast between the rich people living in the city and the poor people on the countryside were a bit less pronounced. Anyway, that doesn't mean that the movie isn't any good or not watchable. I still give it a 6.5/10.