THE 80s THEME PARTY!!!

Who watched The Thorn Birds when it first came out? Do you remember the big stink the Catholic church made because it came out on Easter weekend?

I did! It was a great miniseries. I have it on DVD.

I don't really recall the controversy, but read about it after the fact.

Rob wrote:

I did! It was a great miniseries. I have it on DVD.

I don't really recall the controversy, but read about it after the fact.

I loved it too. The controversy was that it came out on Easter weekend and that the movie--and book--are about a priest who breaks his vows. The Church probably woud have protested the film anyway, but the timing made it worse for them.

In the 90's, the network came out with The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years and that was just awful. I taped it, but I don't ever watch it. It went against the whole premise of the book that Maggie and Ralph were separated for many years after their time on Matlock Island.

That's funny. I also have The Missing Years on tape... somewhere. I heard bad things about it and never bothered to watch.

Did you know that Colleen McCullough, who wrote the novel The Thorn Birds, hated the original miniseries? Among other things, she thought that Richard Chamberlain was badly miscast as Father Ralph. Me, I can't imagine anyone else playing the part. :think:

Oh my gosh, The Thorn Birds was one of my favorite mini-series and that is why I named my daughter Megan because of the character Megan on the mini-series. I own the series and will still catch myself watching it if it is on television...

Richard Chamberlain was wonderful in that series. You know who would have also been good was Christopher Reeve...

Kathleen Marie wrote:

Oh my gosh, The Thorn Birds was one of my favorite mini-series and that is why I named my daughter Megan because of the character Megan on the mini-series. I own the series and will still catch myself watching it if it is on television...

Kathy, do you call your daughter Meggie, like Rachel Ward?

Rob wrote:

That's funny. I also have The Missing Years on tape... somewhere. I heard bad things about it and never bothered to watch.

Did you know that Colleen McCullough, who wrote the novel The Thorn Birds, hated the original miniseries? Among other things, she thought that Richard Chamberlain was badly miscast as Father Ralph. Me, I can't imagine anyone else playing the part. :think:

I had heard that McCullough was less than thrilled with it, but didn't know why. She really wasn't happy about the sequel either. She said something like, "There were no missing years." As for Richard Chamberlain, I agree, he was perfect, but very different from the Ralph in the book, so maybe she was looking for an actor who more closely resembled her Ralph. I didn't read the book until after the mini-series aired on TV and was suprised that Ralph was physically very different from Richard Chamberlain.

Did you hear that "The Thorn Birds: The Musical" will open in Wales this Spring? Here's an article I found: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/news/2009/01/09/wales-hosts-world-premiere-of-the-thorn-birds-musical-91466-22648909/

Kathleen Marie wrote:

Richard Chamberlain was wonderful in that series. You know who would have also been good was Christopher Reeve...

Definitely. Chris would have been great!

Yes Rob I call her Meggie.....the first time I saw that mini-series I told myself if I ever had a daughter I would name her Megan, although I think in the book it is spelled Meghan. Anyways, when I found out I was having a little girl, her name was decided when I was about five months pregnant, so her name is Megan Kathleen.

bethandmanly wrote:

I didn't read the book until after the mini-series aired on TV and was suprised that Ralph was physically very different from Richard Chamberlain.

Cheryl, I also read the book, but it's been years. How was Father Ralph physically different in the book?

Oh, and...

bethandmanly wrote:

suprised

I also loved "The Thorn Birds."

LOL!! Fife is at it again! Sorry, Cheryl. I didn't catch it in time to warn you.

Savannah wrote:

Even at a party, Fife??

What you call a party, I call unlawful assembly.

Savannah wrote:

Or maybe she's just one of those people who enjoys being dissatisfied.

I read an online interview, and she did come across as one of those cranky writers who isn't happy about much of anything.

I remember The Thorn Birds miniseries when they gave it sometime in the mid 80s. It caught my attention a little bit but not enough to leave it on the channel since I was around 9 yrs old and wanted to see what Punky Brewster was up to lol. I've been meaning to watch it though so I just put it on the Netflix list of things to watch. :sillySmiley:

Rob wrote:

bethandmanly wrote:

I didn't read the book until after the mini-series aired on TV and was suprised that Ralph was physically very different from Richard Chamberlain.

Cheryl, I also read the book, but it's been years. How was Father Ralph physically different in the book?

Oh, and...

bethandmanly wrote:

suprised

Well, I never thought of Richard Chamberlain as very Irish--which Ralph was in the book--and McCullough created Ralph with dark curly hair. Ralph also has small, slender hands, while Chamberlain has rather long fingers and what I would say is a normal sized man's hand. But Chamberlain's fluid movements did seem very Ralphlike.

And ya know, Fife, lawbreaking can be fun sometimes. You should try it.

Rob wrote:

Savannah wrote:

Or maybe she's just one of those people who enjoys being dissatisfied.

I read an online interview, and she did come across as one of those cranky writers who isn't happy about much of anything.

Yes, most of her interviews make her sound very critical.

Kathleen Marie wrote:

You know who would have also been good was Christopher Reeve...

Boy, that's a good idea. He sounds much closer to the Father Ralph that Cheryl described in the book, at least physically.

Rob wrote:

Savannah wrote:

Even at a party, Fife??

What you call a party, I call unlawful assembly.

How 'bout a glass of sweet cider? Mrs. Mendlebright just brought me some.

Savannah wrote:

Even at a party, Fife??

I didn't see The Thorn Birds when it first came out. (Too young, I guess....I was probably in bed by the time it came on tv) But I've seen it now. It's interesting that the author disliked the miniseries so much. Apparently she wasn't given the opportunity to have much input during the filming. Or maybe she's just one of those people who enjoys being dissatisfied.

Authors don't usually have a lot of influence over film storylines. Seems odd since these are their characters, but that's the way it works for most of them.

I loved "The Thorn Birds" both the movie & the book and I did not like "The Missing Years" especially with a different Meggie.

An interesting fact (that y'all probably know); IRL, Rachel Ward (Meggie) and Bryan Brown (Luke O'Neal) are married, having gotten together either during The Thorn Birds" or after it was over.

Wow, all this talk about the Thorn Birds and guess what? I've never seen it or read the book! Guess I'd better get busy!

Savannah, I can't believe Scarecrow & Mrs. King STILL is not out on dvd. I mean, "Adam 12" is for crying out loud. I wonder what the problem is?!?! And thank you for offering to check with your friend about how she obtained your copy---I think I'll wait until it comes out though so I can get the quality. I'm sure it will be released eventually. I hope. :unsure:


And Holly, it's so good to 'see' you here!! Glad you're back---hopefully to stay! You have been missed!

Misti wrote:

I loved "The Thorn Birds" both the movie & the book and I did not like "The Missing Years" especially with a different Meggie.

An interesting fact (that y'all probably know); IRL, Rachel Ward (Meggie) and Bryan Brown (Luke O'Neal) are married, having gotten together either during The Thorn Birds" or after it was over.

I have to say that neither of them aged very well.