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What scenery best suits Poirot

TheMole 01 Aug 09 at 10:14 p.m. GMT

I just wanted to know which scenery (or environment) does everyone think best suits Poirot? I.E. is he more enjoyable/interesting/entertaining to read when he's vacationing, or is it when he's in London, or at the countryside etc?

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susandiane 13 Aug 09 at 9:32 a.m. GMT

i prefer poirot in a "closed" setting something like the orient express or a country house or a boat. that to me is the very definition of a cozy. when they are running all over the place gets a little tiring *lol* altho the abc murders is an excellent mystery.

S_Sigerson 04 Aug 09 at 3:28 p.m. GMT

You did say, he was "obviously French", so a person could make an inference from that statement you thought Poirot was French.

It is comical when Poirot takes offense and says in heated tone...I am Belgian, not French.

S_Sigerson 04 Aug 09 at 3:12 p.m. GMT

Winnebago1901, I should have been more specific in my original message. In the Peter Ustinov version, for exterior shots and on location shooting they used the real boat curising the Nile. For nightime shooting and a few other scenes they used the mock-up on a sound stage at Pinewood Studios. From what I understand they went to a lot of trouble and expense to build an exact replica; in addition to, spending a great deal on refurbishing the boat, which was not in good shape and needed a lot of work. Originally it was built in 1901, the engines were made in Scotland.   

marymck 04 Aug 09 at 1:24 p.m. GMT

S_Sigersonn

And Hercule Poirot is Belgian. In an interview, David Suchet said he spent hour and hours perfecting the right accent. 

I presume you were aiming this one at me? 

Whilst I know of course that he's Belgian, my point was that he is often accused of being French.

TheMole 04 Aug 09 at 11:29 a.m. GMT

mirror

Wow!  This is an interesting topic, TheMole.  I have never thought of Poirot visually...

Thank you!

I prefer reading Poirot series when he is vacationing.  I think that Poirot shows himself at his best While traveling and that the Egyptian scenery suits Poirot well.

I do enjoy when Poirot is vacationing abroad, as well. But I just prefer him when he's staying in his flat or England. But Egypt would have to be my favorite exotic place that he has ever been to.

Tommy_A_Jones 04 Aug 09 at 10:42 a.m. GMT

Sorry S Siegerson I thought you were I apologise, 

S_Sigerson 04 Aug 09 at 2:47 a.m. GMT

I am not disagreeing with you. The same boat, the Memnon (The SS Karnak in the films) was used in both versions. I was just pointing out that in the Peter Ustinov version scenes on the boat were filmed in a sound stage and  a mock-up of the paddle steamer was used. I don't recall all the details, but I seem to remember something about the difficulty of filming the night scenes on the boat. Whereas, in the David Suchet version I believe all the scenes were shot on location in Egypt and on the actual boat.  

mirror 04 Aug 09 at 12:14 a.m. GMT

Wow!  This is an interesting topic, TheMole.  I have never thought of Poirot visually...

I prefer reading Poirot series when he is vacationing.  I think that Poirot shows himself at his best While traveling and that the Egyptian scenery suits Poirot well.

3rdGirl 03 Aug 09 at 8:28 p.m. GMT

I've not actually watched the Ustinov version as yet, so will put that on my must watch list. I think the TV series with Suchet has become more and more opulent as the series and technology preogresses.

The Egypt holiday is a long way off I'm afraid, but I've got it all planned out for when I can get there. Living in Australia means we are a LONG way from Europe and the Orient!

I'll throw another aside in, has anyone here had a AC themed holiday? Or gone to her house in the UK or the conference they seem to have annually?

Tommy_A_Jones 03 Aug 09 at 2:53 p.m. GMT

What does all that mean? I got my information from an interview with Suchet on ITV

S_Sigerson 03 Aug 09 at 2:48 p.m. GMT

In the Ustinov version, the scenes on the boat were filmed on a sound stage with a mock-up copy of the boat. In the David Suchet version, I believe the scenes on the boat were actually filmed on location. Somewhat strange because a film production tends to have a much higher budget and usually shot on location. While television productions tend to have a  much lower budget and usually  shot in a sound studio to keep the costs down. Perhaps in the 1970's with the volatile political situation in Egypt they thought it safer to film in a sound studio in the UK to cut down filming on location.

And Hercule Poirot is Belgian. In an interview, David Suchet said he spent hour and hours perfecting the right accent. 

TheMole 03 Aug 09 at 2:34 p.m. GMT

No I didn't! That's cool!

Tommy_A_Jones 03 Aug 09 at 2:10 p.m. GMT

Did you know the same ship was used in Both the Suchet and the Ustinov Production

TheMole 03 Aug 09 at 2:03 p.m. GMT

3rdGirl

Just as an aside, I loved the TV production of "Death on the Nile" so much I found the French company that uses the actual paddlesteamer ship it was filmed on (SS Sudan) , and am saving up for my Egyptian holiday on it! It has a cabins called 'The Poirot Suite' and 'The Christie Suite'. How divine!

I love that version too, it's one of my favorite Poirot adapts. And what a wonderful vacation you'll have!!

Tommy_A_Jones 03 Aug 09 at 10:51 a.m. GMT

I prefer Poirot when he is In England, I don't mind whether he is in London like in 'The Clocks' or in Country Houses like 'After The Funeral or even On Islands like 'Evil Under The Sun and I really like the settings where the victim can't escape like 'Evil Under The Sun, Murder On The Orient Express (Even though that one is set abroad),  I realise in 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyed the Victim couldn't have escaped but I just don't like that book. I like Art Deco so |I like the books that lend themselves to that feel, perhaps that is another reason I disliked the 'Cards On The Table Adaptation because Poirot'sroom had had a makeover which I thought didn't suit Poirot. 

3rdGirl 02 Aug 09 at 9:07 p.m. GMT

I love Poirot when he's let loose in other countries. I thought he was hilarious in the short story 'The Mystery of the Egyptian Tomb' with Hastings and still insisting on wearling his suits and patent shoes with all of the sand.

His travels through the Orient and France are my favourites definitely. However I also love it when he goes to stay in the English 'Big Houses' as well.

AC can also introduce a plethora of interesting characters and experiences when he's abroad.

Just as an aside, I loved the TV production of "Death on the Nile" so much I found the French company that uses the actual paddlesteamer ship it was filmed on (SS Sudan) , and am saving up for my Egyptian holiday on it! It has a cabins called 'The Poirot Suite' and 'The Christie Suite'. How divine!

TheMole 02 Aug 09 at 1:37 p.m. GMT

I usually prefer when he is in White Haven Mansions or in different parts of England. Like when he stayed at the Majestic Hotel in St. Loo in Peril At End House. It's much less of him running around, or having an elaborate adventures, like in France in The Mystery of The Blue Train,  and it's really more about finding out who the culprits are. For the non-series books, like They Came to Baghdad, I enjoy the adventure but for Poirot I prefer him when he is in England.

Frndorfoe 02 Aug 09 at 9:44 a.m. GMT

I find more entertaining when Poirot is vacationing. That environment best suits Poirot. He is not too comfortable (as when he is at home in London) or too uncomfortable (like when he is in the country). He gets to meet a lot of interesting people, no one really knows where their fellow travelers come from or if they really are who they say they are. Some of Poirot's most interesting cases come from his vacations like Evil Under the Sun, Death on the Nile, Murder in Mesopotamia .etc.

marymck 02 Aug 09 at 8:48 a.m. GMT

I think being a fish out of water is more entertaining.  So, for me, while Poirot himself is clearly happiest in a well ordered, cosmopolitan - and clean! - environment, I like to see him getting his shoes scuffed, the bottoms of his trousers muddy and have unsophisticated people raise their voices when they talk at him because he's so obviously French.