Maelstrom (BBC TV) (DVD)

This was my favourite tv mini series when it came out in the 1980s, I haven't seen it since then, and I was a little apprehensive about how it would seem nowadays, but I needn't have worried. The atmosphere builds at a realistic pace, quite different to the 'wham, bam, thank you ma'am' method used by recent film producers. There's no dramatic music telling you what you should be feeling in each scene, it's all very natural, allowing your imagination to go to work. It's completely absorbing, I set out to watch one episode and ended up watching the whole set in one sitting. The key to the mystery kept me guessing nearly all the way through, although a couple of the red herrings were a bit obvious.The scenery is beautiful, and there's plenty of atmosphere, and the characters are played in a measured, low key way, all very natural.I would thoroughly recommend this, just the job for a wet afternoon.

I watched this as a teenager and loved it so had been looking for this a few years ago but couldn't find it anywhere, then it appeared on Amazon. Happy days! The visual quality on screen is very good, although you can tell it's from the mid-late 80s ('86?.) Lovely scenery and a creepy plot (if you don't like dolls!) Well worth the money, can highly recommend.

Enjoyed this short series...... Beautiful Norwegian scenery and likeable characters...... Very 1980's obviously and won't appeal to younger people looking for racy action etc ha!! Recommended for connoisseurs of the finer things in life!!

Watched this as a teenager back in the 80's and it always stuck in my memory, so it was good to watch it again on DVD.However the mild horror and tension doesn't really amount to much when viewed today. The story is still interesting but very slow and any tension is fleeting - though rooms full of dolls are still creepy.Good points- having visited Bergen & Alesund in the summer, much of the scenery was familiar and in general they make great use of the locations. Clearly they were very lucky with the weather when filming - lots of sun.- the actual plot is quite interestingBad Points- it is slow, in episode 4 in particular not much happens, the main characters go for a boat trip, have a a barbecue and get to know each other- lots of scenes of people getting in cars and driving away from locations, good if you like 1980's volvo & peugeot cars but gets a bit annoying- guessed quite early who the mysterious woman would prove to be, so no real plot twistIf you remember the drama, its worth a look, but probably better to borrow than buy - my version (the early dutch import) is off to the charity shop.

Unusual drama serial, part filmed on location in Norway in attractive scenery. Good characterisation, high quality acting, interesting plot. Stands out from many "thriller" dramas in avoiding cliches like car chases, shooting and other predictable violence. Some might find it slow moving but for me that was part of its charm, concentrating on characters and not just plot.