Cloudstreet

Two Families, Twenty Years, One House: An Ambitious And Overstuffed Six-Part Australian Import
As I understand it, Tim Winton's "Cloudstreet" is virtually required reading in the Australian educational system. It is both studied and beloved as a contemporary masterpiece. When a TV miniseries adaptation was announced, it was met with enormous anticipation. Some claim that this is as solid an interpretation as you're likely to get considering the complexity of the source material. Others have claimed that the series misses the mark somewhat, once again citing that the book itself would be extremely difficult to bring to life. The narrative includes an immense cast, it is spread over several decades, and there is a metaphysical (even surreal or magical) element that oftentimes removes the tale from the land of the conventional. As this DVD release is geared toward the North American marketplace, it's fair to assume that many of those that discover it will not have had the benefit of reading the novel. I, myself, fall into that camp and am looking at "Cloudstreet" from the...

One Cloud Street calamity of couples and children
Odd families embark on life under one Perth roof. Strange situation, peculiar characters drive this series based on Australia's most popular novel. Dysfunctional with a capitol "D". Depiction of poor, low-class, depressed people not unlike though lives encountered in Oklahoma's "Grapes of Wrath" or Ireland's "Angela's Ashes." But this Cloudstreet lot of whackos can't seem to help themselves. The acting is good enough to repulse intellectual viewers. Not Pulitzer level.

SDH SUBTITLES for all 6 episodes of this story told through the mind of the brain-damaged Fish Lamb.

~~~~~1 Lamb boy is mentally injured in a near-drowning. Sam Pickles loses fingers on his working hand then inherits a house; but he's a gambler with a wife & 3 kids. The Lamb parents with 6 kids lease half the house, yard, & even get their own private privy. Filmed around Perth, Australia.
~~~~~2 Oriel & Lester lamb open a store, growing food in their yard; intent on bettering their lot. Dolly...

DVD Cloudstreet
This so much reminded me of "Carnavale", which I thoroughly enjoyed. The plot in Cloudstreet was a little more drawn out, and I found myself getting bored and fast forwarding over some parts of it.

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