Traffik - Mini Series - Has Anyone Seen It?? (1 Viewer)

[JoshB]

I just watched Steven Soderberghs "Traffic" and just realized how much I enjoyed it watching it after such a long time. I could go on all night talking about its good qualities(and bad) but my question was has anyone seen the British mini series "Traffik", and if so, how is it and the DVD. I can't find any reviews and can get it pretty cheap. If anyone has any comments on it, that would be great.

 

[James D]

I picked up Traffik through Columbia House as an enrollment selection and was quite glad that I did. The mini-series is better than the Soderbergh film IMHO, having more running time to flesh out the characters. The mini-series features a very early role for Julia Ormond and a great performance by one of my favorite actors, Bill Paterson. The DVD itself is rather mediocre to poor in terms of quality, but is still worth it for the compelling story. Here is a link to a couple of good reviews-
http://www.dvd-basen.dk/uk/home.php3...land=%25&ok=go

 

[Bob Cashill]

The miniseries is terrific. I watched all of it over Thanksgiving weekend, and couldn't wait to get to the next installment, even if I knew some of what was to come from the Soderbergh film. The filmed-in-Pakistan sequences are particularly stunning, and I particularly liked Lindsay Duncan in the part later enacted by Catherine Zeta-Jones.

 

[FredCampbell]

I'll second everything Bob said. The England-Pakistan connection was a real revelation to me. I was so used to thinking in terms of the US-Mexico dynamic.

 

[Kevin Davis]

I got, and watched, the Traffik DVDs before I had ever seen Traffic. When I finally saw Traffic I was somewhat let down because I so loved the miniseries.
Traffik is a poor quality DVD as far as picture and sound goes, but the story is what is important, and that is excellent!

 

[andrew markworthy]

It was a series on Brit TV a few years ago. Good story, well acted. Indifferent sound and visuals, as already mentioned, but given the quality of everything else, this doesn't really matter.

 

[JulianK]

How does the US version handle the advert breaks? In many instances the picture and / or audio continued when the "End of Part One" (etc) bumpers were on-screen.

On the UK release these have been rather clumsily edited-around, often losing (relatively insignificant) bits of footage.

 

[Jeff Adkins]

Is there a British release in Region 2 that is better quality?

Jeff

 

[Rick Blaine]

I saw this series on PBS several years ago. It was terrific. The Film is not nearly as detailed (obviously) or as compelling.

RB

 

[Todd Bennington]

I guess I'm in the minority here but I preferred the film to the mini-series. I have suspicion that whatver version one saw first will color their viewing of the other (much like reading a book and then the film version). Part of my problem with the mini-series was the drab look and lackluster cinematography. I realize this was done for BBC television and so won't have the production values of the film, but visual inventiveness of the film was one of my favorite things about it. And part of it is that the pakistan-germany-uk conection, while valid, doesn't resonate as well with me, as most of our drugs in the us come from mexico/south america. As the film dealt more with the US situation I found it more compelling. I realize that most don't share my thoughts on this but I will say that both are very worthwhile and well done and worth watching.

 

[Rob Willey]

I have suspicion that whatver version one saw first will color their viewing of the other

Maybe, but not with me.

I saw the movie first and one of my major complaints was that the spiral of Erika Christensen's character from A-student to crack whore was way too steep to be believed. With the longer running time of the mini-series, the character's descent is much more believable.

I prefer the BBC series, even if I did see it last.

Rob

 

[Rick Blaine]

I realize this was done for BBC television and so won't have the production values of the film

I disagree. The BBC Traffik had a much larger scope in both story and graphic look. It was very detailed and gave drug smuggeling a more international flavor. In fact most of the drugs that enter the US thru Mexico are from Pakistan, Afganistan, and Columbia. Interestingly America's early support for the Taliban was to stop the Afganistan cocain connection.

The movie was graphically interesting (and experimental) but in a more gimmickie way.

RB