Staff Recommendation - The Dresden Files - Complete Series

The Dresden Files: The Complete Series

This short-lived tv series adaptation of Jim Butcher's urban fantasy series, The Dresden Files, may have played a little fast and loose with the series details, but it still managed to capture the tone of the books very well. Paul Blackthorne was perfectly cast as the sarcastic, spell-casting P.I., Harry. The producers made an excellent choice to have actor Terrance Mann portray Bob, Harry's arcane advisor, rather than leaving him as a disembodied skull (as he is in the books). Only one of the episodes, out of the 12 that were filmed, is based on any of the Butcher books, and many of the supporting characters from the books didn't have a chance to show up in the series. Of those that did, Valerie Cruz as Lt. Murphy is Harry's stalwart cop friend, Conrad Coates was an odd but interesting choice to play the White Council's enforcer Morgan, and Joanne Kelly puts in a limited appearance as the local vampire leader, Bianca. All in all, this was a sharply done series, with excellent special effects and great acting. The producers didn't really have a lot of time to get into the extended background of the novels, but what they did put on screen worked really well. Whether or not you've read the books, this was a fun, short-lived fantasy series, that didn't get nearly enough of a chance to develop. -- recommended by Scott S. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ Dresden Files on the Internet Movie Database ] [ official Sci Fi Channel Dresden Files web site ]

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