1/5 EXTREMELY BORING!
  by Anony Mous (Los Angeles)
To begin with, I never watched more than Part 1 and 2 because I found the acting, writing, and directing extremely BORING--an excellent movie to watch when you're suffering from insomnia and need to fall asleep FAST. This virtually plotless story was so slow-moving and was filled with endlessly repetitious material. The language was stilted and archaic--difficult at times to understand and process--the scenes were often turgid--and what I saw of the story lacked suspense, curiosity, or depth. I didn't care about any of the characters since they all seemed so distant and alianted from me. Meg Foster's range of emtion was no greater than that of a sore-window mannaquin--she showed ONE EMOTION--indifference and detachment. Enough to make me feel the same emotion about the film. I wasted my money. I hope you doin't waste yours.

5/5 The Scarlett Letter
  by Catherine W. Fletcher
Thank you for sending "The Scarlet Letter" to me so quickly! I would highly recommend doing business with you, as this is a hard one to find, so I wiil gladly do business with you again. An A+ for speedy delivery and quality of product!

5/5 Hawthorn's Scarlet Letter......an interesting metaphor for it's time......
  by R. Incerto (Fishkill, New York)
Hawthorn's Scarlet Letter is well played in this rendition of the TV series. There are many metaphors....the "Man in Black" in the forest, can be interepreted as the "Devil" or simply, the wild, untamed land within. Pearl, being the offspring of the passion and love of Reverend Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne, is herself a wild, untamed child. This, all in a society, set up by men, who wished to create a "Utopia", whereby all people within the confines of this community would be slaves to the Religious laws, the brutal laws, which caused anxt and suffering in this supposed "Utopic" society. Hester Prynne was made an example, so that the rest of the community would shrink back, would never allow their wild natures to emerge, lest they be severely punished or brought to the gallos. Laws made by men, under the guise of "God's Laws" - but who can truly know God's Laws? And were Hester and the Reverend truly sinners? Or were they truly in love, holding deep inside a true passion for each other and a deep love for Pearl. And isn't true love and passion as wild as the forest? As you watch this series, you will see that human nature cannot be tamed, and to do so, is more of a sin than those actions proclaimed as sinful by the mangistrates of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Enjoy!

3/5 It's the right story,BUT the production value is intolerable
  by All Red (USA)
Recently, I have been reading and viewing Nathaniel Hawthorne's works.I also,though,am very much a part of the film industry,and production value is of utmost importance for my aesthetic sensibilities.So, when I review this 1979 PBS Produced Version of Hawthorne's classic I can say "Bravo" for a novel well adapted, and "Thank God, that Public Broadcasting has come a long way in it's production values since 1979!".Production-wise, this "Scarlet Letter" is simply put LOW,LOW,LOW BUDGET from costumes,to make-up,to set design to some of the worst music ever chosen for a 17th century period piece.This 4 hour mini-series,which follows the book very faithfully, will please on that point (in fact many scenes are directly lifted from the book word for word),BUT (and a very big one at that!) you must endure the rest of the package in order to "see" Hawthorne on the screen,and I am not willing to grant the complete trade-off.John Heard and Meg Foster,are actually quite good and convincing (even though neither is a favorite of mine) as the "adulterous couple" Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale.Josef Somer, who has been a mainstay for 40+ years in movies and television is awkward,IMO, as Chillingsworth, as well as the actress (forgot her name) who plays Mrs.Hibbens.
You, though,can put a silk purse in the middle of a field of dung,and what you get is a smelly pocketbook.Rent this for interest, but not a recommended purchase UNLESS you are a teacher.Now on to "The House of Seven Gables"

5/5 The Scarlet Letter
  by V. Henrichs (Casco, WI)
Follows the book really well. Great for kids who are reading the book in English.