18 replies to this topic

[WelMarb]

The bleak reality of drug addiction is captured with unflinching authenticity in The Corner, an excellent, reality-based HBO miniseries. Having lived on the streets of West Baltimore, Maryland, where this compelling drama takes place, actor-director Charles S. Dutton knows the territory, physically, socially, and emotionally, and his compassionate approach is vital to the series' success. Dutton cares for his characters deeply enough to give them a realistic shred of hope, even when hope is consistently dashed by the ravages of addiction. This is, at its root, a family tragedy, focusing on errant father Gary (T.K. Carter, in a heartbreaking performance) a once-successful investor trapped in a tailspin of heroin dependency. His estranged wife Fran (Khandi Alexander) was the first to get hooked, and she's struggling to get clean, while their 15-year-old son DeAndre (Sean Nelson, from the indie hit Fresh) deals drugs, temporarily avoiding their deadly allure while facing the challenge of premature fatherhood.
Through revealing flashbacks and numerous local characters, we see the explicit fallout of addiction, and while violence occasionally erupts, its constant threat is secondary to Dutton's dramatic vision, which remains steadfastly alert to the humanity and neglected potential of these lost and searching souls. The Corner is, essentially, the civilian flipside of HBO's equally laudable series The Wire, which approaches a similar neighborhood from a police-squad perspective. Performances are uniformly superb, details are uncannily perfect, and for all of its human horror, The Corner is riveting, not depressing. A closing interview with the characters' real-life counterparts bears witness to the fact that these lives--with inevitable exceptions--need not be lost forever.


http://www.amazon.co...r/dp/B00009ATJZ

Does anyone remember this show? It premiered on HBO in 2000 and they're airing all the episodes on BET this weekend. It's from the same creators as The Wire. It was a great show that really captured the bleakness and hopelessness of addicts in Baltimore. Everyone turned in great performances. A definite recommendation.

[puck101]

EXCELLENT show! Don't bother with BET, this one's too good for that. Rent it instead, and see it unedited and w/o commercials.

[pakelihe]

HBO had it on OnDemand last year, and it is/was absolutely amazing. I would imagine that the BET version would compare favorably to the original, as the language was far from the most shocking aspect of the show. I don't know how much of the drug use will have to be edited, as it was pretty graphic, but pretty important to the drama of the show.

[dreamy]

A great story about Fran Boyd. As David Simon says in the text of the story:

“I don’t have many heroes left,” said David Simon, a former reporter for The Baltimore Sun who co-wrote “The Corner” and created “The Wire.” “Woody Guthrie and Fran, I guess — and I’m not so sure about Woody.”

[Puds38]

Somebody over at The Wire forum directed me to this thread. It took two viewings to get through this series for me. Candy Alexander puts in a strong performance as Fran, but the show is so heartbreakingly real and gritty that it can be hard to watch. Still, I highly recommend this series, but rent it. BET butchers it up too badly.

[opark77]

I've just finished watching this on DVD too Puds. Thanks Roxie for the link to the thread. I had to buy it on Region 1 and use up one of the switches on my laptop drive as it doesn't seem it'll be out here in the UK soon but it was definitely worth it. Its a great show and is only slightly beaten by the book.

As a big Wire fan it was actually a little distracting to see so many actors who have appeared in both. I spent too much time out of universe thinking how the roles compared instead of immersing myself in the story. I still managed to get far too involved though so perhaps it was a good thing as this was almost unbearably heart breaking even with the distraction.

I'm so glad that Fran is still doing well. Anyone know any more about Blue?

[AuntiePam]

I'm just now watching via Netflix, and I too am distracted by actors from The Wire. I look at Freamon and Norman and Sydnor and Marla and think "Cool, they made it out!" And Landsman, what a step up from dealing in recycled metal.

I like seeing more of the day to day. There aren't nearly enough women in The Wire, and I've often wondered how the corner kids' moms spent their time.

[RoxieVelma]

Thankfully, I saw The Corner before I saw The Wire (I bought the show on DVD before I saw The Wire on HBO), so my only acting distracting was from Lance Reddick being on Oz.

However, upon rewatches, it definitely does distract you when you notice all the actors. However, at least most of them play the exact opposite as they play on The Wire, so you can buy it more.

If anyone hasn't read the book, you really should. I normally read fiction, but this book ended up making it in my Top 10 Books I've Read list.

[alynch]

The only Wire actor that I really find somewhat distracting is Clarke Peters and that is only because he actually is pretty much playing "Freamon as a junkie", but he's so damn good on this series that I let it go. That final moment where Fat Curt refuses to get Fran some drugs and implores her to return home is probably my favorite scene to ever occur on this show or The Wire.

[AuntiePam]

Does anyone know if Clarke Peters has a limp or a foot problem? In The Wire 5.1, he's walking up to a newspaper box, and at first I thought he was Bubbs because of his shambling walk. In The Corner, he's using a cane and his gait is unusual. Two different characters, both walking funny, made me wonder if it's natural or acquired for the characters.

[opark77]

Fat Curt is so nicknamed because of his lymphoedema giving him the obvious swollen hands and also massively swollen feet. So I think the walk from The Corner is part of playing the role. His walk on The Wire the other day was a little weird. Someone posted about that on the IMDb message board. I wondered if it was an undercover thing? We don't see the character walk around much though so maybe the actor himself has an unusual gait. He made it up those stairs to the boxing gym with only slight pause way back in S1 though.

I've been wondering about Bob Brown from the Corner these past few days. In the book there is a real person named Bob Brown who is a feared patrolman in the neighborhood. On the show hes played by an actor called Brian O'Neil I think. There is also an actor named Bobby J. Brown in The Corner playing Officer Weiner. To confuse things Bobby J. Brown plays a Western patrolman called Bobby Brown on The Wire. I think I assumed this meant he was the real Bob Brown when that may not be the case. Finally in the last episode of The Corner a Robert Brown plays an Officer Turner - could that be the real world Bob Brown? Hes in the scene where the real D'Andre plays a police officer.

Duane Rawlings who plays Hungry on The Corner has appeared in The Wire a few times and was finally named as "Hungry Man" in the fifth season premiere - a little homage to his Corner role I think.

Edited by opark77, Jan 10, 2008 @ 3:46 PM.

[Richyyy]

I've just finished watching this on DVD too Puds. Thanks Roxie for the link to the thread. I had to buy it on Region 1 and use up one of the switches on my laptop drive as it doesn't seem it'll be out here in the UK soon but it was definitely worth it. Its a great show and is only slightly beaten by the book.

Pssst, download VLC Player. It'll play pretty much any DVD from any region without using up any of the switches that Windows and WMP 'allow' you. It's a widely used, small program, not anything illegal or dodgy or anything, that also makes playing some kinds of media files easier than WMP does.

[Mutante]

""" VLC FTW.

Now that The Wire is over I watched this whole miniseries. It is without question the most depressing thing I have ever watched, ever.

Gary listening to "People Get Ready" while shooting up will haunt me forever. I almost wish I had waited to watch this miniseries. I just got news that my high school girlfriend, whom I haven't talked to in a very long time, got an infection from dirty needles. The infection slowly destroyed her heart valves. Eventually there was no brain activity and her mother pulled the plug.

Heroin is a sickness. She really tried to get straight, but rehab couldn't do it. A few years ago she had a massive OD and that couldn't scare her straight either.

One of the last things she told her mother is that she never wants anyone who knows her to sugarcoat her story or shy away from telling it. I guess that's why I wanted to share it here.

[alynch]

Bumping this thread for some awful news.

[Maysie]

Damn. I'm re-reading the book and this will make it an even tougher read.

[pakelihe]

I feel like I've been punched in the gut. I was just speaking with someone who had told me a story about a wrong turn in Baltimore that took them to one of the bad neighborhoods. I told them about why they had to watch this, and how great and powerful it is/was. And now this...

Though I just shed tears for DeAndre, a person I've never met but feel I've known, reading David Simon's obit made this less painful than a simple announcement. RIP DeAndre McCullough, and thank you David Simon.

[dreamy]

That's awful. And so young, too. RIP.

Though I have to add, the sad part of life on The Corner (of many corners) is that a lot of people don't make it to old age.

Edited by dreamy, Aug 14, 2012 @ 7:52 PM.

[sereion]

Sigh I've always wondered what happpened to DeAndre, and now I read this tragic news. I was really pulling for him to get it together. I don't think I can watch The Corner again after hearing this. RIP DeAndre McCollough.

[Brooklynista]

How did I not know HBO was replaying this. It's already the final episode where Fran takes up w Lt. Daniels and he drags her back into drugs.

Sad to see him at the end of the series speaking abou his struggle to stay clean. Knowing how it ends for him makes this so very much more heartbreaking.

Edited by Brooklynista, Feb 6, 2013 @ 10:55 PM.