Look alive, Jane Austen fans!

[CBHagman]

Or perhaps I should have written "fans of film adaptations of Jane Austen novels."

This week, gentle readers/moviegoers, there are two adaptations to consider:

Ang Lee's version of Sense and Sensibility (with an Oscar-winning screenplay by Emma Thompson) at 8:00 p.m. EST Monday on Turner Classic movies:

http://www.turnerclassicmovies.com/thismonth/article.jsp?cid=62625&mainArticleId=115810





The DVD release of the most recent film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, due out Tuesday:



Please, if you are going to get into a knock-down, drag-out over the question of who does the best job playing an Austen hero -- Mr. Darcy fans, I'm talking to you -- please take it outside.

[politicat]

1. Thanks for the notice!

I need to go pick up a copy of P&P. I've got S&S and even with its quirks, I still love it.

I hate Mr. Darcy in all incarnations, so you're safe with me. The Reverend Mr. Collins, however... *swoon... gag -- cough My word, how I hate these fainting spells*

I actually liked the interp of Mr. Collins in this last one, but the one thing I have never understood in P&P is why the hell Mr. and Mrs. Bennett didn't get it through their heads that the very best possible match for Collins is Mary. They would have been a match made in prissy hell, but they would have clicked if there had been even a bit of encouragement. Then they wouldn't have lost the hope of the entail staying in the family, Mrs. Bennett could have had the things she wanted, and Mary would have convinced herself she was in love with Mr. Collins in a heartbeat.

Besides, she'd make an excellent minister's wife, with the calves' foot jelly etc.

[CBHagman]

11. I think that's implied in most versions and perhaps the text.

I'm going to have to go back to the text, but it's likely that if Mr. Collins had been encouraged, he could have transferred his proposal to Mary, as the next sister in line and his natural match.

However, Charlotte does want to extract herself from her vulnerable position and therefore encourages Mr. Collins. Again, I'll have to check the text on that.

The 2005 version is rather preachy about Charlotte's plight, though -- very un-Jane Austen.

[GirlinContempt]

2. I dunno

I haven't seen the new Pride and Prejudice yet, but I just have a hard time believing it can be as good cause it's only feature length.

[deadparrot]

3. The new Mr. Bingley creeped me out.

:scared:

It wasn't bad, but...you're right, it's not the same as a two-hour movie. You get spoiled after the BBC version.

[GirlinContempt]

4. No kidding, what was that, almost 7 hours?

[deadparrot]

5. 300 minutes, according to IMDB.

5 hours. More specifically, 5 hours of Colin Firth. :loveya:

[politicat]

8. Which BBC version....

Because there's one from the 1980s that is really pretty scary. Dr. Who like sets (i.e. no budget), costumes that look like left-over 70s maxi-dresses, *bad* ADR and post-production.... *shudder*

I couldn't stand Jennifer Ehle as Lizzie.... not natural, forced performance, fake cheer all the damn time except when she was being as snarky as Caroline Bingley. I wonder of Ehle even read the book in prep.

Firth is nice eye candy, but he was carrying two roles and nobody can do that.

I think that, considering the time constraints, the 2005 version did pretty well.

(Mr. Bingley's eyes were weird. I can see why you found it creepy.)

[barb162]

6. Oh, thank you, I LOVE Jane Austen!

[vikegirl]

7. Who are you?

Colin Firth IS Mr. DARCY. ;-)

[Orsino]

9. Only the best TV show EVAR.

I sit through that thing once or twice a year. It's glorious.

[ScreamingMeemie]

10. I just read in a magazine where Keira Knightley said the director

told her she was too pretty for the role...then, when she auditioned, he said,"You'll be fine..." She said she didn't know what to think of that. ;) I, personally, think she is a living doll. :hi: