I take no leave of you; I send no compliments to your mother
Last Sunday, with great trepidation, I went to see the new Pride and Prejudice* with my mother & sister. Trepidation because I adore the book. I wrote my first ever research paper on it. I read it regularly. Everytime I do, I feel more akin to Elizabeth than ever. Perhaps my favorite line, besides the title line above, is: "She remembered that he had yet to learn to be laughed at, and it was rather too early to begin."
At any rate, I digress. We saw the movie. We thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters are dirty and sweaty. They wear the same clothes over and over. The houses look lived in. Mr. Collins can make me laugh without even opening his mouth. Charlotte has spunk. The characters look appropriately young - I mean, really, Elizabeth should never look older than twenty or twenty-one.
Today I read a review in The New Yorker, which puts its finger on exactly the quality that gave me pause. Austen has been Brontefied. The proposal scene takes place in the pouring rain, not a quaint parlor. Lizzie stands on a hillside, windblown. Darcy adopts a Heathcliff-esque brood. Not that this isn't all very attractive (cough) but it's not exactly Austeny. See it anyway. Invite me along.
*I can't say "the new" anything without thinking of High Fidelity and "the new Belle & Sebastian."
At any rate, I digress. We saw the movie. We thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters are dirty and sweaty. They wear the same clothes over and over. The houses look lived in. Mr. Collins can make me laugh without even opening his mouth. Charlotte has spunk. The characters look appropriately young - I mean, really, Elizabeth should never look older than twenty or twenty-one.
Today I read a review in The New Yorker, which puts its finger on exactly the quality that gave me pause. Austen has been Brontefied. The proposal scene takes place in the pouring rain, not a quaint parlor. Lizzie stands on a hillside, windblown. Darcy adopts a Heathcliff-esque brood. Not that this isn't all very attractive (cough) but it's not exactly Austeny. See it anyway. Invite me along.
*I can't say "the new" anything without thinking of High Fidelity and "the new Belle & Sebastian."
posted by Jess at 1:12 PM
7 Comments:
Oh but Jess, didn't the end make you want to die?
"Mrs. Darcy, Mrs. Darcy, Mrs. Darcy, Mrs. Darcy."
Me from Audience: (AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!)
ok, jess, let's go this weekend. are you free saturday evening? 9 pm show? see you there!
I'm dying to see it.
It's okay to be cheap. I'm a fan of the cheap theaters, too. Let's.
BB, you can come too! (But you might need to get a plane ticket before you get a movie ticket.)
Oh yes, the end was ghastly. It belonged on an entirely different movie. I would end it at the scene in the field. It felt almost...sacreligious to have the scene at Pemberley.
Yup, worldgirl, the very same High Fidelity.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
lord, I thought it was terrible.
mrs. darcy, mrs darcy...SHOOT ME NOW!!
endings are important, damnit.
as far as adaptations go, I remain true to the 1995 A&E version with colin firth and jennifer ehle in all of it's interminable glory.
must admit though, gagatron version's mr. bingley was an adorable ginger-snap of a boy-
'...you know who I just want to wrap up and put in my pocket'?? ;)
P&P is one of those things where I like ALL the versions I've seen. Lu & I both have strong memories of wanting to watch the old BBC one with mom & her friends and being forced to go to bed, but listening, ears pressed against the wall.
(But I'm not a huge Colin Firth fan. He's a decent Darcy, but not the epitome.)
What can I say? I thoroughly enjoyed myself, for all of the flaws.
I have to say that I loved it, but in a different way from the BBC version. I loved the dirt and the new interpretiations of the characters. I missed some of the characters who were kicked out. Anyone who hasn't seen it yet, though -- leave when it feels like it's supposed to be over. Mrs. Darcy? I drew several scowels from less Austen-devoted theater goers with my disgusted sounds over that part.
Post a Comment
<< Home