See The Sun

Jane Austen Season

Thursday, February 22nd, 2007 | Film

So, Jane Austen Season is to start this weekend or so in the UK. As of mid-March DVDs are available. I’ve decided that regardless of their quality I must have them so they’re all on my pre-order list. My thougths in advance:

Generally I have a feeling that ITV adaptation are less what I like than BBC ones… But then again it’s just a feeling. Also I can’t quite picture Billie Piper as Fanny Price.

Mansfield Park I loved the 1999 version - though it was greatly disliked by the Austenites… But then, I’ve never read the book. I suppose I will have to do that soon….

Northanger Abbey I kind of loved the book. It is different from the rest of the Austen novels in that is in parts intended as parody of the then fashionable gothic romances. I absolutely hated the existing 80s film version and hope this new adaptation will bring Northanger Abbey closer to me. I should probably re-read the book since I’ve forgotten most details.

Persuasion I loved the book, it is my favourite Jane Austen book!!!! And I love the 1995 adaptation. What a new film could achieve is give the film a better look. I hope the new version will get the story right as well as the visuals. I have high hopes!!

Then of course there’s also the long ago announced BBC adaptation of ‘Sense and Sensibility‘. It is currently being cast and should run 4 hours. Now, that sounds promising. Because I’ve seen the Ang Lee film before having had a chance to read the actual novel I’ve never read it - like Mansfield Park. But it is sitting in my apartmen waiting to be read. I absolutely love Kate Winslet as Marianne Dashwood and I don’t think anyone can give a performance closer to my liking. Very annoying in that version however are the ages of the actors/actresses that are all over the place. Sure, Emma Thompson and the rest are all very talented but in film where everything is about telling a story visually believable casting is essential. So, I do think a new version can bring us something better!

No comments yet.

Leave a comment