Pride and Prejudice - BBC mini-series

Well, this weekend I spent some a lot of time and watch the classic 1995 BBC mini-series of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. Oddly, I had never seen the whole thing, just bits and pieces. It is the most comprehensive version I've seen. It is basically the whole book with few changes. I enjoyed it. Colin Firth makes a most excellent Darcy and Jennifer Ehle is fun as Elizabeth Bennett. The thing that bothered me is that Jane is suppose to be prettier than Elizabeth, but personally I don't find Susannah Harker nearly as pretty as Jennifer Ehle. And everyone looked so old for their characters, especially Lydia (Julia Sawalha and yes I know she was like 25 at the time). And that bothered me.

The scenery and houses were beautiful. And I love that they include everything just as described in the book. It's like the book gave to life. Everyone did a great job with their characters. The Bennett house was nicer than I had pictured and Mr. Collins was a little more oily. The costumes were wonderful. I love the dresses so much. It was a really pretty and authentic movie.

I enjoyed Anna Chancellor's Miss Bingley. Lydia didn't aggravate me nearly as much as she usually does. But near the end I wanted to shake Mrs. Bennett and make her shut up. Her screeching make my ears bleed a little, I swear.
Something I also found awkward was the ending. When they declare their love for each other, it was so matter of fact. Yes, I love you. Well, I love you. Let's walk on. I know that's what happens in the book. But I've been involved at this point for a long time, people, let's see some action, a kiss or something!

Anyway, it was good and I will watch it again one day when I have a lot of time on my hands. (Ha!) But is it bad that I prefer the 2005 version and that Darcy and Elizabeth more? Because I do. I kept making comparisons between the two while I was watching and the romance tension is more believable between Keira Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen. I like Colin Firth, but his Darcy does not invite the kind of yuminess that Matthew Macfadyen does with his bedroom eyes and earnestness. *sigh*

cross posted with The Little Bookworm

Pride and Prejudice - 2005

I watched this one yesterday from about 1 pm to 8 pm. Yes, it took me 7 hours to finish a movie that is 2 hours long, but there was a lot going on. Anyway, I don't know why I'm telling you this, but kids and cars, you know? Something always needs to be fixed.

I won't summarize because it is Pride and Prejudice. I love this version. It is beautiful shot and the director made some interesting choices as far as lighting and location. It is definitely an abbreviated version with some supporting characters left out (Mr. & Mrs. Hurst, the Philips, etc) but they aren't really necessary. The location for some scenes were changed too. Darcy proposes outside by a lake instead of in the parsonage. Wickham is meet outside and they talk about his relationship with Darcy outside under a tree instead of at a party playing cards. I didn't have a problem with any of that. The only thing I questioned was why Lizzie was always staring in a mirror? I get that it showed passage of time, but I felt there was a deeper meaning than that.

The cast is perfect. I love Kiera Knightley's Lizzie, so proud and smart and quick-witted. And I love the little laugh when she first sees Pemberley. I love Matthew Macfadyen's Mr. Darcy. He is so awkward and delicious. Sigh. Rosamund Pike as Jane is so great. She is so beautiful and ethereal and sweet, like Jane ought to be. And I wanted to slap Lydia around a little. Jena Malone is good at playing annoying characters.

So all in all, a beautiful movie with a great cast. It skips a lot for time, but still retains the essence of Pride and Prejudice.

crossed posted with The Little Bookworm

Bride and Prejudice

In this Bollywood-style adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, Lalita Bakshi meets William Darcy at a friend's wedding in her hometown in India. Darcy is uncomfortable and insulting and she does not like him. But his friend, Mr. Balraj, takes to her older sister, Jaya, and the two begin to fall in love. On a trip, Lalita meets Johnny Wickham and the two become very close while her younger sister Lakhi develops a crush on him.
Meanwhile, a distant cousin, Mr. Kholi, arrives with the hope of finding a wife among Lalita and her sisters. When he is rejected he marries her friend, Chandra Lamba. Darcy and Lalita become close when she goes to LA to visit Chandra, but rejects his proposal based on his attitude and treatment of her sister. But when Lakhi runs off with Wickham, Darcy comes to her aid and Lalita realizes that first impression are not always the best.

Ya'll I have to say how much I love this movie. It is such a beautiful colorful movie and Aishwarya Rai, who plays Lalita (the Elizabeth character) is so so beautiful. And Martin Henderson is a good foot-in-the-mouth Darcy. And Naveen Andrews (Sayid!!!!) is the Bingley character. My love for him knows no bounds and, since it has been so long since I have seen this movie, I didn't realize he was in it.

It is a very clever movie though. The characters are transformed perfectly from English to Indian and I love how they managed to moderize it and keep it tradionaly at the same time. It is a little startling when they randomly burst into song esp. the dancing in the first major scence. But it is awesome and the music is incredible. This is a complete music see movie. I highly recommend it!

*for the Everything Austen Challenge

Cross-posted with The Little Bookworm

Everything Austen

So I'm reading Pride & Prejudice for a book challenge, Everything Austen, and it's been a LONG time since I read it. The beginning was a little boring but when Mr. Collins came the action picked up which is funny since Mr. Collins is himself very boring. For the challenge I have to read or watch 6 things that are Jane Austen related, books she wrote or parodies or sequels or any movies. I'm doing an all P&P list since there are some many adaptions of her books.
This is my list.

1. Pride and Prejudice (Austen)
2. Pride and Prejudice (BBC mini-series)
3. Pride and Prejudice (2005 movie)
4. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Grahame-Smith)
5. Bride and Prejudice
AND either
6. Bridget Jones' Diary OR Pride and Prejudice:A Latter-Day Comedy(2003 movie) OR Pride and Prejudice (1940 movie)

I decided to start with the original so that I can compare the rest to it. I can't wait to read P&P&Z since I've heard great things although I'm not big on zombies. The only thing is I can't decide for #6. I'd like to watch the Latter-Day Comedy since I think that would be interesting, a very different take of P&P. And I LOVE Bride and Prejudice. It's the Bollywood version and it is really good by the same lady who did Bend It Like Beckham.

So anyway, that's what I'm reading right now.