"And to this purpose"

"If people like to read their books, it is all very well, but to be at so much trouble in filling great volumes, which, as I used to think, nobody would willingly ever look into, to be labouring only for the torment of little boys and girls, always struck me as a hard fate; and though I know it is all very right and necessary, I have often wondered at the person's courage that could sit down on purpose to do it." (In other words: rambling analyses, opinions, ideas, views, and comments from an English major, Essay/paper-writing enthusiastic, Austen-loving Master Librarian on, well, Jane Austen...and a whole lot of other things, too.)

"Celebrated Passages are Quoted"

Heidi's favorite quotes


"What is it really like to be engaged?" asked Anne curiously. "Well, that all depends on who you're engaged to," answered Diana, with that maddening air of superior wisdom always assumed by those who are engaged over those who are not."— L.M. Montgomery

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

"Have You Seen...?"

Yes. As you see, I've created polls for favorite Austen film adaptations. Only one week to vote on them, and only one vote (on each) allowed this time! Once these results are in, there will be a poll to pick a favorite of the favorites. However, I still most certainly want comments about why you did or didn't like certain adaptations. I thought I would start out with my own very brief comments here. I assure you, I have plenty more I could and likely will say. I've included links to the imdb.com sites for the films. If you know of other adaptations, please inform us!

Sense & Sensibility

Pride & Prejudice

  • 2005 :-) (except for Knightley, of course)
  • 2003 :-)
  • 1995 :-)
  • 1980 :-I (It'd be worse, but it was the first P&P adaptation I ever saw and thought it was great until I saw better)
  • 1940 :-I (Even if it does have Greer Garson)

(Just for fun: here is part of my final in Web Design. Books to film is one of my favorite topics, so I incorporated into the website--Based on the Book--I had to create. How could I leave out something Austen?)

Emma

  • 1996 :-) (especially for Knightley, of course)
  • 1996 :-) (loved Beckinsale, a shame about Knightley)
  • 1972 :-(

Mansfield Park

  • 2007 :-I (I may need to see it a 2nd time to know if I fully enjoyed it. It's the best I've seen so far)
  • 1999 :-(
  • 1983 :-I

Northanger Abbey

Persuasion :-)

  • 2007 :-) (He may be gorgeous, but they rushed the absolute best part)
  • 1995 :-) (I wrote a paper on it--how can I not love it as much as I do!?)
  • 1971 :-I

11 comments:

Brittany Marie said...

I have "Clueless" on my Emma list. Is that a sin??

ldsjaneite said...

No. You're right. If I include the LDS P&P, I should probably include Clueless as well. I suppose the Bride & Prejudice should go up there as well. I'll add them before too many people vote. Thanks!

ldsjaneite said...

Oh no! I can't change them because there have been votes. (Which makes sense, of course.) Sorry!

Brittany Marie said...

I'm not really a fan of the LDS movie genre, so I haven't seen the 2003 LDS P&P. (I was afraid of what they did to the story.) I guess I'll have to break down and watch it for the club.

ldsjaneite said...

I couldn't pass up a P&P version (though I did with the Baliwood one), especially as I was almost in this version. Everyone in the church scene is from my biology class. Plus, I would categorize it differently from the other LDS films. It's a great chick flick for any girl (especially LDS girl) who want to college and got to endure or watch the dating world. Plus, I think Orlando Seale is adorable with his curls. And I enjoy seeing parts of Utah that I recognize in the movie.

MARY IN SCOTLAND said...

My FAVORITE Jane Austen adaptation has got to be Persuasion 2007 version with that hunk a man Rupert Penry Jones! Seen it?!HE IS HOTT!

Have you seen Little Dorrit? Its Charles Dickens. BBC came out with a version at the beginning of the year with Matthew McFayden. I think you'd love it. It 6 hours I think, maybe more. They showed it in 30 min segments for a few weeks here on BBC Scotland.

ldsjaneite said...

I heard M.M. was in "Little Dorrit." I must add it to my To-See list. I'm a fan of Dickens anyhow.... Thanks!

Meredith said...

Ooh, good polls. I was torn on Sense and Sensibility. I love '95 and '08 both a lot! Same deal with Persuasion, although I agree that the ending of '08 was lame. As for Mansfield Park, it's hard to vote for one that's best when they all suck. Seriously, why will no one make a good adaptation of this book?!?

Let's see. Pride and Prejudice, I love the 3 most recent versions, but Colin Firth brings the win. I also really like Bride and Prejudice, but mostly for that song that they sing "No Life without Wife." Or whatever it's called. Hee hee! For Northanger Abbey, it's definitely no contest.

Finally, Emma. I like both '96 versions, although I haven't seen the Beckinsale since probably '96. But I probably would have voted for "Clueless." Favorite movie line of all time: "Why am I even listening to you? You're a virgin who can't drive."

Sara Lyn said...

After seeing everybody's opinions, I have to add my two cents (too sense?) too. :)

S&S - Loved the 2008 version, but nobody can beat Alan Rickman as Colonel Brandon. NOBODY. And the gorgeous scenery in the 95 version... Wow! Never seen the other versions...

P&P - Loved the 2005 version except for Keira. I couldn't for one minute forget she was an actress. She never became "Lizzie" to me. Oh, and Donald Sutherland never quite hit home with me either. Loved the LDS version, though I'm not usually fond of that genre either. Thought it was a pretty clever adaptation. 95 version. I just enjoy that one. Especially the music. (Although I also loved the music in 2005.) 1980 is my mom-in-law's favorite, but I just couldn't like it. And Greer Garson is beautiful in the 40s version, but you're right. Just no good. And the ending? Blech.

Emma - LOVED Jeremy Northam as Knightley. Felt like he really did a good job of being the man Austen described. I HATED the Harriet Smith of the Kate Beckinale version. I couldn't get over how annoying she was, which colored that whole movie for me. Maybe I'll try it again sometime.

MP - Never saw any but the 1999 version, which in 1999 I enjoyed, but since, I only like parts of. Too bad. If they hadn't made it so... SO, it could have been good.

NA - No contest. The 86 version was SCARY. (Like psycho scary, not thriller scary.) The 2007 version was so fun! (Although there were a few things I was a little annoyed about. But the dance scene was hilarious.)

Persuasion - 2007, if they had made it a half an hour longer, it probably would have been perfect. Despite that, I loved it anyway. 1995 stuck closer to the book, which I loved, but just didn't charm me like the 07 version. Maybe I'll watch it again. I haven't seen it for years.

Sara Lyn said...

Oh, and sorry about the discourse there. :)

ldsjaneite said...

No, no--I LOVED your comments! It was not a discourse at all. I agreed with pretty much all your comments, too. But then--I think we tend to agree about 85% on books and movies. That's a pretty high percent!