IN love with Pride & Prejudice (just seen the movie)

[PADDY]

THOUGHT I was going to see a "girlie movie" and that I'd be twiddling my thumbs for a few hours, but...you girls will be glad to hear that I REALLY, REALLY enjoyed this latest film adaptation of Jane Austen's literary work.
I know a number of you ladies are heavily into your pre-20thC. costuming, as I have seen many impressive shots, so this is something for you ladies to look forward to when it gets across the pond.

It also makes a refreshing change to have a movie in the UK first, and then have it filter across the pond to our cousins in the US.

The acting was first rate, there was humour and tears, and anger.. the costumes were convincing, as was the language and formalities of the time. How refreshing to go and see a great costume drama! Plus the camera work was just beautiful and seemed to transport the audience right into the living room of the Bennett household.

My heart was stolen by the beautiful Rosamund Pike who played Jane Bennett (one of the five Bennett sisters, whose mother is trying to marry off ASAP to save them from destitution and financial ruin). She has that milky white complexion and stature of the sterotypical English Rose (An Oxford graduate and accomplished linguist, daughter to a musician and opera singer). Also Donald Sutherland was just super as Mr Bennett the father.

Please go and see it when you have the chance. And for the men here, give it a chance, you might be pleasantly surprised, as was I..!

HAVE a feeling I am going to leave myself open now to ridicule, as I appreciate how 'into' and 'enthusiastic' your period costume designing and creating some of you girls are (and quite rightly so too!). Probably there are inaccuracies over the height of the bodices..etc, but...I still came out of it smiling. I suppose the directors have got to strike a balance between being historically correct and marketing a movie to essentially a 21st Century movie audience. I know it's sad that some things are sacrificed, but otherwise it might mean that 'none' of these types of period dramas ever see the light of day. NOT a GREAT choice I know.

PICS OF ROSAMUND BELOW (Keria Kneightly was the publicised STAR of this film, but Rosamund stole it for me!)

 

[Lauren]

I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS MOVIE!! We don't get it out here until november. I absolutely love the English Regency, and Jane Austen. (But darn it, the bustline on those dresses should be about 2 inches higher!!)

 

[Vanessa]

Very anxious to see this movie as well, since it's one of my favorite books. I love every adaptation I've seen. (Well, except for that awful Bollywood version. *shudder*)

But I'm slightly apprehensive about the way Elizabeth is gowned. . .seems very frumpy in the pictures floating around.

 

[MissQueenie]

I'm on the fence about this film.

I adore the regency period, and I'm picky. Really, really picky. Although I think Kiera Knightly is a stunning beauty, and a fine actress in most modern films (though with little range, imo), I cringe at the thought of her portrayal of one of English literature's most classic heroines. From what I've seen of the previews, the real problem lies with the modern perspective superimposed by the writers and filmmakers. The story appears fundementally altered in both tone and meaning -- the desire to be an independent woman and to control one's own destiny is certainly present in the novel, but it is firmly ensconced within the social context of the time and place; this element appears to have been modernized to a shocking degree and takes center-stage. Does the film lose touch with Dear Jane's driving point -- that the character of others is so often what we make it, and as falliable human creatures, we are often blinded by our misconceptions? I also fear for Austen truly masterful subtley and thinly veiled wit.

I still hold BBC's 1998 P&P as a model adaptation...but it was 6 hours long and nothing was cut, twisted, or altered. For straight film adaptations, Persuasion. I will, of course, be first in line to buy my tickets when this finally comes over to our side of the pond, and the truth is I'll probably enjoy it for the most part. I acknowledge that my standards are ridiculously high.

And I'm with Lauren re: height of waistlines. The costuming and ESPECIALLY the hair (at least from the previews) looks a little "loose" and a little modern.

 

[Lauren]

Totally agree in every point, MissQueenie. But I am a sucker for any "costume" film. There's no way to top the A&E one, in my opinion, and the 6 hours go by remarkably fast if you're a fan of Austen and period correct costumes. But hopefully this will spark a trend for more period films... there has been a shocking lack of them this year. This one, from what I have read, is creating quite an uproar amongst true Austen fans.

 

[MissQueenie]

Totally agree in every point, MissQueenie. But I am a sucker for any "costume" film. There's no way to top the A&E one, in my opinion, and the 6 hours go by remarkably fast if you're a fan of Austen and period correct costumes. But hopefully this will spark a trend for more period films... there has been a shocking lack of them this year. This one, from what I have read, is creating quite an uproar amongst true Austen fans.

Oh, I'm with you on the need for more "costume" films -- I just adore them, and will sit through some pretty hideous acting if there's enough eye candy. I hope this does spark a revival in film adaptations of great works of literature...but I've been rather put-out with hollywod these days. FIlms are so impovershed. They look great, they sound great, they are chock full of famous faces, but they are utterly lacking in story and character. Just devestating. People would rather see things explode or people take their clothes off, and damned to the rest. They've been cheerfully slaughtering the best loved volumes on my shelves for the last few years. "Troy" -- my eyes teared up at the preview. I still haven't the stomach to watch hollywood butcher Homer.

Just read an interesting review, which softened my original opinion...just a shred. Namely, the part about Pike's performance as Jane. If I had to pick one flaw in the BBC/A&E version, it was Jane...she wasn't very beautiful, and she was just too flat. Emma Thompson mastered the portrayal of secret, interior grief in Sense and Sensibility -- the pain was there, visible to the audience, but not necessarily to those around her. Beautiful use of dramatic irony. I'm hoping to see some of that from Pike's Jane. The article does confirm my anxiety about Knightly's Lizzy...they cite Wright's "social-realist" approach, but what society is he realistically portraying? Ours, or theirs?

Here's the review: http://www.djdchronology.com/prideandprejudice2005.htm

 

[Lauren]

No one can top Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. But I am VERY excited to see Judi Dench play Lady Catherine. I absolutely love her. And she does the arrogant upper crust so well (like in The Importance of Being Earnest and as Queen Elizabeth).

 

[BellyTank]

Dame Judy was good as Queen Victoria too...

B
T

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Oh this movie just screams...

CHICK FLICK!!!

 

[MissQueenie]

Very anxious to see this movie as well, since it's one of my favorite books. I love every adaptation I've seen. (Well, except for that awful Bollywood version. *shudder*)

But I'm slightly apprehensive about the way Elizabeth is gowned. . .seems very frumpy in the pictures floating around.

Vanessa, I think it's a combination of sloppy costuming and Knightly's positively skeletal figure. No healthy woman would have been so thin in Georgian England...the costumes seem to hang off of her.

 

[Vanessa]

I guess I'm just a bit anti-Keira. I keep remembering her in Pirates of the Caribbean moaning and complaining about how tight her corset was. Er - that's rather the point of corsets, dear.

 

[Lauren]

HA. Yeah, and she's got nothin to squish so of course they're uncomforatable.

 

[MissQueenie]

Does anyone else get the impression from the previews and/or stills that the costume designer was trying to play up the Bennetts' poverty? I think it's a bit overdone -- they're nowhere near destitute, in fact they live quite comfortably (unlike the poor Dashwood girls -- that's the fate they're hoping to avoid, afterall!).

They seem to have decided to keep Mrs. Bennett in later-18th c. garb (at least in the scene preceding Mr. Collins's arrival). Is this supposed to illustrate her poverty or bad taste? I always suspected her tastes were bad on the opposite end -- every new trend and fashionable whim all tossed on together...

 

[Lauren]

I kind of like the idea of the older ladies being in late 18th century clothing, (but I'm a fiend for it myself). As to them playing up the poverty, I can definately see where you're coming from. But what bothers me is that the costumes just aren't period correct, for the women at least. It's like what hollywood did in the classic films- they're kind of historical, but mostly what the modern eye wants to look historical. I know it will bug the heck out of me when I watch it, but I love the georgian and regency, so I'll be contented. Besides... all those boys in regency garb... (shhhh don't tell daniel).

 

[Vanessa]

I think it's definitely going to be the most 'Hollywood-ized' cousin of all the Austen movies. They have to over-emphasize everything to beat it into people's brains. "Look - ugly, ill-fitting, frumpy dresses - that must mean we're poor."

 

[Lauren]

This is what it SHOULD look like:
1790's (yup, that's me)

All handsewn by this lady

Miss Vanessa:

A really bad pic of me

Another handsewing master and her friends (yup, the embroidery's all hand done too)

 

[MissQueenie]

Amen! Sense and Sensibility had it right -- the girls looked a little -- just a little -- out of style, their gowns and hats looked worn but carefully cared for (which is what sensible people would do to get the most wear out of their clothes!) and still *clean*. I keep staring at Knightly's pelisse...the waist is so low it's almost at the natural waist! Just so uncreative. Are audience as dumb as Hollywood seems to think? Or is dumbing things down responsible for audience expectations? The hair is what really irks, though. Looks like they just let the girls do their own hair and makeup before showing up on the set.

The men's things look exquisite, though. Why oh WHY aren't there good patterns for men's regency clothing out there? The civil war guys have them coming out of their ears!


Eeeee! You girls look gorgeous! I was just moaning today to my roommate about there not being a regency re-creation group around my parts. Lauren, where were you dressed up to go? Just beautiful!

 

[Lauren]

NO KIDDING! I'm making Daniel the one from Rocking Horse Farm right now. It's absolutely terrible. The shoulder seams are 1.5" off. I'll be sure to post pics once we're done. We're going to Miss Haseltine's Drum on the 1st for my birthday. You should come, Queenie!

 

[Vanessa]

Yes - Sense & Sensibility was costume-wise just wonderful. They wore their gowns over and over again, changing bits here and there. They wore the same ballgowns.
Having a different gown in each scene (when you shouldn't be able to afford it) is another pet peeve of mine. Grr.

 

[MissQueenie]

1 October?

I think I may! I leave for a series of trip starting the 5th, but for once I already have a gown!

Bah, blurry. I have to trim down that skirt -- early regency was full, but I look positively pregnant in some shots.