Lost In Austen (DVD)

...scream about.

Lost in Austen has a funny streak which I was not expecting to see. The fact that we see Darcy in the modern day world with his usual clothing and top hat and then riding on a bus is something which I would love to see happen in real life.  ... more

I will clearly state now that I am not a Jane Austen fan. So why on earth would I bother to watch a TV drama which clearly has a basis around one of her novels. I have thought about this and have still not come up with the reason as to why the advert caught my attention.

I already knew that it would be put onto our screen thanks to an introduction in a copy of Radio Times. I initially thought it was completely daft. The concept is completely different from other period dramas which have become strangely popular at the moment. That a devoted fan of Jane Austen could simply fall into the middle of one of her stories-how on earth could that turn out to be any good? I had to eat my words of course as I ventured to have a try of it. Thanks to the recent film of Pride and Prejudice I couldn't fail to not know the basic storyline of it.

Amanda Price, somehow or another meets a certain Miss Elizabeth Bennet in her bathroom. Opening up a door which was supposed to be a wall she is thrust into the middle of one of Jane Austens more memorable stories. A world of which none of us in this present day could comprehend. As luck would have it the character Mr Bennet didn't bat at eyelid on seeing her and takes in the fact that she has arrived with a strange thing called 'paracetemal'. Strange considering the way she was dressed in jeans and a purple-ish leather jacket.

The drama however is not following the same path as the story. Everything is topsy turvy. And it certainly doesn't help when Amanda falls in love with the seemingly unemotional Mr Darcy. She knows the story says that he should marry Elizabeth Bennet but that doesn't stop her from agreeing to marrying him...

Mrs Bennet, unlike the other characters, is not at all keen on Miss Price. You can see this from the off start right the way through, thinking that she is a threat towards her daughters, who she wishes to marry off to nice rich gentleman. Or not in the case of Mr Collins.

There are a few other people who's story has not been told in the actual book. For instance the book doesn't mention that Caroline Bingley is quite interested in women! Or that there is more to the story between Wickham and Georgiana, Darcys' sister than meets the eye.

Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy . He, along with Amanda Price, is a favourite of mine. But then that is true with a lot of the dark haired brooding characters in classic books. Elliot Cowan plays the role exceptionally well. The only problem I have with him is when he is seemingly annoyed with Amanda Price he does a very quick and sharp nod of the head when he says goodbye. I know that that is something which was expected but it got increasingly annoying because it looked as if his hair was going to fall off, if it were a wig. Also Christina Cole pipes up as Caroline Bingley. She does this well but then it is the same style of persona has Blanche Ingrim in Jane Eyre which she also played as.

A thing which I can't get my head around is Amanda Prices' hair. They manage to dress her in the appropriate garments for that time but I cannot see how her hair can stay so immacutely straight. Did they have hair straighteners back in the day that I didn't know of. And even if they did would it work as well as that?!

I shan't give too much away for those who have not yet watched it but I clearly recommend that you do. It won critical praise when it was on but it did not do so well in the ratings thanks to the BBCs 'Who do you think you are'

The extras, like on a lot of drama dvds, aren't exactly brilliant. But then why should it be when it's made a great series. It's not that important. There's a few interviews and a selection of extra scenes. Nothing to actually scream about.

Lost in Austen has a funny streak which I was not expecting to see. The fact that we see Darcy in the modern day world with his usual clothing and top hat and then riding on a bus is something which I would love to see happen in real life. 

...less