Happy New Year Everyone! I also post on dooyoo under the same name (snowflake5)
Happy New Year Everyone! I also post on dooyoo under the same name (snowflake5)
Member since:08.09.2005
Reviews:21
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This BBC version of Pride and Prejudice from 1995 is widely held to be the best Jane Austen adaptation of all time. Most Jane Austen adaptations are done in movie form and take many liberties with the text (eg the 2005 Keira Knightly movie seemed to replace light sparkling Austen with dark moody Bronte). The 1995 BBC adaptation however was a done as a six-part series and this gave them the space to explore the book in all it's complexity.
I'm not going to summarize the plot as there can hardly be anyone around who doesn't know it. If by chance you haven't read it, do read the book first before you see the adaptation as it adds to the pleasure when you see how faithfully they've brought it to life (though they make the drama a touch less cynical than the book).
The main reason this adaptation was so successful was that the screenwriter Andrew Davis simply lifted the dialogue directly and intact from the book. For most of the series, you hear unadulterated Austen being spoken, and as she was
one of the finest and wittiest writers of dialogue in English literature, it's no wonder the series sparkles.
The BBC also made a great effort to be get all the details right. They divert from the novel only once - and this is a visual scene when Darcy dives into a lake and then stomps back to his house, with his shirt all wet and clinging to him, only to bump into Elizabeth... The clothes, the style of food, the dancing are all accurate to the last detail. The music score was done by Carl Davis, and includes a lot of piano music written specially for the series. They also add Mozart liberally, especially in scenes where the young women actually play the piano (Mozart's sheet music was circulating Europe during the period the drama is set in).
The house the Bennets live is clearly based on Jane Austen's house in Chawton, Hampshire, where she lived the final years of her life. They way the rooms are laid out in the series, even the style of the alcoves and doors is identical. As an aside, I would recommend Austen fans to visit Chawton and tour the house and museum. Among the items displayed are two topaz crosses on gold chains that Jane's brother Charles bought for her and her sister Cassandra. Eagle-eyed viewers of the BBC adaptation will notice Elizabeth and Jane wearing these crosses throughout the series.
~~The Cast~~
The BBC decided to cast relatively unknown actors for the main parts. Jennifer Ehle, who played Elizabeth Bennet was 25 when the show screened. Colin Firth who played Darcy, was 35 at the time, and this series made his name (he went on to play many Darcy-type characters, most notable in Bridget Jones Diary). Anna Chancellor who captured the snobbish Miss Bingley, is actually related to Jane Austen through Jane's brother Edward. In my opinion the best performance came from Alison Steadman, who played Mrs Bennet, and captures her mix of silliness and anxiety perfectly.
The full cast list is as follows:
Colin Firth ... Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy Jennifer Ehle ... Miss Elizabeth Bennet David Bamber ... Mr. Collins Crispin Bonham-Carter ... Mr. Charles Bingley Anna Chancellor ... Miss Caroline Bingley Susannah Harker ... Miss Jane Bennet Barbara Leigh-Hunt ... Lady Catherine de Bourgh Adrian Lukis ... Mr. George Wickham Julia Sawalha ... Lydia Bennet Alison Steadman ... Mrs. Bennet Benjamin Whitrow ... Mr. Bennet
Screenwriter ... Andrew davis Director ... Simon Langton Producer ... Sue Birtwistle
~~ The DVD Set~~
The DVD set comes in two DVD's with the six episodes plus a special on the Making of Pride and Prejudice, which takes you behind the scenes as the director and producer explain how they chose the locations and cast the characters.
I was disappointed that they didn't include more specials for this aniversary set - it would have been lovely to see interviews with the cast and to have more Austenography and information on the period the book was set in.
You can buy this new from Amazon.co.uk for as little as £8.98 new.
~~Conclusion~~
In my opinion this is the best Jane Austen adaptation ever, and if you are a fan it's a must-buy. And if you've never fancied classical English literature, make an exception for this series as it is far removed from the usual heavy Dickens or Thomas Hardy adaptations. I've already watched this several times over, it's one of those adaptations that gets better and better the more you watch it, and will provide long-term enjoyment.
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Drama - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Shelagh Fraser, Barbara Flynn, Keith Drinkel, Felicity Kendal, Pam Ferris, Colin Douglas
Production Year: 1995 - Drama - Director: Pat O'Connor - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over, 15 years and over - Starring: Geraldine O'Rawe, Colin Firth, Saffron Burrows, Minnie Driver, Chris O'Donnell
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
This BAFTA and Emmy-winning series ranks as one of the greatest ever television ... more
adaptations as sumptuous scenery, gorgeous photography and superb acting combine to faithfully evoke Jane Austen's classic novel.The relationship between Mr. Darcy, a wealt...
The arrival of the wealthy Mr. Darcy in the neighbourhood causes great excitement within ... more
the Bennet family. One of her five daughters Mrs Bennet feels is sure to capture the heart of the wealthy young aristocrat. That fate befalls the spirited Elizab...
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![Pride And Prejudice [Anniversary Edition]-DVD](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/103216912.jpg "Pride And Prejudice [Anniversary Edition]-DVD")
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