I love that novel.
I love all Jane Austen's novels.
But here's the big confession: I don't care for either of the major film adaptations.
Most Austen enthusiasts I know will pick a side and go down swinging over this, but I just don't like either one.
The BBC mini-series starring Colin Firth certainly pays faithful homage to the novel, but it's painfully long, the acting is a tad on the cheesy side, and several of the actors don't really capture the essence of the characters they're portraying, in my opinion.
The BBC mini-series starring Colin Firth certainly pays faithful homage to the novel, but it's painfully long, the acting is a tad on the cheesy side, and several of the actors don't really capture the essence of the characters they're portraying, in my opinion.
The 2005 film directed by Joe Wright is absolutely gorgeous with a fantastic score and the actors do a much better job of embodying the characters (with the unfortunate exceptions of Kiera Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen--arguably the two most important characters of all), but it basically flips the novel the bird and does its own thing for some of the most important scenes that it makes me want to scream every time I watch it.
Yes, I own both of these films on DVD.
I'm not sure what that says about me, but whenever I'm in the mood for Pride & Prejudice, I just sit down with the actual novel instead of popping one of those trainwrecks into the DVD player.
Have you seen either of these movies? Are you a fan of one or the other?
Anybody else own movies that you don't particularly enjoy and you're not exactly sure why?
Anybody else own movies that you don't particularly enjoy and you're not exactly sure why?
having never read the book, i greatly enjoy the '05 Wright film because it's beautifully shot, aptly directed, and strongly acted. the "argument in the rain" scene is so, so well done. worth the price of a DVD just for that moment.
ReplyDeletei would say that i have movies that i know, without a doubt, are legitimately bad films but i love the crap out of them anyway. but i don't own any movies that i flat out don't like.
Ugh. That "argument in the rain" scene is possibly my least favorite part of the whole movie and the point in the film where everything goes to pot. That scene does not exist in the story, and every time I see it, I start cursing the film industry.
DeleteAs far as owning movies I don't care for, it's different now because I'm married so my movie collection has been expanded to include Cody's. The '05 P&P is his. The BBC series: mine. The only other movie I can think of that I bought that I don't care for is the K. Hepburn version of Little Women. Oy. Terrible.
I'm with Reagan. I've never read the book, but I've also never loved the '05 movie as much as other people seem to. I don't like Kiera Knightley in any movie I've seen her in, and she and whoever that guy is that plays Darcy... Just don't really strike a romantic chord with me. I've never seen the BB&C version, but I'll take your word for it that it's not great. I just need to read the book. Lol
ReplyDeleteBBC*
DeleteChristina. Cumulatively, it's 5 hours and 22 minutes long. 5 HOURS AND 22 MINUTES! And I am so with you on Kiera Knightley. Oy.
Delete*coughJANEcough* she looks like a horse. 🙊
ReplyDeleteSusannah Harker, right?! Rosamund Pike was a waaaay better Jane!
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