(no subject)
So, saw Pride and Prejudice earlier.
All in all, I quite liked it! Yes there were some faults, and yes there were probably several things they could have done better, and yes the BBC miniseries is without a doubt superior - but I think the main problem is just that. It's biggest fault is that it's not the BBC miniseries (which I have on dvd and love and adore). Keira Knightley's biggest problems is that she's not Jennifer Ehle, and Matthew MacFayden biggest problem is that he's not Colin Firth. Noone will ever be a better Mr. Darcy than Colin Firth.
So obviously I am severly biased :P I tried not to let it keep me from enjoying the movie on its own, but I may not have succeeded. Probably not, actually.
I think the condensation down to only two hours was quite good, actually. There is nothing in particular that I felt was missing, other than greater elaboration on a great many points. We saw very little of Wickham (just as well, as the character in his version was not attractive at all), Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner we didn't see a lot of, which is okay, I guess, only I always cheer a little bit inside when Lizzy can show Mr. Darcy that she does have respectable relatives (even if they live on Gracechurch Street) and the whole episode about Caroline Bingley ignoring Jane's stay in London was cut out. But as I said, that makes sense as it is not vital for plot purposes, and we do get to hear that Bingley didn't know Jane was in London all that time.
Jane, btw, is actually pretty in this movie. I know she is supposed to be the beauty of the neighbourhood, and in the miniseries she could be called fair from the old point of view, but they still never managed to sell it to me. I actually liked Mary this time, not only was she pretty but also only slightly dorky and shy, as opposed to rude, intruding and not attractive at all in the miniseries. Whether that is a good thing on the whole I am not sure, as she is portrayed in the book as being one of the "three silly young girls" with little to recommend herself. It took me a while to realise where I had seen Lydia before, when imdb told me that she was Jena Malone of Saved! fame. LOVE Saved!, think she was brilliant there, and just as much here. She really sold me as a 15 year old silly young english girl who had no idea about nor regard for the consequences of her actions. Kitty blended in the background, but she never had a big role anyway. Which reminds me of another part missing - the whole chase for Lydia and Wickham.
The cinematography - I agree with what cirakaite said to me, that they got the country side, and there are some screencaps from this movie that I would just love to icon, but there were some moments that made me just go ...?? I mean - when they focus in on Lady Catherine de Burgh's face in her confrontation with Lizzy?? I mean, what's the point there? Sure, focus on Keira Knightley, at least she's pretty, even if she looks like a stick and is even more flatchested than I am, and then there is a lot said. She was gorgeous in Pirates of the Caribbean, and great in Bend it like Beckham, but dude. She is just too thin now. Judi Dench rocked as Lady Catherine, btw. And Mr. Collins!! Nothing will ever beat the miniseries Collins, he was just so awkward that it was painful yet hilarious to watch, but they did manage to convince me that this new Collins was a ridiculous human being. He was so short! XD
And everyone in general just looked so much younger. The dad rocked, the mom was good even if she's more insane and neurotic in the miniseries and I think she's just perfect there, and yeah.
What else what else what else? oh yes! Pemberley! Pemberley looked great, but dude. What was with the statues?? Yes, we get that Lizzy is all raptured by this great big mansion she could have been a mistress of, but show us the rooms and the land instead of a whole bunch of random white statues she longs to touch! Georgiana was cute, though, as was her interaction with her brother.
One other thing I liked - the first proposal. I was a bit nervous about that scene as it would be rather difficult to make it believable and to make the full impact of the insults carry through to the audience, but they at least got me. I believed that Lizzy was pissed off that Darcy had just seperated her sister from her love.
That is another big thing. A lot of what happens in the book, and the story in general, are hard to understand unless you have a basic grasp for the customs and conventions of the era. I remember seeing parts of the miniseries maaany years ago, and then reading the book for the first time in icelandic nearly as many years ago, and there were so many things that just went over my head. Later, as I gained more knowledge of the time and what was proper in higher english society at the time I clued in on so many other details, especially how incredibly improper the whole Bennett family was. The Netherfield ball? Lydia and Kitty completely out of their wits, Mrs. Bennett gossiping to everyone whether they were willing audience or not about how Jane was about to get Bingley and his 5000 a year, poor Mary playing and singing in the worst time (even if at least she played well in this movie! Her singing was awful in the miniseries) and Mr. Bennett not caring enough to interfere politely. As I said, I don't know how much the current audience will get of that, but as a true Pride and Prejudice fan I of course knew this from before I saw the movie, and am thus sure that I saw the signs - because I was looking for them. I cannot answer whether the regular modern onlooker gets the insults and the jokes as well as those who truly know the story do. But then again, that could be argued for most book adaptations.
As I said, in general I was rather pleased. I firmly ship Lizzy/Darcy, of course, and hee, the scene in the end was just incredibly cute XD Overly corny and sappy, of course, but if you can't have that in romance movies then where can you ;)
Oh, and Matthew MacFayden isn't pretty. But he can glare. So he passes - but not surpasses Colin Firth, because he is a God amongst men Darcys and will never be outdone. And this movie severely lacked a lake scene. Even if the rain made up for it a little bit, I guess.
That will be all! :D *keeps hunting for stills to icon*
All in all, I quite liked it! Yes there were some faults, and yes there were probably several things they could have done better, and yes the BBC miniseries is without a doubt superior - but I think the main problem is just that. It's biggest fault is that it's not the BBC miniseries (which I have on dvd and love and adore). Keira Knightley's biggest problems is that she's not Jennifer Ehle, and Matthew MacFayden biggest problem is that he's not Colin Firth. Noone will ever be a better Mr. Darcy than Colin Firth.
So obviously I am severly biased :P I tried not to let it keep me from enjoying the movie on its own, but I may not have succeeded. Probably not, actually.
I think the condensation down to only two hours was quite good, actually. There is nothing in particular that I felt was missing, other than greater elaboration on a great many points. We saw very little of Wickham (just as well, as the character in his version was not attractive at all), Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner we didn't see a lot of, which is okay, I guess, only I always cheer a little bit inside when Lizzy can show Mr. Darcy that she does have respectable relatives (even if they live on Gracechurch Street) and the whole episode about Caroline Bingley ignoring Jane's stay in London was cut out. But as I said, that makes sense as it is not vital for plot purposes, and we do get to hear that Bingley didn't know Jane was in London all that time.
Jane, btw, is actually pretty in this movie. I know she is supposed to be the beauty of the neighbourhood, and in the miniseries she could be called fair from the old point of view, but they still never managed to sell it to me. I actually liked Mary this time, not only was she pretty but also only slightly dorky and shy, as opposed to rude, intruding and not attractive at all in the miniseries. Whether that is a good thing on the whole I am not sure, as she is portrayed in the book as being one of the "three silly young girls" with little to recommend herself. It took me a while to realise where I had seen Lydia before, when imdb told me that she was Jena Malone of Saved! fame. LOVE Saved!, think she was brilliant there, and just as much here. She really sold me as a 15 year old silly young english girl who had no idea about nor regard for the consequences of her actions. Kitty blended in the background, but she never had a big role anyway. Which reminds me of another part missing - the whole chase for Lydia and Wickham.
The cinematography - I agree with what cirakaite said to me, that they got the country side, and there are some screencaps from this movie that I would just love to icon, but there were some moments that made me just go ...?? I mean - when they focus in on Lady Catherine de Burgh's face in her confrontation with Lizzy?? I mean, what's the point there? Sure, focus on Keira Knightley, at least she's pretty, even if she looks like a stick and is even more flatchested than I am, and then there is a lot said. She was gorgeous in Pirates of the Caribbean, and great in Bend it like Beckham, but dude. She is just too thin now. Judi Dench rocked as Lady Catherine, btw. And Mr. Collins!! Nothing will ever beat the miniseries Collins, he was just so awkward that it was painful yet hilarious to watch, but they did manage to convince me that this new Collins was a ridiculous human being. He was so short! XD
And everyone in general just looked so much younger. The dad rocked, the mom was good even if she's more insane and neurotic in the miniseries and I think she's just perfect there, and yeah.
What else what else what else? oh yes! Pemberley! Pemberley looked great, but dude. What was with the statues?? Yes, we get that Lizzy is all raptured by this great big mansion she could have been a mistress of, but show us the rooms and the land instead of a whole bunch of random white statues she longs to touch! Georgiana was cute, though, as was her interaction with her brother.
One other thing I liked - the first proposal. I was a bit nervous about that scene as it would be rather difficult to make it believable and to make the full impact of the insults carry through to the audience, but they at least got me. I believed that Lizzy was pissed off that Darcy had just seperated her sister from her love.
That is another big thing. A lot of what happens in the book, and the story in general, are hard to understand unless you have a basic grasp for the customs and conventions of the era. I remember seeing parts of the miniseries maaany years ago, and then reading the book for the first time in icelandic nearly as many years ago, and there were so many things that just went over my head. Later, as I gained more knowledge of the time and what was proper in higher english society at the time I clued in on so many other details, especially how incredibly improper the whole Bennett family was. The Netherfield ball? Lydia and Kitty completely out of their wits, Mrs. Bennett gossiping to everyone whether they were willing audience or not about how Jane was about to get Bingley and his 5000 a year, poor Mary playing and singing in the worst time (even if at least she played well in this movie! Her singing was awful in the miniseries) and Mr. Bennett not caring enough to interfere politely. As I said, I don't know how much the current audience will get of that, but as a true Pride and Prejudice fan I of course knew this from before I saw the movie, and am thus sure that I saw the signs - because I was looking for them. I cannot answer whether the regular modern onlooker gets the insults and the jokes as well as those who truly know the story do. But then again, that could be argued for most book adaptations.
As I said, in general I was rather pleased. I firmly ship Lizzy/Darcy, of course, and hee, the scene in the end was just incredibly cute XD Overly corny and sappy, of course, but if you can't have that in romance movies then where can you ;)
Oh, and Matthew MacFayden isn't pretty. But he can glare. So he passes - but not surpasses Colin Firth, because he is a God amongst men Darcys and will never be outdone. And this movie severely lacked a lake scene. Even if the rain made up for it a little bit, I guess.
That will be all! :D *keeps hunting for stills to icon*