Favorite 18th Century Period Dramas
CHALLENGE 21 BRAIN TWIN
Brain twins: crazy_in_lost & ravenjune
Fandom: Period dramas
Topic: Top 10 18th Century (French Revolution to 1919) Movies & Dramas
Ten Favorite 18th Century Period Dramas
Slight spoilers for various period dramas. But all of these are adapted from books written 200 years ago and based on historic events, so I think most of this is public knowledge.
Spammer's notes: I didn't include some of the "bigger," more liked period dramas. I didn't really pick on quality, if that makes sense. I loved all of these dramas and would recommend them to death, but I know a bunch of them have flaws. But these 10, listed in alphabetical order below, are the ones that stayed with me for literally years after viewing. I can play out certain lines, certain scenes in my head. They're absolutely gorgeous and wonderful. I hope these picspams will prompt you to view some of them.
(Heh, most of these picspams turned out to be "couple" spams.)
Bright Star
The story of John Keats and his short romance with Fanny Brawne. Actually, this is the story of Fanny Brawne and her short romance with John Keats. It's Fanny's story, which makes it more appealing to the audience. Its cinematography is wonderful. The butterfly scene is probably one of the more beautiful things I've ever seen. (I saw this on an extra-huge movie screen, and it took my breath away.) Ben Whishaw and Abbie Cornish play their characters really well. Neither of them are all that likeable, but in their "realness" and tendancy to be melodramatic, they're much more relatable.
Daniel Deronda
Beautiful people. Beautiful scenery. Beautiful lines. Slightly less beautiful (but still quite beautiful) storyline. I count DD as my first period serial so it has a special place in my heart. Johdi May and Hugh Dancy (along with Hugh Bonneville!!!) were so freaking amazing, but Romola Garai was the true star. She made unlikable really likable. I felt like I was rooting for the enemy, although she's not the enemy. Overall, maybe not the best period drama ever, but definitely something I would watch over and over again.
Jane Eyre
My favorite adaption of one of my favorite books. I had high expectations and they were met. I thought the drama dragged out at bit, especially around episode 2, but it started off well and ended really well. I loved Rochester, but, hands down, the best part of this serial is Ruth Wilson as Jane Eyre. Also, this was a really saucy adaption. I half-expected Rochester to tear off her bodice a few times.
Northanger Abbey
Adorable on the edge of being unbearable. This was a really sweet story with an incredibly endearing cast. JJ Feild = so charming. Felicity Jones = be my best friend. Their wonderful acting, together with delicious, gothic touches, very beautiful settings, and Carey Mulligan's cleavage (it was ALL YOU SAW IN EVERY SCENE, JUST WAITING TO POP OUT) made for a very funny and very memorable adaption.
North & South
If I were ranking this list,North & South would, no question, be number one. John Thornton is the best hero EVER. EVER. EVER. I would want Margaret Hale to be my friend. She's strong, but in a believable way (she's not picking up a gun and shooting people down, but she's incredibly brave). I can't say enough about this drama, so I'll end now before I write an essay. If you haven't watched this, WATCH IT NOW. It's filled with such angst and sweet moments and what I think is an incredible amount of sexual frustration. Also, Richard Armitage. I mean, c'mon.
Our Mutual Friend
I loved everything about this drama. (The only thing I hate is that everytime I see David Morrissey's face, I get really uncomfortable. In the latest adaption of Sense & Sensibility, I kept thinking "That's the guy who tried to rape Keeley Hawes!" I guess that only adds to how good the actors are.) There's about 5-6 main characters, and all of them are so different and well-written. Snaps for Dickens for thinking of such a complicated (but not too complicated) story.
Persuasion
This is probably in my top 3 favorite Austen adaptions, and there have been a lot of them. There was so much angst and I love angst. Anne was vurnerable yet not weak. Wentworth was the tall, dark (in terms of mood), handsome hero who could make a room light up by smiling. These two characters were already in love, but both got their hearts broken, so the story is about them coming to realize that "YES, THIS IS WHAT I WANT." The tension. The romance. Gah. &hearts ALSO: I freaked out in every scene where he was watching her when she wasn't noticing (or vice versa). Very simple and easy to miss scenes made the movie.
Pride & Prejudice
I know Joe Wright took P&P in another direction, but it worked out really well. The cinematography was fantastic. Matthew MacFadyen was love. Sometimes, I just start playing Mr. Darcy's first proposal in my head, and I sigh. It was really fun to watch. You could tell the actors liked being on set. It made you feel as if you were friends with the characters.
Sense and Sensibility
All star cast + crew. Incredible director and screenwriter. Amazing, amazing, amazing. Simply beautiful are the words that come to mind. I especially loved the summer-y feel of the whole movie, as greens, yellows, and light blues are everywhere.
The Young Victoria
This is in black & white because I got frustrated with the coloring. I wish I could put a HD clip of all the best parts of the movie into this post. It really was marvelous. Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend as Victoria and Albert made me squeal so much. Emily Blunt was the best though. She played the girl forced to become the Monarch of the Freaking British Empire so well. She's strong and she's independent. But you can tell how much she relied on others for mentor-ship and advice. Her frustration with knowing that she can't do it by herself, but wanting to prove that she could do it by herself was wonderfully played out. I thought it was a really nice portrayal of Victoria.
Please do not post on Tumblr. They'll make their way onto this one in a couple days.
Resources
theotherayn -- Bright Star
angelfish_icons -- Jane Eyre, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion
jyms -- Our Mutual Friend
songtobobby -- Pride and Prejudice
Me @ affairedevanite -- the Young Victoria
Desert Sky -- Daniel Deronda, Sense and Sensibility, North & South
Brain twins: crazy_in_lost & ravenjune
Fandom: Period dramas
Topic: Top 10 18th Century (French Revolution to 1919) Movies & Dramas
Ten Favorite 18th Century Period Dramas
Slight spoilers for various period dramas. But all of these are adapted from books written 200 years ago and based on historic events, so I think most of this is public knowledge.
Spammer's notes: I didn't include some of the "bigger," more liked period dramas. I didn't really pick on quality, if that makes sense. I loved all of these dramas and would recommend them to death, but I know a bunch of them have flaws. But these 10, listed in alphabetical order below, are the ones that stayed with me for literally years after viewing. I can play out certain lines, certain scenes in my head. They're absolutely gorgeous and wonderful. I hope these picspams will prompt you to view some of them.
(Heh, most of these picspams turned out to be "couple" spams.)
Bright Star
The story of John Keats and his short romance with Fanny Brawne. Actually, this is the story of Fanny Brawne and her short romance with John Keats. It's Fanny's story, which makes it more appealing to the audience. Its cinematography is wonderful. The butterfly scene is probably one of the more beautiful things I've ever seen. (I saw this on an extra-huge movie screen, and it took my breath away.) Ben Whishaw and Abbie Cornish play their characters really well. Neither of them are all that likeable, but in their "realness" and tendancy to be melodramatic, they're much more relatable.
Daniel Deronda
Beautiful people. Beautiful scenery. Beautiful lines. Slightly less beautiful (but still quite beautiful) storyline. I count DD as my first period serial so it has a special place in my heart. Johdi May and Hugh Dancy (along with Hugh Bonneville!!!) were so freaking amazing, but Romola Garai was the true star. She made unlikable really likable. I felt like I was rooting for the enemy, although she's not the enemy. Overall, maybe not the best period drama ever, but definitely something I would watch over and over again.
Jane Eyre
My favorite adaption of one of my favorite books. I had high expectations and they were met. I thought the drama dragged out at bit, especially around episode 2, but it started off well and ended really well. I loved Rochester, but, hands down, the best part of this serial is Ruth Wilson as Jane Eyre. Also, this was a really saucy adaption. I half-expected Rochester to tear off her bodice a few times.
Northanger Abbey
Adorable on the edge of being unbearable. This was a really sweet story with an incredibly endearing cast. JJ Feild = so charming. Felicity Jones = be my best friend. Their wonderful acting, together with delicious, gothic touches, very beautiful settings, and Carey Mulligan's cleavage (it was ALL YOU SAW IN EVERY SCENE, JUST WAITING TO POP OUT) made for a very funny and very memorable adaption.
North & South
If I were ranking this list,North & South would, no question, be number one. John Thornton is the best hero EVER. EVER. EVER. I would want Margaret Hale to be my friend. She's strong, but in a believable way (she's not picking up a gun and shooting people down, but she's incredibly brave). I can't say enough about this drama, so I'll end now before I write an essay. If you haven't watched this, WATCH IT NOW. It's filled with such angst and sweet moments and what I think is an incredible amount of sexual frustration. Also, Richard Armitage. I mean, c'mon.
Our Mutual Friend
I loved everything about this drama. (The only thing I hate is that everytime I see David Morrissey's face, I get really uncomfortable. In the latest adaption of Sense & Sensibility, I kept thinking "That's the guy who tried to rape Keeley Hawes!" I guess that only adds to how good the actors are.) There's about 5-6 main characters, and all of them are so different and well-written. Snaps for Dickens for thinking of such a complicated (but not too complicated) story.
Persuasion
This is probably in my top 3 favorite Austen adaptions, and there have been a lot of them. There was so much angst and I love angst. Anne was vurnerable yet not weak. Wentworth was the tall, dark (in terms of mood), handsome hero who could make a room light up by smiling. These two characters were already in love, but both got their hearts broken, so the story is about them coming to realize that "YES, THIS IS WHAT I WANT." The tension. The romance. Gah. &hearts ALSO: I freaked out in every scene where he was watching her when she wasn't noticing (or vice versa). Very simple and easy to miss scenes made the movie.
Pride & Prejudice
I know Joe Wright took P&P in another direction, but it worked out really well. The cinematography was fantastic. Matthew MacFadyen was love. Sometimes, I just start playing Mr. Darcy's first proposal in my head, and I sigh. It was really fun to watch. You could tell the actors liked being on set. It made you feel as if you were friends with the characters.
Sense and Sensibility
All star cast + crew. Incredible director and screenwriter. Amazing, amazing, amazing. Simply beautiful are the words that come to mind. I especially loved the summer-y feel of the whole movie, as greens, yellows, and light blues are everywhere.
The Young Victoria
This is in black & white because I got frustrated with the coloring. I wish I could put a HD clip of all the best parts of the movie into this post. It really was marvelous. Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend as Victoria and Albert made me squeal so much. Emily Blunt was the best though. She played the girl forced to become the Monarch of the Freaking British Empire so well. She's strong and she's independent. But you can tell how much she relied on others for mentor-ship and advice. Her frustration with knowing that she can't do it by herself, but wanting to prove that she could do it by herself was wonderfully played out. I thought it was a really nice portrayal of Victoria.
Please do not post on Tumblr. They'll make their way onto this one in a couple days.
Resources
theotherayn -- Bright Star
angelfish_icons -- Jane Eyre, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion
jyms -- Our Mutual Friend
songtobobby -- Pride and Prejudice
Me @ affairedevanite -- the Young Victoria
Desert Sky -- Daniel Deronda, Sense and Sensibility, North & South