Rambling thoughts on the new 'Emma'
I've been catching up on the latest BBC classics endeavour, which PBS is kindly showing on Masterpiece Theatre. I'm talking about "Emma," with Romola Garai and Jonny Lee Miller. I haven't watched, well, anything with Miller, and I've only seen Atonement and Nicholas Nickleby with Garai. Other than Michael Gambon, Tamsin Greig, and Rupert Evans (whom I've only seen in North and South), I didn't really know any of the other actors.
But that's beside the point. After I watched North and South, Cranford, and Little Dorrit, among other non-Austen adaptions, I realised I didn't really have a lot of love for Pride and Prejudice. Granted, I've only read P&P and I do adore Sense and Sensibility. But compared to the darker depictions of that general time period in Elizabeth Gaskell's works, as well as those of Dickens and the Bronte sisters (but spare me Wuthering Heights any day. I cannot take that story AT ALL), Austen is so light-hearted and it's the same stuff, over and over again. It kind of put me off Austen, to be honest.
It was so bad that I still am trying to finish up Emma, which roh_wyn presented me about...7 years ago (I think). Somehow I just couldn't get past the third or fourth page. Maybe it was because I knew the story already (the Gwyneth Paltrow film adaptation, and...um...Clueless), but i just couldn't get it finished. BUT. I think now, I will be able to. Even though I know the story and even though I'm watching the umpteenth adaptation of this Austen work.
There's nothing really fantastic about the new adaptation of Emma. If you know the story, you know what to expect. The one thing that has me sold, though, is Jonny Lee Miller as Mr. Knightley. The only thing I've sort of seen him in is bits and pieces of Plunkett and Macleane, but that was only because I wanted to see the scene with this amazing bit of music by Craig Armstrong. But I digress. Actually, it's not just Miller's Mr. Knightley but also the character himself. He's not the male lead with whom the female protagonist gets off on the wrong foot, or there's some big misunderstanding, or something to that effect. I like that he's Emma's lifelong friend and they realise, in time, that they love each other.
SO. The last thing I needed was to find another fictional character from one of the classics to start adoring. Honestly, they really should stop with these adaptations, it's just not good for people like me. Anyway. I leave you with this. There's nothing spoiler-y about it -- as long as you know the general plot of Emma. Which everyone should, really. Enjoy!
But that's beside the point. After I watched North and South, Cranford, and Little Dorrit, among other non-Austen adaptions, I realised I didn't really have a lot of love for Pride and Prejudice. Granted, I've only read P&P and I do adore Sense and Sensibility. But compared to the darker depictions of that general time period in Elizabeth Gaskell's works, as well as those of Dickens and the Bronte sisters (but spare me Wuthering Heights any day. I cannot take that story AT ALL), Austen is so light-hearted and it's the same stuff, over and over again. It kind of put me off Austen, to be honest.
It was so bad that I still am trying to finish up Emma, which roh_wyn presented me about...7 years ago (I think). Somehow I just couldn't get past the third or fourth page. Maybe it was because I knew the story already (the Gwyneth Paltrow film adaptation, and...um...Clueless), but i just couldn't get it finished. BUT. I think now, I will be able to. Even though I know the story and even though I'm watching the umpteenth adaptation of this Austen work.
There's nothing really fantastic about the new adaptation of Emma. If you know the story, you know what to expect. The one thing that has me sold, though, is Jonny Lee Miller as Mr. Knightley. The only thing I've sort of seen him in is bits and pieces of Plunkett and Macleane, but that was only because I wanted to see the scene with this amazing bit of music by Craig Armstrong. But I digress. Actually, it's not just Miller's Mr. Knightley but also the character himself. He's not the male lead with whom the female protagonist gets off on the wrong foot, or there's some big misunderstanding, or something to that effect. I like that he's Emma's lifelong friend and they realise, in time, that they love each other.
SO. The last thing I needed was to find another fictional character from one of the classics to start adoring. Honestly, they really should stop with these adaptations, it's just not good for people like me. Anyway. I leave you with this. There's nothing spoiler-y about it -- as long as you know the general plot of Emma. Which everyone should, really. Enjoy!
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