Persuasion

[fujiko1601]

So, here it is, my first Austen comparison post

Comments

[hungrytiger11]

Aah! It has been forever since I read this book! I will have to reread it. I confess Anne never quite interested me the way some of the other Austen heroines did, but I think the idea of it not being "first love" very interesting. Also, considering how most young ladies (well, and young men too to an extent) had to marry where their families pleased, it was in someways more realistic than a Mr. Darcy of 10,000 a year coming and marry you.

I've only seen the 1995 version. I must say though... 2007 Wentworth is much hansomer and yet, to me, still looks as if he has been out at sea etc. It was interesting to read the difference in the way certain elements were brought out by the design teams or script. You did a good job contrasting them.

Good luck with P&P!

[fujiko1601]

She isn't that interesting than say Elizabeth. However she's much better than say Fanny Price. Which reminds me that I forgot to mention that they had renamed Fanny Harville to Phoebe Harville in the 1995 version for some reason. Argh, I should have take notes while reading. While it was probably first love for Anne, it's not the first 'OMG I'll die if I don't marry him now' love. She's quite the opposite of Juliet. Austen heroines usually don't marry where their families pleased and looks like she didn't herself preferring to not marry at all.

I had seen the 1995 version before and didn't even know the other one existed a few weeks ago.

The 2007 Wentworth is growing on me, but I still decided to go with the first impression while writing this. Maybe it's that I imagined him dark-haired? I can't put my finger on it, but something bothered me. After reading the book again he seemed more acceptable though. Maybe after a while I start to really like him for the role.

Thanks!

[hungrytiger11]

Mansfield Park bounces back and forth between second favorite and third favorite among Austen's novels for me, depending on how I'm feeling about Fanny. Sometimes I love her. She's meek due to her subersvant postion, but has a backbone and morals. Other times she comes across as self-righteous and uptight. It depends on my read. Elizabeth, of course, is one of literature's finest, so...

As for Persuasion, perhaps I should clarify that it is not about falling love for the first time, but an older, and wiser view on love and what a difference it has in the live you lead. It is about second chances, essentially.

[fujiko1601]

Mansfield Park is somewhere between the more silly and more sensible heroines for me, but it might change with the rereading. Fanny feels a bit dull, but compared to what they did to her in the 1999 adaptation, I like the original more.

It really is about second chances. Maybe their love was as strong and true the first time, but they were not quite ready to go through with it. And yet at that time it was marriage or nothing. It really can be quite tragic and I'm surprised it hasn't come up more often in literature.

[ant_power]

Ah, I hardly remember Persuasion, but I do remember it was possibly my favourite Austen book, and I don't think I've seen either of the movies (which I guess makes this comment kind of pointless!), but I really like how you've compared the two. It seems like the more recent adaptations of Austen's work have had the characters more openly showing their emotion and have tried to up the drama and so forth, which I guess possibly makes for more interesting movies, but I think takes away from the original work somewhat.

I want to watch Persuasion now!! I can't wait to read your views on P&P - personally nothing will ever go past the Colin-Firth-as-Mr-Darcy version, but I haven't seen some of the older ones.

[fujiko1601]

Your comment is far from pointless. I was reading comments for an older Pride and Prejudice adaptation I am yet to see and the ones who preferred that version blamed newer ones in exactly the same thing - too open emotions. That included the 1995 which is one of my favourite costume dramas ever. Colin Firth can pull off Darcy pride so well. More emotion can make more interesting movies... or more annoying ones. It all depends how you do it.

Go watch! :) Which one would it be?

I'll try to not take too long. It's nice to see you around and commenting again. :)

[helike]

"Persuasions" is one of my fav books ever. I think that I should see some movie finally. At least one of them.

[fujiko1601]

Really? Which one would you watch?

[helike]

I would start from 2007 probably, because character seem to look more like themselves. 1995!Wentworth definitely doesn't look what I'd imagine him to look like ^^;

[fujiko1601]

Yeah, most characters from 1995 are rather ordinary looking. On the other hand the plot is less meddled with, not that they have done anything particularly awful in the 2007 version.

[dayadhvam_triad]

Persuasion! :D I've always had a soft spot for the story, since it is not about first love, but about love lost and rediscovered, which has a poignant aspect to it which no first love story can capture so well

[fujiko1601]

Did I mention the costumes were shinier? I think that depended on the character. Some were better in one version, some in other. What I did notice was that 2007 had better landscape shots, or maby I just noticed them more and the actors themselves were better looking. And like helike pointed out some characters look too old.

I just didn't get the running around. And the kiss scene! I'm surprised they did it in both versions. If they had to then why not somewhere more private? The book mentioned them walking through a more secluded place.

I din't mind the diary, but she seemed to angst a bit too publicly by writing it down. Hm.

I did watch them one after another with my eye out for differences, so I noticed the smaller things like Elizabeth and the renaming of Harville's sister.

I think I have a slight preference for 1995, but it could be because I saw it first. Or maybe because it is closer to the book. Didn't mention it in the post though . :)

I think I like those three too unless something happens while rereading the other books. :)

[dayadhvam_triad]

Indeed you did. :) haha yes, I was surprised to see 1995 Wentworth looking so old (and this was when I hadn't seen 2007 Wentworth for a comparison yet).

The running scene really irked me. *run run pant pant run run frantic pant pant* >_<;

Yeah, for some reason I have never been into Northanger Abbey--honestly, I have to say I'd probably find Mansfield Park more interesting than Northanger Abbey, and considering that MP is often considered Austen's least popular work, that's saying something. I can't exactly pinpoint why though.

[fujiko1601]

Ah, I remember what I said now. I mostly meant the beginning of the movie Anne compared to the end and how the Musgrove girls wearing those red cloaks made her look plainer in comparison.

XD Can't argue there.

Hm, as timid as Mansfield Park is I think it is above Northanger Abbey and Emma for me. I'm not into silly heroines, but since it has been years it could change once I get to them.

[micaela_a]

Weeee, I finally sit and read this :) I like it a lot, sounds very interesting :D

Unfortunately I can't say too much as I don't know the book. However, I do consider the 2007 version's characters more prettier, especially the guy XD

[fujiko1601]

A hint to you to read the book? XD

I really appreciate that you still took time to read it despite not being familiar with the story.