Pride and Prejudice, new release… Well. We loved many parts of it and we hated just as many remaining parts! Despite the glowing reviews of spectacular performances and satisfyingly rich fusion of romance, we found some things that put us far from ardent admiration of this film. The ending was one of them. I am NOT a purist, yet I cringed. I am going to wait for the DVD release, impatiently, with a hope of it having an alternate ending. One that is worthy of Austen.
The film itself, as a visual narrative, is very gorgeous. But I am talking strictly visual. Scenery is breathtaking (high cliffs included); light throughout the film is magical. Interiors! Whoever was responsible for sets and locations, have my undying gratitude. Turn off the sound, put it on pause frequently to admire stills and never mind the story! Because I loved the movie for the richness of color and the beauty of form, I was more than capable to forgive some of the “artistic license” that transpire, and enjoyed the visual journey.
However! If one is an Austen purist, one should not even bother to go. All the fabulous visuals are completely unrelated to the story - yes, the one called Pride and Prejudice (think the book!). Somebody, somewhere already has mentioned that Bennet family could not have possibly been THAT Dickensonian! And as gentry, surely they owned at least one comb?!
There are performance that delight – Lady Catherine (Judi Dench) is spectacular (despite midnight calls! Gasp!), Caroline Bingley is superb (even with such economy of actions and words, she still come through as fairly spiteful)! Bingley was great – we loved Bingley. We loved Jane.
Jury is still out on Darcy. But no one can do it better than Collin Firth! No one, however gorgeous! Ever! Don’t misconstrue – we are partial to the actor Matthew MacFadyen…
And there are parts that have no definition. Wickham ended up being a blip on a screen – I am surprised if anyone will even notice him… As to Lizzy Bennet – she looks very good in poor weather and on top of dangerous cliffs. And she does look 19, as the character she is supposed to be…There, I have abstained from making derisive comments!
On unrelated note – Lucy and I made last night a Harry Potter movie viewing night. We LOVE “Goblet of Fire”!!! Love it! Lily.
The film itself, as a visual narrative, is very gorgeous. But I am talking strictly visual. Scenery is breathtaking (high cliffs included); light throughout the film is magical. Interiors! Whoever was responsible for sets and locations, have my undying gratitude. Turn off the sound, put it on pause frequently to admire stills and never mind the story! Because I loved the movie for the richness of color and the beauty of form, I was more than capable to forgive some of the “artistic license” that transpire, and enjoyed the visual journey.
However! If one is an Austen purist, one should not even bother to go. All the fabulous visuals are completely unrelated to the story - yes, the one called Pride and Prejudice (think the book!). Somebody, somewhere already has mentioned that Bennet family could not have possibly been THAT Dickensonian! And as gentry, surely they owned at least one comb?!
There are performance that delight – Lady Catherine (Judi Dench) is spectacular (despite midnight calls! Gasp!), Caroline Bingley is superb (even with such economy of actions and words, she still come through as fairly spiteful)! Bingley was great – we loved Bingley. We loved Jane.
Jury is still out on Darcy. But no one can do it better than Collin Firth! No one, however gorgeous! Ever! Don’t misconstrue – we are partial to the actor Matthew MacFadyen…
And there are parts that have no definition. Wickham ended up being a blip on a screen – I am surprised if anyone will even notice him… As to Lizzy Bennet – she looks very good in poor weather and on top of dangerous cliffs. And she does look 19, as the character she is supposed to be…There, I have abstained from making derisive comments!
On unrelated note – Lucy and I made last night a Harry Potter movie viewing night. We LOVE “Goblet of Fire”!!! Love it! Lily.
posted by Lily and Lucy White at 3:37 PM
1 Comments:
Thank you for the review -- very helpful. (And I, of course, loved Goblet of Fire, too. Who couldn't?)
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