Jane Austen Club

NotATameLion said:
I watched the new "Pride and Prejudice" (I wonder how much longer I can call a movie made in 2005 "new", LOL...but I guess it is new compared to the BBC) again last night for the zillionth time. :D I love that movie so much! It's just lovely.

I really want to read the book again this summer, but I have a huge list of books I want to read, so I don't know if I'll actually do it. :p
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That movie isn't as good as the A&E one with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.

By the way, I'm Elanor on the Jane Austen heroine test.
 
tolkienlewisfan said:
That movie isn't as good as the A&E one with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.
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Sorry, but I've got to disagree with you there. :p The new "Pride and Prejudice" is my favorite Jane Austen movie, and my favorite movie period. It has been ever since I saw it when it came out. I've seen both versions many times, but I think the new one is a hundred times better than the BBC one. :)

I was Elizabeth Bennet in the quiz, surprisingly. :p I think when I took it a long time ago I was Elinor.
 
But in the new one they look like slobs the whole time. Their house is run down and their hair is always untidy and I see several things that never would have happened in that time period, one of them being that Mr. Bingley would never have visited Jane in her room when she was sick.
 
Actually, mine is not the first one I saw (the one that actually convinced me to read the book in fact). The first one I saw was the 2005 version and, while it has its merits, it is not accurate to the book and the time period.

I really like the A&E version and the other BBC. I have also seen 1940's one and, while it is hilarious, it shares the same complaint as the 2005 movie.
 
NotATameLion said:
Sorry, but I've got to disagree with you there. :p The new "Pride and Prejudice" is my favorite Jane Austen movie, and my favorite movie period. It has been ever since I saw it when it came out. I've seen both versions many times, but I think the new one is a hundred times better than the BBC one. :)

I was Elizabeth Bennet in the quiz, surprisingly. :p I think when I took it a long time ago I was Elinor.
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I agree that I don't like the BBC version. I like the A&E version.
 
DaydreamBeliever said:
I read the book very recently..and..well,just didn't care for it....

I never cared for Darcy for some reason..I know hes the favorite of Jane Austen's heroes by many people,but he just seemed..mean to me...They made him a little less nasty in the 40s version,imo.
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Oh, but he's not mean, just misunderstood. :p He's a little shy of people he doesn't know, and because of the way he grew up, his shyness can come off as a little...arrogance. He is a little prideful, but I think Lizzie helped him get over that after they were married. :p

I agree that I don't like the BBC version. I like the A&E version.
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When I say BBC, I mean the A&E version. The one with Colin Firth.

I think that the way the Bennet's live in the 2005 version is natural. They're just an average, country family. That's one of the reasons (along with their behavior) that Darcy fought so hard to resist his feelings for Lizzie. But as for the small inaccurate historical details, I don't mind them. :)

Although the 2005 version was the first P&P movie I saw, I read the book before I saw it. I saw previews for the movie, which made me curious, plus I had always heard about "Pride and Prejudice." So I read the book and fell in love with the story, then I saw the 2005 version, then the BBC one. I haven't seen the 1940's one yet.
 
I didn't expect to find Austen fans on The Dancing Lawn! Yay! :)

I adore P&P. It took me awhile to completely warm up to the 05 version. Before I saw it I didn't want to because, from the previews, I could tell it didn't follow the book (like how Darcy proposes, both times), but then I saw it and I went out and bought it and the soundtrack VERY soon after. Kiera was good at Elizabeth, but what I enjoyed about the 05 version was how they portrayed Darcy. I love Colin Firth, but in the 05 Darcy's veiled interest in Lizzy was much more apparent and his inner conflict was given more attention. It was HIS movie as much as it was about Lizzy.

By the way, for those who like Darcy or may need help liking him :p there is a book called Darcy's Story that tells all of P&P completely from Darcy's perspective. Much of the dialogue is taken from Austen as well, which makes it very true to how "the Authoress" may have written it if she had written it herself.
 
Elentari said:
I didn't expect to find Austen fans on The Dancing Lawn! Yay! :)
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We are everywhere luv! :cool:

Isn't it wonderful how there are enough P&P versions that we can all have one that we really really like and not have to settle for someone elses favorite? :)

Incidentally, I didn't get to see Becoming Jane. After mom found out how inaccurate that it was she didn't want to see it anymore and I didn't have time to watch it on my own.
 
I wondered if it would be any good. Is it generally liked by Austen fans? :confused: (anyone can give me their opinion on this one) I haven't decided on whether it is something I would rent or not. I'm not buying it before I've seen it and love it, which I'm not sure I would if it's not accurate...
 
Elentari said:
I didn't expect to find Austen fans on The Dancing Lawn! Yay!

I adore P&P. It took me awhile to completely warm up to the 05 version. Before I saw it I didn't want to because, from the previews, I could tell it didn't follow the book (like how Darcy proposes, both times), but then I saw it and I went out and bought it and the soundtrack VERY soon after. Kiera was good at Elizabeth, but what I enjoyed about the 05 version was how they portrayed Darcy. I love Colin Firth, but in the 05 Darcy's veiled interest in Lizzy was much more apparent and his inner conflict was given more attention. It was HIS movie as much as it was about Lizzy.
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We're so glad you found us! :p

Yes, I love how much he shows with his face, especially his eyes. All of those looks he gives her. :D And the soundtrack is absolutely beautiful, isn't it? I was just listening to it a few minutes ago.

I wondered if it would be any good. Is it generally liked by Austen fans? (anyone can give me their opinion on this one) I haven't decided on whether it is something I would rent or not. I'm not buying it before I've seen it and love it, which I'm not sure I would if it's not accurate...
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You're talking about "Becoming Jane," right? Well, there's usually a split opinion...I would recommend renting it. I didn't particularly like it myself, because I didn't like the Tom Lefroy character and couldn't really understand why she was so attracted to him. But I think every Austen fan should see it...and I'm probably going to see it again, because it just might be one of those movies that has to grow on you. :p There are some Austen fans on here that like it a lot, I think.
 
NotATameLion said:
I think that the way the Bennet's live in the 2005 version is natural. They're just an average, country family. That's one of the reasons (along with their behavior) that Darcy fought so hard to resist his feelings for Lizzie. But as for the small inaccurate historical details, I don't mind them. :)
It's natural for today's world, but not for back then. Especially with Mrs. Bennet so obsessed with making sure people liked them.
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NotATameLion said:
Oh, but he's not mean, just misunderstood. :p He's a little shy of people he doesn't know, and because of the way he grew up, his shyness can come off as a little...arrogance. He is a little prideful, but I think Lizzie helped him get over that after they were married.


When I say BBC, I mean the A&E version. The one with Colin Firth.

I think that the way the Bennet's live in the 2005 version is natural. They're just an average, country family. That's one of the reasons (along with their behavior) that Darcy fought so hard to resist his feelings for Lizzie. But as for the small inaccurate historical details, I don't mind them.
Although the 2005 version was the first P&P movie I saw, I read the book before I saw it. I saw previews for the movie, which made me curious, plus I had always heard about "Pride and Prejudice." So I read the book and fell in love with the story, then I saw the 2005 version, then the BBC one. I haven't seen the 1940's one yet.
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They were not average though, they were a modestly-situated family of the Gentlemanry class. That is why it so important when Lady Catherine points out that Lizzie's mother and, for that matter, her mother's family, are nobodies. Lizzie's mother, uncle, and aunt were "Average people" possibly even Bingley was. Mr. Bennet and his daughters are not.

Elentari said:
I wondered if it would be any good. Is it generally liked by Austen fans? :confused: (anyone can give me their opinion on this one) I haven't decided on whether it is something I would rent or not. I'm not buying it before I've seen it and love it, which I'm not sure I would if it's not accurate...
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It is enjoyable, to a point, it peeved me that Tom Lefroy (a man who happened to be a married pastor of the neighboring parish) is shown in the light they put him in. That they put in the scene where Jane runs off with Tom also irked me but otherwise it is a good movie.

NotATameLion said:
We're so glad you found us!

Yes, I love how much he shows with his face, especially his eyes. All of those looks he gives her. :D And the soundtrack is absolutely beautiful, isn't it? I was just listening to it a few minutes ago.



You're talking about "Becoming Jane," right? Well, there's usually a split opinion...I would recommend renting it. I didn't particularly like it myself, because I didn't like the Tom Lefroy character and couldn't really understand why she was so attracted to him. But I think every Austen fan should see it...and I'm probably going to see it again, because it just might be one of those movies that has to grow on you. There are some Austen fans on here that like it a lot, I think.
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Like she said, rent it first. I made the mistake of buying it before watching it and now I have a twenty dollar movie that I have no intent to watch again.
 
Ahhh. It doesn't sound like I'll be looking for it any time soon. Thanks for your input. :)

As for Elizabeth's family, the level of "class" can be complicated. Since Mr. & Mrs. Gardiner (uncle and aunt) live in a particular part of London and have a specific occupation (trade of some kind?) they are looked down on by the aspiring Ms. Bingley, and her sister, whose only difference in situation (as I know) is that they have slightly more money and live in a different part of town. (I believe their father was also involved in a similar occupation as Mr. Gardiner, but was able to provide better for his children--maybe a larger inheritance--that has enabled all the Bingley's the chance to "marry well" and climb the social ladder, which happens to be one of the reasons the lady Bingleys and Darcy oppose Charles' marriage to Jane, who can give him no social advantage.)

Elizabeth's claim, so to speak, that Bingley and Darcy are gentlemen and she and Jane are the daughters of a gentleman is true in general, but the society in which P&P is based has put levels to this gentlemanliness, with the Bennetts at the bottom, the Gardiners a little higher, the Bingleys higher than that, and Darcy and his aunt at the top. Mostly based on income, money, and how much land/houses they possess and where.

The book "Mr. Darcy Presents His Bride" gives an interesting look at Lizzy's views of and interactions (as Mrs. Darcy) with the levels equal to and higher than Darcy's.
 
The reason I said that Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bennet were different from the Gardiners and the Phillips, and even the Bingleys, is that they were owners of estates, allbeit, Mr. Bennet's estate was entailed away from his daughters, but the estate had been in his family for generations and it was his main source of income. This fact is what made him a gentleman, not that he had money of any kind. Mr. Gardiner, and Bingley's father at any rate, would not have been "gentlemen" in the same sense of the word, they got their money through a trade. Income-wise they may have had more than Mr. Bennet but Mr. Bennet was, socially, a class higher than them. He was in the social class just below knights and lords. Mr. Darcy is somewhat different from Mr. Bennet in as much as he had a mother from a higher social class. In a sense, Mr. Bennet below his station.
 
I think our lovely Jane Austen thread has been getting dusty long enough. :p I've seen her mentioned here lately, so I thought maybe we could revive the thread.

I'm rereading "Emma" now. It has probably become my second favorite Austen book. :)
 
I need to read that. :p
I remember one time when my friend and I went around speaking in British accents and calling each other Mrs. Darcy (me) and Mrs. Bingley (her). It was funny... and people kept looking at us like we were crazy... :rolleyes:
 
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