I've been working on my wedding blog so much that I have been neglecting my regular blog (though wedding planning has become my newest hobby out of necessity...) I took a break from everything last night to indulge in a little Austen, so here's a summary of her six major novels and their dramatizations on DVD.
Emma
Emma was the first Austen novel I ever read my senior year of high school. Each of the movies are well done, though the most adorable Harriet Smith is in the old BBC version. The newest version premiered on Masterpiece Classics earlier this year and hopefully will end up in my DVD collection soon!
Mansfield Park
I am currently reading Mansfield Park for the Jane Austen Challenge. Out of her six novels, it's the one I am least familiar with. I saw the 1999 version during college, but don't remember much about it. I've seen the 80's version, which is looooooooooooooooooong and pretty bland. I would love to see the newest version... maybe they'll show it again next year on Masterpiece Classics.
Northanger Abbey
Austen's first novel, Northanger Abbey, is my favorite since I can identify with Catherine Moreland being obsessed with her novels. I didn't actually read this one until I had seen the newest version and fallen in love with the story. I checked the DVD out from the library so much that my mother finally bought it for me. Do not watch the earlier version unless you really know and love the story, or you want to go on a confusing 80's new age music trip.
Persuasion
I hosted book club for Jane Austen's Persuasion to share this classic with my friends and showed the newest version. Aside from a few minor changes, it is extremely faithful to the book, and I will own it one of these days. The 70's BBC version is really good as well, and I'm still trying to get my hands on a copy of the 1995 version.
Pride & Prejudice
I actually have not read Austen's Pride and Prejudice, though I have read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (with Seth Grahame-Smith's zombie mayhem edits) for book club. It's on my list for the Jane Austen Challenge, and hopefully I'll get a chance to finally read it this year! There is not a bad adaptation in the bunch so far, though I haven't seen the version from the 40's yet. I own the Keira Knightley version, and I definitely wouldn't object to a copy of the newly remastered version with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy!
Sense & Sensibility
I have read Sense and Sensibility, though I would like the chance to read it again since it's been awhile. I watched the 1981 version last night (which prompted this post), then found out there is an even earlier version (1971) that I must find and watch now. I own the Emma Thompson version, and I would love to have a copy of the wonderfully done 2008 version as well.
3 comments:
Sense is by far my favorite Austen book and I love the Emma Thompson movie. I caught a version of it on PBS one evening as well.
I saw Northanger Abbey recently on PBS (love Masterpiece Theatre) and HAD to read the book after I saw the movie! Loved it!
I haven't finished P&P and I want to read Moreland Park. :)
Bah...I meant Mansfield Park. I'm tired...its been a long day!
Oh..and I think its Emma that the movie Clueless was based on.
Yes, Clueless is based on Emma, and there is a 2003 version of P&P that has been modernized (Elizabeth Bennett is a college student, and Mr. Darcy is tempting her with an MRS instead of her BA), but I didn't include it on my list since it's not period Austen. Masterpiece is awesome! They're going to be showing Agatha Christie soon on Mystery Theatre, including a new version of Book Club pick Murder on the Orient Express.
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