Originally I was going to write about last weekend’s workshop, but I’m so tired that my brain isn’t creating functional sentences. Instead, I want to talk about my terrible Austen obsession, because I can rattle on about that for a while, and I know there are a few of you out there who not-so-secretly know what I’m talking about.
I’ve mentioned before that I really, really like the 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice series — 5 hours of glorious witticism, romance, and British accents. After one of my clients, Liz (whose wedding is coming up this weekend YAY!), mentioned the merits of the 2005 Keira Knightley Pride & Prejudice, I gave it another chance.
And hated it.
I actually have an entire page of notes as to why I hated it, but we won’t go into that now. To clear the palate, as we’ll say, I watched the BBC version again. In fact, I bought it for iTunes so I could watch it any time I wanted on my iPod. Which meant that if I couldn’t quote every bit of dialogue then, I totally can now.
Since January, I’ve:
- watched the 2009 BBC Emma mini-series with Romola Garai
- read Emma
- watched the 1995 Sense and Sensibility movie with Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, and Kate Winslet
- read Sense and Sensibility
- watched “Lost in Austen”
- watched BBC’s Pride and Prejudice
- watched it again
- watched a few of my favorite episodes (part 4 is really amazing, in my opinion)
- watched it again
Right now I’m trying to read Persuasion. I have no doubt that I will watch the movie after that. And I am trying to track down the 2008 Sense and Sensibility miniseries that has Dan Stevens (aka Matthew Crawley from “Downton Abbey,” a deliciously handsome man), to little avail.
What’s your favorite Austen novel or movie adaptation?
(Photos are screenshots from “Emma,” “Lost in Austen,” and Sense and Sensibility — they are not by me.)
Hi there! The 2008 version of S and S is on iTunes :D
I loved loved loved “Persuasion” when I saw it on “Masterpiece Theater”. I have to admit that I didn’t really get into Jane Austen until about a year ago, I don’t know why I waited so long!
Persuasion is still new to me — I don’t even know the entire story so it’s like I’m diving into a new world :)
I’m pretty sure that if Austen had been forced on me in high school I wouldn’t have enjoyed her works quite as much. Even my first read-through of P&P was a little dull until I learned to slow down and read between the lines.
Welcome to the club, Allison!!
So true, Christy. P&P over Twilight ;)
You are seriously OBSESSED! It cracks me up! But hey – better Austen than some bad writer…