First up. Watch the new Jane Eyre originally broadcast on Masterpiece Theatre in 2006. It's available on DVD now and it's the best Jane Eyreadaptation I've seen.
A few months ago, I started going through a classic-book-turned-to-movie phase, so my supervisor (there are definite perks to having a young, single, British-man-loving supervisor) loaned me North and South, Wives and Daughters, and Bleak House. Then another friend loaned me the new Jane Eyre. Bless her little soul! A new and unexpected joy has entered my life.
I was already a fan of Jane Eyre. I own my grandma's matching print copies of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. They were published in 1943 with super creepy wood engraving prints, and my grandma dug them out of her garage one year and let me take them home. I was in grade school and I thought they were VERY fancy. I like the 1996 version of the movie, too. Amy and I snuck out of our apartments in college one night to watch it at the International Cinema together. I much prefer the new version, though. I'm preparing my black armband and veil for the time when I have to return the DVDs to my friend.
Here are the movie's main strengths:
1. Toby Stephens, who I consider a real treat, plays Mr. Rochester. He also stars in a wonderful 1996 version of Twelfth Night and in the less wonderful but still not bad adaptation of Possession. It's very easy to see how Jane could forgive a little thing like a wife in the attic with Toby Stephens playing Mr. Rochester.
2. It's the only version of Jane Eyre in which I actually want Jane and Mr. Rochester to get together because I like both of them, not just because they've been set up as the hero and heroine and Mr. Rochester is the only man around for miles. The development of the relationship between the two characters is nicely done.
3. The movie summarizes Jane's early years and then skips ahead to the Thornfield years. We know. She was an orphan. Everyone was mean to her. Her only friend died. It's not the most interesting part of the story, and I was happy to have it remain brief.
4. It plays on my TV without developing weird, wavy lines through the screen. The only movies I can watch without the lines are BBC productions and The Muppet Show. Very strange. I have no solutions.
So, suggestions for book, movies, music to fill the void after Toby Stephens leaves my home?
6 comments:
Wow... Mary Beth... you and my mom both love BBC adaptations. She's recently sent me Netflix recommendations for all the stuff you mentioned. Is it alright if I share my blog with her? She'd love it!
I want to see White Teeth, but I don't know if it ever came out in the US of A. The BBC adapted Zadie Smith's book some time ago...My favorite movie is City of Lost Children. I don't know if you would like it. Sort of like watching a dream/nightmare unfold. In French. I also endorse all Wes Anderson movies...None of these are based on books or produced by the BBC...I also endorse Rabbit Proof Fence and The Proposition, both about Australia. The Proposition was written by Nick Cave and is nihilistic and bizarre. Rabbit Proof Fence is also sad, but more palatable, perhaps.
Alyssa--Absolutely. The more readers the better. I actually fall in and out of love with my BBC productions. Someone sent me home with this version of Jane Eyre months ago, and I only made it through about 2 minutes, because I wasn't in the mood for a period drama.
James--I'll investigate your suggestions. The only one I've seen is Rabbit Proof Frence.
I think it's a sign that only BBC shows will play.
My romantic lit professor loved the orphanage years. Then again, she loved Byron too, so...
I'm going to order MI5 from Netflix soon. Joanna and I are currently obsessed with Upstairs, Downstairs, so as soon as we're done with that you can come over and watch MI5 with us. It's modern, but it stars Matthew McFayden. That's the best I can come up with now.
I also endorse Rabbit Proof Fence. It is pretty sad, but it's a great movie. I cried once when I was trying to describe it to someone.
AH! AH! AH! I almost forgot! Toby is in the best Agatha Christie adaptation I have ever seen* -- Poirot: Five Little Pigs. Again, I got this from Netflix. I'm willing to order it again for you. You must see it!
*It's the best as far as being a real movie. My absolute favorites are the Miss Marples. I think the library has "Moving Finger". There are two pretty good looking guys in that, and one of them is Welsh.
Oh, MB, you're so glad you met me.
have you ever thought of learning how much those 1943 copies of jane Eyre are worth? You might be surprised.
Post a Comment