Austen Week: Film Adaptations (Part Three)

In the final part of my Austen film reviews, I will be looking at the Austen inspired genre. They are a mix of films, from taking a few ideas from the novels to copying the storyline but adapting it for a modern audience. There are plenty more films, some less known, however the list below are the ones I thought would be of interest.

From Prada to Nada (2011)

This film was actually rather enjoyable. It is a romantic comedy based on Sense and Sensibility. Thankfully it doesn’t follow the novel front to back, it simply takes clues from the novel. It follows the story of two rich and spoiled sisters who have been left without a cent after their father passes. They are forced out of their home to live with their estranged Mexican aunt in East LA, an area rich in Latino culture that they have ignored their entire lives, despite the fact they have Mexican heritage. Just like in Sense and Sensibility, the sisters learn to be happy with love and family without the need for money. The only difference being, these sisters are also learning a new language and embracing their Mexican heritage. There is a great young cast including Camilla Belle, Alexa Vega (Spy Kids), Wilmer Valderrama, Kuno Becker (Goal!) and April Bowlby (Drop Dead Diva).


Where to buy: Amazon.

Lost in Austen (2008)

Lost in Austen is an ITV four part series loosely based on Pride and Prejudice. it is about a girl named Amanda pride, who is from present day Hammersmith. She is obsessed with Jane Austen and somehow discovers Elizabeth Bennet in her bathroom. Obviously, we would all be curious, so Amanda enter the secret doorway that Elizabeth used and finds herself in Longbourn, at the Bennet house. The series follows as Elizabeth is trapped in 21st centyr London and Amanda is doing her best to make sure the novel continues on track. Unfortunately the task for Amanda is extremely impossible as she finds she can't cope with the way they live and ends up changing large portions of the story. It is honestly an entertaining series and while it is a bit of a mess, it does turn out well it is fun to watch how a modern day girl would survive in Regency, England. For those watching Downton Abbey, Hugh Bonneville also starts as Mr Bennet.

Where to buy: Amazon.

Becoming Jane (2007)

Obviously not an adaptation of an Austen novel, Becoming Jane is a historical and popular film about Jane Austen herself. It is inspired by Austen’s life and her relationship with Thomas Lefroy.

With a brilliant cast, including Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen, James McAvoy (as Thomas Lefroy), and Maggie Smith, this film did very well in the box office.

Where to buy: Available in-store or on Amazon



Bride and Prejudice (2004)

A unique adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. This is a Bollywood romantic and musical film in English, based on the novel. Some characters names have changed for the films, such as Lalita instead of Elizabeth and Jaya, Maya and Lakhi as her sisters. Mr Darcy obviously didn’t change. The story follows the same plot as the novel, with obvious adjustments. We see Lalita fall for Will Darcy, a rich and handsome American who she meets at a wedding.  As it is a Bollywood film, there are also a few dance productions. I didn’t expect to enjoy it, but surprisingly it was rather good. There are some well known names, such as Alexis Bledel (Georgiana), Ashanti and Aishwarya Rai.

Where to buy: Amazon.

Pride and Prejudice: A Latter-day comedy (2003)

A bit of an odd version of Pride and Prejudice. To put it simply, it’s a film based on the Mormon culture that used the plot of Pride and Prejudice and spins it around for a modern audience. You will see the same characters, such as Elizabeth and Mr Darcy, however Elizabeth no longer has sisters, instead Jane is now simply a friend named Jane Vasquez. Elizabeth is played by Kam Heskin, who is known for her role in the Prince and Me 2 and 3. Since it’s a modern version, a lot of the script obviously had to change but all in all it is a decent light film to watch when you have nothing else.

Where to buy: Amazon.

Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)

An obvious choice, this film is one of my favourites. The film is said to be based on Pride and Prejudice, including the 1995 adaptation with Colin Firth - hence the reason he also plays Darcy in both. For those not familiar with the film, it is a romantic comedy based on the novel by Helen Fielding.  It follows the story of Bridget, who is single and in her thirties and constantly worrying about everything, including her weight, smoking and men. She starts to write a diary to keep track of her mistakes and attempts at fixing her problems. There is a fun little love triangle with Mark Darcy and Daniel Cleaver which ends up being the main part of both films.

It has a brilliant cast with Renee Zellweger (as Bridget), Colin Firth (as Mark Darcy) and Hugh Grant (as Daniel Cleaver). Simply a wonderful film to watch!

Where to buy: Available in-store or on Amazon.

Clueless (1995)

Clueless is an American comedy loosely based on Emma. Set in Beverly Hills, it follows Cher Horowitz in her attempt to do good deeds, find love and be a matchmaker. Cher is the attractive, rich and popular girl in school who lives alone with her father, just like Emma. Her matching begins with her lonely teachers who she sets up so they will give her better grades. Realizing she enjoys helping others, she starts on the path of good deeds and adopts a new girl at school in a bit to make her popular. All in all, it is a fantastic teen film that has become a classic with my generation. There is a wonderful cast, including Alicia Silverstone as Cher, Brittany Murphy, Wallace Shawn, Donald Faison and Paul Rudd.

Where to buy: Amazon.

If you have any favourites, or would love to share some others not on the list, feel free to comment below.

Austen Week: Film Adaptations (Part Two)

To continue on from my last post, I have been going through Austen adaptations and sharing short reviews... Today's includes Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion and Mansfield Park.

Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility (1981)

Sense and Sensibility is a story about the life and loves of two sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, as they struggle to find happiness, particularly after they, along with their mother and younger sister are forced to leave their home when their father dies and the estate is passed to their half brother John and his wife. The entire novel shows love, romance, heartbreak which is the focus of all the films.
This version is a BBC adaptation of the novel. It was before my time but my aunt gave me a copy a few years ago which allowed me to give it a chance. As it is an older tv serial, it is very dated and may not appeal to a younger audience. I am not familiar with the cast, with Irene Richard as Elinor and Tracey Childs as Marianne. While it does stick close to the novel, it is very sedate and feels more like a slow video I would have watched in English class. The photo on the right explains the mood.

Where to buy: Amazon.

Sense and Sensibility (1995)

This film adaptation of the novel is my favourite of all. It received great international success and went on to win several awards. It was just simply brilliant. Directed by Ang Lee, it was packed with an all star cast that went on to become known for their roles in the film. Some of the popular cast members include Kate Winslet (Marianne), Emma Thompson (Elinor), Hugh Grant (Edward Ferrars), Alan Rickman (Col. Brandon) and Hugh Laurie (Mr Palmer). Some of the scenes have become particularly memorable and I just love when Col. Brandon is taking care of Marianne, even after all the drama and rejection. He may be creepy Snape in Harry Potter, but he 100% chivalrous and handsome in this film.

Where to buy: Available in-store or on Amazon.

Sense and Sensibility (2008)

This is a more recent BBC serial adaptation of the novel. While it doesn't have the big cast seen in the 1995 version, it still does have some recognisable names, such as Domic Cooper (Willoughby) and Daniel Stevens (Edward Ferrars) who you may recognise from Downton Abbey as Matthew Crawley. Reviews have been mixed as it was said to be more sexually charged in comparison to the novel. The one thing that is always difficult, is to follow up from another adaptation, which is why I was highly disappointed with the choice of actor for Col. Brandon after seeing the performance by Alan Rickman. Nevertheless, it is still a great version and would probably suit a younger audience who are just starting to read Austen's novels.

Where to buy: Available in-store on on Amazon.

Persuasion

Persuasion (1995)

Persuasion follows the story of Anne Elliot, who falls in love with a handsome and intelligent naval officer names Frederick Wentworth. Unfortunately as he is poor, her father (a wealthy baronet), sister and mentor Lady Russell persuade her to break off the match, leaving Anne alone for several years. The novel and films follow as Anne, several years later, re-encounters Wentworth, when her family vacates their estate and his sister and brother in law move in. Wentworth is now a wealthy captain, still holding a grudge against Anne for her rejection. It is honestly a brilliant story about the test of love and how a young woman persuaded by others is left to build the courage to live her own life for once.
To be honest I don't remember this adaptation clearly as I don't have a copy, but the one thing I did like about it was the casting of Ciarian Hinds as Captain Wentworth, who also plays Edward Rochester in Jane Eyre. He has a mysterious quality about him that intrigues me and seems to work well in the roles he plays. While the rest of the cast is not as well known, it received several awards and is known to be a brilliant portrayal of the novel.

Where to buy: Amazon.

Persuasion (2007)

A more current ITV adaptation of the novel. I thought it was brilliant. At first I thought Sally Hawkins portrayal as Anne was horrible, but then I realised she acted rather well considering Anne is a woman constantly persuaded by others to do things she doesn't want to. They couldn't have built a more perfect cast of actors. There was superb acting by Rupert Penry-Jones (Captain Wentworth) and Anthony Head (Sir Walter Elliot). It is very fast pace, entertaining and follows the novel well. There wasn't a single thing that disappointed me about it and I was very fond of the ending, which provides a perfect touch to Anne and Frederick's relationship.

Where to buy: Available in-store or on Amazon.

Mansfield Park

Mansfield Park (1983)

Mansfield Park is a novel about a young girl named Fanny Price. Fanny is from a poor family, sent away to be raised by her rich uncle and aunt, Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram, at Mansfield Park. Here she is raised with her cousins, Tom, Edmund, Maria and Julia. Unfortunately for Fanny, she is always seen as inferior by her cousins, apart from Edmund, who becomes a close friend and eventual love interest. She spends years trying to be accepted and when she finally does, she throws it all away to reject a handsome philanderer named Henry Crawford.
For an older adaptation, I actually enjoyed it and thought it was portrayed very well. While it is a bit dated and dry, it is still great to watch, as you are able to watch the relationship between Fanny and Edmund develop and blossom.

Where to buy: Amazon.

Mansfield Park (1999)

This novel has always been a more difficult one to pull off as Fanny is a hard character to play well. Fortunately, Frances O'Connor was a perfect choice for the role. Johnny Lee Miller also played a convincing role as Edmund and you really get a sense of the brother/sister relationship and how it develops into a romantic one.
The one thing that was thought negative at the time is the emphasis on the slave trade and how Sir Thomas made his wealth. This was not something that Austen would have gone indepth with, yet they chose to pursue it. Thankfully it did not completely ruin the story, it just gave us more of an insight into their lives, no matter how harsh it was. Definately one of the best adaptations.

Where to buy: Amazon.

Mansfield Park (2007)

It is always enjoyable to see BBC battle against ITV for an Austen adaptation. However, since this one is several years after the BBC version, it is difficult to compare. I was not too pleased with Billie Piper as Fanny as she is supposed to be quiet, delicate and appear hidden when among others. Billie Piper is quite the opposite. This version skips some important parts of the book, which I know was critisized when it come out.
On a different note, Joseph Morgan who plays Klaus in Vampire Diaries on ITV also plays Fanny's brother William in this version. Obviously he was in this first, but it is an interesting change in scene.

Where to buy: Amazon.

Part Three: Austen Inspired films