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thesunsethour · 11 months ago

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Little Les Mis Things - 11/01/24

My ramblings (aka an in-depth analysis) on how amazing the current West End cast of Les Misérables are having seen the show yesterday (a particularly special version because of how many amazing covers and swings performed!) This is also the first time I’ve seen Les Mis in London with the new production changes (so much to talk about!)

Yesterday was my 6th time seeing Les Mis, and 4th time in London - let’s get into it!!

Jean Valjean - Played by the absolutely wonderful Killian Donnelly who is MY Valjean. This was the third time I’ve seen him play this role and no one has come close to him for me. The tenderness he brings to the role without losing any of Valjean’s rougher edges is sublime. His voice is as divine as ever yet at the same time has matured so much over the years since I first saw him as Valjean in 2017. The result is the most beautiful blend of roughness at the beginning that over the course of the show mellows as Valjean ages - but at the same time is always distinctly *Killian*. His rendition of Bring Him Home is the best version of all time. I would like to apologise to my aunt for this sacrilegious statement against the wonderful Colm Wilkinson but after yesterday I cannot deny it anymore. I always cried at the end of Les Mis, but yesterday was the first time I was sobbing from Bring Him Home onwards, and that is thanks to Killian Donnelly.

Javert - Played by Jordan Simon Pollard, who usually plays Claquesous but is first cover Javert. He was sensational! His voice filled every crevice of the theatre and his rendition of Javert’s Soliloquy was out of this world.

Fantine - Played by Ellie Ann Lowe, who usually plays a Factory Girl but was on as Fantine yesterday and smashed it right out of the park! Beautiful voice (especially at the end of I Dreamed a Dream) and an incredible actress to boot.

Cosette - Played by the lovely Lulu-Mae Pears. Her Cosette was a treat to see and her voice was stunning. Side note I LOVE Cosette’s new costumes for the London production.

Marius - Played by Ben Oatley, who usually plays Joly, and was making his debut as Marius yesterday! He is second cover Marius and this is his first ever West End show having graduated last year and it’s almost hard to believe when you see how talented he is - like he’d been doing the role for years! If you want to imagine this Marius just picture Mr Bingley from Pride and Prejudice 1995 now give him bucketloads of trauma. And then BOOM! A Ben Oatley Marius.

Éponine - Played by Rosy Church, an ensemble actress who is also making her West End debut with this current cast of Les Mis! She was simply outstanding, with a voice as clear as a bell and a higher register that really surprised me for a bit but I loved. Her ‘On My Own’ sent goosebumps down my arms - simply brilliant.

Enjolras - Played by Djavan van de Fliert who made the entire audience fall in love. The most charismatic Enjorlas I have ever had the pleasure of seeing, he filled the stage when energy whenever he was on it. During his entrance for One Day More he fell down on stage but didn’t miss a single beat and got an absolutely rapturous round of applause at the end.

Little bits and bobs I loved from this production:

* They’ve changed the tops that the chain gang wear from brown to red - it initially appeared quite jarring to me but then really grew as the show went on. It makes Valjean stand out more (especially important for people like me, who were watching from the Grand Circle all the way up in the Gods)

* Killian went for the higher note for “took my FLIGHT” which I always simply adore when he does that

* The way Killian said “the whirlpool of my SIN”… I cannot explain in words how many emotions he can pack into one word

* An addition from the last time I saw the show in London was that Valjean goes to help a little girl when going from town to town at the beginning and gets shunned and attacked for it, and this adds an extra weight to when he takes the coin off the little boy later on

* Valjean gets beaten up a LOT more than he used to… it works so well on stage but also leave my father alone…

* The actor playing the bishop in this production (Adam Pearce) was so brilliant - he played the role with an underlying tinge of anger which was a unique choice I’d not seen much of before. He seemed to be angry not AT Valjean but at his circumstances, which really worked well

* One of the factory workers called Fantine a bitch with such vitriol that the dozens of teenagers sitting in front of me on a school tour gasped out loud

* I loved Killian’s acting during the scene when Fantine was fired, she was begging him to look at her letter and Valjean just waved her away - it was made more obvious than in other versions and really helped to heighten his guilt later on when he finds her in the street. Also some excellent background acting with Valjean instructing the workers in the back

* When the man attacked Fantine after Lovely Ladies it was the most violent choreography of it I’ve seen so far. Then Fantine punched AND spat at him

* When Valjean finds Fantine it takes him a good couple minutes to admit his own guilt but when he did it was overwhelming to him

* Killian also kept putting his hand on Fantine’s cheek and then over his own heart…. killed me actually

* Ellie’s “you let your foreman SEND ME AWAY” was breathtaking

* I LOOOOOVED Valjean and Javert’s interactions when Valjean is Mayor because like for example after lifting the cart obviously Valjean had to take off his coat and Javert was holding it and it was after some very tense seconds where Javert was suspicious Valjean just motioned for Javert to return his coat bahahaha. So subtle but so brilliant

* Javert was getting worked up and said “but MONSIEUR LE MAYOR-“ and Valjean just held up a single hand to silence him and it was so perfectly done - I love their shifting power dynamics so much

* And during the Confrontation Valjean stole Javert’s chain and kept slowly wrapping it around his hand before delivering the most satisfying punch

* The little actress who played young Éponine was so fantastic, she kept mirroring Madam T’s behaviour

* I love how the new production emphasises Valjean’s nose boops to Cosette. They are actually so important

* But then… a huge travesty… they changed the line from “Yes Cosette, yes it’s true. I’ll be father and mother to you” to something along the lines of “Yes Cosette, yes it’s true, there’ll be a castle just for you”…. really don’t like this change. I always adored the “father and mother” lyric :(

* And I can’t even keep track of the amount of lyrics changed in Master of the House…

* Once again one of my favourite sections in the musical is The Thénardier Waltz because I adore Valjean’s exasperation and passive aggressive reaction to their antics

* Also when they were talking about his Cosette was often ill, Madam T said to Cosette “play dead!” Excellent new addition

* When Valjean went to pick Cosette up to spin her around Killian said ‘h-UP’ which is such an Irish thing and made me so happy like I really think Killian’s acting with young Cosette and even later with Marius in the sewers has so much more depth since Killian himself has had children 🥺

* Now we’re in Paris (side note they’ve got rid of the location and years projections which I miss…)

* They still have the “everyone’s equal when they’re dead” line for Gavroche which I never liked as much :(

* Although they did let Gavroche carry around a little baton the whole time to mock Javert which I loved

* They made Éponines “I know a lot of things I do” quite overtly sexual which is a change from other versions I’ve seen and I wasn’t mad on it

* I love how the Grantaire and Gavroche has been developed over the years it’s so endearing

* I really loved all the Marius and Grantaire interactions - and really Grantaire with the whole ensemble, such wonderful friendships

* When Enjolras took Grantaire’s bottle off him he immediately took out another one

* Marius sang the first few lines of ‘A Heart Full of Love’ from the top of the fence which I’d never seen before and loved

* Also I am CONVINCED Éponine said “shit!” when she noticed Valjean come out the door

* And later when Éponine delivered the note from Cosette to Marius via Valjean he was so soft towards Éponine and even softer when he realised she was a girl. He clasped her hands and told her to stay away from the barricade

* Death’s kiss!!!!!!! Éponine kissed Marius!!! And I sobbed

* When Éponine was dying one of the Barricade Boys brought Javert out and made him look at her body but Javert kept looking away… oh god quick where is that Éponine and Javert parallel post

* Éponine’s anger at the end of ‘On My Own’ was so palpable and especially her “a world that’s full of happiness that I will never KNOW” was so painful

* Drink with Me while very sad was also very funny because everyone was having a good time and then it’s like “oh good Grantaire is joining in- OH NO HE IS NOT OKAY”

* Enjolras really seemed have a lot of respect for Grantaire in this production which made it all the more painful when Grantaire shook his arm off when Enjolras tried to comfort him

* Grantaire’s “IS YOUR LIFE JUST ONE MORE LIE” really played into his NEED to believe in something

* BRING HIM HOME WAS THE MOST SPECTACULAR PERFORMANCE I HAVE EVER SEEN. I sobbed throughout. Killian is so talented. Because his voice is so soft naturally and the beginning of the song is extra soft it means the gut punch of “the summers DIEEEE ONE BY ONE” all the more powerful

* Grantaire and Enjolras hugged over what they thought was Marius’ dead body… god…

* Valjean looked so devastated that he couldn’t save all the other boys at the barricade oh god it killed me

* Once again Grantaire was the last to die and shouted “YOU BASTARDS”

* One of my FAVOURITE additions to the new Les Mis staging (which Killian does particularly well) is Valjean saying “good boy good boy… good boy” to Marius as he heaved him up. I burst into tears again

* Turning was soooo good because they have a little girl sing the lyric “who will wake them?” and then she stares at Marius as he comes out for Empty Chairs

* I hated the lyric change in Beggars at the Feast from “that one’s a queer but what can you do” to something like “that one’s a queer but guess he’ll do”… like why. why.

* When Valjean was telling Marius about his life he kept rubbing and clutching his wrist which made me think of Fantine’s line about chains binding him… oh god

* As always Valjean’s death was so beautiful and painful… the part of the show that always gets to me the most

* THE BISHOP HUGGED VALJEAN WHEN HE DIED TO WELCOME HIM TO HEAVEN

* and then I died too. I love this musical so much

#sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes i typed this on the plane #les mis #les miserables #theatre stuff #killian donnelly #… my valjean forever and always

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agardenandlibrary · 2 years ago

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I posted 10,450 times in 2022

That's 3,620 more posts than 2021!

880 posts created (8%)

9,570 posts reblogged (92%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@agardenandlibrary

@longsightmyth

@do-you-have-a-flag

@inneskeeper

@spaceshipkat

I tagged 2,997 of my posts in 2022

#cara rags on fba - 382 posts

#myth rags on fba - 134 posts

#cara reads wot - 113 posts

#my book picture - 102 posts

#wheel of time - 64 posts

#cara reads the dragon reborn - 58 posts

#discworld - 56 posts

#cara podcasts - 51 posts

#star trek - 51 posts

#cara reads 2022 - 50 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#i straight up thought my aunt was gonna announce her divorce!! she starts off talking about getting married the day mt st helen's exploded!!

My Top Posts in 2022:

episode 3 of pride and prejudice 1995 may be the funniest

“shelves in the closet? happy thought indeed”

“i thought at least the pigs had gotten into the garden”

“what - *camera zooms in on lady catherine* - all your sisters out at once?”

“colonel fitzwilliam why is your cousin staring at me” - darcy comes over and makes awkward small talk. colonel fitzwilliam smirks at lizzie like “he’s got it bad, girlfriend”

“if i had ever learnt [to play piano] i would have been a true proficient”

colonel fitzwilliam sitting back to watch the carnage as lizzie goes for darcy’s throat. darcy’s little smirk as he says “I am not afraid of you”

darcy rolls his eyes when lady catherine interrupts his flirt-fest with lizzie

I had to pause it for a while but in the last 15 minutes of this episode:

Darcy’s first attempt to propose where he mostly tries to communicate his feelings via intense staring

lizzie brings up that jane is in london and for one second you can see darcy go “wait... does she know that i’ve ruined jane’s chances with bingley? no, no it’s cool, i’ve covered my tracks”

darcy and lizzie having two moments of agreeing on a point: when they roast mr. collins and when they say how great charlotte is

“you would not wish to always be near longbourn” lasjldfalsdf you’re NOT SMOOTH

then he just BAILS like “OH NO I’VE SAID TOO MUCH”

when col. fitzwilliam meets up with lizzie in the park I think he’s trying to talk up darcy, like “oh yeah, my cousin’s hot for this girl, i’ll be a good wingman” then he’s like “actually what if we roasted darcy a little, we had fun with that yesterday”

next day darcy comes back and lizzie’s like “fuck it, he can carry the conversation this time, i’m annoyed as hell with him and he hates me anyway”

AND THEN HE GOES FOR THE WORST PROPOSAL IN THE WHOLE SERIES AND I’M INCLUDING MR. COLLINS’ ATTEMPT, OKAY?

the LOOK she gives him. and she’s POLITE. DEVASTATINGLY POLITE in her refusal. and he’s gotta ask, he’s gotta know why and lizzie’s like “SINCE YOU FUCKING ASKED, ACTUALLY, HERE’S MY LIST OF GRIEVANCES, listed chronologically from most recent --”

*blank stare* “and this is your opinion of me”

when he leaves the doorknob squeaks and I feel like he fumbled that in his panic

lizzie left standing in the cottage going "what the fuck just happened"

625 notes - Posted April 19, 2022

I'm casually looking up information about the Wild Hunt and I just found this:

there's a Motif-Index of Folk Literature?!

There are multiple motif-indices?

See the full post

730 notes - Posted March 2, 2022

okay the reason the “darcy wet t-shirt contest” scene works in p&p1995 as a fan service scene is because we’ve spent 3.5hrs watching these people be incredibly buttoned up and correct and suddenly Lizzie is in his HOUSE ogling his PORTRAIT and his WELL MAINTAINED LAWNS and then there’s the man himself and he’s in a wet shirt and you can see that he has skin? under his clothes? is that chest hair?!

lizzie literally stares at his tits for a solid two seconds before she’s like “oh god his eyes are up there”

1,724 notes - Posted April 19, 2022

I'm going to make a collection of quotes about Anne Elliot that make me clutch my heart in sorrow

Half the sum of attraction, on either side, might have been enough, for he had nothing to do, and she had hardly anybody to love;

She had been forced into prudence in her youth, she learned romance as she grew older -- the natural sequel of an unnatural beginning.

"I cannot possible do without Anne," was Mary's reasoning; and Elizabeth's reply was, "Then I am sure Anne had better stay. for nobody will want her in Bath." To be claimed as a good, though in an improper style, is at least better than being rejected as no good at all.

She knew that when she played [piano] she was giving pleasure only to herself; but this was no new sensation: excepting one short period of her life, she had never, since the age of fourteen, never since the loss of her dear mother, known the happiness of being listened to, or encouraged by any just appreciation or real taste. In music she had been always used to feel alone in the world.

1,893 notes - Posted June 22, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I love Cecil. He's like "incomprehensible horrors happen every day! Not to me though :)" and then they do happen to him and he's like "WHAT THE F–" every. time.

2,309 notes - Posted April 7, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#cara reads 2022 #lmao about that longest tag #also a good year for jane austen posts I guess!#april was a good month for me lol

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theleastinterestingblog · 17 days ago

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thoughts on things, episode two.

Bride and Prejudice and sisterhood

I was scrolling on my phone as one does when I came across an Instagram post about Netflix’s Pride and Prejudice series that they had in the works, in a time where sequels and remakes are all that these big media corporations are making my reaction was to roll my eyes and scroll on to the next post.

For as long as I can remember, Pride and Prejudice has been a part of my life. My mother, a lover of the book, encouraged me to read it when I was a young teenager. I was hooked. Did I fully understand the terms and references? Not really, the 18th-century English was confusing, but it did wonders for my vocabulary. As one does, I wanted more Pride and Prejudice content, and that’s when I discovered the 1995 mini-series with Colin Firth. That series sparked what you could call my “Colin Firth obsession,” but that’s a story for another day. For me, this series is EVERYTHING. The iconic pond scene, for example, is unforgettable. While the 2005 film with Keira Knightley is also very well done, the mini-series has always had my heart.

That is, until I watched Bride and Prejudice. Released in 2004, I didn’t come across it until 2020, during the pandemic, when I was aimlessly scrolling through Amazon Prime in search of something to pass the time. I had no idea what I was in for and no background knowledge of the film, but I started watching it and it changed my life. The colors, the choreography, the songs—I mean, you are not the same after hearing “No Life Without Wife,” it was, and still is, perfection to me.

The film starts with our main character Lalita Bakshi, she is our Elizabeth Bennet character defined by her self-assurance and place as the second in the family. In this retelling there are only four sisters instead of the original five, there is no Kitty Bennet. Although I don’t really know the reason for this choice I almost didn’t realize when I first watched the movie, the way that the director Gurinder Chadha portrayed the sisters’ dynamic was so new and fun.

In the book, the relationships between the five sisters are one full of companionship but there is the sense of struggle between the sisters, especially the older Lizzy and Jane and the younger Kitty and Lydia, Mary altogether is kind of looked over, not as important to the other four. The older of the sisters Jane and Lizzy must be responsible as the eldest daughters in a society where they don’t have very good prospects, as they don’t have a lot of money and don’t come from a high-ranking family. Jane, often referred to as the “most beautiful” Bennet sister, only has her looks to recommend her. Their mother knows this and is deeply hopeful that she will get a good match because of this reason and is overbearing because of this very problem. She wants her daughters to marry and live good lives, are her decisions or how she goes about trying to find her daughters good matches always good? Absolutely not, but she does care in her weird often crazy ways. The older of the two Bennet sisters know this struggle while the younger two Lydia and Kitty don’t which causes this divide. Lydia is the youngest, is a flirt, loud, and opinionated. She doesn’t really care for the societal rules she just lives her life to the fullest and Kitty follows along. This does lead to her almost ruining herself and her family all the while not caring in the end and furthering this divide within the sisters. Although at the end of the book there is no hatred between the sisters there seems to be a loss of the closeness that they had before.

What I appreciated about Bride and Prejudice was how vital the sisters’ relationships were. There is still this divide between the more practical older sisters and the more ridiculous younger two but even with the looming idea of marrying well off, the girls are still very close. I think the best example of this is the “No Life Without Wife” musical number, after their cousin Kholi Saab, the Mr. Collins character, comes over and their mother puts Lalita into his sight for a potential bride they come together to tease her in a fun number that pokes fun at her but mostly at Kholi Saab. It’s fun and light and they are all dancing and laughing and I think it’s the heart of the movie. Comedically it is perfection, really captures that fun and campy aspect I think the movie is really trying to create but also it shows the four sisters’ relationship and their comfortability with each other. I think also in the Lahki, the Lydia character, can get off more easily than in the book, as different societal structures make her running off with Wickham less shocking than when Jane Austen wrote the book. The movie lets her learn and with less high stakes than in the book there isn’t this loss of companionship between the girls.

Anyway this is just a small part of why I think this movie is amazing but really this is all I can think about to write.

-Ayden

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keirainaustenland · 8 months ago

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With the use of parallel plots and characters, Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding is a very popular modern-day spin-off of Jane Austen’s original Pride and Prejudice. Bridget, much like Elizabeth Bennet, is of society’s deemed marrying-age, but hasn't met the right one. She also deals with the added stress of a mother who is a constant reminder of her singleness and the need to find a husband. Both Bridget's and Elizabeth's mothers share a strong focus: they want their daughters to secure a marriage with a man with financial stability. However, in Bridget Jones's Diary, Bridget’s mother is also a Lydia character, scandalizing the family by running off with her very inappropriate vacation-fling Julio.

I included the first piece of media, a gif of Bridget in the 2001 film adaptation of the novel flopping onto her bed while wrapped in her duvet cover, to discuss why Pride and Prejudice is such a beloved and spin-off-ed storyline. Bridget in this gif is the perfect image of a “relatable single millennial girl.” She has the pressures to get married, the pint of Ben and Jerry’s, and of course is witty and hilarious all at the same time. Everyone wants to be the Lizzy Bennet of the world, so charming and well liked that they “betwich body and soul” the perfect man without even trying. I do think that Bridget herself may be “jumping the shark.” Her character may be a little too much of a 90’s character for today’s age, whose teenagers and young adults are a little more against chain smoking and calling 130 pound women fat.

The second image that I included in this post is a scene from the novel/film where Fielding mirrors Austen’s Darcy character very well. In the clip, Mr. Darcy (played by Colin Firth from the 1995 Pride and Prejudice film adaptation) saying “despite appearances” is particularly funny because like Lizzy’s family’s improper behavior, Bridget and her family are both riddled with social faux pas. “Despite appearances” has the dual meaning of “despite your family’s appearances” and “despite how I typically act” which refers to his prejudice and intolerable disposition that gets read as aloof and rude during our first impression of him. He surprisingly tells Bridget that he likes her very much, “just as you are,” kicking off the love story that we know and love.

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waifu-napoleon · 1 year ago

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Woah I didn't expect to get tagged in anything, thank you so much @ic-napology what a surprise! 💚

Hmmmm let's see, I probably don't think I can limit it to 7 movies but I will try my best! (also these are not in order, I'm just brainstorming movies that I really like) 😅

Aristocats (1970): One of my favorite Disney movies from my childhood next to the other classics (I was a huge Disney kid back then lol). It definitely made me fall in love with cats as some of my favorite animals and I still take inspiration from it whenever I draw cats myself which I do a lot. Plus the romance between Duchess and Thomas is adorable and omg a guy choosing a girl with children from a previous relationship just makes my heart melt with happiness!!

Return to Treasure Island (1988/1989): Yes, it was the memes. Yes, it's still the memes. Yes, I am a Team Fortress 2 fan. Yes, all of this is important information to know why I love this silly cartoon. I love watching the movie whenever I'm plagued by insomnia or I need a lighthearted laugh, my daily dose of based men if you want. I genuinely love all of the characters and my boyfriend and I have created a bunch of memes from it we use in our day-to-day conversations. It's a blast and has so much creative potential! Don't do drugs kids, or Livesey will hide in your closet tonight.

Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn (1995): I grew up with Disney and fantasy movies and Anime (yeah I am cringe like that) and Dragon Ball Z has had a massive impact on smol bean me. It has cool animation, introduces one of the most powerful fusions in the universe and is just fanservice galore without tearing apart the main canon too much. Don't care if it's nostalgia speaking, DBZ: Fusion Reborn will forever have a special place in my heart!

Pride and Prejudice (2005): Great romance, endearing characters, pretty faithful to the book as far as I know. Also one of the more healthy romances in cinematic history! Definitely shows great character development and how one's able to change for the better, especially when motivated by the people you love.

Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003): The meat and potatoes, the holy grail, the bible of my childhood. Would you believe me if I said I spent years of my life writing fanfictions, watching youtube crack videos and AMVs and doing those little online quizzes to see which race I'd be if I was born in middle earth? Because boy oh boy did I spend a lot of time on that. It was tradition at our house to watch the trilogy over the christmas holidays and it definitely made those days even better. I watch those movies every now and again to this day and I don't intend on stopping. Certainly makes me wonder if I developed a type because of these movies... #JusticeForHaldir

Legend of the Guardians - The owls of Ga'Hoole (2010): The animation, guys! THE ANIMATION is just *chef's kiss*! I know the movie has huge flaws especially when compared to the books but boy, they sure made the best out of what they had. It's an absolutely beatiful movie!

Prince of Egypt (1998): Do I even have to say anything about this masterpiece? I'm not even christian or jewish or anything like that but that movie is amazing. From the incredible songs to the gorgeous visuals to the amazing voice acting, this movie has it all! Really made me hyperfixate on ancient Egypt for a while as well when I was a teenager lol. Highly recommend it!

There are a lot more movies I can think of that I love dearly but it said 7 so I shall stick to the rules lol. Sorry for the long post.

I don't know who to tag since this blog has received quite a number of followers over time and a few I know have already been tagged so I say I tag everyone lol! If you feel like sharing your favorite movies with the class, go a head! ��

Tagged by @mellow-killjoy :D

Rules: seven comfort films, seven people

I’m nottttt a movie girl so we’ll see :’)

Little Miss Sunshine (2006) - my favorite movie of all time, easily. I have seen this SO many times

Rodrick Rules (2011) - we always get together for movie nights, and watch whatever movie we have in mind, and then after it’s over we put on rodrick rules and fall asleep on top of one another on the couch. good times.

Ouran High School Host Club - the very first summer I was old enough to stay home alone, I would wait for my mom to leave for work, and I would pull all the pillows off the couch onto the floor and watch Ouran over and over again, absolutely enchanted. To this day, it still never fails to make me so happy, I will cry to the ending theme like it’s nobody’s business. So, that’s the closest thing I’ve got to a comfort show I guess.

The Hangover (2009) - uh. no comment.

Into the Spiderverse / Across the Spiderverse - yeah yeah we’re all obsessed with it, I know. I watched the original a whole bunch of times, can’t wait til the 2nd part is out on DVD so I can watch it on repeat :3

Call Me By Your Name (2017) - listen- for the longest time, I couldn’t stand this movie. I thought it was boring and confusing as fuck, everything is all subtext. Then I read the book and got obliterated by it, (mainly due to strangely similar events occurring in my life at the same time?). I had a LONG phase with this book; my copy is well-loved and covered in highlighter. when I watch this movie, it takes me back to the best summer I’ve ever lived.

Mean Girls (2004) - I can probably quote this all the way through :/

You guys don’t have to give any reasoning behind your choices! I just like to talk lmao. All of these are such basic choices but I’d call them modern classics :p

If you guys like tag games, join meee :D

@julesmars @cheerleadergee @frankairobong @i-am-an-atomic-bomb @mercurial-appovix05 @hyp-nagogia @darknessvisiible

#tag game #mod post kinda

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may-the-puck-be-with-you · 2 years ago

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Thank you @arsi-lehkonen for the tag! 😘

favorite time of year: I don't know... Maybe it's the first day of spring when I step out the door and I'm hit by the warm air.

comfort food: Cliché, but pizza

favorite dessert: Somlói galuska (Hungarian Trifle)

things you collect: stickers, star wars-related decorations

favorite drink: I’m a big tea-girl. I like many different kinds of tea, from plain black tea to chai lattes, but I think my favourite is forest fruit tea (I don't drink tea for the caffeine :) ).

favorite musical artist: Garbage

last song you listened to: I Don’t Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance) by Glass Animals

last movie you watched: Thor: Love and Thunder in a cinema

last series you watched: I rewatched the 1995 Pride and Prejudice miniseries.

series you’re currently watching: Nothing. Maybe the next series I'll watch will be Andor. (I used to watch so many shows. What happened??)

current obsession: hockey

a dream place to visit: Leipzig

a place that you’ve been that you want to go back to: Edinburgh. One of my dearest friends lives there and I adored the city.

something you want: read some books off my shelf

currently working on: my PhD thesis. Yuck... But to mention something more fun: lately I've been thinking a lot about getting back into music. I have quite a few ideas for some new songs. I haven't done this for years, but I'm feeling enthusiastic again.

#thanks yue!#arsi-lehkonen #fandom friends #tag games

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vivaciouslady · 3 years ago

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thank you to my dear @marilyn-monroes-jeans for tagging me in this ❤️

MUSIC

• favorite genre: this is so difficult because i listen a a lot of different things but probably 1930s-1950s standards, golden age musicals, or just whatever taylor swift is currently doing

• favorite artist(s): julie andrews, john denver, taylor swift, ginger rogers, soccer mommy, one direction (i yearn for the good old days), tchaikovsky, debussy

• favorite song: once again i have a TON but my favorite songs of all time is probably Farewell Andromeda by John Denver (the live version from An Evening With John Denver) and You’ll Be Reminded of Me (from Vivacious Lady) by Ginger Rogers

• most listened to song recently: either August by Taylor Swift or Old Cape Cod by Patti Page (both have the best end of summer in new england energy)

• song stuck in your head currently: the theme from Come September (1961)

• five favorite lyrics (not in any particular order):

- “Welcome to my evening, the closing of the day. You know I can try a million times never find a better way to tell you that I love you and all the songs I play are to thank you for allowing me inside your lovely day” Farewell Andromeda by John Denver

- “my house of stone, your ivy grows, and now i’m covered in you” Ivy by Taylor Swift

- “and when your heart is broken in two you’ll be reminded of me and i’ll be laughing… you’ll be reminded of me” You’ll Be Reminded of Me by Ginger Rogers

- “It's a bite of the apple, the touch of your lips. I'm stuck in the bathroom and sick over it” Scorpio Rising by Soccer Mommy

- “Birds love and bees love and whispering trees love, and that's what we both should do” He Loves and She Loves from Funny Face (1957), the original and the Julie Andrews Cover

BOOKS

• favorite genre: classics and fantasy

• favorite book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen or Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

• favorite author: Jane Austen

• favorite book series: Nancy Drew (but if you want an answer that’s more of an actual contained series i’d have to say Throne of Glass by Sara J. Maas)

• comfort book: The Complete Brambly Hedge by Jill Barklem

• the perfect book to read on a rainy day: We We’re Liars by E. Lockhart, Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, or Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

• favorite book characters: Anne Shirley, Elizabeth Bennet, Fitzwilliam Darcy, and Nancy Drew

• five quotes from your favorite book(s) that you know by heart:

- “That fool of a fairy Lucinda did not intend to lay a curse on me. She meant to bestow a gift. When I cried inconsolably through my first hour of life, my tears were her inspiration. Shaking her head sympathetically at Mother, the fairy touched my nose. ‘My gift is obedience. Ella will always be obedient. Now stop crying, child.’ I stopped.” Ella Enchanted

- “In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” Pride and Prejudice

- “You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever.” Pride and Prejudice

- “He loved me. He'd loved me as long as he he'd known me! I hadn't loved him as long perhaps, but now I loved him equally well, or better. I loved his laugh, his handwriting, his steady gaze, his honorableness, his freckles, his appreciation of my jokes, his hands, his determination that I should know the worst of him. And, most of all, shameful though it might be, I loved his love for me.” Ella Enchanted

- “There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense.” Pride and Prejudice

TV & MOVIES

• favorite genre: for films it has to be rom-coms or just anything old hollywood in general (i know that’s not a genre) and for TV i like dramas and comedies

• favorite movie(s): Vivacious Lady (1938), The Sound of Music (1964), Stage Door (1937), and The Dream Lady (1918)

• comfort movie(s): (I have so many i’m sorry this isn’t even all of them) Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging (2008), Ever After (1998), BBC’s Pride and Prejudice (1995, yes I know this is a miniseries), Funny Face (1957), Summer Magic (1963), The Parent Trap (1961), The Philadelphia Story (1940), Curly Top (1935), The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004), Come September (1961), Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948), Cinderella (1997), Sense and Sensibility (1995), The Last Jedi (2017), and all my favs

• movies you watch every year: White Christmas (1954), Auntie Mame (1958), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), Legally Blonde (2001), and literally all of my comfort movies (if i’m being honest all of these are comfort movies as well i’m a mess)

• favorite tv shows: Derry Girls, Downton Abbey, New Girl, The Julie Andrews Hour, Gilmore Girls, Gossip Girl (original), The X-Files, Criminal Minds, Sex Education, M*A*S*H, and The Haunting of Bly Manor

• most rewatched tv show: I think Derry Girls and Gossip Girl are probably tied for this one

• ultimate otp: oh my god obviously jamie and dani 🥺 (but also mary/matthew and mulder/scully my loves) EDIT: HOW DID I FORGET JEAN MAITLAND AND TERRY RANDALL OH MY GOD I WAS ONLY THINKING ABOUR TV BUT THEY ARE MY OTP

• five favorite characters:

from tv shows - Mary Crawley, Dana Scully, Fox Mulder, James Maguire, Orla McCool

from movies - Francey Brent/Morgan, Danielle De Barbarac, Maria von Trapp, Mame Dennis, Mia Thermopolis

bonus: Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from the 1995 adaptation because it’s technically not a movie or tv show it’s a miniseries

oh wow okay that was so long!! i’m (no pressure) tagging: @retrodame @johnsonshildy @norashelley @chantalstacys @glamourofyesteryear @lickingyellowpaint <3 (sorry if you have already done this tag)

#i’d prefer long seasons if they didn’t have so much filler #rewatching/watching once depends on how much i liked the film/series lol #this was so fun #tag game #tagged

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iamthenightcolormeblack · 3 years ago

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My Thoughts on Pride and Prejudice 1980: The Ladies Take Center Stage

It's easy to forget that there are dozens, if not hundreds, of other Pride and Prejudice adaptations because the discussion is generally limited to "1995 versus 2005." The subject of this review is the 1980 BBC miniseries adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, which stars Elizabeth Garvie as Elizabeth Bennet and David Rintoul as Mr. Darcy and consists of five 1 hour long episodes. Some Pride and Prejudice fans consider this show as the definitive version of the book, since it was one of the first adaptations that attempted to be faithful to the story by incorporating much more of Austen's dialogue compared to previous adaptations.

1. THE PRODUCTION

The video quality is blurry (typical with 1970s/1980s BBC TV shows), so this adaptation is hard to watch compared with the 1995 and 2005 adaptations. While I like the historic houses used in the miniseries, boring, stuffy studio interiors are used for the interior scenes (except for Pemberley). I would only recommend this adaptation for extreme Pride and Prejudice fans/completionists.

Each episode's opening credits are accompanied by illustrations of what happens in the episodes, reminding the viewer that they are watching a filmed version of the book. The caricatured figures are not appealing to the eye and look dated. It doesn't help that they all are accompanied by "ye olde timey" music.

The costumes are for the most part very historically accurate for the early 19th century Regency Era, possibly even more so than the 1995 version with open chests, since the women's day dresses cover their necks as well. The costume designer mastered the famous Regency era white dress; I liked Elizabeth's white day dress and Jane's white evening gown. However, not all the costumes are flattering; some of the ugly floral patterns and garishly bright colors come straight from the 1970s, while a lot of decent evening dresses are ruined by fake lace or clunky 1970s bibs.

The hair is mostly accurate, with the exception of Mary's straight bangs and pixie cut. Unfortunately, the makeup is of the 1970s, especially with the penciled eyeliner/eyebrows on Jane and Caroline Bingley. Poor Mr. Bingley meanwhile has the most unflattering 1970s "helmet bowl" hairstyle.

2. PLOT AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

The adaptation focuses heavily on the female relationships within the book, much more so than other adaptations. Throughout the episodes, there are many slice-of-life scenes in which the Bennet sisters are gathered together in conversation while occupying themselves with typical activities for women of the Regency era (sewing, flower arranging, trying on clothing).

Charlotte Lucas has a larger role here than in the book. In this adaptation, she frequently visits the Bennet sisters at Longbourn, and the screenwriter uses her dialogue as a representation of the Regency perception of marriage as an economic proposition.

Mary Bennet also receives more screen time, and like Charlotte, she voices Regency attitudes towards women in general through her didactic remonstrances.

The many scenes in Elizabeth and Jane's bedroom are a means for Elizabeth to express the feelings and attitudes that she keeps hidden from society.

Elizabeth's favoring of Mr. Wickham is more obvious; she even pronounces him to be "above everyone, in person, countenance, [and] air" and is delighted that Wickham's trash-talking of Darcy confirms her hatred of him.

Inner monologues highlight Elizabeth's mental transformation as she grapples with the consequences of her prejudice against Mr. Darcy and considers the consequences of her family's social gaffes.

I dislike that the show chose to end with Mrs. Bennet's joy over the advantageous marriages of her elder daughters. It reinforces the perception that these marriages are ultimately for money rather than love.

The cast consists of largely unknown (to a mainstream audience) British actors whose portrayals of the characters are solid and replicate the book exactly. The rest of the supporting cast portray the characters just as they are in the book, but do not otherwise stand out. Here are my comments on the lead actors and other supporting cast:

Elizabeth Garvie: Garvie effectively portrays Elizabeth's wit, intelligence, and poise. She also looks right for the part, as she is believably youthful and has captivating eyes. Her pride is not so obvious because Garvie acts like a proper Regency girl, but it is brought out by the way Elizabeth looks people straight in the eye and addresses them directly while confidently stating her opinions, however flawed. My only minor nitpick is that Elizabeth is less vulnerable here; most of the time she is confidently in control of every situation she faces and has a smile for everyone.

David Rintoul: Rintoul looks the part, as he is tall, handsome, proud, and carries himself gracefully. However, he is too stiff and boring like a robot. In many scenes, even private ones with his close friends, he is always standing at attention like a soldier. With the exception of the Pemberley visit and the second proposal, he never smiles, and his voice is very monotone, even in the key romantic scenes where he is supposed to lose himself to his great passion for Elizabeth. Though he tries to appear amused at times, and shows some intelligence, his stiff body language never changes, undercutting the meaning behind his words.

While fans of this show have praised Rintoul for being stiff, like book Darcy, this stiff portrayal hinders Darcy's character development, since he must change his cold manners in order to be worthy of Elizabeth's love. There are MANY instances in the book where Darcy shows some emotion; he smiles as he teases Elizabeth at Rosings, becomes angry when Elizabeth rejects his first proposal, and blushes when he sees Elizabeth at Pemberley. This Mr. Darcy is "all politeness" and we don't get to see Elizabeth peeling back his cold exterior to reveal the good man underneath, unlike in the book.

Malcolm Rennie as Mr. Collins: His portrayal of Mr. Collins is very similar to 1995's Mr. Collins, as both are fat and simpering (maybe 1995's portrayal of Mr. Collins is a copy of this one, except even grosser). I also like how he is super moralizing and preachy in this version. He even walks like a penguin too!

Casting I disliked:

Moray Watson as Mr. Bennet: His Mr. Bennet is thoroughly unsympathetic; he does nothing but scold the family, slam doors, and drink tea. While Mr. Bennet is a neglectful parent, he expresses his dislike of the family in far more subtle ways and does not get into fits of anger easily.

Judy Parfitt as Lady Catherine de Bourgh: While the adaptation makes clear that Lady Catherine likes getting her way, this Lady Catherine isn’t intimidating enough to frighten anyone into submission. What doesn't help is that the scene where she interrogates Elizabeth about her family situation is cut; this scene is important in establishing Lady Catherine's tyrannical personality.

The actresses hired to play Kitty and Lydia Bennet are far too old for the parts; they do not look like teenagers!

Scenes I liked:

The opening scene -- the adaptation gives Charlotte a larger role, as she visits Elizabeth at Longbourn right after the news of Bingley's arrival. She also reveals her practical view on marriage as a necessity for securing comfort, which is at odds with Elizabeth's view of marriage as an equal partnership between people who love each other.

"First Impressions" -- Elizabeth shares her bad opinion of Darcy with Jane and reveals that the Bingleys earned their wealth in trade, making them "new money" as opposed to the Darcy family, which has many generations of nobility. This detail about the origins of Bingley's wealth could explain Caroline's extreme arrogance and make Jane's separation from Bingley on the basis of her poor connections more cruel.

Elizabeth at Mr. Lucas' party: This adaptation includes a scene from the book which isn't in many other adaptations, not even the 1995 miniseries. Elizabeth, acting impertinently to catch the attention of Darcy's "very satirical eye," addresses him sarcastically. Charlotte then gets Elizabeth to play the piano and she takes another opportunity to show off her wit:

"There is a fine old saying, which every body here is of course familiar with - 'Keep your breath to cool your porridge', and I shall keep mine to swell my song."

Jane and Elizabeth at Netherfield. In a series of scenes, Elizabeth confides in Jane her true thoughts and feelings about Darcy, the Bingleys, and the Hursts. For instance, she theorizes about why Darcy stares at her and rants about how disagreeable and annoying the Netherfield party are. It's really entertaining to see Elizabeth driven to frustration by the arrogant rich people.

Any scene with Mr. Collins in it, but here are the funniest ones:

Mr. Collins eating with the Bennet family: I laughed at how he examines the food with a critical eye before shoving it in his mouth quickly. It perfectly captures Mr. Collins' arrogance combined with bad manners.

Mr. Collins at the Netherfield Ball: he cannot dance and embarrasses Elizabeth (definitely a parallel with the 1995 version, where he bumps into the other dancers and apologizes profusely).

Mr. Collins' first proposal to Elizabeth: I laughed at the added flourish (not in the novel), where he bends down on one knee, but instead of professing love for the intended, states proudly to Elizabeth that the main benefit of the marriage is the patronage of Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

Collins' proposal to Charlotte Lucas: this is not in the original book, as it is (mostly) limited to Elizabeth's point of view, where she only finds out about the proposal after it happens. This comical scene begins with pleasant music and blooming flowers to establish romantic connotations, before it cuts to an awkward Mr. Collins following Charlotte Lucas. When Charlotte accepts Mr. Collins, they are sitting together by a rosebush, and his pure joy at the unromantic, arranged marriage, combined with the floral imagery from earlier, elevate the situational irony and make for a good laugh. The flower imagery also ties into Charlotte's earlier comparison of marriage to growing a plant; Elizabeth challenges Charlotte's assertion by asking her what would happen if the soil was poor (metaphor for the respect Elizabeth feels is a foundation for a loving relationship).

Aunt Gardiner's advice to Elizabeth: This scene isn't included in other adaptations, not even the 1995 miniseries. Here Aunt Gardiner warns Elizabeth against falling in love with Wickham, telling her that she needs to keep her common sense intact; Elizabeth dismisses this, fully confident in her powers of judgment. It's great that this exchange is included because it foreshadows the discovery of Wickham's true character, and hints that Elizabeth's perceptions of others may be wrong.

Scenes I disliked:

The romantic scenes. This adaptation unfortunately fails in the romance department; there is zero chemistry between the actors; even the otherwise wonderful Elizabeth Garvie is not exempt. (more about this later).

The first country ball. The interior is dark, small, cramped and stagey. Also, the dancing and overall manner of the guests is very sedate and orderly; it’s so quiet you can hear the dancers feet scrape the floor in spite of the music. This isn't very realistic compared with the other adaptations, where we are presented with much more boisterous country dances.

The activation of Stalker Darcy: While Elizabeth plays the pianoforte, Darcy, while shrouded in darkness, moves like a ghost among the crowd until he all of a sudden appears very close to the pianoforte and golf-clapping. perhaps Darcy is a blood sucking vampire? Though this scene is entertaining for all the wrong reasons, it doesn't make sense that Darcy's love for Elizabeth makes him even more robotic and creepy.

Lady Catherine confronting Elizabeth: While the dialogue for this scene is lifted straight from the book, there isn't quite enough fury and anger on the part of either person.

3. THE SCRIPT

What makes this adaptation stand out is the script by Fay Weldon. While the majority of the script is taken directly from the book, many have commented that her interpretation of Pride and Prejudice is much more feminist because of the greater emphasis on Elizabeth's point of view, as well as her relationships with other women. Many of the creative changes made emphasize the ridiculousness of the patriarchy and Elizabeth's outspokenness. In addition, Austen's narration slips into the dialogue of the female characters; for instance, Mary proclaims the village's judgment of Darcy as "the proudest most disagreeable man in the world."

Creative Changes/Great Quotes from the Script:

Darcy adding further insult to injury: after proclaiming Elizabeth to be unattractive to him, he adds: "She has too many sisters."

Mrs. Bennet criticizing poor Mary: “You read too much! No wonder you’re shortsighted.”

Elizabeth has had enough with Darcy, the Hursts, and the Bingleys: “Jane, they are monsters! They like nothing and dislike everything!"

Elizabeth has no patience: "This is unendurable! Mr. Darcy has scarcely spoken more than 10 words to me during the whole of today!"

Mary Bennet praises Mr. Collins' writing skills: "But he is intelligent. In point of composition the letter he wrote Father was not deficient and it was very long."

Mr. Collins scrutinizes Longbourn (his future inheritance) Part 1: "The hall. The hall should be imposing. This one is spacious enough but a little dark..."

Mr. Collins scrutinizes Longbourn Part 2: "Truly a gracious dining room. Lady Catherine de Bourgh would not be ashamed to dine here...The table, though a trifle rustic, is solid and a good match."

Mr. Collins provides much needed moral lessons to Kitty and Lydia: "I have often observed how many young ladies are very little interested in books of a serious stamp, though written solely for their benefit. Certainly there can be nothing so advantageous to them as instruction."

Mr. Collins on Anne de Bourgh: "She is agreeably fragile, and she is to marry Mr. Darcy."

Lady Catherine de Bourgh supporting the patriarchy: "If I were to have more children, they should all be sons."

Mr. Collins' Aquatic Hat: In one of many examples where Lady Catherine micromanages everyone's life, she orders Mr. Collins to plant bulrushes by the lake and per her instructions he orders an ugly top hat with a shower cap inside it to prevent himself from drowning. Charlotte and Elizabeth laugh about it when Mr. Collins isn't looking.

Darcy is a dog person, how sweet! Before the first proposal and before he meets Elizabeth again at Pemberley, Darcy is accompanied by a dog. Perhaps if he brought his dog to the first proposal it would have succeeded?

Elizabeth's internal monologue after she reads the letter: I normally dislike internal monologues because they detract from the action or become redundant, but I like how this adaptation utilizes the internal monologue to show Elizabeth actively confronting her prejudice against Mr. Darcy and acknowledging that she has acted wrongly in judging him harshly. Some adaptations reduce or even leave out this fundamental part of Elizabeth's personal growth. My only quibble with this scene is that Elizabeth lets go of her prejudice too soon and in too calm a manner. In the book, she is initially angry at Darcy and needs to reread the letter multiple times before she starts to form a grudging respect for Mr. Darcy. For Elizabeth, letting go of her prejudice is a slow, exhausting, and emotionally taxing process, unlike in this adaptation, where her logical reasoning allows her to quickly overcome her unreasonable hatred of Darcy.

4. THE ROMANCE (or, to be more accurate, lack of)

Many of the key romantic scenes between Elizabeth and Darcy are shortened, which surprised me because the length of a miniseries in general allows for more character development. I was hoping to see a fuller picture of Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship than could be provided in a movie.

While the female characters of the adaptation are fully rounded and have many opportunities to express their perspectives, the male characters remain one-dimensional and do not get the same treatment as the women. In other words, the male characters are reduced to mere objects of affection.

Some critics have argued that Darcy is irresistible to women in part because he is mysterious. Even his appearance is left to the reader's imagination, as Austen only notes that Darcy has a "fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien...[and] ten thousand a year." Thus, the reader gets to craft their ideal version of Mr. Darcy; he could look like any handsome man. When the "historically accurate Mr. Darcy" image was released several years ago (where he looks like George Washington); many, including me, were disappointed because we all have different images of Mr. Darcy in our heads (or more likely, we pick between Colin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen). This adaptation capitalizes into the mystique of the character by leaving the viewers to guess Darcy's intentions. Since we do not have access to his internal thoughts or motivations, we are limited to what we see before our eyes, much like the Meryton villagers. We do not get to see how Darcy develops feelings for Elizabeth; nor do we see how he is like in private occasions (even when alone with his friends, he says little and reveals little).

Other critics/Austen scholars/fans have argued that the one-dimensional treatment of male characters is in keeping with the unique writing style of Pride and Prejudice. Typically, female characters were the ones reduced to objects of affection for the male characters. Austen reverses this norm by focusing more on Elizabeth's viewpoint while Darcy remains mysterious.

Though a more reserved Darcy may work in the book, it does not serve the development of the romance well. Darcy's falling in love with Elizabeth is characterized by a gradual loss of control over himself; in his words he was "in the middle before I knew that I had begun [falling in love]." After all, he cannot stop staring at Elizabeth and frequently tries to keep talking to her at Netherfield before he begins to feel "the danger of paying Elizabeth too much attention." During his first proposal, he is agitated, and when Elizabeth rejects him, becomes angry. It is obvious, in the book and in the 1995 and 2005 adaptations as well, that the man is clearly an emotional train wreck.

The conflict between Darcy's outer shell and inner self is a key part of his falling in love with Elizabeth, and the adaptation misses out on this with a stiff, wooden Darcy who always carries himself properly and never smiles. In general, the most entertaining romances have this tension between self-control and passion, with lapses in manners usually the only sign of the passion beneath the surface; after all, in Elizabeth's words, “Is not general incivility the very essence of love?”

Back to the idea of the one-dimensional Darcy being an inversion of gender norms in writing: I have to disagree with this because (this is obvious I'm sure) Darcy is still a fully rounded character and does undergo his own journey, since he has to change his manners to earn Elizabeth's love. This quote shows what Darcy has learned about himself:

"I have been a selfish being all my life, in practice, though not in principle. As a child I was...given good principles, but left to follow them in pride and conceit. Unfortunately an only son, (for many years an only child) I was spoilt by my parents [who] almost taught me to be selfish and overbearing, to care for none beyond my own family circle, to think meanly of all the rest of the world, to wish at least to think meanly of their sense and worth compared with my own."

Though some fans of this adaptation like how the other relationships are treated with equal importance as the well-known love story, the romance is important as a source of personal growth for Elizabeth as well as Darcy. After all, they do have to overcome the "pride and prejudice" that separates them.

The marriage of Darcy and Elizabeth is a feminist triumph for Elizabeth Bennet; in my review of the 2005 movie, I noted that Elizabeth Bennet is revolutionary because of her unwillingness to compromise on her belief that marriage should based on love and respect, contrary to the prevailing social view of marriage as an economic proposition. While it seems counter-intuitive for a repressive institution like marriage to be a feminist triumph, Austen's heroines use marriage as a means of gaining not just material comforts, but ultimately the self-respect they desire by uniting themselves with partners whom they are equals with. The marriages Austen's heroines make are testaments to their independence, as they are choices made by the women themselves. Even Charlotte Lucas' otherwise unhappy arranged marriage works for her, since she enjoys the freedom that running her own household gives her. Not focusing on the romance of Elizabeth and Darcy leaves out Austen's complex perspective on marriage as a social necessity but also an unlikely route to freedom.

Here's my breakdown of the Elizabeth and Darcy scenes in this adaptation and why the romance fails:

"She is tolerable:" Elizabeth reacts rather too sedately to the insult Darcy gives her (and he also makes an added comment about her having too many sisters); unlike in other versions where she attempts to suppress a laugh or even taunts Darcy outright. The adaptation diverges from the book by having Elizabeth tell her mother instead of her friends about Darcy's insult; it does not make sense why Elizabeth would confide this in her mother, given that she knows her mother is a fool.

Netherfield dance: Darcy attempts to flirt with Elizabeth during this dance (which only lasts one minute!), but doesn't succeed because of his poor social skills and her prejudice. It's also an amazing battle of wits, as Darcy counters Elizabeth's accusations while admonishing her not to trust Wickham.

Unfortunately, the adaptation cuts out essential dialogue revealing the extent of Elizabeth's prejudice and foreshadowing the discovery of Wickham's true character. For example, what isn't included is Elizabeth's accusations that Darcy is to blame for ruining Wickham's life, to which he replies that Wickham is capable of charming others but not necessarily of retaining good friends.

More significantly, the adaptation cuts Elizabeth's admission that she cannot figure Darcy out:

"'May I ask to what these questions tend?' 'Merely to the illustration of your character,' said she...

'And what is your success?' She shook her head. 'I do not get on at all. I her such different accounts of you as puzzle me exceedingly.'

'...I could wish, Miss Bennet, that you were not to sketch my character at the present moment, as there is reason to fear that the performance would reflect no credit on either.'"

The development of the romance is harmed due to the omission of the portrait metaphor. Here, Darcy shrewdly observes to Elizabeth that her judgment of character may be flawed and foreshadows the discovery of her prejudice against him. After his many observations of Elizabeth, Darcy knows her so well that he can read her like an open book (though he underestimates the extent of Elizabeth's prejudice against him). The metaphor of the picture as a representation of character also becomes literal through Darcy's portrait at Pemberley; Elizabeth only falls in love with Darcy after examining his character through the portrait.

Ultimately, the Netherfield Ball dance between Elizabeth and Darcy is essential in demonstrating the fallacy of first impressions, and reducing the dialogue only to the beginning part where Elizabeth teases Darcy on his inability to make small talk undermines the richness of the story.

Darcy's first proposal: This scene is definitely the worst one in this miniseries because it fails on so many levels. First, this Darcy remains stiff throughout the entire proposal, like he was at a public ball rather than declaring love. This is a total contrast to book Darcy; who, though formal, is "agitated" and "pale with anger" at times. Those famous opening lines ("In vain I have struggled...") are delivered so quickly and without any sort of overwhelming passion. What should be the climax of Darcy finally letting the volcano of his repressed emotions erupt (with bad consequences for him) instead becomes a cold recitation of the script. Elizabeth also becomes robotic as well, repeating her lines back with a detached tone of voice as if reading a teleprompter. I'm warning you: be prepared for the worst 5 minutes of your life.

Visiting Pemberley: The adaptation utilizes Elizabeth's inner monologue as she praises Pemberley; it's interesting to people who have read and re-read the book, but I don't think it's necessary to "copy and paste" large portions of the book and read them to the audience.

I do like that this adaptation clearly indicates that Elizabeth still stands by her decision to reject Darcy's first proposal, even though she really likes his great big house:

"'And of this place,' thought she, 'I might have been mistress! 'I might have rejoiced in [these rooms] as my own, and welcomed to them as visitors my uncle and aunt. - 'But no'... 'I should not have been allowed to invite them.'"

Most adaptations include the "Pemberley could have been mine" part, but don't include Elizabeth's realization that Darcy's class prejudice would have estranged her from the Gardiners (unfortunately that includes the 1995 miniseries). Including Elizabeth's thoughts about her aunt and uncle dispels the perception that she is a gold-digger who marries Darcy only after realizing how rich he is.

The portrait: why, why, why does Darcy not smile in his portrait?! The book LITERALLY EMPHASIZES that DARCY SMILES in his portrait, revealing a more sensitive side to him than his cold and formal appearance would otherwise suggest. Big mistake.

Lydia's elopement: the adaptation messes up this scene so badly, which is unfortunate because the scene is important in showing how much Elizabeth trusts Darcy and how much he still loves her, as shown through his concern for her. First, it diverges from the book by having Elizabeth run several miles to Pemberley (while fully outfitted in a spencer, bonnet, and long dress) and somehow she doesn't sweat or faint from the exertion. Running to Darcy to tell him the news doesn't make any sense, since the book makes clear that she did not want anyone outside her family to know about Lydia's elopement, or else her marriage prospects would certainly be ruined; the news devastated her because she feared losing Darcy's respect due to his social prejudice. Darcy learning of the news was purely a coincidence because he happened to be waiting for her at the inn where she was staying (aw how romantic!). As for Darcy, he remains cold and doesn't seem concerned enough for Elizabeth, in contrast with the book, where he immediately springs into action. The adaptation also omits Darcy's kindness by cutting out the part of the scene where he consoles Elizabeth, gets her to sit down, and brings her some wine.

Second proposal: Darcy breaks the rules of social etiquette by going out alone with Elizabeth before proposing to her, unlike in the book where they are with Jane and Bingley, but this scene is still thoroughly unromantic because the two actors have zero chemistry.

5. CONCLUSION

Although this adaptation has some good moments, the dated production design, underdeveloped romance, and wooden acting means that I will only recommend this version to Pride and Prejudice nerds/extreme book purists. The adaptation is boring to watch unless you know the book by heart.

This script highlights Austen's wit and sarcasm, but the performances don’t always do it justice. The feminist approach to the novel makes the adaptation stand out, but comes at the cost of Darcy's character development and the central love story.

Purists and casual book fans are better served by the 1995 BBC miniseries, which has the right balance of entertainment, historical accuracy, and faithfulness to the novel.

Thanks to JASNA (Jane Austen Society of North America) for all the wonderful online articles that I pull many of my ideas from. I spent many hours entertaining myself by reading their scholarly analyses of Jane's other works as well as those related to Pride and Prejudice, and they have really helped me as I write these reviews.

@princesssarisa @austengivesmeserotonin @dahlia-coccinea @obscurelittlebird @appleinducedsleep @colonelfitzwilliams

#book adaptation #pride and predjudice #pride and prejudice #elizabeth bennet #mr darcy #mr bingley #long post #tv show review

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danineverwenttoazkaban · 4 years ago

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SE Appreciation Week - Fic 1 (Karol route)

@sweeteliteweek Very late but I just barely ended this not so short fic.

This is Karol’s route imagining some moments like the airport goodbye and days later while they’re at home so Papa Scholar is also featuring. I couldn’t help but add a bit of Tegan too and I tried to put several ideas I had together on the same story. Hopefully the back and forth between present and past is not too confusing. I didn’t know how to name it so I just took a song I was listening to by Wilco that is really sweet if anyone wants to listen to it.

Jesus, Etc.

The familiar vibrant and noisy city was something Scholar hadn’t think she would miss during those months at Arlington’s. Especially not the noises from the neighbor from the floor above as she rowed with her husband for the third time tonight, the people pacing up and down the stairs, the kids playing, the pizza delivery guys and Misses Jones with her 5 dogs. She smirked thinking what Karolina would say if she heard all this noise and reminisced to when they met, smiling at the thought. She would be rich by now if she was given a dollar for each time she thought of Karolina since she got on the plane home.

--------------------------------------------------------------

“That’s my plane, people! Enjoy the journey home!”, announced Tyler as he picked up his heavy luggage. He hadn’t explained what the heck he was carrying on his bags but Scholar assumed it was something artistic.

“Hey Tyler, don’t forget about tomorrow’s match! There will be a 30% buff bonus”, said Tegan.

“Oh man, I told you I have that thing with my parents. I’ll make it up to you later, promise”, replied Tyler.

“… ok”, said Tegan as he gave him a weak smile, clearly disappointed.

“Cheers!”, shouted Tyler as he ran towards gate A27.

Only Scholar, Tegan and Karolina remained in the departure lounge. Neither Tegan or Karolina seemed particularly happy of going home, in fact Tegan was staring at the floor as if he had just been told Christmas had been cancelled this year.

“Hey, maybe I could join? I am not very good at videogames to be honest but you can teach me”, said Scholar putting a hand on Tegan’s shoulder.

Tegan looked up and smiled blushing.

“S-sure, I think you’d make a great cleric”, Scholar had no idea what that meant but she hated the sad aspect Tegan had.

She noticed Karolina was staring at her direction, a curious look on her face. In that moment, she heard her flight being called.

“Well, I guess I have to go now”, she said to both of them.

Tegan nodded.

“I’ll call you tomorrow to set your PC ready for the match”.

“Sounds like a plan!”, she answered before giving him a quick hug.

As she let go of Tegan, she looked at Karolina, unsure on how to approach her. Scholar took a step in her direction, asking for permission, they had barely talked since the night of the basement

“… I-I… goodbye, Karolina. Enjoy the holidays”, she said with slight nervousness, waiting for an answer.

Karolina was biting her lip and seemed uneasy, as if she was making up her mind about something. She leaped forward and put her arms around Scholar. The girl let go of the breath she had unknowingly kept as she felt Karolina’s warm embrace.

“Let me know when you arrive home”, Scholar heard Karolina whisper close to her ear, her breath sending shivers down her spine. She then felt something touching her cheek, she froze when she realized it was Karolina’s lips. The touch was so soft, so slight that it could had just been Scholar’s imagination. They let go of the embrace and Scholar felt her heart sink at the idea of being apart from her so many days.

“I will, you too, please”, she answered. Both Karolina and Tegan nodded and Scholar took her luggage before parting…

The following day, Scholar had to excuse to her father early because Tegan had opened an account for her in the game they were supposed to play, in fact he had even customized her character based on a number of questions he had asked, many of which Scholar wasn’t sure how to answer. As she started her PC and positioned on her seat, she could not help but feel excited, seeing Tegan through the webcam meant also, perhaps, seeing her as well. Tegan’s face as he logged in had a mixture of sadness, exhaustion and defeat, he didn’t have Karolina’s ability of putting on a straight face, Scholar didn’t want to push an answer out so she didn’t ask. They spent a couple of hours playing, Scholar died way too many times in pure noob style but Tegan didn’t mind, in fact he laughed each time as she panicked when the other players surrounded her with attacks.

“Thank you, Scholar. You made my day”, Tegan told her after the match was over.

“I’m glad, I had a great time even though I clearly suck for this…”, she answered giggling. Tegan laughed as well, he covered his mouth whenever he laughed and Scholar thought it was cute but sad at the same time how insecure he could be at times, even among his friends.

“… She’s busy talking to mom and dad, by the way”, Tegan added after a while, “in case you were wondering.”

“Oh… it’s ok. Is everything alright?”, Scholar asked concerned, to be honest their parents didn’t exactly sound like the kind that understood and supported their children.

“They didn’t take well all that happened in FAXION, I almost didn’t login for the game but she wanted me to let her handle it on her own”, answered Tegan, “she didn’t want me blowing up and them… “, he paused, “… doesn’t matter, I will take care of her now.”

“She’s a tough girl, she worries about you too”, said Scholar, “let me know if you need anything”

“Of course, thanks again. I will tell her you say ‘hi’ ”, said Tegan before closing the session.

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Scholar sighed as she wondered how things had gone back at the twins’ house, hoping they were ok. The days that had followed to gaming night not much had happened. Tyler spammed them with funny selfies from the Red Carpet of God knows which movie his parents had taken him to, Tadashi and Alistair sent photos with the Drews, especially the dogs at Axel’s request, and Claire and Neha exchanged recipes for Christmas season. But barely anything from Karolina, still the fact Tegan kept sending memes mocking how bad she was at gaming was oddly comforting.

“Honey, I’m home, can you give me a hand with the bags?”, called Papa Scholar’s voice.

“Sure, dad, coming!”, answered Scholar and she walked towards the kitchen.

The bags were full of materials for her father’s famous pasta recipe but this time with a twist: he had agreed on incorporating one of Claire's many recipes. Both of them prepared everything for their movie night. Afterwards, they settled in the living room as they picked a title. They decided on one of the old movies that Scholar’s father loved “Pride and Prejudice”. Scholar had tried to get his father to watch the newer adaptation of the story but it had been pointless, the 1995 version was the one her mother loved and in a way for him watching the movie again meant reliving the joyful moments they passed together. Scholar had seen it too a handful of times yet this time it felt different, she felt connected not only because it had been her mom’s favorite movie but because the situation was now all too familiar. The pride and prejudice dance.

“You keep looking at your cell phone, expecting someone’s message?”, Papa Scholar asked as he arched an eyebrow.

“N-no, just checking the hour”, Scholar tried to reply, unconvincingly.

“Hmm, don’t forget I was your age once and fell in love at your age too”, the kind man answered giving her a warm smile.

But before Scholar could reply, they heard the alert of a new message coming in. Scholar jumped at the sound and widened her eyes at the name that appeared on the screen: “Karolina”. She quickly unlocked the cell phone, almost dropping it due to the urgency. Not paying attention to her father’s laugh at her clumsy movements, she opened the message:

Karolina: Are you awake?

Scholar: Yes, hi…

Karolina: Can I call you?

Scholar’s heart drop at her message. Almost three days without a message from her and now here she was asking for a call. She really did take that “best way to win someone is to surprise them” to the bone.

“Sorry, dad. Could we drop it here? A friend from Arlington wants to talk to me”

“Don’t worry, girl. Go call your friend”, she really did have the best dad.

Scholar practically ran towards her room and texted her back.

Scholar: Sure.

Immediately her phone was vibrating and ringing. She answered almost as a reflex.

“Karolina?”, started Scholar, trying not to sound too excited.

“… Did I interrupt you?”, asked Karolina. Her voice on the phone was something Scholar couldn’t had foreseen would make her feel weak on the knees.

“No, uhm, I was just finishing watching a movie with my dad”

“Was it one of those cheesy old movies your dad likes?”, Karolina asked on a mocking tone. Wow, she had really paid attention…

“Ha, yeah. Pride and Prejudice… because you know how much I’m into the hate to love trope”, she blurted out surprising herself. Was it too bold to hint at ‘them’ like that? What was it about Karolina that it made her go rogue often.

Silence.

“… yes, I know”, Karolina answered. Scholar wondered, hoped, if Karolina was blushing.

“And what are you doing?”

“Our parents threw a party”

“Wow, sounds like fun.”

“It’s just the usual winter party they throw every year ”

“I’ve never been into a party like that”

“Of course not”, Karolina blurted out, “… I didn’t mean it to sound like that, I-I don’t think you’re missing anything”

“Karolina, not that I mind but why are you talking to me instead of enjoying yourself out there?”

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Karolina was standing in front of the wall mirror of her bedroom. Her new pine green dress matched perfectly the emerald earrings her father had bought her last year as well as the red lipstick. Everything fit together

“Miss, they are waiting for you downstairs”, the maid called after softly knocking the door.

Karolina took her purse and proceeded towards the lobby, across the dining room and into the garden. The surrounding people dressed in etiquette, the tables and the exquisite centerpieces seemed all surreal. She felt disconnected to this usual display of frivolity and superfluous social interactions, greeting people with a fake smile and pretending to care about the chit-chat. These people who if given the chance would rather see them in ruins.

At dinner, she sat with a couple of acquaintances, girls she had known since her childhood, the type her parents considered ‘appropriate’ but could never truly be friends. Her mind drifted elsewhere, back to the chalet, the sensation of safety, of being seen for the first time through the façade of her strong petty attitude, the possibility of being just ‘Karol’. She excused herself as the girls looked at her questioningly, stood up and walked behind a couple of bushes seeking some privacy.

“I heard she is going down her mother’s route”, she heard a voice say from behind the bushes.

“Her scandal at FAXION was disastrous, everyone has been talking about it”, followed another voice.

“Honestly, does it surprise anyone? It was a wonder she got this far”, said a third voice.

Karolina felt the anger and hurt built inside her, she was about to turn around and face whoever felt they had the right to talk behind her back in her own house when her cellphone vibrated. She took out her cellphone and noticed Scholar had sent a message to the group thanking Claire for the last recipe attaching also a photo of Scholar and her father cooking. She smiled at how happy they seemed and got lost in the sparkle of her eyes. She bit her lip debating on whether or not to message her… Screw it.

------------------------------------------------------------------

“… Hmm, Karolina, is everything ok? Can you still hear me”, Scholar asked.

“Yes, I-I just … “, Karolina answered.

“You know you can tell me anything”, Scholar said, “how is everything with your parents?”

She heard Karolina sighed.

“Not good but I’d rather not talk about it”

“I’m sorry about that but it’s fine, what do you want to talk about then?”

“Nothing really, I was just bored, this party is obnoxious”, Scholar’s heart skipped a beat at her words, does she just miss me?

“I see…”, Scholar said. With her heart palpitating like crazy and the excitement of talking to Karolina she couldn’t hold back her emotions and she added, “… I miss you too.”

“I never said… you’re right, I do”, Scholar smirked. Karolina admitting her feelings was so refreshing; Scholar would need one of Neha’s teas to calm down the butterflies in her stomach.

“So dull party, huh? Should I be thankful I didn’t get invited?”, followed Scholar.

“I don’t find this type of parties endearing anymore”

“What? Hanging out with me is harming your social standards”

“Haha, you wished. I’ve never liked these parties but it was a good opportunity to meet important people”

“Oh, did you meet anyone interesting this time?”

“No, I found out that people are still talking about my FAXION fiasco”, Scholar felt her blood boil at that.

“They did? I wished I could beat some sense into that people”,

Karolina chuckled.

“Hey, I don’t mind. It’s better if they talk about me, free publicity. Besides we technically won.”

“That you did, you two were amazing, seriously no one could rival Neha’s designs. Also, you looked so beautiful and classy… even though you weren’t feeling well, you pulled that off despite everything. I can only imagine the big things you’ll do in the near future”

“You’re sweet. But remember I could steal your third place in the Gold Tier if you’re not careful”

“Oh Miss Novakova, we’ll see about that, we could bet to me beating you up in the finals”, were they flirting for real this time?, Scholar thought.

“You’re not taking me to the cafeteria again, are you?”, oh they definitely were.

“Hmm how about taking you to the gardens? Like a picnic?”, oh god, was she asking her on a date?!

“Hmmm… ok, deal”, Scholar heard Karolina answer. She did just ask Karolina on a date and she said yes!

“Deal”, wow. But this time she wouldn’t let Karolina say it wasn’t a date.

She heard Karolina laugh on the other end and it made her grin like an idiot, she wondered if Karolina was blushing furiously like she was.

“Thank you, by the way”, Karolina said after a brief silence.

“For what?”

“Helping my brother stay calm. You didn’t have to do that”

“I’m glad to help, he’s a dear friend and it killed me to see him so sad”

“He has been happier considering…”, Scholar assumed she meant with whatever was going on in their house. She wished she could do more.

“And you? Feeling better?”, Scholar asked.

“Much better”,

“I’m glad. I’m here for you, always”

“I know, I’m here for you too”, her voice sounded soft, to think about how much had happened for them to get to this point.

“I have to hang up now, we’ll talk soon”, Karolina added.

“Oh ok, of course, go back to the party”, she didn’t know what to say, she could had kept talking to her all holidays if she could.

“Good night… Oh, and watch out your door tomorrow”, Karolina said with a curious tone in her voice, almost nervous.

“Tomorrow? What happens tomorrow?”, Scholar asked confused.

“J-just pay attention, ugh. I have to go now.”

“Ok, ok, I will do. Good night, Karolina”, and with that she was left with the usual cellphone tone.

The following day was Christmas’ Eve. To say she had spent the morning ecstatic was an understatement. She kept circling around the call she had with Karolina, the fact she had asked her out on a date and whatever she meant by watching out for her door. Her dad was surprised that out of all the friends she had made at Arlington it was actually Karolina whom she had a crush on (she had to tell him since she couldn’t hide her joy).

“My first guess was that girl Claire who kindly gave us the recipes for Christmas dinner”, Papa Scholar said as he found out about the source of her daughter’s disturbance.

“Funny you guessed Claire, dad”, sighed Scholar remembering the fatal mistletoe incident.

“Why funny?”

“Oh dad, it’s just… a long story”, Scholar said.

“Well, I have to say that Karolina girl is drop dead gorgeous and if you say she is nicer to you, I believe you. When can you invite her here?”

“Dad! We’re not even… I mean, we almost … kissed b-but …”

They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it”, said Papa Scholar.

“Actually dad, can you let me check who it is?”, jumped Scholar as she headed to the door.

She peaked from the door peephole. On the other side there was a guy looking like a delivery man.

“H-hello? Who is it?”, Scholar asked.

“Good afternoon, I have a delivery for a person named Scholar”, the guy answered from the other side.

Scholar opened the door, the man was carrying a golden plastic bag with a red bow on the outside.

“Hi, I’m Scholar”

“Oh great, I’m supposed to deliver this”, he handed her the bag, “please sign here… and here”

Scholar did as he requested and looked at the bag, it looked very elegant for a plastic bag.

“Thank you, merry Christmas, ma’am”

“Thank you too, merry Christmas!”

Scholar walked towards the living room holding the odd bag on her right hand. She took a seat on the couch and placed the bag on top of the table, slowly opening it. There was a card and a small black box on the inside. She took out the small box and opened it being startled by its content. It was an astonishing silver necklace with a sapphire pendant on the center, tiny diamonds seemed to surround the almost heart-shaped figure of the pendant. Papa Scholar couldn’t believe his eyes either, he got the card out and gasped.

“Honey, you need to read the card, look”, Papa Scholar said as he handed it out for her.

Scholar took the card in her shaky hands and opened it carefully:

“Hopefully this starts your way into the better fashion sense you desperately need… Merry Christmas, Karolina”

Scholar lost no time and rushed to get her cellphone. Please answer, please answer, she thought as she heard the dialing tone.

“Hi”, she heard Karolina’s voice answer.

“I-I-… Oh god, I-I can’t even… It’s so beautiful!”, Scholar tried to say forgetting how to speak.

“I am glad you like it.”

“I just… wow… thank you! How did you know where I live?”

“Uh-oh, guess who, Scholar”, she heard Tegan’s voice say.

“Y-you! From the time we played together… should had figured. “, Scholar said laughing.

“You got me, hehe. I’ll give Karol back her cell phone. Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas, Tegan!”

“I am sorry I had to ask him”

“Don’t be sorry, I love it”, Scholar said, almost as much as I love you, she thought, “I didn’t get you anything for Christmas, I feel awful, you went through all this and I-“

“I don’t need you to get me anything, just everything you’ve done for me and … how much I … I can’t tell you on the phone, ok?”, Karolina said.

“… s-sure. Thank you so much, Karol”, was it the first time she called her Karol out loud?

“Besides I already feel like I have my Christmas gift… Anyway, our father is calling us. Merry Christmas, Scholar”

“Merry Christmas, Karol”, Scholar replied and added, “I… you know I do too, for a while now if I’m honest.”

“I kind of knew but didn’t want to see it… Enjoy your night”

“Y-you too. Bye”.

This was definitely the best Christmas she could had ever imagined, she only wished she could had thanked her in person but soon, very soon they will be able to figure it out.

END

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Hope you guys like it! The ending was rushed because it’s super late here so sorry for that.

#sweet elite #karolina novakova #sweet elite week 2021 #tegan novak #scholar #sweet elite fanfiction #karolina x scholar

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goddessofdandelions · 4 years ago

Text

Dark Academia Suggestions For Women

Books that are also movies:

Anne of Green Gables 1-4 by LM Montgomery (BBC’s Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Green Gables: the Sequel)

Orphan Anne Shirley is adopted by bachelor Matthew Cuthbert and his spinster sister Marilla Cuthbert in edwardian Canada and must learn to reconcile her romantic and imaginative nature in this coming of age story

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Little Women (1994) or Little Women (2019))

A coming of age story following 4 sisters and their mother while their father is off at war. The main protagonist, Jo, is an especially romantic figure

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic)

Two sister witches must cover up the murder of one of their abusive ex boyfriend while an agent is investigating his disappearance

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (Hugo)

Orphan Hugo befriends Isabelle who helps him unravel the mystery of his father’s automaton

Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield (Ballet Shoes)

Three orphan girls are taken in by an eccentric explorer and his niece, but once he’s gone they must take up performing arts careers to fend for themselves

Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day by Winifred Watson (Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day)

Miss Pettigrew, a governess, is accidentally sent to the wrong address by her agency and befriends a night club singer

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice (2005) or BBC’s Pride and Prejudice Mini Series)

Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters attempt to find love in Regency England, but Elizabeth and her love interest Mr Darcy make things more difficult than they need to be

Emma by Jane Austen (Emma (1995) or Emma (2020))

Emma Woodhouse fancies herself a matchmaker in Regency England, but quickly finds she knows little about love.

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (Sense and Sensibility (1995)

A coming of age story for the Dashwood sisters, who have lost their home but find love in Regency England

Other novels by Jane Austen

All of her novels have been adapted to screen. While all of her novels are good, I highlight these three because of their emphasis on female friendship and romanticism

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Jane Eyre has a troubling childhood but grows up to become a governess and fall in love with her benefactor in Regency England

The Help by Kathryn Stockett (The Help)

A white female journalist records the stories of two black women who work in white households during 1960′s America

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke (BBC’s Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell mini series)

A historical fantasy following the last two magicians on earth in Napoleon-era England

Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown (Legally Blonde)

Attempting to impress her ex boyfriend, Elle Woods applies to and gets accepted to Harvard Law School where she tries to prove herself as more than just an airhead blonde.

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (A Little Princess)

Orphaned Sara finds herself adjusting from a life of wealth to a life of poverty and abuse working at a boarding school and comforts herself by imagining she is a princess.

Matilda by Roald Dahl (Matilda)

Young Matilda is a prodigy in an abusive household, sent to a school with an abusive headmistress. But when she discovers that she has magical abilities, she uses it to seek justice for herself and her friends.

A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events)

In an indeterminate time period, three orphans get moved from guardian to guardian as they are pursued by the villainous Count Olaf who wants their family fortune. Along the way they find themselves wrapped up in a secret society that has split into factions and gone to war with each other.

Movies:

The Mona Lisa Smile

When Katherine Watson takes a job as an art professor in a conservative town in the 1950′s she tries to teach her female students to become more assertive

Whisper of the Heart

Shizuku is a Japanese student at the end of her summer break who befriends an antique shop owner and his grandson after following a cat through the city. Inspired by the events she attempts to write a novel

Shakespeare in Love

A fictional account of a noblewoman who poses as a man in order to perform in a Shakespeare play, only to fall in love with the playwright and inspire future plays

Miss Potter

A hyperbolic account of Beatrix’s Potters life

Becoming Jane

A hyperbolic account of Jane Austen’s life

Ever After

A retelling of Cinderella set in renaissance era France and without magical elements, replacing the fairy godmother with Leonardo Da Vinci instead.

The Bookshop

Widowed Florence Green follows her dreams and opens a bookshop in the 1950s but unexpectedly finds herself at odds with the queen bee of the town who wanted the property for her own project.

Kiki’s Delivery Service

Coming of age story that follows 13 year old Kiki who, according to witch tradition, goes off to live on her own for a year to practice her magic. She sets up a delivery service but learns things will be harder than she anticipated.

Books:

*Some of which have movies that I either haven’t seen or didn’t personally like

The Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

A fictional account of the servant girl who inspired the real life painting by Vermeer

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

A truly bleak tale set in New Orleans at the end of the 19th century following Edna as she begins to have an awakening about feminism which affects her daily life. This is regarding as one of the first novels to primarily focus on the concept of feminism.

Agatha Christie Mysteries

Agatha Christie was so good at what she did that her books are still used today in toxicology classes and she largely helped define the mystery genre

Nancy Drew Mysteries by Carolyn Keene

Though written for children, the Nancy Drew books follow the amateur detective and her female friends as they solve mysteries in mid-20th-century America and the character has become a cultural icon.

Gathering Blue and Son from “The Giver Quartet” by Lois Lowry

Books 2 and 4 in the Giver Quartet. While books 1 and 3 are also good, books 2 and 4 are featured here because they have female protagonists. The books are part of a series, but only loosely connected and can be read as standalone books if desired. Gathering Blue follows Kira in a dystopian future as she makes a place for herself in her village through her ability to dye cloth, a skill which helps prevent her from being cast out for being disabled. Son, meanwhile, follows Claire who is looking for her son after he was taken from her.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

Follows Kit who moves from the Caribbean to Puritan Connecticut where she befriends an elderly spinster woman who is accused of witchcraft

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

A staple of dark academia, it tells the story of Victor Frankenstein who creates artificial life and is immediately horrified by his creation, who swiftly grows angry and vengeful towards his creator.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Another staple of dark academia, follows six students who study the classics. The narrator is an adult version of one of the students reflecting on the events that led to a murder.

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquival

Taking place in Mexico, Tita is being kept from her lover by her traditionalist mother. Tita expresses herself through her cooking which takes on magical properties.

The Inkheart Series by Cornelia Funke (Inkheart, Inkspell, and Inkdeath)

Follows Maggie and her book-worm father after she discovers her father has the ability to bring to life any book that he reads aloud. They are quickly swept off into the narrative of a fantasy novel.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

Though part of a trilogy, the first novel is the most appropriate for dark academia, following a female protagonist (Lyra) in a historical fantasy setting as she unravels a mystery.

Music:

Florence Welch

Lana Del Rey

Lorde

Hozier

Enya

Alice Merton

Regina Spektor

Lenka

#dark academia #studyblr #romanticism #new romantics #light academia #aesthetic #feminism #dark academia women #reading list #movie list

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agardenandlibrary · 3 years ago