#austen adaptations

[efarttt]

has this been done before?? probably yes but im too scared to check since i already drew this out

so anyway here's finally some non-phantom art

[intothestacks]

I want someone to make a movie of one of Austen's novels but from the servants' perspective.

Like, I want the Bennets complaining about how poor they are while their servant is in the background serving them food just like

Or someone is dropping some piece of gossip and the servants are dusting something in the background while going

I don't care if it's a comedy or treated seriously or if it's a crossover between Austen's novels and all the servants of her characters know each other or something.

I would also accept this for any classic story about rich people.

I just wanna see things from the servants' perspective.

[edelweiss-maiden]

sense and sensibility and fifty shades of green (1995) dir. ang lee + stills that look like paintings

[cressida-jayoungr]

One Dress a Day Challenge

July: Blue Redux + Green Redux

I Have Found It (Kandukondain Kandukondain) / Aishwarya Rai as Meenakshi and Tabu as Sowmya

When I first designated the theme for July, I knew I had to include shots from this sequence, probably the most gorgeous riot of blue and green I've ever seen on film. I am including wide shots of most of the scenes to show the costumes of the chorus and extras as well. Note that when the two sisters are onscreen at the same time, the background characters divide themselves up so that those in blue are on Sowmya's side and those in green are on Meenakshi's.

(This is an adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, by the way. Sowmya is the equivalent to Eleanor and Meenakshi is Marianne.)

See the whole sequence here, because it's even more amazing with motion:

[oscar-is-wild]

Mansfield Park (1999) might be a fairly dated and inaccurate Austen adaptation, but Henry Crawford is literally the hottest man on this planet

[portalurania]

Lindas ilustrações da edição em espanhol de Lady Susan da Jane Austen! Feitas por Javier Olivares (@olivaresilustracion) Apesar de menos conhecido, Lady Susan é envolvente, hilário e meio chocante. Dizem que Jane Austen baseou sua anti-heroína em uma de suas concunhadas. Para saber mais é só ler aqui.

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Amazing illustrations of Jane Austen's Lady Susan. By artist Javier Olivares (@olivaresilustracion)

[fictionturnedherbrain]

Aisha (2010) is definitely my second favourite adaptation of Emma (after the 2009 miniseries, of course). It's what Clueless would be for me if Cher wasn't in love with her stepbrother.

Also Abhay Deol in the Mr Knightley role. Yes, please.

[literatureismyentirepersonality]

I have, quite shamefully, only just finished watching The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. Why have I been sleeping on this adaptation? It’s just as much fun as Bridget Jones.

It also made me really appreciate Lydia, and try to reconsider her perspective in the books. It’s so messed up that she has to marry Wickham, really. I always appreciate an adaptation that can completely change a character’s presentation and Mary Kate Wiles and co. did for Lydia Bennet what Florence Pugh and co. did for Amy March (though admittedly with less acting chops).

The one thing I didn’t enjoy so much is that I have no idea why Darcy fell for Lizzie in this rendition. The conversations between him and Caroline weren’t really translated quite so easily in this version and I think we lost that progression. I don’t mind though; it still took a completely different and interesting angle on the story and it was overall just a very fun idea.

[austen1stdrafts]

Have you ever wanted to give Willoughby a piece of your mind? Well, we did it for you! Check out my presentation for Virtual Jane Con, a FREE online radically inclusive Jane Austen convention.

[ardentlyinlovedarcy]

[warblingandwriting]

I feel like the thing a lot of Austen adaptations struggle with is the love confessions, because Austen didn't really write them. I know this isn't really a new observance, but either way I can kind of understand adaptions of Pride and Prejudice or Mansfield Park writing in a more dramatic confession scene, even if I don't prefer it.

But Emma? That's one of the two great, dramatic love confession scenes that Austen wrote! And the 1996 American movie changing it is just... such a weird decision to me

[marmota-b]

I do wonder if Aishwarya Rai is the Kevin Bacon of Jane Austen adaptations.

She played the Maryanne character in Kandukondein Kandukondein.

She played the Lizzy character in Bride and Prejudice.

She acted opposite Colin Firth in The Last Legion.

I bet if I dug further I'd find more connections.

[cressida-jayoungr]

One Dress a Day Challenge

June: Weddings

Love and Friendship / Morfydd Clark as Frederica Vernon and Xavier Samuel as Reginald de Courcy

Frederica wears a cream or pale yellow gown with a yellow sash, pearl earrings, and a gold ribbon in her hair. Reginald wears a sage-green coat over an embroidered waistcoat of similar color, and buff-colored knee breeches.

It's a shame we don't get to see what Lady Susan and Sir James wore for their wedding, though!

[bibliophilicstranger]

I finally got around to watching a few Emma adaptations I hadn't seen before.

So as a preface, "my" version of Emma is the Gwyneth Paltrow one. It's the one that I first saw, even before I'd read the book, and I watched it pretty much once a day the summer I was 15. As such, to me, Emma is blonde, Knightley is brunette, and Churchill is fairhaired. It's just what's stuck in my head.

Emma 1996, the one with Kate Beckinsdale, is personally weird to me for having a darkhaired Emma. I liked that it was a little more accurate to the book, though the scenes with stealing the turkeys were as if they misread that section. Emma's imaginings were a nice touch. Unfortunately, although it was very pretty and well done, her portrayal of Emma wants a little sweetness. I don't love the actor who plays Knightly either. I might rewatch it in the future.

Emma 2020 is one I've avoided for the simple reason that I thought Knightley and Churchill should have switched actors. That and the actress they had playing Emma looks like a pug in the movie poster. However, enough pretty gif sets of the costumes and aesthetics convinced me to give it a shot and I'm glad I did. In many ways it's the last really good period film that was made. The details of the costumes and hairstyles are spectacular and the sets are amazing. There were significant efforts made to include period details, like the flour game. Considering how many modern adaptations ignore such things, it was nice to see. I particularly found their portrayal of Mr. Woodhouse interesting. He's different than other adaptations; a little more together, still fretful but not in his dotage, a worrier but not an invalid. My biggest gripe is their handling of the confession scene between Knightley and Emma-- they ruined a perfectly good scene. I didn't mind the addition of Emma going to the Martins and giving Robert Harriet's picture. On the one hand it does demonstrate her contrition, on the other, it does give Emma a little more matchmaking credit than she deserves. Harriet and Mr. Martin ending up together is meant to be something out of Emma's hands, a match delayed rather than made by her. Overall, I enjoyed it and I might rewatch it.

I also watched Clueless. Yes, this was the first time and yes I know when it came out. I only watched it because it was based on Emma, otherwise it's not the kind of movie I generally enjoy; it reminded me a good deal of Legally Blonde, and I never liked that one much either. One of the oddest superficial details was that they changed every character's name except Elton. Emma becomes Cher, Harriet becomes Tai, Augusta becomes Amber, Frank becomes Christian (and gay for some reason) and everyone changes personalities, but Elton remains Elton. Making Knightley Emma's ex-stepbrother was just weird. It's certainly a looser adaption than some modernizations I've watched, and some things just don't match up at all. Dion doesn't seem to have an analogue in the book. Also Emma Cher (and everyone else) seems weirdly chill with the bit where she was held at gunpoint. Most of the adults are completely different from their original characters: Mr. Woodhouse isn't health-conscious (just the opposite), Mr. Weston isn't super nice, Mrs. Weston isn't super close to Emma (unless Dionne is meant to be the analogue for her and Emma is matchmaking someone else?). I don't know what the movie gains from being an Emma adaption. I shan't be rewatching it.

[an-extraordinary-fate]

This one should really get a lot more praise. It’s not one I would just turn on for enjoyment, but it’s so well done. I love it includes the scene towards the end where Elizabeth is grumpy at the party when she can’t near Darcy to see if he still likes her.

Elizabeth Garvie is the best Elizabeth on the whole. I think everyone has done a good job with that character, but to me she brings the best balance of being teasing with lightness and charm. Mr. and Mrs Gardiner are delightful as well. Anyway, lots to like in this one and all the P&P adaptations.

1980 Pride & Prejudice

Elizabeth Garvie is a delightful Elizabeth. David Rintoul is the haughtiest Darcy. I loved them both. Sabina Franklyn was a very pretty Jane, and Osmund Bullock really highlighted just how young Bingley really is. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were very much highlighted as being shitty to their kids (especially Mary - poor Mary!). There was a surprising amount of Elizabeth voice-over to share her internal thoughts, but it worked? And of course, the proposal scene was just the WORST one so far, the most insulting, still delivered with a languidly haughty voice and this face: