So, Oz? How is your Austen Season going?
It started last night with Kate Beckinsale’s Emma. There probably won’t be too much commentary until they get into the new stuff. Dianne Butler had a few things to say in her column in the Courier Mail:
YOU’D think if the ABC was going to have a Jane Austen festival they’d include Clueless in there. Major disappointment.
I mean, if they can serve up the 12-year-old Emma they’re wheeling out on Sunday night I don’t think there’s any reason why we shouldn’t expect a 13-year-old Emma.
June 2nd, 2008 at 2:17 am
I started to watch Emma last night but was so tired that my husband quite rightly pointed out that it was silly to stay up and watch on TV something I own on DVD.
I declared, ‘But I want to support the ABC doing this great Jane Austen festival!’
But in the end, I had to give up the fight and trundled off to bed, safe in the knowledge that I could watch Emma again any time.
June 4th, 2008 at 6:11 am
I saw Emma 3 last year as a telemovie…I meant to tune in again, but forgot. Next week, it’s Persuasion 3. This Austen season has been pretty much downplayed- there was a pretty trailer of the Austen films (which included ‘Ruby in the Smoke’) Has any one seen an Australian media article on Per 3, MP3 or NA2 ?.. Emma 3, NA2 & MP3 been out on CD in the ABC shop; but the ABC didn’t put out an Austen Season poster, darn it !! …Agree, would be fun to have ‘Clueless’. Also JA- Wishbones ,Furst Impressions & N-AW…All soo Aunty ABC. ;-0
June 5th, 2008 at 10:11 am
I absolutely loved it. I haven’t pulled out my old VHS tape of this version for a while!!! I look forward to watching the upcoming newest adaptations. I already have them all on DVD of course but will enjoy watching them on the good old ABC. About time they came downunder!!!
Happy viewing one and all!!!
June 8th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Well this is actually the first time I have actually seen this version of Emma - although one Sunday afternoon years ago (must have been 15 or 16?) I saw a snippet of it. But the reception was bad, and I thought Mark Strong looked too old. Obviously I was stupid - I thought he was dead sexy last year in Stardust and he is definitely handsome as Mr Knightley (or as Mrs E. likes to say, “Knightley!”) Must also note that I am now 23 - interesting how taste changes and how a man can slowly reveal himself to be quite lovely (again being stupid, this time by making lame comparison between myself and Emma herself). Anyway, I thought it was great, though I was surprised by the ending with the harvest supper. Quite clever, though unexpected and different. Kate Beckinsale was good - different from Gwyneth Paltrow, who I also enjoyed.
Must say I hated the imaginary ending to Persuasion this evening. HATED IT. How the hell can that even happen?! Someone explain to me - it cannot be possible for Captain Wentworth, rich as he is, to buy Kellynch Hall. And how is it possible for Mrs Smith to visit Anne - isn’t she a complete invalid? And WHY does Anne say her speech about loving when hope is lost to Benwick, at Lyme, out of earshot from Wentworth? And WHY is her hairstyle so ugly, and she never gets to wear a nice-ish dress? (Mum says I have been too influenced by Sex & the City, which I saw on Friday - I say no, just that how could Sir Walter Elliot let his daughter run around in public looking so dowdy?) Apart from stuff like this, and of course the other changes due to the short length, I still enjoyed it. The acting was great. Laughed my head off at Elizabeth’s hair at the concert. The photography was beautiful. And it was Austen, no matter what they did to it.
I am looking forward to the vampires and werewolves next week.