DVD: northanger abbey

DVD: northanger abbey

DVD:

Northanger abbey

Sense & Sensibility (Special Edition)

James Fleet, Tom Wilkinson

Sony Pictures, 1999

Sense & Sensibility
Lovely movie that has adapted the novel to perfection. The characters are portrayed in such a way that you can't help but feel that you are there amongst them. One of the movies that you could watch time and again - comparing it to the actual novel has been a real ...

The Inheritance

Cari Shayne, Brigitta Dau

Platinum Disc, 2004

Lovely period piece depicting a 'classless' class system
"Stay away from a world you will never be a part of," is the advice given to young Edith Adelon (Shayne) an impoverished orphan who was taken in by a wealthy family to be their daughter's companion. When tragic James Percy (Gibson) falls for her, she's convinced by ...

Cranford

Francesca Annis, Eileen Atkins

BBC Warner, 2008

Wonderful Cranford!
I admit I am a sucker for British period dramas anyway, but Cranford is especially charming. The story is multi-faceted and never weakens at any point. Of course, Judi Dench leads the lovely cast with her inimitable style.

North & South

Daniela Denby-Ashe, Tim Pigott-Smith

BBC Warner, 2005

Exquisite. Eloquent. The best period piece ever filmed. Ever.
This series seems like a well-kept secret, and that's a real shame. Hands down, it's the best film series, historical or modern, I've ever seen. The handsome actor John Armitage should have won a boatload of awards for his portrayal of mill owner John Thornton. Such ...

Jane Eyre (Masterpiece Theatre, 2006)

Ruth Wilson (II); Toby Stephens; Amy Steel (II); Jacqueline Pilton; Anne Reid; Ned Irish; Andrew Buchan; Claudia Coulter; Christopher Wilkinson (III); Lorraine Ashbourne; Jeanne Golding; Maisie Dimbleby; Rebekah Staton; Dan Armour; Letty Butler; Hugo Heathcote; Francesca Annis; Eglantine Rembauville-Nicolle; Bethany Gill; Christopher Bowen

WGBH Boston, 2007

Sent me racing back to read the book again.
This wonderful Masterpiece Theater version sent me back to read the book again for what is now the third time. I had forgotten the book through the years and only at the last minute decided to watch this new filmed version of the book when the 2006 production was being ...

Pride and Prejudice - The Special Edition (A&E, 1996)

Colin Firth, Jennifer Ehle

A&E Home Video, 2001

The Quintessential Adaptation!!!!
This is by far the best adaptation of the classic novel that I have ever seen! The first time that I saw this movie on A&E 10 years ago I fell in love with it before I had read the book. I was afraid to read the book at first because it has always been my experience ...

Emma (1996)

Gwyneth Paltrow, James Cosmo

Miramax, 1999

Gwyneth Paltrow IS Emma
The role of Emma is played perfectly by Gweneth Paltrow. She's delightful as the failed matchmaker of Austen's story, wading through social decorum of ill fated as well as perfectly-matches romances. The rest of the cast shines as well, particularly the role of Mrs. ...

Persuasion

Amanda Root, Ciarán Hinds

Sony Pictures, 2000

One of Austen's best
Persuasion is my second favorite Austen book and movie. The story is wonderful, and this production is subtle and perfectly paced - just like the book. The choice of actors is perfect - just as I imagined when reading the book for the first time.

Masterpiece Theatre: Northanger Abbey

JJ Field, Felicity Jones

WGBH Boston, 2008

Lovely adaptation of the Jane Austen novel
I have been a Jane Austen fan for years! So I was excited to see the new PBS versions of the novels this last year, especially Northanger Abbey since this novel has never really been turned into a good movie (like S&S, P&P, and Emma). I loved this adaptation. The plot ...

Becoming Jane

Philip Culhane, Jessica Ashworth

MIRAMAX, 2008

blu ray playback problems??
Does anyone else have problems getting this blu ray movie to play on their blu ray player? I can't get this film to play, and I have bought this blu ray from three different sources. The intro is fine, but as soon as I click on 'play,' it just goes to black and nothing ...

Masterpiece Theatre: Mansfield Park

Billie Piper, Blake Ritson

WGBH Boston, 2008

Why Must Modern Movie-Makers Make These Things Politically Correct?
While this movie did not bother me too much and was quite enjoyable in some places, I will never understand why modern movie-makers feel like they have to make politically correct comments in movies from this time period. I do not recall when Wilberforce started his ...

The Jane Austen Book Club

Maria Bello, Emily Blunt

Sony Pictures, 2008

Absolutely loved this movie!!
Hugh Dancy is soooo cute and charming. Acting is great. Romance, lust, friendships, animals(!) all rolled into one very enjoyable flick. Just loved it.

Mansfield Park (1999)

Hannah Taylor-Gordon, Talya Gordon

Miramax, 2000

A Disappointing Success?
If one knows the novel, one supposes this to be a major disappointment. I will leave it to those in the know to make the final judgment of this movie as an accurate interpretation of the original. As a post-modern deconstruction, that is, as a director's version, if ...

Emma (A&E, 1997)

Kate Beckinsale, Bernard Hepton

A&E Home Video, 1999

Difinitive Emma
This is a really difinitive production of Emma. Aside from the slightly jujeune leading lady (which gets her correctly - even Jane Austen knew she was somewhat dislikable), played excellently by Kate Beckinsale, we have the best Jane Faifax in gorgeous and extemely ...

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

Tara Fitzgerald, Cathy Murphy

BBC Warner, 2008

cruelty vs. unrelenting love
Wow, what an intense, dark Gothic romance! A mysterious, beautiful widow with a past arrives with her son to a nosey, judgemental countryside town. A past that is slowly unraveled with the pryings of a handsome, obsessed suitor. The actors are superb: Tara ...