My rating on a 1-10 scale: 6.5
Main characters: Jane, Elizabeth, Darcy, Bingley, and many more
Genre: Romance
Primary actors: Elizabeth Garvie, David Rintoul, Sabina Franklyn
Length: About 4 1/2 hours
Based on: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Time period: 1800's
Year it came out: 1980
My overall opinion: Well, truth be told, I only saw the fifth episode, but that was enough. It was nearly laughable. The 1995 version is so much better, it's amazing. The actors seemed all wrong to me (Darcy wasn't Darcyish, Jane wasn't Jane), and then the lighting and sound...ouch. Though the old Sense and Sensibility may have been worse, I can't recall. Anyway, watch the 1995 one for the best story, this one for the most groans/laughs.
5 comments:
The entire thing was pretty laughable. If people were upset about Colin Firth's Mr. Darcy jumping in the pond, what would they have said about Mr. Collins's aqua hat? (Seriously. I'm not kidding: he had an aqua hat)
Yeah...if you re-viewed the 1981 version of S&S and watched the Emma from the 70s...you would have a higher opinion of this, trust me. :P Oh, and the Northanger Abbey from the 80s is perfectly awful. It ought not to be attempted, in my opinion. :P
I actually like the '71 S&S better tahn the '81...funny, that. Well, I think they actors were better chosen. Joanna David (Mrs. Gardiner on P&P 1995) is actually a pretty good Elinor. :)
Back to this movie ~ I actually prefer it over the 2005 one because it sticks so much closer to the book. The main thing I didn't like was Mr. Darcy. He looked like a statue the whole time... Colin Firth's Mr. Darcy may not have had an extreme amount of variation in his expressions, but it was complete animation compared to this Mr. Darcy. I really couldn't abide him.
Lizzy was only so-so...something about the way she talked annoys me; although some people like her best.
I liked Jane pretty well. :) Do you remember Philippa Gordon from the Anne books? (Anne of the Island, in point of fact) Well, BBC actually made an Anne of Avonlea (which was a combination of the 2nd and 3rd books), and that's who this actress was. ;-)
This adaptation of "P&P" cannot hold a candle to the newer versions.
I totally agree with you, Melody. Those other older versions aren't as good, but I actually really like the 2005 "Pride & Prejudice" in addition to the miniseries. The theater version is nicer because it is so much shorter. And, you are SO right about "Northanger Abbey" - it is terrible! The newer one is much better. =)
Please watch the 1980 version in it's entirety. It is available on Netflix if you have it. It is a much more period piece, it is very true in both costume, manners and it is the most true to Austen's novel. I think the aqua hat was a hilarious way in which they illustrated how foolishly devoted Mr. Collins is to Lady Catherine's every declaration, every whim. Elizabeth Garvie's Elizabeth is the Elizabeth Bennett that I fell in love with when it was new and I was in the sixth grade. And although Darcy is less animated in this version, he is definitely the best looking of the 3.
The 1995 version so far is my favorite version, mostly because you see more of Mr. Darcy's character and why he is so drawn to Elizabeth. Even though there are variations from the original Austen, it really does wonderful justice to the humor of Austen, as well as her character development.
The 2005 version is my least favorite because it is so very messy--the sloppy hair on just about everyone drives me crazy. Further, I find that to be true to Austen you must be true to the manners of the time, because truthfully her work and its satirical humor is tied to that societal construct that you can see the 2005 version veering from in parts of the movie. Maybe if the 2005 movie were the only version I knew, I may have warmer feelings toward it, but as it stands I find it to be merely a so-so version.
I do truly believe Pride and Prejudice is a story that can be retold over and over because so much of the truest parts never really change. I do love to read the myriad variations, sequels and what if's that other writers have written.
I wonder have you ever seen the 1940 version? Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier. Also, a theater movie version like the 2005, set in a different time period with more flamboyant costumes. It also strays a bit from the original Austen, but worth a see if you find time.
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