Posted by Kali on June 29, 1997 at 19:29:18:
In reply to Re: Tones and feelings posted by kathleen (elder) on June 29, 1997 at 18:11:17
Why safer?
--->Susan complained that Emma2 took too many liberties with humor and dialog to be kosher. Emma3, I'll admit, doesn't to the same extent. I think Emma3 is more accessible to all types of Emma fans - though not necessarily preferred by most Emma fans - for this reason
Not everyone, I believe! ;-) [BTW, I like Clueless, but don't see it as a modern version of Emma.]
--->I meant the hypothetical "everyone"! ;-P And yeah, I agree with you about Clueless.
Exactly so -- which is why I prefer Emma3. (I would only add, that no amount of beautiful cinematography will make up for the absence of this tone either.)
--->That was partially my point. However, Susan, and others, have maintained that one of the reasons why Emma3 is a better adaptation is because it utilizes more original dialog and presents a more "realistic" portrayal of of the time period and novel. So, I would maintain that those who like Emma3 better feel this way because the dialog, sets, costumes, and yes, even the tone, are more serious and "literary." Davies and Birtwistle, in fact, pride themselves on the fact that they did not produce a "light romantic comedy," for which it is sometimes easy to confuse Emma2.
] ] Some people want realism - perfect copies in visual media, just like a photo or a carefully-painted portrait (oftentimes these lack feeling - how many times have we seen a perfect portrait with a dead expression?). Others are touched by fresher, more inventive means of expression - records of shape, light, and color which capture the mood and general form but not the crisp details of the real thing.
] And which represents Emma3 fans, do you think? ;-)
As I stated before, no one - and no one adaptation - fits either extreme or even the perfect center. All adaptations are removed from reality be being two-dimensional, whether it be a meticulously painted portrait (which, I should add, never captures every angle or element of a subject) or an impressionistic painting. On the continuum, however, Emma3 remains - and was intended to be - more of a serious, exacting sort of film than Emma2. McGrath chose to create more of an impression than a literary adaptation - an impression heavily based upon the tone HE (and many of us) discerned from the novel.