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In Reply to: Casting comments, etc. posted by Jack on August 28, 1996 at 17:18:19:
>> Bingley was excessively dorky. Mr. Collins and Charlotte were picked very well.
Yes. The first dance at Netherfield? Bingley hopping. He looked like a puppet, or closer still, like the way I used to hop my Barbie up and down to indicate she was talking.
Amy
Follow Ups:
In Reply to: Re: Casting comments, etc. posted by Shawn on August 28, 1996 at 18:46:03:
: : Hi, everyone. I've been reading P&P for years but only saw P&P2 for the first time in the past few days. Needless to say, I loved it as much as people on this board seem to.
: : Anyway, I wanted to make some comments about casting because some of the actors/actresses were either very consistent (or not at all) with my preconceived notion of the characters. For example, I thought Jane was a bit too subdued at times and Bingley was excessively dorky. Mr. Collins and Charlotte were picked very well. The biggest discrepancy in my mind was Lady Catherine's character -- I always thought of her as someone slightly younger (anyone who's seen P&P1 knows what I'm talking about).
: : Oh, and on the subject of separating Elizabeth's character from Jennifer Ehle's p/
Hi everybody! Like all of you, I love the movie. Colin and Jennifer did a great job. Jane was good too. In the book, she was so gentle and nice that she had trouble thinking ill of anyone! I keep missing the address and e-mail too, but I believe it was the A&E web site. quanski
In Reply to: Dorky Bingley posted by Amy on August 30, 1996 at 00:03:57:
: >> Bingley was excessively dorky. Mr. Collins and Charlotte were picked very well.
: Yes. The first dance at Netherfield? Bingley hopping. He looked like a puppet, or closer still, like the way I used to hop my Barbie up and down to indicate she was talking.
: Amy
I totally agree, Amy! Bingley was portrayed as a spineless idiot. Although, J.A.'s book also didn't give much backbone to the man, I doubt that she would have agreed with the casting choice here!!
I agree that he is dorky. Actually, he is the weakest cast member by far. And would anyone believe that he is related to his sisters?
In Reply to: Re: BTB - Buy this Book!!! posted by Amy on August 30, 1996 at 00:00:31:
Amy,
From what I can tell, I own the British/Canadian publication.
However, with Penguin Books Ltd. having locations in London,
New York, Australia, Toronto and New Zealand, I can't understand
why other versions are not yet available.
I got mine in Toronto, at a specialty bookstore, no less!
And from what I understand, they're selling like crazy.
(but with 117 pages, each featuring colour photos, I can imagine why!)
Video Alert:
A&E Classroom will re-broadcast P&P2 in six one-hour segments on
Wednesdays at 7:00 AM ET November 6 and running through December 11.
Last time they did this, they showed the complete commercial-free
video version which included all cut scenes.
In Reply to: Playford -- don't let me get started posted by Amy on August 27, 1996 at 18:30:03:
:
: : Ha ha I found it It's by Playford, I would like to see if it is done by other arrangers.
: : thanks for the info
: Natalie or somebody please help me.
: I don't want to become obsessed with Renaissance dance music. Please somebody just tell me a fact or two and insist I leave it at that. I just learned from an Alta Vista searrch that
: Playford was actually a publisher of dnace music and other things in the 17th century! Other related links describe how to do some of the dances. I stopped myself before I was tempted to print out the instructions and start dancing.
: Amy
Amy, Where did you get the dance instructions?
Lisa
Follow Ups:
In Reply to: Casting comments, etc. posted by Jack on August 28, 1996 at 17:18:19:
: Hi, everyone. I've been reading P&P for years but only saw P&P2 for the first time in the past few days. Needless to say, I loved it as much as people on this board seem to.
: Anyway, I wanted to make some comments about casting because some of the actors/actresses were either very consistent (or not at all) with my preconceived notion of the characters. For example, I thought Jane was a bit too subdued at times and Bingley was excessively dorky. Mr. Collins and Charlotte were picked very well. The biggest discrepancy in my mind was Lady Catherine's character -- I always thought of her as someone slightly younger (anyone who's seen P&P1 knows what I'm talking about).
: Oh, and on the subject of separating Elizabeth's character from Jennifer Ehle's portrayal -- I was already madly in love with Elizabeth's character from reading the book. Which isn't to say that Jennifer Ehle's performance didn't help either. :)
: Speaking of which, does anyone else think she looks like a prettier version of Shannen Doherty?
I too thought she looked like a very pretty version of Shannen Doherty.
And I too saw both P&P1 & 2. I thought the first Lady Catherine was more appropriate.
Laura
A newbie who has yet to post pointed me to a web page I must recommend to everyone:
UC-Santa Barbara's Voice of the Shuttle, a humanities research resource
http://humanitas.ucsb.edu/
Amy
In Reply to: Re: Colin Firth's other roles posted by sharon on August 25, 1996 at 21:49:30:
: I'm sorry to disappoint you, but from what I've read in "The Making of Pride and Prejudice", Colins' hair is definately much lighter than Darcy's. I doubt it could be really blonde though, as his eyes are naturally brown (though it's possible). If anyone has the answer to this, I'd love to know what it looks like (also whether or not his hair is naturally curly: it looks so good!). I'm going to have to hit the video shop soon and find out for myself.
: Sharon.
Regarding dear ol Colin's naturale colour, check out his performances in A Month in the Country (which he considered one of his best) and Valmont. Natural color is a dark blonde/light brown. While I'm here I wanted to say that I read a critics comments on Firth's work in P&P and he was upset about how stinted it was. If the guy would stop and realize that we're talking about 200 years ago in a society we can't even relate to, maybe he'd be abit kinder.
Sometimes I just dispise professional critics. Let's see them do better!! Besides, Colin Firths acting career speaks for itself.
In Reply to: Casting comments, etc. posted by Jack on August 28, 1996 at 17:18:19:
Jack said:
> For example, I thought Jane was a bit too subdued at times and Bingley was excessively dorky.
I find it hard to be objective about this production but I will try. Jane had to
be played subdued to make sense of Darcy's conclusion about her -- that she was reserved she appeared to display no particular regard for Bingley.
I commented earlier about Bingley's puppet-like hopping. Everyone seems to agree with you that this Bingley was a dork. But, you know, I didn't hate him or anything. He wasn't really too dorky for comfort or anything like that.
I think he was intended to be a straight, nice guy who would not get in the way of the real story. If he had been drawn as excessively handsome or more equal to Darcy in wealth and understanding, Darcy couldn't shine so bright -- and we might even wonder if Lizzie shouldn't prefer him. That happened to me in Middlemarch and even in Anna Karenina: I dwelt for a moment on the possibility that the heroine might choose someone else. Austen does not let us do that. She takes us in a pretty straight line.
>>The biggest discrepancy in my mind was Lady Catherine's character -- I always thought of her as someone slightly younger (anyone who's seen P&P1 knows what I'm talking about).
Right, even if Anne is 23, Lady C couldn't be 50. But the closer I get to 50 myself (I'm 42), I find it easier and easier to prefer an old battle axe character to be much older. So it worked for me.
Amy
Follow Ups:
In Reply to: Re: Casting comments, etc. posted by Stephanie on August 29, 1996 at 12:12:54:
Stephanie said:
>> I noticed no one has any comments on Colin Firth as the dark Mr. Darcy. I personally want to go on the record as saying he was absolutely fabulous! (no pun intended). Compared to Laurence Olivier's old version, he plays Mr. Darcy in the way Jane Austen pictured him. Bravo! Stephanie
I guess that sort of goes without saying.
Have you been to this site? ESSENTIAL for any P&P fan.
Includes P&P etext, chronology, genealogy, character summary,
location map etc. Links to Jane Austen Info Page which has
lots of other goodies. Take a look at Jane Austen jokes section.
Selection:
Jane Austen Top Ten Songs:
1. "All the Nice Girls Love a Sailor"...........Anne Elliot,
Mrs. Croft, and Louisa Musgrove
2. "Once I had a Secret Love"...................Jane Fairfax and
Frank Churchill
3. "Lord, It's Hard to be Humble"...............Mr. Darcy
4. "Food, Glorious Food"........................Dr. Grant
5. "I Had a Letter from my Love"................Elizabeth Bennet
Jane Austen Punishment List:
1.An evening at a recital given by Mary Bennet.
2.A tour of Rosings with Mr. Collins
- OR - (updated)
Watching an episode of Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous guest
-hosted by Mr. Collins.
3.Relationship advice from Lady Russell.
4.A visit to a library with Miss Bates.
5.An audience with the Queen accompanied by Mrs. Bennet.
11.A girls' clothes-shopping expedition and makeover with
Caroline Bingley.
12.Having Lydia Bennet over for a two weeks' holiday.
...and other stuff. Take a look if you haven't been there yet!
In Reply to: Re: Guys posted by Steve on August 28, 1996 at 09:46:48:
Steve said:
>...analyzing my fondness towards Lizzie, I can't segregate looks from character from humor, etc. What appeals to me is, if you'll excuse this rather pedestrian term, the "whole enchilada"
That is good to hear. It makes me feel better about men in general to think that Lizzie is admired. But I have to wonder if the attraction to her strong spirit would fade in a long relationship with a guy who was not sure enough of himself. Would he come to resent her independence and try to bash it down?
(I guess I am showing my history)
Follow Ups:
In Reply to: Re: Guys posted by Steve on August 28, 1996 at 09:46:48:
Steve talked pretense:
>: What I really grew fond of was the sense of non-conformity which both Darcy and Lizzie exhibit. This resoluteness is uncommon enough today in 1996; the contrast with prevailing attitudes in 1800 was stark indeed. Both Darcy and Lizzie seemed quite at ease without any veil of pretentiousness;
I think pretense must have been Austen's most hated character flaw (if you agree that we can to some degree glean an author's likes and dislikes from the characteristics she assigns to sympathetic and unsympathetic characters).
Darcy "abhors artifice of any kind." Lizzie instinctively and instantly despises Bingley's sisters while her sister and mom find them obliging and charming.
Taking it a step further, the more a reader or viewer shares Austen's view of the world and society and her personal likes and dislikes, the more we adore her characters, identify with them and find ourselves part of their world. No?
Amy
Follow Ups:
In Reply to: Re: PRIDE & PREJUDICE posted by Marla on August 29, 1996 at 20:42:28:
Janey thinks:
>: Too bad A&E had to cut these scenes though...I mean, transitional and
: "insignificant" as they may be, if you're going to make a commitment
: to air a 6-hour miniseries over 3 consecutive nights, what's 20 extra minutes??
Yes. What goes into such a decision? I suppose it must be hard to come up with something just the right length for both non-commercial (BBC) and commercial (A&E). Boy, those advertisers got their money's worth. I taped mine with commercials the first time and though I haven't gone on a cruise or bought Lean Cusine, I know I rented Mr. Holland's Opus as a result of the promos. And my hand does keep creeping for the phone to ask my cable company to add the History Channel.
I have not seen the missing scenes, but I really would like to see Darcy give Caroline one more scornful look. But I can picture it as if I had seen it. Can't you just imagine him flinging her an annoyed distracted "What?"
Amy
Follow Ups:
In Reply to: Re: Guys posted by John on August 27, 1996 at 18:47:19:
John said:
>he seems undeserving of Mr. Darcy's censure, his lumping him in with the other more extravagant members of her family. For instance, the flashback we see of him getting Mary away from the piano seems the soul of disctetion.
You know, I don't think it's the fault of this production or the casting or manner depicted by this Mr Bennet. I remember thinking before I ever saw an adaptation that Darcy was unduly harsh on Mr Bennet. Okay, maybe he could have been more discrete in telling Mary to put a lid on it instead of letting everyone in the company know how he felt. But so what? I don't blame him for wanting everyone to know that he knows most of his family are idiots.
Mr Bennet makes no secret of his contempt for the silly daughters and his silly wife. Someone with a perfect character may have suffered in silence as Lizzie does, contenting herself with making faces when her mom humiliates herself and makes everybody squirm.
But if Mr Bennet were not the way he is, Lizzie and Jane may never have come to value the desirability of having a mate one can respect. So it all fits together. But I still think Darcy was harsh on dad. Probably they became great friends in later years when Mr B made long visits to Pemberley. I don't remember, does Austen ever tell us how they all kept Mrs B away from Pemberley?
Amy
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