I just watched the whole thing. I hadn't even realized it was a mini-series, I simply got the DVD from netflix and popped it in. It didn't offer me the option to select episodes, it just played the whole thing as one big movie.
One big, wonderful, delightful movie! I haven't enjoyed a movie this much in years. It was a complete treat. I love Pride & Prejudice; I've read the book, and seen most (maybe all?) of the screen adaptations, some multiple times. And I'm usually a bit of a purist, but I thought this might be fun, so I gave it a try. It well exceeded my expectations. I'm still aglow with enjoyment.
What made the whole thing work was the deep underlying respect for the original source. Indeed, to fully enjoy and appreciate this work, I think you truly do need to be a fan of the original. Know the whole story, all the characters, everything. Be able to appreciate exactly what's *supposed* to be going on and how messed up everything is getting. Only then can you truly empathize with the protagonist's dismay as things run further and further off the tracks. This was clearly made by P&P fans for P&P fans.
It was also excellently crafted in its own right. The plot had me guessing several times, and I was never wholly sure exactly where it would end up. And there were quite a few surprises along the way. And much of the pseudo-Austen dialog was wonderful. And the performances were mostly excellent. Mr. Bennet, in particular, (always a favorite character of mine) was superb. Mr. Darcy was the only worthy Darcy I've ever seen outside of Colin Firth.
Yes, I could pick a few nits. A minor character here or there wasn't quite the way I'd envision them. One or two scenes strain credulity, period or otherwise. In particular (without giving away spoilers), when one (minor) character reveals something shocking to Amanda: why is she telling a complete stranger such a deep, dark secret???? But on the whole, there's so much good that the nits are easy to overlook.
The highest praise I can give it, and I swear this is what I was thinking when the whole thing was over: it was as if Jane Austen herself had somehow lived into modern times, and, armed with both her period and modern sensibilities, had decided to have some fun with her classic old work. The complex plot, the wit, the beloved characters with fresh lines in fresh situations... it was like having fresh, brand new Pride & Prejudice, beyond the original.
It is interesting to note the polarizing effect this work has had. I've never seen a set of IMDb reviews like this: all 9-10 stars or 1, with hardly any grades in between. It seems to be adore-it-or-despise-it. Count my strongly in the adore-it crowd.
One big, wonderful, delightful movie! I haven't enjoyed a movie this much in years. It was a complete treat. I love Pride & Prejudice; I've read the book, and seen most (maybe all?) of the screen adaptations, some multiple times. And I'm usually a bit of a purist, but I thought this might be fun, so I gave it a try. It well exceeded my expectations. I'm still aglow with enjoyment.
What made the whole thing work was the deep underlying respect for the original source. Indeed, to fully enjoy and appreciate this work, I think you truly do need to be a fan of the original. Know the whole story, all the characters, everything. Be able to appreciate exactly what's *supposed* to be going on and how messed up everything is getting. Only then can you truly empathize with the protagonist's dismay as things run further and further off the tracks. This was clearly made by P&P fans for P&P fans.
It was also excellently crafted in its own right. The plot had me guessing several times, and I was never wholly sure exactly where it would end up. And there were quite a few surprises along the way. And much of the pseudo-Austen dialog was wonderful. And the performances were mostly excellent. Mr. Bennet, in particular, (always a favorite character of mine) was superb. Mr. Darcy was the only worthy Darcy I've ever seen outside of Colin Firth.
Yes, I could pick a few nits. A minor character here or there wasn't quite the way I'd envision them. One or two scenes strain credulity, period or otherwise. In particular (without giving away spoilers), when one (minor) character reveals something shocking to Amanda: why is she telling a complete stranger such a deep, dark secret???? But on the whole, there's so much good that the nits are easy to overlook.
The highest praise I can give it, and I swear this is what I was thinking when the whole thing was over: it was as if Jane Austen herself had somehow lived into modern times, and, armed with both her period and modern sensibilities, had decided to have some fun with her classic old work. The complex plot, the wit, the beloved characters with fresh lines in fresh situations... it was like having fresh, brand new Pride & Prejudice, beyond the original.
It is interesting to note the polarizing effect this work has had. I've never seen a set of IMDb reviews like this: all 9-10 stars or 1, with hardly any grades in between. It seems to be adore-it-or-despise-it. Count my strongly in the adore-it crowd.