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Which version of Pride & Prejudice on DVD is the best?

walkermamaof4

By walkermamaof4,
in K-8 Curriculum Board

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Melenie

Melenie

Posted
Posted
It might depend on how old your daughter is. My oldest just recently turned 18 and she LOVES the Kiera Knightly version; it's one of her top favorite movies.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Pride-Prejudice-Keira-Knightley/dp/B000E1ZBGS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288721652&sr=8-1

 

:iagree: I love the BBC version, but I can see how the new one will appeal to the younger kids more. I thought the new one was done well.

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yslek

yslek

Posted
Posted
For accuracy both to the book and to the period, as well as wonderful acting, definitely the Colin Firth version. Definitely. My dd concurs as well.

 

Hate, hate, hate the Kiera Knightly version--inaccurate, and Kiera's acting is often wooden. Also it looks and feels more modern.

 

:iagree: I do think the cinematography in the Keira Knightley version is lovely, though they waste so much screen time (for a significantly shorter film) on lovely scenery. There are parts in the movie where it looks like Keira is imitating Jennifer Ehele's facial expressions--dh and I jokingly call her "Keira Knightley Ehle" in the film.:D The portrayal of Bingley in this version is also just ridiculous. I would start cracking up every time I saw him on the screen, because he was so silly. :tongue_smilie:

 

My favorite version of Emma is the one with Kate Beckinsale (http://www.amazon.com/Emma-1997-Kate-Beckinsale/dp/0767020308/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1288728013&sr=8-5). The one with Gwyneth Paltrow is comparable to the Keira Knightley P&P...lovely (though historically inaccurate) costumes, much more 'modern' feel. Meh. I haven't seen this one yet, but do have it in my Netflix queue: http://www.amazon.com/Emma-Romola-Garai/dp/B002XTBE6K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1288728013&sr=8-1.

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Mom in High Heels

Mom in High Heels

Posted
Posted
This one! Colin Firth is excellent as Darcy. Jennifer Ehle is fantastic, too! :)

 

:iagree: Yes! I own this one and the new movie as well, and while I love them both, if I had to choose the best version, it would be this one. James Bond loves it too. He won't even watch the new movie version (he saw it once) because he says it doesn't even compare to the BBC version. :D

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Punchie

Punchie

Posted
Posted
For accuracy both to the book and to the period, as well as wonderful acting, definitely the Colin Firth version. Definitely. My dd concurs as well.

 

Hate, hate, hate the Kiera Knightly version--inaccurate, and Kiera's acting is often wooden. Also it looks and feels more modern.

 

:iagree: I LOVE the Colin Firth version. LOVE LOVE LOVE!! I only watched the first part of the KK version as it was just atrocious - very vapid. Though, I did like Donald Sutherland.

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Matryoshka

Matryoshka

Posted
Posted
Thanks! What about which version of Emma?

 

My kids loved the new miniseries of Emma that just came out this year, with the blonde girl. They liked it so much they wanted to watch a shorter version that I had on DVD that came out a couple of years ago (with a brunette). No comparison - I'd like the earlier version okay when I saw it, but when I watched it again after the newer one, it seemed flat.

 

Oh, and P&P - definitly Colin Firth. The one with Kiera Knightley is :ack2:. Unwatchable, imho.

 

There is a much earlier version of P&P that I have a soft spot for, as it was the first version I watched as a teen and fell in love with the story. I'm not sure exactly which version it was since it's been so long, but it might be the old one with Lawrence Olivier.

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Homemama2

Homemama2

Posted
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This one! Colin Firth is excellent as Darcy. Jennifer Ehle is fantastic, too! :)

 

 

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

 

:D I have the Keira Knightly one too, and I do like it....but it doesn't stick to the book very well and her clothes drive me nuts! lol! What is with that ugly brown coat thing?

 

Emma:

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THIS ONE!!!!!! I saw it when it was on PBS and it was fabulous!!

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Pippen

Pippen

Posted
Posted
This is the only valid option. All others versions pale in comparison and honestly should be banned. Colin Firth is just ....... he's soooo.......:drool5::001_tt1::svengo:

 

I like him fine too, but I've heard some of the younger girls say Colin Firth is just..........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

he's sooooo.........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OLD!:tongue_smilie:

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Hedgehog

Hedgehog

Posted
Posted

IMO - for Pride and Prejudice, BBC Firth/Ehle wins hands down. It's accurate, rarely missing anything, and the acting is excellent. I don't care for the Keira Knightley version at all.

 

I recently acquired the new BBC version of Emma, too, with Johnny Lee Miller and Romola Garai. For the same reasons as I like BBC P+P. It's fabulous.

 

I'm a purist - can you tell?!

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Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

I'll be a lone dissenting voice here. I don't like the Colin Firth version, primarily because it undid what was so important in the book -- that Darcy's proposal comes as much of a surprise to readers as it does to Elizabeth, because he is schooled in controlling and hiding his feelings to the point that he is quite a prig and actively unattractive but for his money. If you have actors who can't keep their eyes off each other from the start, and insist on a physicality/sexuality that appeals to modern viewers, you take away from the fact that in Austen, sexuality is a social issue. You have a movie that is more popular today, to be sure. But for me, what is lost outweighs what is gained.

 

For this reason, I still prefer the older BBC version with Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul.

 

Okay, throw virtual tomatoes.

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Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted
The absolute best production of Pride and Prejudice, hands down, is the 1980 BBC production starring Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul. I don't think people know about this version but it's soooo good. It really does justice to the book.

 

We must have posted at around the same time -- same opinion! I am so happy to see another fan of that version.

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indigomama

indigomama

Posted
Posted
For accuracy both to the book and to the period, as well as wonderful acting, definitely the Colin Firth version. Definitely. My dd concurs as well.

 

Hate, hate, hate the Kiera Knightly version--inaccurate, and Kiera's acting is often wooden. Also it looks and feels more modern.

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

I also love the Romola version of Emma, very faithful adaptation.

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Matryoshka

Matryoshka

Posted
Posted
The absolute best production of Pride and Prejudice, hands down, is the 1980 BBC production starring Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul. I don't think people know about this version but it's soooo good. It really does justice to the book.

 

This may be the one I remember so fondly - I would've been in high school when it came out, and I know I watched it on Masterpiece Theater.

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tuesdayschild

tuesdayschild

Posted
Posted
:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

The new version with Keira Knightly is OK, if you're just wanting to watch a 'version' of P & P...but the BBC version is the very best!

 

:iagree: the 'new' PnP with KK is not as faithful to the book.

 

IMO The BBC with Firth is 'the standard' to judge other productions by :)

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