Content Warning about the new Anne of Green Gables Series on Netflix

[Lang Syne Boardie]

my concerns are the appropriateness of going into such detail in a production meant for *children*. if this was only for adults (or even teens) - fine.

I grew up in a home where there was much that was inappropriate. I know how it affected me - I lived it. I know how easily my life could have gone the other way because of it. I protected my children from this knowledge - as they became adults - things could be shared when their ages were appropriate. we can talk about things now, and we have - they're adults.

 

but that is the issue with this production - age appropriateness. or rather - lack of it. we did an aogg party on friday - and rewatched the first megan fellows movie. it does touch on some of it - in brief flashbacks to drunken rages, but no dwelling. enough for a younger child to get a glimpse that there were scary things - but not so much to discombobulate them.

kids are already exposed to too much too soon - why can't we just allow them to be children? they'll be teens/grown-ups soon enough.

 

like in the other thread where people are taking little kids to violent r-rated movies. it has an effect.

Well, this is a little over the top. The referenced scene is hardly on par with an R rated film, or sufficient to single-handed ly corrupt a minor's innocence and set his feet on the road to perdition. If we wanted to get into a battle over who had the rougher childhood and learned more lessons the hard way, I would have plenty of ammunition...but there's no point because we're not talking about that level of danger from a production of Anne of Green Gables.

 

But please note that I never even said that anyone should watch it! LOL I haven't seen it, so obviously I'm not recommending it. And I don't even know whether the production is targeted to little children. Is it? Is it being marketed as a children's program? My point is that I don't think it's a farfetched or anti-canonical approach to bring out more of what the author did place between the lines, and that "I" will probably watch it.

[LucyStoner]

If the Tapatalk picture is accurate, the girl playing Anne is freaky looking. Ugg!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

In the books Anne was very freckled, very skinny and extremely homely until she blossoms a bit late. This is commented on at length. I think this actress fits that description more than Megan Follows did actually.

[Julie Smith]

I have been watching it. I just saw episode 6. 

 

At first I wasn't sure on it, I found the first episode a major tear jerker. But I am liking it, and will continue watching it. 

 

I find that the actress fits the Anne in the books much better than Megan Fowler. I also find she acts much more like I would expect her to - based on the books. I do love the Megan Fowler, Anne. But to me, Megan didn't fit the part of a skinny, freckled, homely, rejected, odd orphan. The new actor does. 

 

I'm not sure if this new Anne is marketed towards kids. I watch it on the CBC website and it doesn't show up till 9:30 at night on Sunday. The few things I have watched advertising it were on youtube. Those commercials and conversations usually said things such as they wouldn't be pulling any punches, and that it is darker then the Anne you remember. 

[MercyA]

It's the Breaking Bad writer.  :willy_nilly:

 

This is the only reason I'm tempted to watch it! Best. show. ever.  :)

[Amber in SJ]

People are going to respond in different ways depending on how they experienced AOGG for themselves.  For myself with my imperfect childhood, I didn't need some of the frightening things that Anne experienced spelled out, I needed Anne to have survived those experiences and to have come to a safe place.  Later, as an adult I was able to re-read and appreciate the nuances.  I appreciate getting a little heads up warning about the fact that the most recent adaptation is going to try and explore more in-depth some of the things that Anne experienced as an orphan being treated as disposable free labor rather than a beloved & welcomed child.

 

I know plenty of people who let their kids watch tv shows, movies or even read books that I don't allow my kids until they are older.  And that is OK.  I know my children and they know theirs.  

 

As a side note, I really don't want to see "petting the trouser mouse," catch on as a euphemism.

 

Amber in SJ

[gardenmom5]

Well, this is a little over the top. The referenced scene is hardly on par with an R rated film, 

 

?????  who said anything about a r rated film?

heck - I was freaked out and very upset when bambi's mother was killed.  kids get exposed to enough bad stuff in life, I see no reason to rush it.

 

In the books Anne was very freckled, very skinny and extremely homely until she blossoms a bit late. This is commented on at length. I think this actress fits that description more than Megan Follows did actually.

 

I watched the version with martin sheen as matthew. (online)  I felt like he talked too much.

 

the anne had make-up freckles- they were quite fake looking, both in size and placement.  they just . . bugged me.  I would expect lots of freckles on a redhead (I'm married to a redhead, have a redhead - my towhead has more freckles/spots-stereotypical redhead skin), especially one out in the sun . 

and the gilbert was NOT handsome!  (so, no diana - he's NOT)

 

I didn't like the anne in the martin sheen version.

from the trailer for the netflix version (which is currently on youtube) - I'm not sure I like the anne, though I do think i would like the marilla and matthew.   just the controversy makes me curious to watch it.  then at least I'd know if I'd be willing to have a child watch it.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

First you said:

 

like in the other thread where people are taking little kids to violent r-rated movies.  it has an effect. 

 

Then you said:

 

?????  who said anything about a r rated film?

 

:) I'm done. Minds are made up (even though most of us can't even watch it until it hits USA netflix), people are arguing about different things, it's a Monday and there's stuff to do...

[Julie Smith]

I'm not sure I like the anne, though I do think i would like the marilla and matthew.   just the controversy makes me curious to watch it.  then at least I'd know if I'd be willing to have a child watch it.

 

I really like the Matthew in the, for lack of better name the CBC/ Netflix Anne. He also played Jasper Dale in Road to Avonlea. I must say when I realized who he was I just thought he was the perfect choice. 

 

To see the actor youtube, "Jasper Dale, Road to Avonlea"

[Bluegoat]

I plan to watch it. In the books, Montgomery frequently wrote stuff like "for Marilla was shrewd enough to read between the lines of Anne's history..." if a movie producer wishes to expand upon that, it's not too far-fetched, IMO. It's all there, between the lines of the book.

 

It's quite silly to imagine that in the reality of Anne's fictional world, Marilla, as the woman who became a mother to her during her tweens and teens, would not have had access to a lot of these insights about Anne's past and gently helped Anne to find her way afterwards. Marilla is not just a nice, prim old lady who took in an innocent Victorian angel and the storybook life commenced...she was "real" in a way that Montgomery painted her respectable neighbors not to be. Marilla could handle it, with common sense and understanding. Matthew could handle it with unconditional love.

 

In the later books, Anne refers many times to the life that she would have had if not for Marilla and Matthew, and she didn't just mean poverty. She'd seen a lot as a child, and other people who had suffered (like Katherine Brooke) or who were still suffering (like Leslie) found Anne a sympathetic person for a reason.

 

My two cents. This is a reasonable approach to recounting the story, although of course it may not be for everybody.

 

Now, for those who think this is a horrible, post-modern taking of liberties with some kind of classic work, but who never bothered to read the series, why do you have an opinion on it?

 

I think though - Marilla was reading between the lines, but Montgomery didn't choose to go into the earlier part of the story in detail.  We don't see it in the text at all, but from Marilla.

 

To my mind, the way of communicating that same sense on screen isn't to have a flashback, but to show Marilla reacting to Anne in a particular way.  Probably more difficult acting, but I don't see that as a bad thing.  I feel like when books are ade into films, making things too explicit and definate is a common error.

 

But I still feel like Anne would have known quite well that talking about certain things with other kids wasn't going to fly - maybe more than many kids would have.