Books into Movies: Opinions, Reviews, Dsappointments and Vctories

[MsFroggy]

I really love this latest version of Persuasion. The music in it especially adds to the drama being so sweeping and romantic. I'm not sure it's better than the book, because they're both good. I'll have to seek out the 1995 version, although I don't really like Ciaran Hinds.

One movie that is worse than the book is "Timeline". The book by Michael Crichton is a good medieval slash modern tech actioner with lots of archeology, history and just fun suspense thrown in. The movie is good but I was disappointed by it somewhat. One reason to watch is Gerry Butler.

[Google]

 

[Lucy]

Originally Posted by MsFroggy

One movie that is worse than the book is "Timeline". The book by Michael Crichton is a good medieval slash modern tech actioner with lots of archeology, history and just fun suspense thrown in. The movie is good but I was disappointed by it somewhat. One reason to watch is Gerry Butler.

I loved the book "Timeline" and had heard, like you said, that the movie wasn't nearly as good. If Gerry Butler is the one from "300", though, I'll have to check it out anyway.

[MsFroggy]

Originally Posted by Lucy

I loved the book "Timeline" and had heard, like you said, that the movie wasn't nearly as good. If Gerry Butler is the one from "300", though, I'll have to check it out anyway.

That's him! I forgot to mention that I do own the movie on DVD anyway.

[Critical]

Last night was the second week of The Complete Jane Austen on PBS. Did anyone else watch Northanger Abbey?

Since it is my least favorite of Austen's novels, I don't think I was quite as critical as I was of Persuasion (my favorite of her novels, along with P&P). That being said, I really enjoyed it! I thought the girl cast as Cathy was terrific and so was the rest of the cast. I will say that the actor playing John Thorpe was a bit too......Cro-Magnon looking for me. He was just creepy from the get-go, when I think a more conventionally handsome actor would have been better. Who would trust a guy who looked that villainous?

I had to laugh at how readily Cathy accepted invitations to just go off and stay with people she barely knew.

MsFroggy - Gerry Butler is about the only reason to watch Timeline He's definitely dreamy in that one

[Lucy]

Crit, I taped "Northanger Abbey" but probably won't get to watch it until this weekend. I always did like the book, though I haven't read it in years. I flipped over to a few minutes of it Sunday night and thought the girl playing Cathy was lovely.

[Critical]

Okay, so this week's Austen offering is Mansfield Park. I'm bracing myself for the worst after having seen a little clip on PBS' website. I'm sorry, but Fanny Price is not a bleached blonde! Still, I'll try to watch and give it a chance.

I happened upon this review of Persuasion and agree with it wholeheartedly, especially about that "kiss" at the end.
Review: Madcap PBS 'Persuasion' sacrifices nuance

Maybe I should just watch my DVDs of the versions I like and forget PBS.

I think someone might have asked about this upthread: YES, they did remake Sense and Sensibility. I'm not sure who thought "Well, I'm sure we can improve upon this one, since the last version only won the Oscar for best adapted screenplay," but it seems like a bonehead move to me. The actor playing Edward looks like he belongs in a boy band. Miss Austen must be rolling over in her grave.

At least they kept P&P (knowing they couldn't mess with perfection) and it looks like Emma is the old one with Kate Beckinsale (not my favorite, but if these new versions are any indication, it could be worse!).

ETA: Oh dear. I just found this write-up in The New Yorker. Looks like things don't get better with this series: Everybody Loves Jane: Television: The New Yorker

ETA 2: I really must stop hunting around for this stuff. There's a hilarious video on youtube. Search for "Run of Anne from Persuasion 2007" to find the ridiculous run set to music from Chariots of Fire, Benny Hill and Run, Lola, Run. .

[myrosiedog]

Originally Posted by Starbucks880

Maybe you are right about that. I truely don't remember a lot of the books even though I did read them all and probably still have them somewhere around the house, maybe the fact that he is so forgettable to me says something about the books. But yeah, Matt Damon was great.

How ironic that you are reading Breakfast at Tiffany's because I just started it, too! I am kind of embarassed to say I just happened to have seen it in the bookstore and was like "Oh my gosh, there is actually a book, too!" so I bought it. As someone who is a book-lover, I was surprised that knowledge had escaped me. I am liking the book, though.

Capote is a great author. Read Other Voices, Other Rooms. It's a good one as well.
He's also written a lot of short stories like Breakfast at Tiffany's. I think he can convey in just a few words what a lot of authors take pages to write about.

Timeline was a great book, but so-so movie. Having said that, I just rewarched the movie last week after seeing it in the tv guide. It's ok. I tend to want to walk around yelling "trebuchet" after seeing it though.

I love Crichton, but not all of his books were turned into good movies.

I loved reading Congo, but the movie version was horrible, horrible, horrible.
I think when you have had such blockbusters as he's had with Andromeda Strain and Jurrassic Park, that people expect ALL the books to become great movies and that hasn't happened.

[Mike'sgirl]

Originally Posted by Critical

Okay, so this week's Austen offering is Mansfield Park. I'm bracing myself for the worst after having seen a little clip on PBS' website. I'm sorry, but Fanny Price is not a bleached blonde! Still, I'll try to watch and give it a chance.


Maybe I should just watch my DVDs of the versions I like and forget PBS.

At least they kept P&P (knowing they couldn't mess with perfection) and it looks like Emma is the old one with Kate Beckinsale (not my favorite, but if these new versions are any indication, it could be worse!).

I couldn't bring myself to watch this version of Mansfield Park yet, but the 1999 version was my favorite; the 1983 version with Sylvestra Le Touzel showed a lighter haired Fanny (though not blonde as this one) that I also enjoyed.

The 1995 version of Persuasion starring Amanda Root as Anne Elliot is/was my favorite but I found this version wonderful. My favorite Emma was the 1996 version with Gwyneth Paltrow because Denys Hawthorne was my most favorite Mr Woodhouse. I enjoyed Paltrow but Denys was my Mr Woodhouse entirely.

I agree though about the DVD versions which so far, I never seem to grow tired of.

[Critical]

Originally Posted by Mike'sgirl

I couldn't bring myself to watch this version of Mansfield Park yet, but the 1999 version was my favorite; the 1983 version with Sylvestra Le Touzel showed a lighter haired Fanny (though not blonde as this one) that I also enjoyed.

The 1995 version of Persuasion starring Amanda Root as Anne Elliot is/was my favorite but I found this version wonderful. My favorite Emma was the 1996 version with Gwyneth Paltrow because Denys Hawthorne was my most favorite Mr Woodhouse. I enjoyed Paltrow but Denys was my Mr Woodhouse entirely.

I agree though about the DVD versions which so far, I never seem to grow tired of.

You know, Mansfield Park wasn't nearly as bad as I'd expected. I did think the actress playing Fanny was mis-cast because of her looks, but it wasn't all that bad. The actor playing Edmund has nothing on Jonny Lee Miller in the role, even though this version was much closer to the book. I liked the 99 version as well. I thought Alessandro Nivola and Embeth Davitz were perfect as Henry and Mary Crawford - just the right mix of charming and calculating. While that version wasn't as close to the book, the actors were so good. I also enjoyed the little device of having the characters address the camera (and I usually hate that). "It all could have turned out differently....but it didn't."

This coming Sunday is the first of three weeks of P&P with Colin Firth Yes, even though I have it on DVD (all six hours of it!), I will still be watching!

Did anyone watch Miss Austen Regrets this past Sunday? I switched over a few times, but couldn't get into it. I was happy to see Phyllida Law (aka Emma Thompson's fab mother) as Jane's mother, but I got bored with it and didn't finish watching.

[CCL]

I thought the actress who played Mary Crawford in the new version of Mansfield Park was really good. Overall I prefer the 1999 movie but I thought this version was not bad. Still haven't watched Persuasion or Northanger Abbey though - have them taped, as I do Miss Austen Regrets.