Jane Eyre

[altariel]

Did anyone else watch the first episode of Jane Eyre last night? I thought it looked pretty but was a bit daft. That might be the book rather than the adaptation, of course, it's years since I read it.

For the fanficcers amongst us (surely a minority?), BBC Four have an adaptation of Wide Sargasso Sea coming up in October. Produced by Kudos (they of consistently good telly, e.g. Spooks, Hustle, and Life on Mars).

Comments

[communicator.livejournal.com]

I liked it fine. It didn't seem any improvement or development on countless previous versions, but I thought it was good fun.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I thought bits of it were just teetering on the edge of panto. I might watch it in that frame of mind next week and see what that does to it.

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of asking the same question. I taped it, but didn't have time to watch it: I was too busy, er, posting to LJ.

I might try and give it a look tonight.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I think it's worth a watch.

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

Thanks, A. I got lazy last night, but I'm going to give it a go.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I sensibly taped it on the Sky box upstairs for bedtime viewing.

[wonderlanded.livejournal.com]

I love the book and last reread it in June -- and yes, I thought it was a bit daft, particularly the first bit. What they did to Helen's character was a nightmare, and it was too gothic, if that's possible. Dickensian rather than Brontean.

But Toby Stephens was pretty.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Toby Stephens was very easy on the eye, perhaps teetering on the edge of panto occasionally. I got very distracted by Jane's upper lip.

[hafren.livejournal.com]

I think JE has been done too often; I wish they'd do Villette.

[muninnhuginn]

Ooh, yes. But could the better the BBC raio adaptation for sheer atmosphere?

[matildabj.livejournal.com]

I think JE has been done too often

I concur; my first thought on learning that there was a new adaptation was 'why?'

Quite excited about Wide Sargasso Sea, however.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yes, I would very much like to see a version of that.

[gair.livejournal.com]

Gah, I missed it. I had hopes for it, based SOLELY on liking the look of Rochester on the Radio Times cover: I thought he was sort of oldish and uglyish for once, like he is meant to be, rather than a brooding hero in the manner of Angel.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Damn, and I have just deleted it off the Sky box. Double gah :-(

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Links to possible download posted downthread here.

[muninnhuginn]

Too gothic, even for my taste. Although the gothic elements are there (I'm remembering from my last rereading a good while back, but I did read it half a dozen times) in the fiction, and there has been until recently, I think, a tendency in broadcast adaptations of many 19th century novels to underplay the gothic elements in favour of realism. Maybe the pendulum's swung too far in the other direction.

Also, I think, too hurried. I know they've only got four episodes, but it cost a lot in terms of subtlety and detail. It's skewed the story, losing the other relationships Jane has in favour of the romance with Rochester.

I liked Jane. And Toby Stephens is fine except he's not got his dad's voice.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I was wondering how many episodes they were giving it: four really isn't enough. They do seem to hurry through classic adaptations these days, I'd rather they were given the space, like with Middlemarch and Pride and Prejudice.

[muninnhuginn]

Better than the radio tho': long gone are he days of weeks of Dance to the Music of Time or even four part adaptations of books. The Classic Serial seems to run to two-hour two-part adaptations for everything. I'm waiting for the Reduced Shakepeare Company to be drafted in to shorten War and Peace to fit the format.

Of course, Bleak House did get the space on the TV last year and was a triumph.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I wish I could listen to the radio and do other stuff at the same time. Just can't split my concentration that way.

[aervir.livejournal.com]

And I hadn't heard of the upcoming Wide Sargasso Sea screen version before. Sounds good to me!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Let me know if you do - someone up thread missed it.

[aervir.livejournal.com]

Here you are! I don't know whether the links work, though. I'm at a uni PC and thus can't test them.

Links are under f-lock in uk_telly, but it's very easy to join. They have got posts on Jane Eyre here (http://community.livejournal.com/uk_telly/338426.html) and here (http://community.livejournal.com/uk_telly/339024.html).

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

I can't help thinking that the novel ashould have ended: "Reader, I told him to get stuffed."

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I can't help liking your thinking!