 "Pride and Prejudice BBC 1980" | 2009-09-28 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1D4V10J2CABDK |
| I have always loved this movie. What a joy to be able to see it on DVD. For all of you who love this movie I would recommend buying this you'll love it too |
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| "BBC Pride and Prejudice 1980" | 2009-09-07 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1Y4758ZFIWWFN |
This is the best film ever of Jane Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, and to see it sharp and clear in a re-mastered DVD was an absolute joy.
First saw this version, produced by the BBC, on Masterpiece Theater in 1980. The more recent and forgettable A&E version, Colin Firth not withstanding, dumbed down Jane Austen's language unforgivably and featured actresses so buffed, they practically burst out of their Empire organdy frocks. The old MGM film with Greer Garson was appalling. Setting of the Keira Knightley film might have been more accurate, but that overall production doesn't compare with the BBC's.
Fay Weldon, noted British author, dramatized the novel in five parts. Weldon was so skillful she could distill the essence of Jane Austen's wry observations without diminishing them. The rhythm and speech patterns of the novel have been translated beautifully to the screen. It's as if Jane had a really good editor.
Acting is topnotch. Judy Parfit's Lady Katharine even better than Judi Dench's! Mr. Collins, Darcy, Mr. Bennett, Mrs. Bennett, all are perfection. Elizabeth, the sisters, dastardly Wickham, Bennett aunt/uncle most excellent. |
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| "Romantic and true to the story!" | 2009-08-23 |
| - Reviewed By englishspadeslover |
| I have always loved Pride and Prejudice and happened upon this version on Netflix, in the watch instantly online part. This was a great adaptation of the book and I positively fell in love with Mr. Darcy once again. This was made in the 80's and so is not the modern looking masterpiece that some people seek but I thought it was fabulous! |
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| "austen fan" | 2009-07-11 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3CW8J5JOY6UIQ |
| This is an excellent DVD of Pride and Prejudice. It has scenes in it that are not in the original Pride and Prejudice that was on VCR. I enjoyed it very much. It follows the Austen book closely. |
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| "Rave!" | 2009-06-02 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2QOJ2M69D718I |
Elizabeth Garvey and David Rintoul are a marvelous Elizabeth and Darcy. Rintoul is more as I imagine Darcy than Colin Firth is -- stiffer, more formal, and better groomed.
Priscilla Morgan as Mrs. Bennett is wonderful. And appealing! You can see how Mr. Bennett might have fallen for her. Mr. Bennett is rather too austere for me, though.
And Malcolm Rennie as Mr. Collins! I love him! He's exactly what the book says he should be -- large, conceited, pompous -- without making you cringe at being near him. Some Mr. Collinses make you want to wash your hands after watching.
This is a gentler, less boisterous production than the Ehle/Firth one. I'd say Mrs. Bennett, Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine (Judy Parfitt) are much better in this one. My husband and I watch both, often, and I think we have almost a skull video going with a combination of actors. |
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 "This one is my favorite so far" | 2009-04-09 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3G7UCMGN74YUD |
| So many people have provided exzcellent, detailed reviews that I wanted to add only two points. The first is that the editing of the BBC serialization for VHS/DVD seemed a bit haphazard and omitted many scenes that made conversations and transitions smooth. If I remember correctly, there were six episodes, and the home version is significantly shorter. The second is that each version of Elizabeth portrays her with less of the amused detachment that characterized her in the book, and with more ill temper. I believe that, in the book, Darcy was not a central figure in Elizabeth's life until Wickham began to weave his web of lies about him. Had Elizabeth not been interested in Wickham, Darcy would have been a very minor player in her life. After all, she had been apprised from the beginning that he had no interest in her, and he was socially so much her superior (despite her being a gentleman's daughter)that she could have had no expectations from that quarter. Darcy was merely a source of great amusement to Elizabeth until she was deceived into thinking him Wickham's malefactor. The A & E version created a chronically cranky Elizabeth, and, in the latest version with Keira Knightly, I don't think she spent five minutes of screen time in a happy frame of mind. These are the modern interpretations of how Elizabeth would behave if she were a contemporary of the viewer, not as she would have been in Jane Austen's time. A sprightly, lighthearted, but witty Elizabeth gets my vote over the dour, self-involved versions. |
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