Efter den senaste veckans tanklöshet är jag återigen fattig som en idiot. Jag har spenderat mina pengar på de mest meningslösa sakerna och önskar att jag hade kunnat spola tillbaka tiden så att jag kan obegå alla mina misstag.

Lite om helgen kanske: (en superkort version finns i slutet, om du inte vill läsa allt)
i fredags var jag på tonår och skrev tillsammans med söta Maria en ny vers till UVs Lucia på tisdag. Den blev otroligt bra och vi är nöjda som tuppen!
Efter tonår stack vi till Max igen. Jag måste verkligen sluta upp med det! (En av mina fattig- och tjockhetsanledningar) Men det är alltid trevligt att umgås!
I vanlig ordning blev det sedan fika hemma hos mig. När vi kom dit var mamma och massa jobbarkompisar där så här snackar vi livat.

En god och lång natts sömn fick jag innan vi skulle åka till Bredaryd och för att fira mormors pensionering med en middag på Bambu. Bussen kom dit 100 minuter för tidigt så vi gick in på Smålänningens Marknad och Bredaryds Möbler en stund. Jag beställde “Bambus Super Buffé” (ja, det står så på deras meny). Det skulle jag inte har gjort. Fy f*n va mycket jag åt! F*n! Allvarligt, jag måste ha problem alltså… Bunkrar mitt psyke upp inför vintern eller? (tjockhetssanledning)
Hem en timma och sen åka tillbaka till Bredaryd igen för att basta hos Pettsson. Apelsin, clementin och läsk i magen, och hårinpackning i håret gör susen en kall höstkväll. Efteråt blev det lite pizza (måttlig mängd, faktiskt!) och film. Ante och Maria drog därifrån vid elva så jag låg på golvet och Albin låg i sin säng och halvsov/tittade på Air Force One fram till halv ett. Somnade trött så in i h*lv*t* när jag somnade vid två.

Söndag då… Hmm… Sova, spela spel, pussla, spela kort, fika (tjockhetsanledning), shoppa skor med Oskar och jag råkar köpa fem filmer själv (fattighetsanledning). Smördegsinbakad fläskfilé med gräddstuvade champinjoner och ungsbakade potatisklyftor till middag (tjockhetsanledning) och spela massa spel och kort igen. Till sist tittade jag på filmen ovan, Princess of Thieves, den var faktiskt rätt bra. Nedan är alla de andra filmerna jag köpte igår (de med prince/princess var i en box för 99 kr).

I korthet: En destruktiv och lat helg…

Whitney Port filmed a Style Star shoot with Seventeen Magazine.

On fashion trends: Whitney says although she doesn’t pride herself on following trends, she doesn’t knock people down who do because you should wear what you feel comfortable in.

On her style stars: Whitney names Ashley Olsen, Natalie Portman, Anne Hathaway and Kiera Knightley.

Right now Whitney loves playing with jackets, especially blazers.  Check out the video for more.

Pre-Production is when the filmmakers and Producers have been green lit to make a film and are finishing the script, gathering funds, casting and hiring. There is a good chance the film will be made at this point, though until it’s in post-production, there is never any guarantee. And sometimes there’s no guarantee it will be released even when it’s completely finished.

But, on IMDB Pro, here are some of the films listed as in Pre-Production:

Saw 7 - In 3D! (I’m not kidding.)

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2

Wanted 2

Lethal Weapon 5

Kung Fu Panda 2

Rambo 5: The Savage Hunt

Scream 4 (Do you see a theme with sequels? There are plenty more coming.)

The Three Stooges - with Benicio Del Toro as Moe and Paul Giamatti as Larry. Sean Penn was originally Larry, but dropped out. I loved the Three Stooges growing up, but I’m shocked at the quality of actors they are getting. This may actually be pretty good.

Total Recall – This is still in the script phase. The original film with Arnold Schwarzenegger is super cool. They better not cast someone like Vin Diesel in the lead role.

Red Sonja - Rose McGowen starts, but her boyfriend Robert Rodriguez is not directing, only producing this film. I’m a Rodriguez fan, but with him not at the helm, I’m uncertain about this film. I’m not a big McGowen fan.

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea: Sam Worthington from Terminator is Captain Nemo. There’s potential here.

My Fair Lady - A remake to star Kiera Knightley as Eliza Dolittle. She looks the part (Audrey Hepburn played the part in the original film, though she didn’t sing.) Can Kiera sing? Guess we’ll see. Wonder who will play Professor Higgins? An interesting note: Emma Thompson is writing the screenplay.

Spring Awakening - A very successful new musical. I’m very curious to see who will be cast. The girl from Glee was in the original Broadway production. Maybe she has a shot.

Mary the Mother of Christ - with Al Pacino as Herod. Oh, the jokes, the jokes…

The Warriors – A remake Benny is super excited about. No news on casting yet. Probably will be mostly unknowns.

Hamlet - Another one? This one with Emile Hirsch. The Speed Racer guy? He better have the acting chops for this or it could be a disaster. I am always interested in who will be Ophelia. Kate Winslet rocked it in Kenneth Branagh’s version and the best part of the Mel Gibson one was Helena Bonham Carter’s Ophelia.

Jack and Jill - with Adam Sandler playing both parts. Was Jim Carrey busy?

Excalibur - Bryan Singer is doing this film. Love him. The Usual Suspects is an all time favorite of mine and I love the King Arthur mythology. However, the original Excalibur film is awesome, so I’m not sure what Singer can bring to the story. No casting news yet. I wonder if they will remake Camelot the musical too?

Battlestar Galactica- I’m a huge fan of this series and I’d love to see a film version. Right now Bryan Singer is also slated to direct this, though it looks like it’s a long way from being a done deal.

Warcraft - Directed by Sam Raimi, this could be fun.

Word is that Kiera Knightley will star in a remake of the classic musical “My Fair Lady” to be directed by Joe Wright. The two worked together previously on Pride and Prejudice and Atonement.

My first reaction to this was unease. I love the original musical and Broadway production. Then when I thought about it, I realized that Kiera Knightley is similar in appearance to Audrey Hepburn. And it doesn’t really matter if Knightley can sing or not since Hepburn’s singing was dubbed in the movie.

So I think Knightley can pull off playing Eliza Doolittle.

The next key will be who will play Henry Higgins. It was one of Rex Harrison’s signature roles. An article in The Telegraph implied that it might be Daniel Craig. I have more trepidation about that choice if it becomes reality. I love Craig as James Bond, but I think it’s a bigger leap for him to play Higgins than Knightley to play Doolittle.

I’ll definitely go to see the movie. I haven’t heard when they hope the movie would be released since it hasn’t even begun filming yet. I just hope that Wright isn’t too anxious to change what worked previously simply to make it “his” movie. If you’re going to remake a movie, you need to love the original material. I hope Wright, Knightley and Craig do.

By Ewan Angus

Taken from http://im.in.com

Spanning three films, several theme park rides and more merchandise than you can shake a cutlass at, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has become a brimming chest of gold for Disney since the first movie’s release in 2003. So with Box Office sales shooting sky high it was always a franchise Disney wouldn’t let go of. Starring Orlando Bloom, famous for his Legolas portrayal, period actress Keira Knightley and the academy award nominee Johnny Depp as the stories protagonists.

For the next film Disney went out on a limb and got in touch with a certain well known fantasy author. In 1988 Tim Powers, author of the award winning The Anubis Gates and the Stress of her Regard, wrote  a historical fantasy novel that dealt with a Pirate named Jack. In the novel Jack goes looking for the Fountain of Youth. Something Johnny Depp’s  Jack Sparrow was seen looking for on a magical map of the at the end of the third movie, At Worlds End.

Tim Powers spoke to Edinburgh Napier News about the Disney buying the rights to the book, the transition to film and how it came about.

“As to On Stranger Tides — Disney approached my agent a few years ago asking if they could buy an option on the book, for use in an eventual fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, and I agreed.”

The novel, which was released in 1988 to critical acclaim and nominations for the prestigious Locus Fantasy award and the World Fantasy Award is, like all of Powers novels, a historical fantasy. In that it means  that real people and real times are the background twisted with a fantasy setting. Meticulous research and historical accuracy  are expected when it comes to novels set in the ‘real world’ and the novel takes both of these very seriously.

However, the fate of the fourth Pirates film has  been fraught with rumours and problems. Firm supporter of the trilogy  and Walt Disney studios chairman Dane Cook resigned recently leading to Depp speculating that the film might not even go ahead. The director of the trilogy Gore Verbinski also announced he would not return to the film before his computer game adaption Bioshock was finished. Since then the Bioshock movie has run aground and the rumours are circulating that he’ll be back on deck for On Stranger Tides.

The speculation was put to bed early last month at the D23 convention as Johnny Depp surprised everyone by appearing on stage in full Jack Sparrow get up to announce that the fourth Pirates film would be aptly named On Stranger tides.

As the film is still in its development stage Powers had to play it subtle when it came to certain questions. When asked about the state of the script  and the stage of development he gave a coy reply.

“(I know) Just what everybody knows! Namely that they’re planning to start filming in April or May.”

Taken from www.theworksoftimpowers.com

As for if he’s met any of the crew of the Black Pearl he admitted his distance from the project.

“No — I hope to, sometime! At the premier, for instance!”

So when Powers was asked about the state of development and his opinion on the movie he answered  honestly and openly.

“I think it would be terrific if they do it! I’ve never thought that a movie needs to be very much like a book it might be based on.”

As there  has been three movies set before this one, each firmly establishing the characters, mytharc and the canon there will be a lot of  chopping and changing to the original stand alone novel. Many of the novels characters and subplots will be replaced or removed entirely in order to integrate it full into the Pirates world. these changes and alteration to his novel are something Powers seems upbeat and ok with.

“Well, yes — my book naturally doesn’t fit into the Pirates of the Caribbean world, so I’d expect a lot of deviation. But I have no idea what directions the script writers might be pursuing!”

So with the changes more or less definite and the novel acting merely as a template the movie that emerges, should it emerge, might not be anything like the original. Something Hollywood has no qualms with when it comes to the book to movie transition. Tentatively scheduled for a 2011 release date, the movie is aiming to be out before Disney and Depp’s other offering The Lone Ranger.

Mini-Sypnosis-

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl begins with a young girl on a ship. Her name is Elizabeth Swan, and she is the daughter of a governer.  She sees a young boy in the water. The crew rescues him. Elizabeth talks to the boy and finds out that his name is William Turner. He faints, and without his knowledge, Elizabeth takes a medallion that was held in his hand. It turns out that this was just a flashback dream, and the grown-up Elizabeth Swan still has the medallion. William, who is also grown up, is in love with Elizabeth, and he has become a blacksmith. Elizabeth gets a proposal from Captain James Norrington. She begins hyperventilating, not because she is nervous, but because her dress is too tight. She falls into a bay, and is rescued by Captain Jack Sparrow, a former pirate. Jack hides from the officer, but after a long fight with William, he is sent to jail. That night, pirates raid the village, because the medallion shook the water while Elizabeth was in the bay. They kidnap her, and William wishes to rescue her. William sets Jack free, and brings him with him to save Elizabeth. Will William save Elizabeth and win her heart? Or will the pirates brutally murder her? Watch the movie to find out!

Pros-

The movie was very good, overall. Casting was good, and so was Johnny Depp! This is the type of movie where you start stuffing popcorn in your mouth and you are so anxious to find out what happens. A very good and captivating plot. Interesting, and exciting, a great combination. Special effects are nice, and it’s quite thrilling to see. Johnny Depp demonstrates some humor throughout the film, with his stumbling (he is drunk all the time) and his funny dialogues. As usual Johnny Depp disguises his voice and it makes you think that he wasn’t the least bit involved in the film. A great, fun film.

Cons-

First of all, why Orlando Bloom? I’m not his biggest fan. He might have good looks, but he SUCKS at acting. I previously did mention that the movie has a good plot, but it is a bit confusing, especially to younger viewers.

Music-

Music was done by Hans Zimmer. There weren’t any actual songs (unless you count a pirate’s life for me) but there was some background music. Music was pretty good…

Jared Leto-because of his character "Jordan" from My So Called Life

I love how Gwenyth paired this t-shirt with the high waisted skirt! Such a cool combo!

fun prints in the Spring 2010 Collections

This picture of Jessica Stam! Stunning!

This closet! shown in Teen Vogue years ago! My closet has a lonng way to go....

I want a Leopard Coat soo badly! perfect for going out!

Source: style.com, instyle.com, knightcat.com

Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.  – Jane Austen

A few months ago my friends Caroline and Adora came to my house around 11:00 in the morning on a Sunday in sweat pants, messy hair, and with junk food in hand.  This day was Austenfest.

We sat in the living room and watched “Sense and Sensibility,” Kiera Knightley’s “Pride and Prejudice,” Colin Firth’s “Pride and Prejudice,” and “Becoming Jane.”  It was glorious.  We ate Godiva chocolates (courtesy of Adora’s mother-in-law), ordered Indian food (I can’t get enough Saag!), and only removed ourselves from the living room to use the bathroom or get more soda.

After watching nearly 12 hours of Jane Austen films we thought it would be great to start our own Jane Austen book club.  Our plans are to read the books in the order that they were written, which would make my favorite, “Sense and Sensibility” first and our last book will be “The Jane Austen Book Club.”  We will start meeting next month and I will document our book club meetings here.

Have you been a part of a Jane Austen book club?  Have any general advice/information I should know about running a book club?

I just finished watching this movie and find Mr. Darcy’s character to be an interesting interpretation. Mr. Darcy is not a stupid man, nor is he unintellegent, and yet he is conveyed as both of these…I’m not saying Matthew did a bad job playing him, but I think that the shyness was VASTLY overestimated. He’s very different from the character in the book. He’s not very witty and it doesn’t really seem like he would keep up with Elizabeth very well at all. Her character doesn’t fit well either. She is one of the wittiest, most intellegent, most lively people in the entire book and in the movie it seemed she was constantly in an irate mood until the end when Darcy confessed his love for her. Elizabeth knew the value of keeping her cool in certain situations. Kiera threw decorum out the window, when Lizzie would have merely nodded and tried not to smile. Mr. Bennet didn’t seem like he liked the silliness that surrounded him. In the book he was fond of it and lived to be sport for his neighbors and make fun of them in his turn. It’s his attitude that keeps the two elder girls alive!! lol. I did like Donald Sutherland’s acting. I also liked the rest of the sisters and Mrs. Bennet. They all did a fabulous job. Wickham didn’t seem truly evil. The “bad guy” of the film was the circumstances surrounding them that might have prevented their marriage. Bingley was foolish, his sister ridiculous, and WHERE was Mrs. Hurst? I realize that I sound somewhat negative. As a whole, the movie was not bad, but when compared to what it could have been it seems slightly disappointing.

The best part of this movie, as always, was the part when Darcy walks toward Lizzie in the field. His coat flying behind him, his shirt slightly unbuttoned, and that purposeful walk. As though nothing in the world could stop him from making it to her. The way that he looked at her, the way his eyes spoke his complete adoration. SIGH. It was perfect. I love this scene.

If you watch this movie with no expectations (as I have in the past), it is a delightful rendition of the novel. If you’re a purist…not so much. As I am now somewhere in-between, I’m not really sure what I think of it. It certainly can’t be compared to the other version. If I did, I’m sure I would never watch this version again….

Alright, piracy is a sin. Committing piracy of any kind is sinful. These piracy fellows  must be treated to the Goonda Act. Well, goondas will not take action. Someone responsible, the respectable elements of the society will act like goondas and eradicate piracy, is it?  Oh no, no, they will perform the act of goondas maybe? Rather, piracy goondas will be treated to goondaism performed by responsible elements of the society who will behave like goondas with goondas? Errr… Ofcourse not! The bottomline is, piracy is a punishable  offence and violators will be subjected to the Goonda Act. Thats the buzz now. Seems the fuss is fast catching up… To help the loss-incurring cine and music producers sweep all their monies into their own pockets. Not that the goondas selling pirated copies is a noble act and that they need sympathy but whoever thought movie and movie-music business was lucrative, uh?!

But c’mon, the image of pirates is uarguably romantic.  Think Johnny Depp and piracy becomes an ambition – for men to floor women and for women, although not an ambition, the idea of associating with a Johnny Depp like pirate  becomes an ambition.

Piracy of video and audio footage, and books would have perhaps been just as romantic had it been on the rough seas with Johnny Depp as the protagonist and Kiera Knightley, the hot seductress, to send the adrenaline racing. But reality, playing the vicious role its meant to, blots the charm and beauty of such romantic deviations, you know!

Reveries of Depp and Knightley apart, piracy steals life of its authenticity, they complain. Unreal, artificial, imitated, cheapened versions of music, movies and books, although only at an arm’s length is not half as charming as the original.  Its like settling for Jaani Deep  who is at your disposal, at your beck and call, at your rage and risk, since Johnny Depp, besides being a far away dream, is exhorbitant to attain.

Jaani Deep, a pirate of curry beans will do a Johnny Depp of the Carribean for you, whenever you want him to, whatever the time and place maybe – at the turn of the road, opposite authentic cinemas featuring our expensive Johnny Depp, at the end of the lane you live on, just outside your workplace, at bus stations, on railways bridges, occasionally at airport lounges and in city’s underpasses. Jaani Deep is omnipresent and down to earth. He will go places for you, not just hog it all like the oh-well!-the real-high-and-mighty Depp dude who goes places for himself!

But the massive, real, fundamental difference will always hurt- while the Oscars pour cats and dogs on our stud-boy-dude, our mud-boy-dud has to continue struggling to perform his copy cat rites. Clarify here – Page 2, Aug 11, DNA

Every time I go on my shopping travels around my hometown of Leeds I’m always drawn to a certain part of the city centre – the Victoria Quarter. If you’ve never been shopping in Leeds – go! There are so many fantastic shops to spend your hard earned cash at and they are all within easy walking distance of one another,  so shopping doesn’t turn into a painstaking mission.

Anyway, in the VQ there’s a jewellers called Berry’s which showcases the most amazing Chanel watch in its window. Whenever I walk past it I do sums to try and think of ways to claw the £3,125 it costs together – crazy shopping behaviour I know, but it’s sooo beautiful! Lets face it, it’ll never happen. I mean if I could ever afford to spend £3,000 ‘willy nilly’ on a watch, I’d hope to be a million miles away from Leeds anyway, sunning myself on a remote desert island somewhere (if only!).  But, after resigning myself to the fact that the Chanel watch will constantly torment me on any shopping trip I have,  I found a cheaper alternative – Toywatch.

It’s very similar to the Chanel one and is thousands of pounds cheaper, costing £130 – much more accessible to me. Plus it has got the celebrity ‘thumbs up’ from the likes of Madonna,  Lily Allen and Kiera Knightly.

Toywatch is an American company, so there are only a few stockists in the UK. Londeners can visit Fifi Wilson stores and the rest of us can head down to our local Selfridges. I will always have my eye on the Chanel, but the still fabulous Toywatch will have to do for now…until I win the lottery that is.

Is it just the opinion of this ninja or did Orlando Bloom’s career go south for the winter? Whatever happened to him? Did the world finally catch on that the man couldn’t act?

A long time ago, whilst I was meditating over movie reviews in my cave of reflection on Ninja Mountain, a trilogy of films came out under the unassuming title of Lord of the Rings. I mean, I personally know the Lord of the rings. He has a little pawnbroker’s shop on the Old Kent road. Lovely guy and can do wonders with a metal in ring form. Hanging jewelery is a bit out of his league with but we all have our flaws. But he took the news of the films coming out well even though for many years he had been getting confused with the books of the same name and had many irate customers searching for finger decoration at publisher’s.

He even sat down with me over a cup-a-joe and watched the films. We enjoyed the hell out of them. Except for the Elf. There was no problem really in Bloom’s playing of Legolas but he lacked, for want of a better word, acting. It was ok but, I knew he was meant for silly stardom when in the first of the three films he stabbed an Urak-hai to death with an arrow then nocked the same arrow into his bow and fired it into a different oncoming Urak-hai. Such a stolen ninja move.

I did the same thing fighting the hordes of Glacier Dale but managed mine in -20 temperature and on a moving ice flow but you don’t hear me boasting about it. But from then on I knew he would become a star in the Hollywood world.

I spouted for many a day that a film would come where he had to support himself and carry a picture as the lead. A sole lead.

Eventually it came.

Hallelujah!!

The clouds opened and behold in the year 2005 the elements did deliver the Kingdom of Heaven by Ridley Scott.

What a pile of pap!

Ninja toddlers could of done better. The script could only be used to vanquish your enemies if they were hold up in a fortress and only then as a last resort. The plot was carried around in a velvet casing handling by gloved hands such was the fragility of the story. But the cast were full of big acting talents. Brendan Gleeson, Jeremy Irons, Edward Norton, Liam Neeson. this should have been a success surely. Alas none of these heavyweights could shoulder the burden that is Orlando Bloom’s acting ability. He may look Heavenly, so I’ve heard (Sorry. Bad pun I know and a bit camp but it was there for the taking and I’m a ninja.We take what we want), but after you scratch at the surface you find not much under the good looks and great hair. Just bad acting.

After that the parts started to dry up. He did do that film I refuse to mention, with that actress from Spider-man, and still managed two more Pirates of the Caribbean but he had already been contracted to do those and frankly he could of just as easily not been in them.

On an aside, the same goes for Keira Knightley. Actually I’ve suspected for a long time that they are the same hideous entity separated at birth by banshees intent on destroying our world with evil but pretty actors who would seduce our eyes but melt our brains with the on-screen performances. And I was fearful that everytime they kissed during the film pockets of destabilised space and time would rip open in the universe and swallow entire planets.

No, Stop! Don't kiss whatever you do!

Who knows how much damage Knightbloom (that’s what I suspect the monsters original name was), have done already?

After that not much has happened for Mr Bloom. He is rumoured to be filming now but I think it’s just idle speculation which are really threats aimed at me by some of my arch-enemies trying to flush me out and take me unawares. It won’t happen you fools!

Hopefully we can sleep well at night (You humans sleep at night. I sleep during the ticking’s of the clock. Really hard to get any proper shut-eye when you’re waking every other tick) and can look forward to a brighter future with cool movies and great actors. Sssssh. Dreaming now…AWAKE…sleeping…Damn it!

A brief introduction of the book: In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Mrs. Bennet, the fussy and sometimes inappropriate mother of the Bennet sisters, aims to have her five daughters married. The novel starts with the arrival of the wealthy Mr. Bingley to town, who has newly rented a Netherfield estate. Mrs. Bennet wants him to marry her eldest and most beautiful daughter, Jane. However, the novel centers on Elizabeth, the clever and sharp-witted second oldest sister, and her relationship with, or “first impressions” of Mr. Darcy. He is the wealthy taciturn and superficially cold friend of Bingley. Issues of wealth and class are apparent in Pride and Prejudice: The Bennets live reasonably well, whereas Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley are extremely wealthy.

Pride and Prejudice also focuses on the silly, and often funny, social behaviors of people. Jane Austen displays how people, especially females, can manipulate their acquaintances and be aggressive toward others through social gestures (such as ignoring somebody or refusing to enter one’s house) and conversation.

At their first ball in Netherfield, Mr. Darcy shows total disinterest in dancing with anybody, and Jane forms an obstinate negative impression of him from that point, not even allowing him to prove otherwise. Pride and Prejudice deals a very wise issue, which is judging people by negative thoughts on them. This is displayed through Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. Elizabeth makes the grave mistake of believing everything she hears, especially when it adds to her original opinion. Through a deceiving Mr. Wickham, Darcy and Elizabeth’s relationship worsens, leading to an utterly unjust and harsh judgment of Darcy from Elizabeth, and to Elizabeth’s shameful regret for harming Darcy.

Although not my favorite of books, Pride and Prejudice is nevertheless very engaging, but it goes beyond that. Pride and Prejudice confronts very important social issues: prejudice and misunderstanding. Most of the novel is about Elizabeth’s misunderstanding of almost all of Darcy’s relationships, actions and intentions, and her prejudice toward him. He is a most pitiful character, in my opinion.

I think that throughout the novel, Darcy has been victimized by Elizabeth, the evil-intentioned Mr. Wickham, and all the people who dislike him, with the thought that he is proud. I never thought Darcy to be a vain or proud man. He is merely observant and solemn. First, Elizabeth despises him for breaking the relationship between her sister Jane and Mr. Bingley by advising Bingley to leave town, but after reading his long letter, she comes to face the truth that Jane never showed deep affection toward Mr. Bingley. This brings me to the conclusion that Mr. Darcy only cared for the happiness and best interests of his friend. After Jane learns more about him, she discovers that Darcy is a very sincere and kind man.

“Anyone who has gone along with the notion that the pride highlighted in the title of the novel in embodied in Darcy now has to contend with the discovery that both this quality and its pair are being attributed to Elizabeth.”

-Introduction in Oxford World Classics edition of Pride and Prejudice.

Regarding the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Kiera Knightley, I find it a pretty good interpretation of the book, enjoyable by readers of the book and nonreaders also. The movie wasn’t exactly accurate compared to the the book, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I think that Matthew Macfadyen excellently performed the role of Mr. Darcy, making his character even more lovable. Although set in the 18^th century, I felt the movie was modern. The style of the novel is formal, and I think the movie added a touch of satisfaction and fun for viewers. But to really appreciate the story, one should read the book in addition to watching the movie. One must put in mind that the movie is short, and many important scenes, such as Mr. Darcy’s letter, had to greatly shortened.

The movie did not ignore the issue of wealth. The glib Elizabeth seemed somewhat humbled and at the same time amazed as she gazed at Mr. Darcy’s extravagant paintings and sculptures at his colossal mansion, after roughly rejecting his marriage.

I must add that Mr. Collins, the man who is to inherit the Bennets’ estate, was overly caricatured. Elizabeth was not a very likable character throughout the movie. She was very mean to Mr. Darcy, and had a tendency of sticking her eyes where they shouldn’t be; but after all, she is a proud and prejudiced woman, and wasn’t meant to be admired in the novel. But she still gets a happy ending: a man with high merit, and a lot of money.

Mattew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy

"Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us."

Pride and Prejudice

We recently received this movie in the mail via BlockBuster.com.  I actually was really excited to this.  I was expecting something a long the lines of the Tudors and I enjoy “period” movies, especially if they are based on “true events.”

Kiera Knightley stars as Her Grace, Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire or G, as she was called for short.  I’m not the biggest Kiera Knightley fan.  I enjoy her movies, but she tends to be overshadowed by excellent actors such as Johnny Depp and Stellan Skarsgard.  And the biggest compliment to her is that she looks so much like Natalie Portman (whom I find to be an excellent actress).  Knightley is not a terrible actress, quite the opposite, she’s rather good, but in the movies I’ve seen she allows herself to become washed out by other actors and leaves her character in the cold.  I honestly think Elizabeth Swann was just a pretty face to stir up romantic interests.  She was not needed for the story to progress.

This movie is no different, except what washes her out isn’t other actors.  The story itself is simply dull.  I’ll come back to that.  Knightley is our main character, so she cannot be washed out by the other actors because they support her.  She also wears an elaborate wardrobe and speaks quite sophisticatedly to her male counterparts in politics and delightful conversation.  I didn’t know anything about the Duchess of Devonshire’s history, but this movie indicates that she was the English Marie Antoinette.  Instead of shoes, Her Grace was known for delightful conversation and her self designed wardrobe.

The movie begins interesting enough.  Georgiana (pronounced George + Jane + uh) is not yet 18 and is married off to the Duke of Devonshire (a much older man, of course).  She is told that her duties as wife is to be loving, kind, and to produce a male heir.  Upon giving birth to a boy, she will then be compensated.  Yes, ladies and gentleman, she will be paid to have a baby.

Well, there are little ripples and then huge tidal waves in her and the Duke’s marriage.  A little girl named Charlotte comes to live with them a few months after their marriage and we are led to believe that this little girl was fathered by the Duke.  Not only that, but the Duke’s extra curricular marital affairs are made quite clear when a shot of a maid’s naked behind is seen running down the hall from the Duke’s bed chamber.

The story is basically how Georgiana deals with such obscenities.  Do not forget that during this time, affairs were still scandalous, though the men ran around often.  In trying to deal with his extra marital affairs, G finds comfort in her friend Elizabeth Foster, known as Bess for the rest of the movie.  Bess comes to live with the Duke and Duchess because she was divorcing her first husband.

Long story short, the Duke ends up having an affair with Bess, which causes a huge rift in G’s marriage and her friendship with Bess.  I saw this coming from a mile away.  The worst part was that G could send her away from her own home.  The Duke would not allow it.  It seems that G had the first publicized plural marriage, so to speak.  Bess lived with them until Georgiana’s death and married the Duke after it.

It is during this time that G has an affair with a local politician, Mr. Grey.  Up to this point G has had 3 children (2 girls: Harryo and Little G) and 1 son (Hart) with the Duke.  She also gives birth to another daughter named Eliza fathered by Mr. Grey and ended up giving her away to Grey’s family.

There really is no climax.  The emotion in this movie is not only over the top, but overwhelming, and not even close to making me feel upset.  I understood that G was angry that her husband’s mistress decided to live with her and also move her own sons in as well.  I was also upset that she had to stop her affair with Mr. Grey due to impropriety and scandals in the papers about it.

There really is not much more to make of this movie.  If there was a climax, I missed it, and if there was a plot, well I missed that too.  I really felt like I was watching a documentary about their marriage than a movie.  The worst part about that would be the documentary might actually be more enjoyable.  Her Grace sounds like a fascinating history lesson, but she does not do well on the silver screen.

The movie was approximately 2 hours long, short compaired to most and by 50 minutes I was checking the timer to see how much longer I had to sit through.  I was interesting to find out what happened, but since she became friends with Bess again and decided to accept all that was happening to her, I was disappointed with the ending of the movie.  I was, however, relieved for it to be over.

Knightley delivers a so, so performance at best.  She did well capturing the essence of Her Grace as a witty and charming socialite, but added no more interest to the story than that.  It was difficult to connect the actors to the time period because, as my boyfriend said, Knightley looks too modern for the role.  It was also hard to connect with the character on any type of level, emotional or otherwise.  I was just waiting for the movie to be over, missing plot and climax all in the process.

I wouldn’t really recommend this movie.  You’re probably better off reading about Her Grace, the Duchess of Devonshire or finding a documentary on her.  At least then you will have true facts to work with and not just a soddy Hollywood money maker.

P.S.  An interesting tidbit is revealed at the beginning of this movie.  Georgiana is born of the House of Spencer.  She is a direct relative to the late Princess Diana (also born of the House of Spencer).

Nel 2008 è uscito questo film (vincitore dell’Oscar per i costumi) con protagonista la bella Kiera Knightley (la duchessa Georgiana), Ralph Fiennes (il Duca) e Charlotte Rampling (Lady Spencer, la madre della Duchessa).

1774, Georgiana, ricca 17enne della nobiltà inglese sposandosi diviene la duchessa di Devonshire. Il matrimonio che ne consegue le porta i doveri del ruolo di moglie (su tutti la richiesta di figliare il primogenito maschio) contro una pochezza – da parte del Duca – di sentimenti nei confronti della donna. La ragazza mette al mondo due figlie dopo aver preso in casa anche una prima figlia illegittima del Duca e scopre – suo malgrado – che il matrimonio si è esaurito proprio perchè non in grado di concepire un figlio maschio. La Duchessa nel frattempo è divenuta una donna di “tendenza” a Londra e – forse un po’ troppo esageratamente vista l’epoca in cui si svogle il racconto – sviluppa idee e pensieri del femminismo e della democrazia lungi ancora dal divenire reali. Sconfortatata dalla mancanza di affetti in famiglia – a parte i figli – si porta in casa un’amica che purtoppo – per interesse – diviene l’amante del Duca. Non dico di più…

Il film è ben fatto, i costumi bellissimi e l’atmosfera è ricostruita molto bene facendoci credere da subito di essere nell’ottocento londinese. Kiera Knightley è eterea e fragile ma determinata, Ralph Fiennes odioso al punto giusto e vittima di sè stesso come il personaggio richiede ma, oltre ad una buona dose di sentimentalismo che può emozionare fino alle lacrime, il film pecca sul lato storico ove una donna, anche di questo ceto sociale, non avrebbe mai agito come l’eroina del film.
Quindi tralasciando il lato verosimile, devo dire che il film è godibile e ben girato e ha una parte finale piuttosto drammatica ed intensa.

Voto: 6.5 – 7 Storicamente inattendibile ma stilisticamente ineccepibile.

Ciao, J

I couldn’t resist devoting this movie post to the first period drama that I recall watching, The Slipper and the Rose. I would have been about 10 years old, taped it on BETA and watched it over and over again.  I always loved fairy tales and to this day, I still adore this movie and never tire of watching it.

Hence, this is where my love for period drama began…

The Slipper and the Rose is a well acted, humorous, musical story of Cinderella, with a twist and a  hint of fantasy and magic. It’s a well known cast of actors – Prince Edward, is played by Richard Chamberlain, Cinderella by the lovely Gemma Craven, Edith Evans as the Dowager Queen, and the Fairy Godmother is played by Annette Crosby. If you are a fan of Kiera Knightley, you will like Gemma Craven  – she is a ‘cute’ version of her. The music is masterfully worked in to reminisce with previous musical scores of particular sentiment.

The Prince wishes to marry for love, not duty and sets forth to have a “Bride Finding Ball”, inviting all the noble women of the land. The songs tell part of the story and the dancing is just “Utterly Splendid”. The costumes are sparkly, lush and beautiful, it it obvious there was a fairly decent budget for the movie.

Cousin Montague, the Dowager Queen and the King are a giggle. The Prince meets and falls in love with Cinderella, and sets out to find her after she disappears from the ball. With only a glass slipper, the Prince allows every woman in the land to try the slipper for a perfect fit (Envy, Envy, Envy – I wish I owned a pair, they are gorgeous!). Cinderella is found, however, she is not of noble birth and the marriage is unable to take place. Events take place that defies the constraints of royal obligation and of course … they live happily ever after.

Starring: Richard Chamberlain, Gemma Craven, Annette Crosbie, Edith Evans, Michael Hordern, Kenneth More.

I am probably biased to this movie, but I do rate it highly and it’s suitable for all the family. Here is a link to download and watch the movie – should you have trouble getting a copy.

I Rate it: ♥♥♥♥♥