tension is the new black

[hafital]

Layoffs will happen today. Honestly, I'm dying from the suspense.

~~~

And so I talk about some fannish things.

I watched the new version of Persuasion earlier this week. I loved it. I'm in love with Captain Wentworth all over again. I adored the older movie with Ciaran Hinds and Amanda Root, as well, and both of these adaptations differ just enough to make each really enjoyable for their own sake.

Some comparisons:

The newer version had some bizarre shaky hand-held camera action going for some of the earlier sequences, which was odd and distracting. I mean, this isn't Homicide. But I either got used to it, or it lessened as the story progressed.

The newer version has Anthony Head as Sir Walter Elliot. Gotta tell you, the older version's Sir Walter was better casting. I mean, I loved Anthony Head. He's great, but a foppish buffoon he is not. He was rather more primly menacing. Or maybe I was just channeling Uthur? LOL. He was very good, though, just not at all how I picture Sir Walter!

Both Captain Wentworths are lovely. But Rupert Penry-Jones is probably closer to Captain Wentworth in the novel than Ciaran Hinds. However, they're both smoldering and intense and dreamy and yummy. Although Ciaran Hinds brings with him the remembrance of all his other roles, while Rupert Penry-Jones is just very very handsome. :)

And, alluding to Rome, the newer version's Mr. William Elliot was played by none other than our favorite sniveling betrayer, Marcus Brutus! Now that was good casting. The older version as the ever charming Samual West in the role, who of course did a great job, but it was easier to see the slime underneath the facade with Brutus (I'm sorry, that actor will always be Brutus to me, forever).

Both versions were more or less true to the book, with some slight changes here and there that were mostly insignificant.

I think I need to own both versions.

meep.

~~~

I also watched Fingersmith -- it's like costume drama week, or something -- which I really really liked. I'd like to read the book, too. You know, you just don't get good gothic horror lesbian love stories too often these days.

Comments

[lasultrix.livejournal.com]

Fingersmith, book and adaptation, is a brilliant piece of art. The adaptation is very faithful - one of the adaptations I've most approved of in my life - and if you liked it, you'll like the book. Imelda Staunton as Mrs Sucksby doesn't play her at all like I imagined, and is very irritating, but as she's not a very likeable character anyway, it's not a problem.

Gothic horror, though? Other than the madhouse interlude, it all strikes me as quite down to earth! In its twisty plotty shocky porny way.

With regard to your first sentence: good luck.

[hafital.livejournal.com]

Well, all right, I suppose "gothic-esqe" is more accurate. *g* It had that flavor, and actually for the first half before the big major plot twist/reveal, I didn't realize it wasn't just a mad-woman-in-the-asylum type of drama. It then became so much more! I was pretty unspoiled for the whole thing. I only knew the little blurb on the Netflix jacket.