Blu Ray Tuesday #16

First up, a warning.  This is my most favourite of classic literature.  The way the rest of the world feels about ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and Mr Darcy is the way I feel about ‘Jane Eyre’ and Mr Rochester.  I love it a LOT.

The movie: Jane Eyre

The menu: McDonald’s

The audience: Me and Nilly.

I don’t think Nilly really enjoyed the movie.  She fell asleep half way through and I kept accidentally waking her up when I would sigh dramatically and say “I can’t stand it anymore” in regards to all that tension or when I would squeal at something romantic.  I think she found me annoying.  So it’s probably very good that the Roomies were also away this week!

I, on the other hand, thoroughly enjoyed it.  The costumes were amazing, the sets and scenery were gorgeous and the two leads of Jane Eyre and Mr Rochester (played by Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender) were outstanding.  They are two of my favourite fictional characters, so real and layered and the actors completely brought them to life.  The support of Judi Dench as the housekeeper was great, it’s a thankless role but she’s Dame Judi Dench and she rocked it.  And then there is recently re-discovered (in my eyes anyway) grown up Billy Elliott aka Jamie Bell who was unfortunately hidden away behind a HUGE pair of sideburns.  Shame.  But probably just as well.

I really liked how they told the story in flashbacks.  Haven’t seen that before so it gave something new to the story that I know so well.  Obviously it’s hard to tell such a long nuanced story in the length of a movie (and the movie fades in comparison to the 2006 miniseries) but I thought the movie did a great job and I look forward to watching it again.  They messed up a couple of things though.  Pilot the dog was completely wrong.  I’m not sure if he has a breed in the book but in my head, he is a huge black shaggy dog.  Also, I super love the epilogue of the book which got cut out of the movie. 

Recommended?  If you love period dramas and all that jazz, then I’ll think you’ll like it.  It’s fairly slow and a lot of the movie is about what is NOT said but it’s in the hands of good actors so it’s not painful.  I loved it times a million but I realise that it’s not for everyone.

Geez, sit on the fence why don’t you, Laura?!?!