I think Austen really benefits from updated adaptions because the satire in her novels often feels lost in cinematic costume dramas, especially when a big part of the audience is lacking the contemporary context.
I think the loss of the narrative voice, pretty inevitable in film, really weakens and sentimentalizes most of the adaptations, even the good ones. Some of them try to put Austen's words in Elizabeth's mouth, although then she just sounds above it all and snooty. People also think Austen is way more romantic than she is -- yes, the heroines are rewarded with their true loves, but Elizabeth doesn't reject Collins because she's waiting for her true love. Which makes why she does it even more risky.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2018-09-16 10:22 pm (UTC)I think Austen really benefits from updated adaptions because the satire in her novels often feels lost in cinematic costume dramas, especially when a big part of the audience is lacking the contemporary context.
I think the loss of the narrative voice, pretty inevitable in film, really weakens and sentimentalizes most of the adaptations, even the good ones. Some of them try to put Austen's words in Elizabeth's mouth, although then she just sounds above it all and snooty. People also think Austen is way more romantic than she is -- yes, the heroines are rewarded with their true loves, but Elizabeth doesn't reject Collins because she's waiting for her true love. Which makes why she does it even more risky.
(Also EMILY <33)