gadabout: September 2006 Archives

September 20, 2006

Books Ruin Everything

About four months ago I finally got around to watching the new Pride & Prejudice that was released in 2005. I enjoyed it. The colors and set design were executed and filmed well. I enjoyed the consistency of the chracterization within the Bennet family (the way all of them stifled giggles with their right fingers the way Mr. Bennet did, as well as other very nice touches).

About a month or more ago I finally got around to reading Pride & Prejudice. I enjoyed it a great deal. I probably got a bigger kick out of the arcane language and obsolete social protocols than the story itself. But the fact that I am a guy and I enjoyed it seems to be no small feat from what I've heard.

About two weeks ago I finally got around to watching the new Pride & Prejudice after having read the book. The movie moves way too fast. The whole thing was excruciating for me because I am something of a purist. There were things that happened at the ball that should have happened at a dinner several months later. There were conversations that took place that I thought should be the first thing that the director would put in the script. I kept thinking at regular intervals throughout the movie we totally skipped about seven chapters or I guess that quarter of the book wasn't worth acknowledging in the movie. Sheesh! The book ruined a perfectly good film.

Someone suggested that I shouldn't get around to reading any important book until after I had gotten around to seeing the book-inspired film. I might just do that.

Posted by timf at 02:18 PM | Comments (8)