Films and Books

I think my favourite films to watch are those based on good books. It’s partly because the problem with most movies is in the writing, so those based on well-written books are more likely to have well-written scripts, and partly because I love discovering new interpretations or points of view about classic pieces of literature.

For example, I’ve seen three versions of Jane Eyre so far. The 1980s version, which I first saw at about the age of ten, was a fairly pedestrian BBC take, which had a very prim Jane and an incredibly sexy Timothy Dalton as Rochester (I didn’t notice that at ten – but now I have the DVD). The 1990s version had a more passionate (and believable) Jane and a strange Rochester in William Hurt, and emphasised their particular peculiarities which made them perfect for one another. And the 1970s version (which proved to me that tastes change, because everyone in that film is incredibly ugly), had a fairly brutal Rochester and really, really mad wife in the attic. Being modern, I prefer the modern version; but it’s interesting to see how the different the three versions are, and as I love the book, I enjoyed watching all three. The more, the better, really.

I’ve watched the two versions of Dr Zhivago as well, and they are completely different. It’s such a massive and complex book that it’s easy to have completely dissimilar interpretations. The old classic has Lara the victim while the new one has a far more knowing girl. The old Yuri is struck by poetic moments, while the new Yuri has a sort of honest innocence which leads him to jump in where angels wouldn’t go. I love the modern version; but it was fascinating to see how different the classic one was.

Two versions of Pride & Prejudice as well. I like them both, although on repeated viewing the 1990s one is slightly pedestrian in a typical BBC manner – underplayed – while the new one is overplayed and rushed. I like the youthful intensity of the recent version, but Colin Firth is such a good actor that Matthew MacFadyen as Darcy simply doesn’t compare.

Other films? Well, I loved North & South, but thought that Wives & Daughters lacked imagination; I loved The English Patient, and thought that Sophie’s World was brilliantly interpreted; thought Lord of the Rings better than the books, and Narnia worse. Holes was excellent; The Hitchhiker’s Guide terrible; and all the Branagh Shakespeares definitely worthwhile. I liked the imaginative re-interpretation of A Little Princess, and wish they’d do the same with The Lost Prince.