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Treats for all Jane Austen fans

Picture source: http://www.pemberley.com

She was revealed last week as the number one author the UK cannot live without (amen to that!) and, luckily for us fans, 2007 brings in plenty of Austen treats:

Becoming Jane

It all begins this week with the opening in the UK of Becoming Jane. The movie, inspired by John Spence's new biography "Becoming Jane Austen: A Life", focuses on Austen (Anne Hathaway) and her relationship with a dashing, roguish Irish lawyer called Thomas Langlois Lefroy (James McAvoy). Some experts are claiming the movie romanticizes what in reality was just a fling, but more on Becoming Jane later (let me watch it first...).

ITV Jane Austen Season

Then, starting on 18 March, ITV is to air 4 Austen adaptations, 3 of which (Persuasion, Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey) are brand new. They already seem to be inducing much discussion around cyberspace:

While Persuasion fans speculate about Rupert Penry-Jones's ability to pack in more "phwoar" as Captain Wentworth than Colin Firth's Darcy, in the Mansfield Park IMDB board there is much questioning (one discussion thread is ominously entitled "No no no no nooooooo!") over whether Billie Piper can yield a credible Fanny Price.
I am hoping Billie will do no worse than Frances O' Connor in the unconvincing, too-clever-for-its-own-sake 1999 movie.

The most eagerly awaited of the season, however, seems to be Northanger Abbey, Austen's ironical take on the Gothic novel genre. Until now, this less popular novel had only been translated into a weak, low budget adaptation (in 1986). This time, screenplay writer Andrew Davies seems intent on sexing things up a little, which may of course bring in equal parts purist outrage and good PR. I may sound a tad skeptical but will be following it closely...

The fact that Emma (the 4th adaptation) is being recycled from ITV's 1996 archives should not lessen its value: I remember this as a charming production (which was broadcast the same year as the better known Gwyneth Paltrow movie) with Kate Beckinsale bringing into her Emma as much freshness and perkiness as she did in her hilarious Flora Poste.

BBC's Sense and Sensibility

But for me, the biggest treat might be the one being saved for last (not just because it concerns my second favorite Austen novel after P&P): the BBC plans to counter attack ITV's foray into period drama with a fresh adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. Little is known at the moment, other than the fact that Andrew Davies is (again) on screenplay duty and that it should air this autumn. I look forward to pairing it with the wonderful Ang Lee/Emma Thompson 1995 movie, so the BBC gods better keep the bar as high as they raised it last year. Or else.

Sites to fuel your Austen monomania:

Republic of Pemberley (Austen e-texts and much more)

Austenblog

Jane Austen Centre

ITV official site (I read in the Austenblog that the full site will only launch on 12 March. For now you can catch a combined trailer for Persuasion, Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey).

Check out Becoming Jane on IMDB

More about Becoming Jane (article from The Independent)

Picspam: 2007 Red Carpet Face Off

After spending a few hours glued to "E! Live from the Red Carpet" yesterday, here are my impressions of the good, the bad and the ugly at this year's Oscars.

For those who must, you can also do some more red carpet post mortem with the E! Fashion Police (airing in the UK tomorrow).

Who shined:

Penelope Cruz

I cannot understand why the Evening Standard online dissed Penelope's amazing tea rose strapless dress. I am on completely unbiased ground here: neither am I crazy about Penelope as an actress, nor about Versace as designer but I am really sold to this gown: the sculpted bodice (a little nod to Gaultier?) perfectly framed her body and the feathery skirt is light, elegant, yet Hollywood glamorous.

Gwyneth Paltrow

It looks like Gwyneth finally found her "wow gown" (here I place an inevitable comparison with her dull, too-large-on-the-bust Ralph Lauren pink gown circa 2000). This Zac Posen had just the right amount of everything: perfect cut, shape, texture and colour, all of which really suited her.

Kate Winslet

Surely Kate must hold one of the highest scores for red carpet fabulousness (which goes very nicely with her record number of Oscar nominations) and here she scores again with a Valentino stunner in a risky colour which would not have suited most poor mortals. But this is Kate...

Reese Witherspoon

I loved this Nina Ricci dress almost as much as I loved Michelle William's Vera Wang yellow dress in 2006 so I guess this makes it my "I wish I had this dress" of this year's crop. The dégradée in the train is just the perfect finish. Reese could have collected bonus points by adding a little (discreet) necklace but maybe that would have been too much of a good thing.

Maggie Gyllenhaal

I know this photo does not do her justice, but Maggie seemed to emulate Rita Hayworth in this one shouldered black & dark blue gown by Proenza Schouler. She also had the best arm candy in Peter Sasgaard!

Who slipped:

Jada Pinkett-Smith

A lost cause. This ultra structured strapless dress does show off Jada's toned arms but at the expense of all the rest: she looks constrained and flattened. The bodice detail is not helping either. Something with a little more flow would be kinder to her petite figure and short legs.

J-Lo

I don't mind this Marchesa dress too much but one of the reasons why we do not expect to see Jennifer in any Regency period dramas anytime soon is the empire waistline thing. She is too plump for this look, and by this statement I mean no offence!

Rachel Weisz

Oh no! And to think that Vera Wang designed this... The neckline is too busy with the lace over ruched satin, plus a cutesy - but not in a good way - brooch clashing with her necklace (which I did like on its own, to be fair). The frilly train is, again, way too cutesy. Overall, this reminded me of a sugary candy prom dress. Not good.

Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts

With her big red bow, Nicole is clearly boldly going to the same place as Charlize Theron last year. Plus, this halter neck looks uncomfortably suffocating. Not my favourite.

As for Naomi, are the Evening Standard online folks crazy? To put her in the "Oscar best dressed list" while giving sartorial superiors Gwyneth and Penelope the cold shoulder? I don't think so: won't-stay-in-place sleeves, redundant black sash and a disastrous shapeless bow at the back (luckily not pictured here). All this and her deconstructivist number of last year contribute to Naomi's low score in my books.

Pictures: E! Online and Evening Standard

That Dress

So it seems all my rooting paid off. Milena Canonero scooped her 3rd Oscar in the Costume Design category yesterday.

To celebrate, this short video of Kirsten Dunst in my favorite Canonero creation rocking out to The Strokes. Stay tuned for my red carpet report!

Jane Eyre DVD interviews

Now that the Jane Eyre BBC DVD (complete with bonus features) is finally upon us, I could not contemplate closing the month of February without at least one mention...

So here's a short video (my first ever!), taken from the bonus interviews, where Toby Stephens, Ruth Wilson and screenplay writer Sandy Welch talk about the chemistry between Jane and her tempestuous master.

I hope you enjoy it, but be warned: spoilers abound!

Marc My Words

Today's Daily Candy London edition reminds us that Marc Jacobs will be opening his first London store tomorrow.

About time too. I often wondered why, across the Atlantic, only Paris had the privilege & pleasure when London's fashion scene (just look at Topshop!) has been so influenced by Jacobs's inspired mixes of cutting edge and retro.

The London store will house Marc Jacobs's main collection, but for those in search of his more affordable yet still as desirable "Marc" line, fret not: I hear that Marc's tiny concession area within Selfridges will be expanded into a larger "store-in-store" concept. I only hope this also means a larger stock of goodies and sizes from now on!

According to Daily Candy:

What: U.S. designer finally opens London flagship.
Why: That’s Marc Jacobs.
When: From tomorrow. Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun., noon-6 p.m.
Where: 24-25 Mount St., W1K 2RR (020 7399 1690).

Further reading: have a look at yesterday's Telegraph

A few movie quotes on matters of the heart...

Cliff Poncier: Janet, you rock my world.

Cameron: I burn, I pine, I perish.
[Lucentio's line from The Taming of the Shrew
Act I Scene 1]
Michael: Of course you do.

E. Edward Grey: Do you really wanna be my secretary?
Lee: Yes, I do.
E. Edward Grey: This isn't just about typos, tapes, staples and pencils, is it, Lee?
Lee: No, Sir.
E. Edward Grey: What?
Lee: No, Sir!

Clementine: I wish you'd stayed.
Joel: I wish I'd stayed, too. NOW I wish I'd stayed. I wish I'd done a lot of things. I wish I'd... I wish I'd stayed... I do.

Evgeny Onegin: Can't you see where this leads? A declaration, a kiss, a wedding, family, obligation, boredom, adultery.




Celine: You can never replace anyone because everyone is made up of such beautiful specific details.

and also:

[last lines]
Celine: [dancing to Nina Simone song] Baby, you are gonna miss that plane.
Jesse: [with a knowing smile] I know.

Andie: Unattached?
Ben: Currently.
Andie: Likewise.
Ben: Surprising.
Andie: Psycho?
Ben: Rarely, Interested?
Andie: Perhaps.
Ben: Hungry?
Andie: Starving.
Ben: Leaving?
Andie: Now?