A look into my DVD drawer proved what I didn’t dare saying out loud: I actually DO own an alarming amount of period dramas – too late to call it a silent passion: It’s crying out loud. Since my esteemed Master has kind of lost track with them, I decided to catalogue them on here and write a (very) short summary for each one. This way I can tell him to go and read about it on here, instead of asking me which of “those” movies I’m talking about.

In this first part I’ll describe the adaptions I have of Jane Austen’s novels – they are ordered according to my preference:

Persuasion – 1995 (starring Amanda Root, Ciarán Hinds, Susan Fleetwood, etc.)

On a superficial level, one might remember the finale scene for the use of clips from The Bounty. But that might be overviewed as unimportant.

This film is a true gem. A little production with a lot of heart. It’s the only version of this novel I know and it’s eleven years old, but the actors (especially AR and CH) inhabit the characters and I really couldn’t imagine my favorite JA and especially the most beautiful letter-scene in literature history better played on screen than by this Anne and this Wentworth. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope… the first time I heard these words, I got almost hit by a car because I just stopped in the middle of a road, completely captured by my audio book – I am that daft – to see these lines brought so sensible on screen has me in tears every time. A true work of art.

*****(highly recommended)

Pride & Prejudice – 1995 (starring Jennifer Ehle, Colin Firth, David Bamber, etc.)

Probably the most popular period drama – ever! Best remembered is Mr Darcy’s jump in the pont, the most oily Mr Collins and that they first kissed after they got married.

I adore this version as it shows that trueness to the novel and entertainment are possible – even if it takes a good six hours to do so. The view content related changes shall be forgiven as they match in perfectly and show important aspects that can be argued as missing in the novel (Darcy’s transformation/softer side for instance). I think the chemistry between Elizabeth and Darcy was great… the discourse while dancing is priceless. The supporting cast were top notch too – Mrs Bennet’s voice is still ringing in my ears, Jane lovely as could be, Bingley was sensitive and kind-hearted, not a fool, Caroline as mean as she should – the whole production leaves you extremely satisfied – no matter whether you’ve read the book beforehand.

*****(highly recommended)

Sense and Sensibility – 1995 (starring Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, etc.)

I read somewhere that Emma Thompson didn’t want to play her part and only serve as writer for the screenplay (for which she got an Academy Award and a Golden Globe – if you have the DVD, go and check out her speech there… it’s too hilarious!) but got nagged into it by the producers… and I’m eternally thankful that they succeded. She may be a tad old enough for the role, but nobody could play Elinor’s sense with more sensibility than her. *bows deeply* Another bow is for Kate Winslet who pretended to be 18 in order to get the role – her recital of Shakespeare’s sonnet CXVI brought tears to my eyes… you were right, Marianne: It’s tempest, not storm!

****(enjoyable – indeed)

Emma – 1996(starring Kate Beckinsale, Mark Strong, Raymond Coulthard, etc.)

Emma – 1996(starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeremy Northam, Ewan McGregor, etc.)

and

1996 was the year of the Emmas. The first version (dark-haired Emma) was truer to the spirit book and shorter and to be honest, I liked Mark Strong better. The blonde Emma on the other side was pretty much Hollywood-ized in babypink and babyblue and a bit too one-dimensional characters (the whole Harriet business spings to mind). But then again, I loved/hated Mrs Elton in this so much that the she alone made it worthwhile.

****(enjoyable – for both)

Pride and Prejudice – 1940 (starring Greer Garson, Laurence Olivier, Mary Boland, etc.)

This is the oldest version I have seen and I love it. It’s nowhere even near to historically accurate and I’m sure I will get called ambivalent for judging exactly this as a fault in other costume dramas but I can’t help it: I forgive this version anything. It’s so charming. Other versions might have had better Lizzies, one might think Mrs Bennet over the top and Marie too simper but I love Bruce Lester as Bingley – so very endearing! The scence with him behind that folding-screen is my fav in this version that besides the ludicrous Victorian setting and the major storyline changes (e.g. the Catherine de Burgh character and the rushed ending) showes some surprisingly close characterisations and is basically just a lot of fun to watch… and yes, I’m a sucker for b/w movies.

***(*)(the last in brackets because of the inaccuracy)

Mansfield Park – 1999 (starring Francis O’Connor, Jonny Lee Miller, Alessandro Nivola, etc.)

One of the adaptions that missed to draw me in. Truth to be told, I couldn’t care less whether Edmond and Fanny found each other or not. The only time I was touched was my Tom’s hideous sketches – I virtually gasped. Other than that, I found the film as such mediocre (which is very much what I think of FOC) and lacking Austen’s sparkle.

***(too much time at hand)

Northanger Abbey – 1986 (starring Katharine Schlesinger, Peter Firth, Cassie Stuart, etc.)

Ok, my judgement of this adaption can’t be called unprejudiced as I don’t really like the novel as such but still (and I know people that will come hollering after me), I don’t like it. The main reason is the KS – I cringed everytime she appeared on screen: Her eyes fill half the screen and that numptie expression in those huge hollow holes. Why would PF care?

**(rather take a nap)

Pride & Prejudice – 2005 (starring Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Donald Sutherland, etc.)

The reason why this adaption is on the very bottom of this post has nothing to do with it being the newest: I don’t think that there was ever another adaption (not even Mansfield Park – that was just plain boring) that disappointed me more… so now. I don’t own a copy of it. I went to see it the night it came out – went there with high hopes that KK after Bend it like Beckham would surprise me, that Brenda Blethyn would rock my world as she did in Secrets & Lies, that Judy Dench would be brilliant as she was in Mrs Brown, that all the unknown names would turn out as fresh wind and that MM (who I didn’t know then) would simply blow me away… well, my hopes were clearly way too high but that they tried to turn JA into that must have made the poor woman spin in her box. Ok, she is said to have agreed that her only regret about P&P was that it was too light but she surely didn’t have boars walking through the kitchen in mind! It wasn’t just the conditions (like the Bennets as farmers, all the dirty clothes and untidy hair, young men in sick lady’s room, the entering of rooms without being presented by a servant, the middle-of-the-night appearance of Lady Catherine, … I could go on and on) but the sheer misapprehension of those beloved characters that gave me the creeps. Seriously: Lydia and Kitty are silly, Lizzie is NOT. All that giggling (don’t get me started on her huge teeth) and her yelling at Mr Collins – where’s the intelligent, witty young heroine so many readers have loved for generations? And as for Mr Darcy: He’s not supposed to be a weak twit! Some people think he showed a softer, more sensible side of him… Excuse me. But that didn’t appeal to me… especially not in combination with all that cheesy 3rd class soap opera dialog. Why, oh why did they change the text at all? I’d rather stop her before I get sued for libel *insert mean laughter here*

*(run for cover)

Yes. It’s sad but true: The strawberry season on Raptures of Berry didn’t even make it to its three weeks anniversary. We’re mourning the absence of a healthy, green and red acquaintance. What will refill the blank spot in our hearts and on the top of this blog? – It is with fondness and dear memories that I announce the department of fruitastic layout… and with homely feelings that I herald the era of the bilateral understanding on top and of the calm purity in the body: Long live the new layout! Hurra, hurra, hurra!!!

Wer kennt das nid: Dü hesch verschlafu, äs schiffut und dasss der dine Bus grad vor der Nasa durgfahru isch, hilft diner Lüna öi nimme opschi. De halt doch mim Wello, deichsch dü dier, geisch ini Garage/Wellochäller und mit es bitzji Glick hesch sogar no es bitzji Luft ine Pnö. Ok, schwingsch dri druf und ab geit’s, üs uf d’Schtrass want sche fasch a flüechu, will a) dri Brilla scho vertropfte und b) agluffni isch. Wenn di bis jetz no keis Auto uberfahru het, hesch di aber sicher scho dri Mal uber irgendes Camio gnärvt, wa scho wider vill z noch näbs dier dur isch. Jetz no füf mal bi drischpurige linggs abbiegu und de bisch scho im Büro – gätschnassus, ds Gwand chläbt der am Körper und d’Haar im Gsicht, ds Dossier want geschter nomal hesch wellu alüegu isch nummu meh es Chnulldschi Papier und uberall want schteisch gitz en Gillu… hmm, tehnt das bikannt? Ok, der Momänt in der Affuhitz appa nid, aber an Räguwätter z’deichu isch doch immer schön – bisch nid öi scho ganz sentimental? Was nid? Janu, de nimmi mal a, dass dü entwäder immer mit dum Auto/Bus/Zug/Tram geisch ga schaffu oder dis Wellu allpot kei Luft ine Pnö het und dü darum gäru duru Rägu seklusch oder dü im Wallis wohnsch.

Isch ja gli. Der Grund warum ich hie scho d’lengscht Zit schlächti Lüna verbreitu isch eiguntli en supergeniali Nöigkeit: Ich ha mier letscht Wucha es nöis Wello gchöift! YEAH! Sitdäm hanich es ganz anners Verhältnis zum Summer (will’s zum Glick nidemal hie obina rägnut) und zum Wellofahru. Dasch nämli hie obina in jedum Fall epis anners wäder deheimu:

1. Es git kei Bärga. Nummu agnämi Hubbiltini und dasch fer mis Schtrassubeik natirli en Sägu (was wellti mu hie öi mit emu Maunteinbeik).
2. Es het hie in jedum Quartier appa dri oder vier Wellomech (chunt mer mindeschtenz eso vor).
3. Es git hie CYKELSTI! Ja, ähntli chunt d’Antwort uf d’Frag wani im Titl gschtellt hä. Das isch nämli en Cykelsti (“Süklsti” (nid “Sikkelschti”)):

   Uberall – und wenni sägu uberall de meini das öi – inner Schtadt und öi in fascht jedum Minidorfji gits sottigi Welloschtrasse. Ja Schtrasse, will dasch ja wärli vill breiter wäder en gwäntliche Wellowäg. Dank denu gitz emorgu kei verschpritzti und halbverunfallti Wellufahrer – öi nid wenns rägnut. D’Auto und Camio sind de keis Problem meh… nummu meh der Lölli vor dier, wa der ganz Zit Schlangulinia fahrut oder der Trissl hinner dier, wa littut wie nid gschit.

Das weri’s also gsi, mini supermegagschidi Ileitig zu minum nöiu Wellu. Verzellu de es annersch Tagsch, wasi afa so erläbt ha. Güet Nacht!

Allora. Ich ha mer nomal uberleit, warum ich mier eiguntli dische Blog igrichtut hä – fer ds verzellu, wie’s eso isch, mis Läbu imu andru Land. Wenni aber lüegu, va wasi bis jetz eso gschribu ha, het das alles eiguntli nix dermit z tüe, in wellum Land dassi jetz wohnu – nummu mit Zigglu und Irichtu und deschi Zigs und we apa fasch in jedum Land ähnlich. Der Grund isch apa, das mich hie obina nimme so wirkli vill uberrascht und ich mich scho lang and’meischtu kulturellu Unnerschida gigwänt ha.
Das soll schich jetz aber ändru: Ich ha geschter du Blog vom Jens-Rainer Wiese entdeckt. Är wohnut scho es paar Jahr inner Schwiz, aber merkt no jetz jede Tag, was bi isch eso alles annersch isch wäder z’Titschland. Schine Blog isch so zum Schiessu – fer Titschi, Schwizer und alli andru, wa schich fer serigs interessierunt! – dass ich mier jetz vorgno ha, alle Quatsch wa mer gschpässig vorchunt, hi üfschribu, dassi de schpeter nomal sche z’lachu hä.

D’meischtu hent appa nid wirkli verschtannu, wassi meinu mit dem Titl nydanskere – indvandrer – udlændinge. Das isch natirli Dänisch und biditut im Prinzip drimal z’glicha: Lit wa hie wohnunt, aber va eswa annersch chämunt – wienich, chentimu jetz deichu, aber dasch nid ganz richtig. Will mim erschtu Wort meint mu eper wa schich zimli güet integriert het, d’Schprach redut, hie schaffut und Schtire zahlt, aber nid mimu dänischu Pass giboru isch. Mu cha das Wort positiv oder negativ üsleggu – entwäder dass di Dänu härzig sind und es eigunts Wort fer das hent oder de, dass schich wirkli integrieru sehr schwer isch und dü eifach nie wie schi bisch. Hmmm. Ich nimmu da natirli der halbvoll Bächer. Mit dum negschtu Wort binich nid gmeint, will schi das eiguntli nummu fer Flüchtlinga brüchunt. Äs isch aber nid wirkli schlächt gmeint, aber ich weri ja eiguntli öi en Inwandreri. Hmmm, gewer witer zum letschtu Wort. Dasch der wanu am meischtu khert (öi im Radio/Fernseh). Das isch wol der Bigriff wa äntli mal ALLI ipackt und öi wenn das no so wahr isch, so bini gli froh, das’ fasch nieme passiert, dass eper merkt, dass ich nid va hie bi. Ich glöibu es git wirkli absolut gar nix, wa mich eso ufi Palma bringt, wie wenn eper versüecht ultranätt z si und darum afat jeder Wort GANZ GANZ ditlich z’sägu und bi der zig mal naz’fregu, obi verschtege, was är meine. GRRRRRRH – nummu dra z’deichu macht mi aggressiv. Jaja, schi wellunt nummu nät si. Aber kei dänische Pass z’hä isch kei Chrankheit und öi kei Biwis derfir, dass mu es döfi isch… iiiih, dass hetti denu Lit düe mal sellu sägu… in fehlerfriium Dänisch natirli.

Hie hani nu grad zwei Site gfunnu, wa der Unnerschid zeigunt: Dischi Sita fer Neudänu gitz nummu uf Dänisch… Dischi Sita fer Iwandrer het zwar öi nummu Dänischi Artikla, het aber scho uf er erschtu Sita en Link uf Englisch, wasch sägunt, das mu bi ine öi uf Englisch Hilf verschunt.

Bi grad schwer ufum Gsundheitstrip: Ich ha Ärpär im Layout, bi ufer Süech nachumu nöiiu Welo und jetz hani öi no en Epfl vorer Nasa. Ich weiss, ich weiss. Ich bi no nie en grosse Macfän gsi, aber irgendeswie hani mi gli derzüe la uberschnurru und weisch was: Ich glöibu nid, dassi di entscheidig biröiu: Das Chaschtji cha doch grad fasch alles und es brücht grad fascht gar kei Platz (wa wier in iischer Miniwohnig eh nid hetti). Alles in allum also en geniali Sach – und wier si öi demunah zfridni. Chenet che ja afa per Mail amäldu fer Besichtigungstermina.

in a desperate attempt to start a new healthier lifestyle, I bought myself a apple cutter last friday. Since that didn’t really make me a veggie (not that this would have been the target), I gave it another shot and bought a iMac – now that is my kind of fruit! Don’t tell this anybody that ever heard me rambling on about Macs, but I love it. Seriously, I do. I think it was love on the first sight from the moment the lovely lady from TNT put the big box on my table… I was excited, all my nerves gathered together in my eyes and my finger tipps, as I carefully opened the box and found a delicate white (useless, since one-button but that I couldn’t care less, because it simply looks lovely) mouse. Then I found the keyboard (the only thing I always liked about Macs – so no change there) and finally, I got to the core and pulled out my might-and-shiny 20″widescreen flat-panel display, 2.0GHz Intel Core Duo iMac – and was lost. The beginning of a love-affair. And this time, I might even dare to say that it is for real.

Btw: if you’re considering getting one as well (which I highly recommend), check these out: http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/ – hilarioius but very convincing.

… das bi mier wiähächtlich rot-griä-wiss isch? – Wennd aber genauer lüegusch, het’s da wäder Chrischtbeim no Adväntschränz. Di chennunt no sägsch Monat wartu. Zersch chunt der Summer und wie heiss, dass der hie obina cha si, erläbi der Momänt grad der ganz Zit. *Schwiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitz* Zer Abchielig ässi am Löifmeter Ärpär und darum hani gideicht, ich chenti das in minum Blog verewigu. Und? Hesch scho gluscht uf es paar vercho? Nimmt mi Wunner, wie lang das geit, bis mi en Ärpär-Liferant schponsrut? – Bi da aber fer Agibot offu!

Hey everyone!

One should think that there are better ways to spend a free day in summer but since it is way too hot for me (yes, that’s even in Scandinavia possible!) I figured I should give my blog the chance to reflect the season and so here it is: My brand new summer strawberry layout! I hope everybody will aprove – and if not, answers on a postcard

Today was a rather cr*appy one… What a wonder would a wee bit of sun do to this country where people run around in their shorts and skirts because the calendar says it summer! Well, nevermind. I’m happy enough whenever the rain takes a break. Anyway, today’s worry wasn’t the weather anyhow. It was those bl*sted people that crafted this editor! Would anybody please go and throw a bomb into their place? – Or you know what: Take a waterproof marker and write some random text on their screens!!!… to erase that must be about as tiring a process as it was for me today to set up some pictures in a new section… what are they? Bl**dy numpties? Seriously, if I ever see an extra, non-needed, non-put, non-wanted emphasize or paragraph or whatever else tag in the HTML-code, I’ll scream… I will!

Btw: If you want to see what killed my last nerves this afternoon, have a look at the Duddle-section – hence the unworthy effigies-tag on this post

Heidär che sichär scho gfregut, wenner “Duddle” da obina rächts gseh heit. Zja, das het nix mit Diddl oder Dödl z’tüe, sondern isch (emal wider) Englisch und biditut “chritzlu” – und genau das passt öi zu dem wamu da finut… ok, villi weri “Moggini” besser gsi, aber dasch mer z’schpat zichu. Darum jetz also “Duddle“. Was ier da finnet sind übrignes Sache wanich fer Forum gibaschtlut ha… darum gitz di öi nid in andre Gressinä, aber scha ds baschtlu isch uf all Fäll sit es paar Monät eso es bitzji es Hobby gsi und jetz hani eifach es Ortji gsüechut, wani das als uf einum Hüfu zämu ha.

We tatsächlich eswer epis derva wellti witerbrüchu, gäbet mer grad es Mail: Credit/Comment=YES PLEASE, Hotlink/Misuse=NONO!