As Joe Wright's first big time production, 'Pride and Prejudice', hit cinemas world wide it instigated a spectrum of views and opinions. It has to be taken into account that Wright had the daunting task
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Introduction
Pride and Prejudice - Was 'Wright' RIGHT to attempt turning a widely-loved novel into a two hour film? As Joe Wright's first big time production, 'Pride and Prejudice', hit cinemas world wide it instigated a spectrum of views and opinions. It has to be taken into account that Wright had the daunting task of creating this production to live up to the classic novel, as well as the 1995 BBC series. The portrayal was far from Jane Austen's masterpiece novel, leaving out what many people believe to be vital scenes. However, the presentation of actors such as Kiera Knightley and Matthew Macfayden helped to marginally improve the poorly presented adaptation. Kiera Knightley particularly impressed audiences; gaining an Oscar nomination as many viewers believed she portrayed Elizabeth Bennet's character with the utmost precision. Yet it is difficult for viewers not to compare her character with the 1995 TV series' Elizabeth Bennet played by Jennifer Ehle who made it almost impossible for anybody to compete with; even Kiera Knightley who, in comparison, gave a merely adequate performance. Matthew Macfayden's performance was satisfactory, meeting the basic expectations for his role, but when comparing him to the 1995 BBC series' Mr. ...read more.
Middle
This music originally appears to be diegetic until Mary is revealed; this creates a clever effect of illusion to the viewer and the piano music, which is widely used throughout the film and signifies the importance of a woman being accomplished in the 19th century. This music is light and happy, allowing the viewer to interpret the genre without knowing the storyline. Other effects Wright integrates into the film are that he often shoots scenes through windows and doors. This was sometimes effective, especially when used to emphasise the size of an upper-classed house, such as Pemberley, giving the viewer the illusion and helping them to differentiate between classes. However, this method is used throughout the film a lot of the time, causing the viewer to often wonder about the purpose of it and its relevance to many of the scenes. The diegetic sound used is often very relevant and cleverly used, creating the required atmosphere perfectly. An example of this is the music used in the scene at the end of the film where Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth share a long-awaited moment. The lighting used in this scene also adds effect, in the form of the sun rising behind the two lovers, casting out light, as if it is signifying the light and love of their relationship. ...read more.
Conclusion
The Bennet's were dressed in less elegant clothing which again distinguished the social status of the characters. When justifying faults to the difficulty of fitting relevant scenes into a two hour time limit, one must wonder at the scene at Pemberly in a large room filled with statues. The scene is long and simply irrelevant to the film. Wright could have used the time he spent on this scene on something more important and therefore his outcome cannot be praised completely. When watching a film, a good ending is required for it to be a good film. 'Pride and Prejudice' did not posses this. The ending was noticeably weak and disappointing, not at all the grand finale one would expect. However, if the film did not come from a novel but was originally written for the big screen, would there be so much criticism? Basing it upon this concept, the film is very effective and enjoyable to watch. However, due to the popularity of 'Pride and Prejudice', most of the viewers will be aware of the storyline and therefore comparisons cannot be avoided. Overall, as a film it is adequate, containing enjoyable moments in a light and interesting storyline but as an adaptation of 'Pride and Prejudice' it is principally disappointing. ?? ?? ?? ?? Chenelle Burgess 10R ...read more.
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