Long, long ago, when summer was here, I visited the Classics Club blog--this page in particular. Jillian was, at the time, asking for volunteers to host read-alongs for classic books (do tell) over the next twelve months, and because I revel in over-committing myself and signing up to do things I don't actually have time for, I spontaneously offered to host a Wives and Daughters read-along for the month of December.
Which is why on Saturday a month-long read-along of Wives and Daughters will begin here on Yet Another Period Drama Blog. There will be tags. There will be discussion questions. There will be a character throwdown. There may be games. There may even be a movie review, but that will be extracurricular because the event's supposed to be about the book, you know. What do you have to do to join? Follow this blog and read Wives and Daughters during the month of December-- that's it! Oh, and snag this cute wee button for your blog, just to let everyone know you're participating (and leave me a comment).
I'm reading Elizabeth Gaskell's Wives and Daughters during the month of December... are you?
To begin with, Miss Laurie is hosting a Period Drama Don't Keep Calm contest over at Old-Fashioned Charm, and since contests are my one weakness, I couldn't resist entering. My three entries are as follows...
Les Miserables
Pride and Prejudice (1995)
Northanger Abbey
The contest ends tomorrow night, so go enter!
In other news... Kellie over at Accordion to Kellie is hosting a special Black Friday giveaway--a gift card to her delightful Etsy shop, Kellie Falconer Design. Check out this post for details on how to enter, and don't forget to stop by her adorable shop while you're at it!
It's that giveaway time of the year, I think, because Jenny and Abigail are co-hosting a birthday party for their respective novels, The Shadow Things and The Soldier's Cross. They're answering questions, blogging about all sorts of novel-related things, and hosting a giveaway. I've read both books, and I mean it when I say that you should too. Go here for more details!
Also, I guest posted on Elizabeth Rose's blog today. "I'm a writer, and I know many of you are too. I've been writing for almost as long as I can remember. In the early years of my scribbling, the stories I hand-wrote on computer paper and stapled together all had at least one thing in common. And that was, to put it bluntly, plagiarism..." (Go here to read the rest.) Lat but not least, I'll be popping up on Charity's blog tomorrow as a guest poster for her musicals week as well, so don't forget to go there if you get a chance. (Anyone wanna guess which musical I'll be rambling about?) And since I won't be back on here until this weekend at the earliest, a happy Thanksgiving to you all! What have you been up to this week?
In the swirl of words [and schoolwork... and babysitting...] that surrounds me this month, I've barely had time to reply to e-mails, much less write blog posts. Which you've probably noticed, no? Well, anyway, my dear friend Puddle (also known as Petie or Country Girl) has come to my rescue with a guest post that had me grinning from beginning to end. Friends are the best-- thanks so much for guest posting, Puddle! Everyone else, enjoy your reading and don't forget to stop by Petie's blog and check out the pictures of her adorable new nephew!
Any period drama lover is familiar with BBC. Any good period
drama fanatic is borderline-obsessive with BBC. If you are the latter, please
raise your hand. *Petie promptly shoves her hand in the air with pride* C’mon,
people, I know I’m not alone. Get those hands up!
The British Broadcasting Company produces a variety of
period dramas, from Austen to Dickens to Gaskell to Eliot. And we period drama
fanatics soak them all up like sponges, latching onto each and every new drama
that is released. Really, those period dramas are our one weakness. They are
like the balm for our old-fashioned hearts, our instant transport into our
favorite times. And not only that, but they provide countless quotes and
one-liners which are so applicable to everyday, modern life. I mean, really.
Without BBC dramas, the world would never have been blessed with such
linguistic gems. You know, phrases like “SHAKE ME UP, JUDY!”
(Did I really just say that? I’m sorry, it just popt out!)
Seriously, though. BBC shows can be quite addicting. When I
receive a new one from the library, I just want to gather my family together,
settle in my living room with a cozy blanket and steaming cup of tea, and watch
for the next eight hundred years, forgetting any appointments and all engagements.
Now, some may say that an engagement is an engagement, but did I say an
engagement was an elephant? No. I just said I love BBC.
Lark Rise to Candleford
But, really, why do we love BBC dramas so much? What is it
about this British television that captures our hearts? Maybe it’s simply
because while Britain is producing epics like North and South, Pride and Prejudice, Lark Rise to Candleford, and Sense and Sensibility, we Americans just
get shows like… Glee. Or Modern Family. Yay for America. But
really, for one thing, BBC dramas are just deuced fine shows with no begad
nonsense about them. However, there are several aspects of BBC shows which
particularly draw in us old-fashioned souls and good-television-deprived
Americans.
Firstly, between the way they are filmed, the costumes, the
dialogue, the sets and scenery, and the dancing, BBC shows just look like they
came from a completely different era. Everything about them is purely
old-fashioned. It’s really quite a wonderful thing to behold. They are simply
beautiful shows, completely transporting you to another time. And you become
lost in the world of high society, carriages, silk bonnets, and cravats. And
tea. Lots and lots of tea.
Little Dorrit
And let’s not forget the spot-on accuracy of BBC! Not only
are they historically accurate to the various time periods, but most of BBC’s
shows are adaptations of classic books, and who can deny that BBC tries its
utmost to remain faithful to each book they turn to film? Take Pride and Prejudice 1995, for instance.
A large amount of the dialogue is taken directly from the book! How cool is
that? And this method isn’t uncommon with BBC. Their efforts to make sure their
film adaptations are as close to the original stories as possible are so
refreshing. Hip, hip, hooray!
BBC period dramas have mastered the forgotten art of being
completely hysterical and side-splitting without being crude, profane, or
insulting. (If you don’t believe me, go watch Cranford.) Without exception, every BBC drama I have seen is
hilariously funny, clever, and witty. (Oh, you disagree? Be quiet, Sparkler.)
And to add to that, for the most part, BBC keeps their period dramas pretty
squeaky clean. Of course, like anything, there are exceptions, but BBC series
are pretty much the only movies I feel comfortable recommending to anyone. There are almost never any
scenes to skip (but why, oh why, did they feel the need to throw in that first
scene of S&S’08?), and the rare cases of bad language are always extremely
mild.
North and South
But now. I have come to the main reason why period drama
fanatics (particularly fans of the female sort) adore BBC dramas. Are you ready
for this? I’m sure you all know this, so say it with me…
THE BRITISH ACCENTS.
Duhhhhhh. Thank you, Petie. I think we have all apprehended
that much.
Seriously, though. What period drama-loving gal doesn’t love
her a good, thick British accent? What young lady in her right mind doesn’t
completely melt when they hear Richard Armitage a British person speak?
What girl doesn’t nearly have a heart attack whenever a British guy opens his
mouth? CAN I GET AN AMEN??
*Petie is blown out of her chair by the raucous response*
Thank you. Faith in humanity restored.
Pride and Prejudice
And now, there’s really not much more to say. BBC is just
amazing. End of story. So. Let me sum up: why do we love BBC? Because the
British Broadcasting Company simply IS the very epitome of period drama.
BBC, we period drama fanatics salute you. And we do hope
your family is in good health.
What is your favorite
BBC period drama?
Heya! I’m Petie, an aspiring author, wanna-be Brit, and
die-hard Okie country girl. I love my Jesus with all I am, and I take great
pleasure in good books, laughter, the color red, coffee, and of course, a good BBC
drama. I blog over at All Things Bright and Beautiful. Come visit me, yes? I
love making new friends. Cheers!
Yes, I realize this makes two Les Mis posts in a row, a phenomenon that has not taken place here since Les Mis week back in June. But hey, I'm excited. (Understatement.)
The official Les Mis international trailer was released on Thursday, to the best of my knowledge (at least, that's when I first saw it) and it bowled me over. I can't resist giving a breakdown of this one like I did last time, so...
(note: I'm skipping the parts that were in the last trailer, for the sake of space and time)
0:02- "I found her wandering in the woods, this little child, I found her trembling in the shadows." Cannot get over how cute Little Cosette is-- I just want to hug her and comfort her and take her away from the evil Thenardiers forever.
0:05- I replayed this bit too many times. LOVE how they melt the actress' face into the original logo... paying tribute to it again, just like they did with the poster!
0:15- "I'm cold, will you let me stay here for tonight?" Um... what??? That wasn't in the musical! It looks like they're adding in some spoken lines... that's okay with me as long as they don't cut the music. (Ha... like it's my decision.)
0:17- At first glance I almost thought this guy was Colm, but it's obviously not. Who is he, then? And how does he know that this is Jean Valjean?
0:18- This music. Is amazing.
0:21- We saw this bit in the original trailer, with the galley slaves, but I just wanted to mention how I like the rhythmic grunting--it's reminiscent of the original opening to the Prologue. And it's also cool that Valjean is actually a galley slave in the movie (as he was in the book!), pulling ships around, and not just digging ditches on the roadside. The stage does have its limitations.
0:23- OH WOW. That SHIP. Anne-girl is going to go nuts over this movie.
0:24- Javert standing on the dyke--we'll get to Russell Crowe's singing voice later on, but for now may I just say that he is the complete epitome of how Javert should look? There, I've said it. Thank you.
0:28- "He cannot escape... OH WAIT HE DID." This is probably the part during the Prologue where the police round Valjean up with the candlesticks. "Tell his reverence your story! Let us see if he's impressed!"
0:31- Yep, here's Javert shouting Valjean's name. Definitely an added line. I like his horse; it's a pity Javert can't have a horse on stage. He looks more imposing on a horse.
0:34- Oooh, evil factory foreman. Hmmm, he's not ten feet tall like in the 25th concert--he seems less scary somehow.
0:39- Wait, what? Is Javert watching as Fantine gets fired? This is new!
0:42- *chokes up* Okay, that teeny little snippet was much worse than in any of the concerts. Bodily dragging her out of the factory? The horrible man!
0:45- "I Dreamed a Dream" sounds much more forceful this time around. Is it a different version of the song, or just another part of it that we didn't hear in the first trailer? At any rate, I actually like it better this time.
0:47- It looks like Valjean is stopping to help Fantine just out of the blue here, not breaking up the fight with Bamatabois. (I'm not nit-picking. I'm just observing.)
0:51- Let's hear it for Valjean!!! Where on earth is Javert? I do hope they haven't cut the part with him trying to arrest Fantine. "But Monsier Mayor..." "I will SEE IT DONE!" *emphatic music*
0:54- D'awwwww. Poor little thing. :(
0:55- I really like how they're playing Fantine's song while showing Cosette... after all, Cosette is part of her dream, and the Thenardiers are basically killing her by inches. Sounds morbid, I know, but THEN--
1:00- One Day More. ONE DAY MORE, FOLKS. I may or may not have clamped both hands over my mouth to keep from screaming out loud when I saw this the first time. The thrill that went through me made up for the disappointment in Hugh Jackman's voice. (hey, this is an opinion post, after all...)
1:06- "Mademoiselle." I have played, replayed and re-replayed that two-second bit, and I love it more every time. "I'm meeeeeeelting!"
1:09- He's in a carriage, I think, but going where? Valjean and Cosette didn't actually start for Calais that night, did they?
1:11- Ah, Monsieur and Madame Oy-vey-and-spit. He, at least, doesn't look as creepy as he did on the poster. The lack of purple lipstick probably helps.
1:12- Whoa. Javert coming to check up on Cosette at the Thenardiers? As I remember, that did actually happen in the novel, but it's definitely not in the play. And why are Valjean and Cosette still there? So many questions.
1:14- I love how they so smoothly transitioned from Little Cosette to Older Cosette. I had my doubts about Amanda Seyfried but now I think she's practically perfect. So pretty!
1:18- And her voice! Not Judy Kuhn for sure, but not half bad either. Is it just me or does the city view look a bit fake? (Thank you, my dear Amy, it IS fake... it's a STUDIO...)
1:19- It seems to me that they're going to handle "One Day More" the way "Tonight (Reprise" was done in West Side Story (the movie). Rather than having a suspended-disbelief scene with all the characters gathering together to sing, it looks like we're going to see shots of everyone singing individually, almost as if they're just thinking. Which is all good. My question is, how about the "one day to a new beginning, raise the flag of freedom high"? Where does the chorus come in?
1:20- It's "some bourgeois two-a-penny thing," not "Cosette!" Okay, now I'm nitpicking. I will stop. Yay for Samantha Barks! How does she manage to still look fabulous in rags, dirty and starving? I actually had to pause this bit and take a screencap. The looks on their faces are just so perfect.
1:23- At long last we have a Marius who can do the naive-and-completely-smitten act without being, you know, incredibly annoying and immature. (Cough, cough, I name no names.) I'm starting to even be reconciled to his hair (and that's a big step, you must understand).
1:27- And we have an Eponine who's heartbroken without being whiny, the right age, the right appearance... Lea Salonga was still the best but Samantha Barks is, like, the one-and-a-half best.
1:29- She has the best facial expressions of any Eponine that ever was, though. That I can say with no reservations.
1:33- "I rode through the rain!" Ha, that had nothing to do with anything, but I must have me my Jane Austen quotes. :P
1:35- Oh. My. Stars. Confrontation, Confrontation, this has got to be the Confrontation. With SWORDS. And the look on Valjean's face... *rubs hands together with anticipatory glee*
1:36- All together now, three two one--THE BARRICADES! Better than I dreamt it! Annnnnnd... Russell Crowe's voice. Not as great as I dreamt it. *ducks* The problem is that I'm mentally comparing him to the Mighty Quast and nobody will ever, ever measure up, so I should stop comparing. It really is good. No, I mean it. Just not as good as I'd hoped.
1:37- If I'm not mistaken, there is Alistair Brammer next to Marius (you know, the guy who plays Joly in the 25th concert--is that the same actor?) in the crowd scene. Cameos, hooray! Now, where's Hadley Fraser??
1:39- O_O Kiev scene in Fiddler on the Roof, anyone?
1:42- Valjean's evidently in a church, but why?
1:44- I spy Killian Donnelly! Also Enjolras. Who seems to be incapable of smiling. Where is the charisma? The winning grin? (oh, wait, that was just Ramin Karimloo...) The RED VEST OF POWER AND AWESOMENESS?
1:46- PERCYYYYYYY! ... Ahem. Pardon me.
1:47- That had better not be Enjolras. Because if we see Enjolras die in the trailer... *shakes head direly*
1:48- Eponine, watching someone get shot? But wasn't she the first to fall? And look, she's still in her girl clothes. I think this is just a different scene, cut into the First Attack to add Drama.
1:49- Well now, look who's here! Hey, Gavroche!
1:51- Cosette racing through a church in her wedding dress--alone? I'm intrigued.
1:52- "To the barricades!" *relieved sigh* Now that was the Enjolras we all know and love, yes?
1:53- I really ought to be sighing over how cute they are together, but my attention was actually drawn to the neckline detail on Cosette's dress. Heh. Isn't it lovely?
1:54--1:59- Parades! Flags! Jean Valjean in a uniform (and looking way older than he did at the beginning)! The National Guard! He Who Cannot Smile! It's all such a sequence of continual excitement...
2:00- That sound you heard, that was my heart thudding into my shoes.
2:02- No. No stop don't fire they're just a bunch of kids! I think my biggest question now is not "will I like this movie?" but "exactly how many boxes of tissues should I have handy when I see it?"
2:04- Shivers, spine-tingles, all that jazz. SPLENDIFEROUS rendition of "Do You Hear the People Sing?"
2:05- My immediate impression is that this is "Who Am I?", just from the look on his face.
2:07- I have got to get over this association of any and every epaulet with Prince Charming from Cinderella. I shall conquer this. I shall.
2:09- The locket, Fantine has the locket! And, I might add, a much prettier dress than any of the stage costumes I've seen, though it be heresy to say it...
2:14- I'm still feeling like Helena Bonham-Carter looks too young... she's supposed to be Eponine's mother, after all, and Eponine's eighteen by the end.
2:16- Ewww. Go away, disgusting people.
2:18- Without a doubt, this is the part where Valjean lets Javert go. The LOOK on his face... ohhhh.
2:19- Ring out the bells! Choke up! Squeal and drum your feet up and down!
2:20- Several months ago when the first pictures were released, one of my friends pointed out how fascinating it is to see the barricade "for real"--to see how truly tiny it was, how alone-and-with-no-friends the students really were. Which is something you just can't grasp as well on a revolving stage.
2:22- Let's just say goosebumps.
2:23- The Mighty Small One again!
2:24- Okay, I realize it's just a jump cut, but I adore how it almost looks as if Fantine is watching Cosette and Marius approvingly... sniffle...
2:25- Marius on the horse with the flag!! Sigh, squeal, you know the routine by now.
2:26- Cosette in the carriage leaving the wedding--this is reminding me of the final scene in Emma 2009.
2:27- Awwwww. I can't wait for "Suddenly"! ...Actually, I can't wait for ANY of it.
Wow. Just wow. This post got a lot longer than I meant it to. Which means I ought to get off Blogger and go write.
Just in case anyone's counting, only forty-eight days remain until the Les Mis movie is released to the public. (Those of you who pay attention to such whims and inconsistencies may notice that in the past I've abbreviated the title as Les Miz, but on further consideration I decided it's more logical to say Les Mis, so that is how I shall write it henceforth and forevermore unless I forget.) I'm not planning on seeing it in theaters, but I'm still incredibly excited about its release.
As the thrilling date approaches (December 25th, if you don't want to bother to do the math), Working Title Films has been releasing more and more photos and videos related to the movie, and all the mounting excitement is making me want to run around the house singing Red and Black at the top of my lungs. Which I have not actually done. My family, I think, is grateful.
Anyways. In light of the severe lack of Real Blogging I've been doing lately (it's Half NaNo's fault), it seems a bit silly to write a post comprised mostly of movie posters and a wee video stuck at the end (no, no, don't scroll down to see it now--be patient and wait, it will not go away). But half a loaf is better than no bread, and certainly better than stolen bread (please politely giggle at my apropos reference), so I give you the Les Mis posters and pictures I've been sighing over recently.
This one may well be my favorite. I just love how they took the original logo (see below) and used it as a prototype for the photo. I mean, that image is iconic, and the fact that they're honoring it in this poster just makes me happy.
The only thing that bugs me a bit with the poster is that they quite obviously Photoshopped her eyes. And the blue looks... odd. Now, I realize Amanda Seyfried (Older Cosette) has blue eyes and maybe they just wanted to make it look consistent, but if so, why isn't Little Cosette wearing blue contacts in the actual film? In the picture below her eyes look pretty brown to me... and even if they are blue (it could just be the lighting that gives an impression of brown) they're certainly not as Windex-blue as in the poster. Just a minor quibble.
One of my biggest fears about Hugh Jackman playing Valjean was that he might not look old enough for the later scenes. This poster, however, is reassuring, because he definitely looks older than in those first-scenes-as-a-convict pictures. Again, though, the eyes are weird. Too translucent, somehow.
This one pleases me so, so, SO much. Not just because I think Russell Crowe has the perfect looks for Javert, but because of the pose. Er, the expression on his face. Whatever. A Javert poster could easily and logically have depicted him snarling or angry or vengeful looking, "watch out Valjean I'm gonna get you," but instead he looks sad and almost lost. Which is exactly what Javert is. Hooray for the most complex kinda-villain of all time! Oh, and I like his coat. Not Philip-Quast-worthy, but still interesting.
I'm not overly thrilled with the Fantine poster. On the one hand, she still has her hair, which is nice because most of the trailer shows her without it, and Anne Hathaway has gorgeous hair. So that's all good. But I would have liked to see a slightly more interesting facial expression. Something tragic, you know? Heartbroken, or even dreamy. Instead, she's just kind of... there. Not smiling, not sad, just looking at you, and not even looking at you with the haunted eyes I imagine for Fantine. And the eyes are just weird. Again. I know I'm making a big deal about the eyes, but really, with the weird color, this could almost pass for a Twilight poster. *does the oy-vey-and-spit thing from Fiddler on the Roof)
Enough with the negative. This poster of Older Cosette has taken away the last shred of doubt that I had about Amanda Seyfried. She just LOOKS like Cosette ought to. Hair down and all. Now, I know young ladies were supposed to wear their hair up by that age in 1832, but you have to remember that Valjean tended to baby Cosette and didn't want her to grow up. So it's quite logical that her hair should still be down in a little-girl style, even though she's sixteen. (Or is it eighteen? Why can't I remember? Somebody help!)
Her dress, also, is pleasing to my critical eye--I'm not a huge fan of the traditional Cosette dress with the wide lace bib. I realize Valjean babies her a bit, but come on. This one (what we can see of it) looks much prettier. So in that respect I'm okay with a deviation from the traditional stage costumes, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to weep for the tragic loss of Enjolras' Red Vest of Power and Awesomeness.
Here we get a slightly better view of the dress, and a pretty awful view of Marius, but it's an adorable picture so I won't fuss. And yes, I've been sighing over every appearance with the two of them together in every single video. They're just so CUTE. I am completely reconciled to Eddie Redmayne. Completely. I still would rather have picked a guy who was slightly more aesthetically blessed, as a friend of mine puts it, but I really think he's going to make an amazing Marius. As long as he shaves a little bit. What's up with the chin stubble?
...All right, all right, I WILL stop being cynical. In all honesty, I think this poster is sweet. The whole talking-through-the-railing thing looks so romantic in the sneak peek, and I liked that they used that scene for the poster.
In a sense I'm pleased with this next one because it gives us our first look at the Thenardiers, but at the same time I'm annoyed that they chose to use M. and Mme. Slimebucket for promotional pictures instead of Enjolras or Eponine. How about a Little Fall of Rain poster, folks? Now THAT would be ducky. At any rate, I'm not disappointed with Mme. Thenardier in this picture (not that I really care about her, heh) but Thenardier himself... ewwwwww. My initial impression was that he looked like a seriously disturbed version of Gussie Fink-Nottle from Jeeves and Wooster. Not a pleasant thought. Plus, he's too young. So is she, I suppose, but I always imagined Thenardier with gray hair.
However, I really do like the fact that they're both dressed up in their Christmas "finery." I think this was done for a reason-- not because the film is being released Christmas Day, but because in the novel (pardon me, "the brick") Valjean rescues Cosette on Christmas Eve. This isn't mentioned in the stage musical, but it looks like the film producers are trying to stick as close to the book as possible in little details such as that, and Amy is pleased. Muchly so. Now, if only they had ignored the passage about Enjolras being blonde...
I haven't seen any more posters from the series above, but if you find any more, do send them my way. I've come across a few others, though, which are also highly satisfactory. Like this one. Love, fight, hope, dream seems to be the tagline for the movie, which isn't quite as evocative as I might have hoped (hey, Do you hear the people sing? gets the message across beautifully) but I like how they've combined the tagline with the characters for this one. If this is, indeed, an official poster and not just a piece of fan art.... ha. I realized just now that there is no release date at the bottom, nor is there any title or the name of the film company. So this may very well just be a fanmade picture. As Aristotle said, "You cannot believe everything you read on the Internet."
I don't care if it's in a foreign language, I absolutely love this poster. Probably my favorite of them all. Doesn't it just give you shivers to look at it? Red and black and clouds and light streaming everywhere... so many of the posters have dark backgrounds but this one is full of light and I like that, because Les Mis IS full of light. Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise--ooh, now, if I were in charge of taglines, I think I'd use THAT one.
And just one more little tidbit of delight-- the latest Les Mis TV spot! Please tell me I am not the only one who gasped and squealed over Marius-on-the-horse-with-the-flag and got goosebumps when Javert whipped out his sword and melted into a little puddle when Valjean said "Don't worry, I'll keep you safe."
November is upon us, and with it comes NaNoWriMo for some and Half NaNo for others. What, you've never heard of Half NaNo? That's because I made it up. Head on over to my writing blog, The Quest for Stories, to read about it!
Due to Half NaNo and general busyness, Yet Another Period Drama Blog is going to be severely neglected during the month of November. There may be a few posts here and there, but I can't promise anything. However, I shall still be here to moderate comments and read your posts, and if you care to pop over to The Quest for Stories, I'll likely be there from time to time.
I also guest posted over at Anne-girl's blog during her Writers' Conference last week (see here and here) and at Melody's blog earlier this week for no reason in particular. Just for fun. I'll be stopping at Elizabeth Rose's blog (Literary Lane) later this month, too. See you there-- and get writing!
