February PDC Tag Answers

I'm linking up to Miss Laurie's Period Drama Challenge tag questions again, and this time I feel justified in doing so because I've actually reviewed a movie since the beginning of the year.  (There will be more reviews coming soon... it's a bit embarrassing to realize I'm almost halfway through the time allotted for the challenge and have only reviewed one movie!)

1. What period dramas have you watched in February?

Let's see... I began Season Two of Lark Rise to Candleford (need to review Season One...), saw Ivanhoe (1982) with my sister Anne-girl, saw Our Mutual Friend (1998) with Anne-girl (though we finished it on March 5th) and began Emma (2009) with all three of my sisters--our second viewing!  It warms the cockles of my heart to see my little sisters loving Jane Austen.  :D

2. How many Charles Dickens adaptations have you seen?

Not quite as many as I would like! In alphabetical order...

A Christmas Carol (1984)
Bleak House (2005)
Great Expectations (1999)
Little Dorrit (2008)
Muppets Christmas Carol (1992)
Oliver! (1968) {yes, the musical counts!}
Our Mutual Friend (1998)

I've also seen a live stage play of Oliver Twist at a local middle school which was remarkably well-done, but I can't really count that among film adaptations. ;)

3. Do you prefer heroes that are spotless wealthy gentlemen or gritty hardworking men?

Hmmm, great question!  I actually discussed this with a friend not too long ago, and I'd have to say that I prefer a mix of the two.  My favorite literary heroes are Mr. Knightley from Emma, Sir Percy from The Scarlet Pimpernel and Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables, and each in his own way is a gentleman (well, duh-- a hero has to be a real gentleman or he's not a hero.  Period.).  Mr. Knightley probably falls most easily into the category of "spotlessly wealthy" yet he's not afraid to get his hands dirty and as Miss Laurie pointed out, he's one of the hardest working gentlemen in fiction!  Sir Percy, too, is not only a member of the landed gentry but he also has impeccable taste in clothes and on the surface appears to be the perfect mindless coxcomb-- but of course anyone who knows TSP is giggling her head off and rolling her eyes over the idea of Percy being a mindless coxcomb.  I mean, just look at the famous Chase Scene from the movie.  Percy doesn't shy away from gritty, hard work.  And Gilbert's a farmer, for Pete's sake.  But at the same time he also knows how to behave in Polite Society (okay, so his manners at the Christmas Eve ball leave something to be desired) and the fellow can tie his own cravat.

So, yes, I prefer heroes that can be both.

4. Do you tend to prefer heroines that are sweet and gentle or adventurous and spunky?

Again, I prefer a mix of the two.  I like a heroine with some backbone to her (but someone who's a total brat like Scarlett O'Hara doesn't even deserve a mention) who is kind and compassionate to others.  Anne Shirley, Elinor Dashwood, Jane Eyre, Molly Gibson and Amy Dorrit come to mind (and yes, Amy does have a spine, believe it or not!).

5. Do you enjoy listening to period drama soundtracks? Do you own any?

Indubitably! I love period drama soundtracks!  Movie soundtracks in general make for lovely listening... I have a few Pandora stations based on soundtracks from movies I haven't even seen (I'm quite fond of Concerning Hobbits and The Riders of Rohan from LOTR, and the Star Wars themes are great for when you want something exciting).  I only own the soundtracks to Pride and Prejudice (the real deal, of course), Sense and Sensibility (1995) and our family owns The Civil War soundtrack (the Ken Burns film) but for some reason I can't find it anywhere... I've gone through all our CD cases and it hasn't turned up.  Sigh.  But anyways, I also love the soundtracks for Emma (2009), the themes from Little Dorrit (2008) and TSP (1982) and the entire soundtrack from The Young Victoria.

Next review coming up... all four seasons of Jeeves and Wooster.  Fancy bumping into YOU, Basingstoke!