This Is Better Than An Opera! {Insanely Long Les Mis Post}

Well... obviously.  Les Mis is always better than an opera.  I'm not bashing opera--I really like opera--but Les Mis is better than pretty much every other kind of musical entertainment, ever.  

But if you've been hanging around this blog for any length of time, you already know that.

Yes, I'm dumping another load of movie stills on y'all again, if only because it's practically impossible for me to look at these without wanting to SHARE THEM WITH THE WORLD.  So voila.  More pictures from the movie for you to drool over-- and would you believe it, these are only a select few.  I forced myself to just choose my favorites (and forced myself even harder not to just throw my arms wide and say ALL OF THEM ARE MY FAVORITES) so that reading this post doesn't take your entire computer time.  

Well, actually, it might, depending on how long your computer time is, but I'll do my best not to keep you too long.  First, let's gush over the poster that you may observe on your upper left.  How gorgeous is that?  I thought the one I had at the end of the last Les Mis picture-post was my favorite, but I've since changed my mind.  This one is the best of the best.  And it's a French poster to boot.  Fitting, non?

On to the movie stills (which are in no order whatsoever, and which may contain comments of mine own writing that will spoil the story for you, so be forewarned and forearmed).

"Let others rise to take our place until the earth is FREEEEEEEE!"

At this time I do not choose to reveal to the public just how many pictures of Marius-on-a-horse that I have saved on the computer.  You would probably laugh at me if you knew.  But seriously, is this not the epitome of the whole do-you-hear-the-people-sing thing? He even LOOKS like he's singing.  So does the horse, for that matter, or at least nodding along to the music, but that's beside the point.

"Don't think about it, Marius, with all the years ahead of us...
I will never go away and we will be together every day."

To be quite honest, I find this shot (presumably from "Every Day") about fifteen times cuter than the looking-through-the-bars bit in "A Heart Full of Love," and if you knew how much sighing I did over that teeny clip, that's saying a lot.  

"And none shall ever harm Cosette as long as I am living."

One of the teensy weensy complaints I have about most of the stage Fantines is that they just look too doggone healthy during "Come to Me."  I will not be making this complaint about the movie Fantine.  Part of the reason is that Anne Hathaway seriously does look like she's dying, and part of the reason is that I'll be too busy bawling my eyes out in this scene anyways.

"You would live a hundred years if I could show you how.  I won't desert you now."

While we're on the topic of sad songs... I literally squealed when I came across this picture, and it's not a squeal-y kind of scene.  But it happens to be one of my top five favorites in the entire musical (which is saying a lot, because I tend to say they're all my favorites...)  No rendition of this heartwrenching song will ever be as fantabulous as Michael Ball and Lea Salonga's, but I still have high hopes for Samantha Barks' and Eddie Redmayne's portrayal.  Won't it be nice for poor Samantha to finally have a co-singer who does this scene properly?? I mean, think about it.  She suffered through Nick Jonas' whining in the 25th concert, Gareth Gates' "WAKE UP FISHY" version on the West End... and NOW she'll finally be able to do full justice to it.  "And then, do you know, Monsieur Marius... I believe I was a little in love with you." (That one's from the book... I do wish it could have made it into the musical.  Because she never actually says "I love you" to his face in the musical, you know.)

"From the table in the corner they could see a world reborn."

I spy Fra Fee (just behind Marius, in the red jacket) and I think Alistair Brammer might be the dude on the extreme left, but I'm not completely sure.  (Anyone who has more knowledge of the West End cast than I do is encouraged to enlighten me.)  I've said it before and I'll say it again-- I LOVE how the director, the production designers, the what-have-you are making such an effort at being as faithful to the novel as possible.  This room looks just exactly as I pictured it from reading the parts about the ABC cafe.  To a T.  Oh, and take a good look at Enjo's waistcoat, peoples, because I have a sinking feeling that that's the closest we're going to get to the Legendary Red Vest of Power and Awesomeness. *wistful sigh*

Cannot get over the extreme cuteness of this picture.  I believe it's a publicity shot and not actually a still from the film, but I don't care.  The look on her face of complete trust and adoration--YES.  Some of the stage Cosettes, from what I've seen, appear indifferent to Valjean or even a wee bit afraid of him, but I like this portrayal much better.  In the book she sees him as an angel that dropped from heaven (a metaphor that appears several times) and you can totally see that in this picture.  Oh, and I like his coat.  :D

"He let me eat my fill. I had the lion's share.
The silver in my hand cost twice what I had earned..."

So I saw THIS picture and went, "It's YOU!" and all but hugged the computer screen.  Not at Hugh Jackman, silly, or Mademoiselle Baptistine for that matter.  Nope, the affection was all directed at the one and only Jean Valjean Bishop Myriel.  I thoroughly enjoyed Earl Carpenter's take on the bishop in the 25th concert, but I think I can safely say that Colm Wilkinson will blow him out of the water.  I cheated and read the entire script for the movie (hey, Universal Pictures made it available to the public! I couldn't resist!) and I promise I'll give nothing away, but I will just hint that the bishop has rather a bigger part in the movie than he did in the original stage production... and I'm as thrilled as could be.  You will be, too, when you see what I mean.

By the by, I am really, really pleased with Valjean's convict look.  I wish he had kept the beard for the later scenes, because I think it makes him look more like the real Valjean Colm, but I've become reconciled to his appearance.  What I'm not so sure about is his rendition of Who Am I?  Watch some of it here and then let me know what you think, if you would be so kind. 

"And they rose with voices ringing, and I can hear them now,
the very words that they had sung..."

The first picture I saw of Aaron Tveit as Enjolras was such a crushing disappointment that I was on the brink of refusing to have anything else to do with the movie.  I still can't stand his hair. And I still wish his voice were on the level of Ramin Karimloo a little stronger.  But I no longer shudder at the idea of his playing Enjolras, and there are a multitude of reasons, but one of them is this picture.  It's the look in his eyes.  Think back a moment, if you will, and try and remember if Michael Maguire or Ramin Karimloo ever showed any signs of fear in their portrayals of Enjolras.  To the best of my recollection, they didn't.  They both acted the part of the all-fired, charismatic revolutionary who led a devoted band of followers to their deaths.  Don't get me wrong, I'm quite certain Aaron Tveit's going to do that too.  But I also think he's going to bring another dimension to the character, one of the scared little boy deep down inside Enjolras' shining-noble-I-will-defeat-everybody-and-bring-justice-to-the-world exterior.  Even heroes have their moments of terror.

"And first of all," said Enjolras, "let us hoist the flag again!" He picked up the flag which had fallen just at his feet.
They heard from without the rattling of the ramrods in the muskets; the troops were reloading.
Enjolras continued: "Who is there here who has courage? who replants the flag on the barricade?"
Nobody answered.  To mount the barricade at the moment when without doubt it was aimed at anew, was simple death.  The bravest hesitates to sentence himself, Enjolras himself felt a shudder.  He repeated:
"Nobody volunteers?"

~Volume Four- Saint Denis, Book Fourteen-The Grandeurs of Despair, Chapter One- The Flag: First Act

"I know this is no place for me.  Still, I would rather be with you."

The barricade is all I ever could have wished.  A fellow Mizzer pointed out to me a while ago that they manage to make it look towering and exciting yet still so pitifully tiny in the grand scope of Paris and the mighty National Guard.  The story of how the barricade was made is even better.  I read this interview with Eddie Redmayne: "It came to building the barricade and there were 50 peasants, there were 30 students, and Tom Hooper had 5 camera men dressed up as peasants with the cameras wrapped up to camouflage them. He put 10 minutes worth of film on the camera and he was like, 'All right, build a barricade. Action!' We were like, 'What?' And suddenly pianos were falling from above, wardrobes were flying about. It was the most anarchic, sort of terrifying, adrenaline fueled 10 minutes." Which is exactly how the barricade was built in the book (minus the cameras &c.).  Which is why Tom Hooper just went up about fifty points in my estimation.

I just love behind-the-scenes pictures, and this one is cute.  :D Is that Marius with Eponine?  Because it doesn't really look like him... plus, he wears a plaid waistcoat for the barricade scenes.  I do appreciate how they actually put Eponine in boy's clothes for these scenes-- the trench coat and Gus Pike hat get the meaning across on stage, yes, but they aren't terribly believable.  Especially not when she has shoulder-length hair tumbling out from under the cap.  Hello?

"...we may be easy pickings, but we've got some fight..."

I hate to admit this.  I really do.  But... I'm seriously disappointed in Gavroche.  He looks nothing like the Gavroche in my head, for starters... which isn't necessarily a bad thing because I've been known to be horrified at an actor's appearance and then become quite reconciled to it. (Cough cough, Eddie Redmayne, cough cough.)  But in the few pictures I've found of Daniel Huttlestone, I see none (or very little) of the swaggering, devil-may-care bravado that he exudes in the book and on stage.  Picky as it may sound, I don't think either Adam Searles (who's going to be a traveler at The Sergeant of Waterloo!  Woo-hoo!) or Robert Madge got the part quite right in the concerts.  I've seen about as many versions of Gavroche as there are on YouTube, and IactuallythinkNickJonaslooksthemostliketheGavrocheinmyhead.  *runs into barricade to hide*

In all seriousness, though, I still haven't yet seen a Gavroche who was just right.  I could be wrong about this one, of course... but I am never wrong.  (Don't you just love how Princess Bride quotes fit every occasion?)

"Marius.  Dude.  If you want to hit the target, the water pistol has to go UP.  It's physics."

"Okay, Enjo."

Sorry.  But that's what I think of every time I see this picture.  :P

"Please take this letter to Cosette and pray to God that she's still there..."

Actually I think in this picture Marius is reading the letter FROM Cosette, not HIS letter TO Cosette.  Yep, they've changed that bit... with mixed feelings on my part because something else has been changed as well.  It's more book-accurate now, which is good, but a small part of a certain character's sacrifice has been changed, so... I'm not sure how I feel about it.

"Cosette... now I remember.  Cosette... how can it be?"

I can't emphasize enough how high my hopes are for Samantha Barks as Eponine.  I'm almost afraid she's going to boot Lea Salonga off her pedestal as Best Eponine Ever in the History of Theater.  Several aspects of Eponine's role have been slightly altered--for one thing, "On My Own" is sung in Act One, before "One Day More"--and one other big thing has been changed (to match what happened in the book...) and I'm throwing confetti because of it. (Hint, hint... just imagine "Little Fall of Rain" becoming even more heartbreaking, 'kay?)  Oh, and do you want to see a wee clip of OMO?  Of course you do.

"Have you asked of yourselves, what's the price you might pay?
Is it simply a game for rich young boys to play?"

This is my favorite picture of Enjo so far--my Tuppence-like intuition tells me it takes place during "Drink With Me."  (I'm actually just guessing... I have no idea.)  The haunted expression on his face, the solemn looking back over what's happened... I sometimes forget just how much responsibility Enjolras bore on his shoulders.  He was the one in charge, the leader of all those schoolboys who were never told that a summer day could kill.  When you remember that Enjolras was barely twenty in the book (and seemed so much younger that people thought him only seventeen), it makes it all the more poignant that he took on himself the task of bringing so many others together to sing the music of a people who would not be slaves again.

"What a pity!" said Combeferre.  "What a hideous thing these butcheries are! ...Enjolras, you are aiming at that sergeant, you are not looking at him.  Just think that he is a charming young man; he is intrepid; you see that he is a thinker; these young artillery-men are well educated; he has a father, a mother, a family; his in love probably; he is at most twenty-five years old; he might be your brother."

"He is," said Enjolras.

"Yes," said Combeferre, "and mine also.  Well, don't let us kill him."

"Let me alone.  We must do what we must."

And a tear rolled slowly down Enjolras' marble cheek.

~Volume Five- Jean Valjean, Book One- War Between Four Walls, Chapter Eight- The Gunners Produce a Serious Impression

"If I have to kill you here, I'll do what must be done!"

I'm not quite sure how I feel about having a sort-of sword-fight in the Confrontation scene.  I've never seen that song performed outside of the concerts, in which they don't do any physical fighting, but from what I've read this part is usually performed with a fistfight.   Which I think just seems to fit the song better.  However, though Valjean gives himself up to Javert in the book, there IS this little wee part:

There stood in the corner of the room an old iron bedstead in a dilapidated condition... Jean Valjean went to the bed, wrenched out the rickety head bar--a thing easy for muscles like his--in the twinkling of an eye, and with the bar in his clenched fist, looked at Javert.  Javert recoiled towards the door.  Jean Valjean, his iron bar in hand, walked slowly towards the bed of Fantine.  On reaching it, he turned and said to Javert in a voice that could scarcely be heard:
"I advise you not to disturb me any more."

~Volume One- Fantine, Book Eight- Counter-Stroke, Chapter Four- Authority Resumes Its Sway

"Would you weep, Cosette, should Marius fall? Would you weep, Cosette?  For me?"

"Marius was a romantic stereotype," Eddie Redmayne said in a fantastic interview for Vogue.  (go read it!) "So we went back to the book and found all these moments that showed he was more than just a guy running down the street singing about his love."  While the whole "guy running down the street singing about his love" thing is really more West Side Story than Les Mis, I am very pleased that the movie's interpretation of Marius seems to be a blend of his idealistic puppy-love and his firebrand patriotism.  Hold your ears, Puddle, for I am about to commit heresy, but I think Michael Ball didn't quite convey everything about Marius' character.  His interpretation in the 10th concert shows Marius' heart-full-of-love side, but not as much of his begone-or-I'll-blow-up-the-barricade side.  This is mostly the producers' fault, I think, for not including "The Second Attack"--that is, Marius' blow-up-the-barricade moments DO occur in the musical, just not in the concerts--but I'm glad to see that the book's Marius is going to get better treatment from the director in the movie.  And the heart full of love will most certainly not be neglected-- go here to melt into a puddle (aka watch a bit of the Cosette and Marius scene).

(The opinions expressed above do not reflect any kind of negative opinion whatsoever about Michael Ball, his acting ability, his voice, et cetera and should not be taken as such. Furthermore, Eddie Redmayne publicly stated that he considers Michael Ball the ultimate Marius.  So there, Marilla. :D)

I am still not overly thrilled with Russell Crowe's voice.  (There.  I said it.)  I agree with Petie that he's going to make an awesome Javert nonetheless (the nonetheless is mine, not hers), and with Rachel that perhaps the clipped, restrained way of singing is actually better for a man such as Javert, but I'm still kind of wishing that Norm Lewis could have been hired to dub his voice.  Because that would have been phenomenal.  Take a look at this scene and tell me what you think.  My first reaction was "How dare they change the lyrics?????" but on the whole it's quite good, even with the messed-up words.  My approval has been given.  

Also, is it just me or does Russell Crowe actually kinda look like Philip Quast?  Minus the beard, of course.  And I'm not so thrilled with his hat... I prefer the classical bicorn but you can't have everything.  The coat is fabulous.  We will leave it at that.

Eighteen days more until the public gets to see it! On a scale of Javert-at-Fantine's-arrest to Marius-at-the-barricades, how excited are you?

W&D Read-Along Kick-Off

Welcome, everyone, to the Wives and Daughters December read-along, in which Miss Dashwood freely acknowledges that she has no clue what the Gaskell she's doing, and in which she prepares to just fudge her way through and hope no one notices.

Because seriously.  What DOES happen in read-alongs?  I've never hosted one.  Iv'e never even participated in one, for Pete's sake.  So if someone wants to shoot me an email (see my Other Locations page--which has been revamped, by the by) and give some suggestions or advice, that someone (or someones) will be heartily welcome.

For now, though, I'm on my own.  *resists urge to burst into song*  So I am doing things in my own way.  Which means... scattered ramblings.  And nonsense.  Hey, have you ever noticed that in the rain the pavement shines like silver and all the lights are misty in the river?

As the hostess of the read-along, I guess it's my prerogative to give reading assignments, so... I'm dividing the book into four sections of fifteen chapters each (there are sixty chapters... yes, this is a tome).  So for this week, let's all read chapters 1-15 and then next Monday we can discuss it and start the next part.

I'll confess, I haven't actually begun reading yet.  I should have done so on Saturday but I had a million relatives in my house and we were baking Christmas cookies and playing Trivial Pursuit.  Plus, Melody and I launched the P&P95Forever Club that day (if you haven't yet checked it out, you should).

If you're still reading this post in hopes that something fascinating is going to happen, you may as well go read something more interesting, because that's about all I have to say.  More posts will be coming later this week as I actually begin reading the book and have things to talk about.  (And I'll expect you to do your part, darlings, which means commenting and talking about things too.)  I see this read-along as being somewhat like a bunch of friends in a coffee shop... informal, laid-back, with lots of laughs.  And everybody ordering something different.

Because hey, we're all going to be reading the same book, but we're each going to have a different perspective on it.  Some of us have read it before.  Some of us are experiencing it for the first time.  Some are going to love it and some may finish it with an "ehhhh" feeling.  But we won't know until we try, and that's why I'm so very excited.  I'm one of those who's read it before, and I'm looking forward to diving into the story again--with all of you.  Seriously, it's really fun to read a book with someone (especially when it's your second time around)-- you end up learning things you never knew you never knew, because no two people will look at Wives and Daughters in the exact same way.

So... happy reading!

In Which I Explain My Scarcity Around Here Of Late

Hey, look! It’s Richard Armitage! Yeah, over there!

Kidding.

Sorry. 

But we had to get your attention some way.  So kindly look back here, and forgive us for fooling you—oh, wait, you’re wondering what the “we” is all about?   “We” refers to Melody and Miss Dashwood, and Melody and Miss Dashwood have an announcement to make.  Which may very possibly include ice cream, so we would like to have your attention.

(Note: There will probably not be ice cream.) 

We would like to announce the formation of a musical club, with regular meetings at yours or mine—erm, whoops, wrong club.  We would actually like to announce the formation of the P&P95Forever Club, and you are all invited to join.

Now, right about now some of you are probably clasping both hands to your hearts in a squeal of utter joy at the thought, some of you are glaring and scowling most ferociously, while others of you are saying, “Wait, what?  The P&P95Forever Club?  What’s that?”  Let us endeavor to expline, or if you aren’t accustomed to our Eliza Doolittle method of speech, we shall explain (while the rain in Spain falls mainly in the plain). 

Last year, Miss Dashwood wrote a seemingly innocuous review of Pride and Prejudice (1995), hereinafter referred to as P&P95 so we don’t have to bother with italicizing it.  In the aforesaid and abovementioned review, she made a brief joke about how she did not think Colin Firth smiles enough as Mr. Darcy, and hoped that the members of the P&P95Forever Club would not come at her with their DVDs at the ready.  A joke, nothing more than a joke.  (After all, she's a child, only a child.) Melody read the post and left a lengthy comment, as per, in which she only laughed a little over "the Club thing," but tucked the title away in her brain, and at some later point (we are not sure when) mentioned to Amy that a P&P95Forever Club would in all seriousness be quite a marvelous thing. We agreed to begin a blog together, but not just any blog. No, this one would be extra-special—it would be a clubhouse, a place for fans of P&P95 to congregate and learn more about their favorite miniseries. 

In June 2012, the great task began.  Together, we began organizing our information, deciding how much to include and where to find our facts.  We began collecting quotes, looking up dance instructions, researching the actors’ other works, organizing links, et cetera and so forth.   Believe us when we say it was a lot of work.  (And perhaps you will accept this as a partial excuse for our lack of posts lately.)

And now, finally, the P&P95Forever Club is opening its doors.  We do not think it is necessary to explain that we think P&P95 is the definitive adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and that we will stick to this opinion with our last breath, unless the BBC makes another, better, truer-to-the-book adaptation which is highly unlikely. We realize that not everyone shares this opinion, but hey, if you don’t, you are under no pressure to join the Club.  But if you do agree with us that P&P95 is the best on earth (excellent taste you have, by the way) we invite you to join the Club (visit the Become a Member page so we can send you a member button.

If you are a relative newbie to P&P95, do not despair!  One of the purposes of this new site is to provide fans with everything under the sun that they might wish to know about P&P.   At the P&P95Forever Club you will find everything from trivia facts about the production to pages and pages of screencaps to instructions for dancing those lovely dances in the ball scenes.

This blog, however, is not intended to be a stagnant one-visit website.  No, indeed, for we intend to keep it hopping with new posts, games every week, polls and throwdowns and perhaps even opportunities for you to make an appearance! 

So please, go explore the blog!  And while you’re there, have compassion on our poor nerves and leave a comment.  This is the express wish of our esteemed patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and besides which, it adds greatly to our own happiness. 

See you there!
 ~Miss Dashwood and Miss Marianne

Wives and Daughters Read-Along

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).

<center> <a href="http://miss-dashwood.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Yet Another Period Drama Blog" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LNgy99OIuqM/ULgTXqNZxCI/AAAAAAAAFDU/mubYuuQS-wc/s320/read-along.jpg"/></a></center>

I'm reading Elizabeth Gaskell's Wives and Daughters during the month of December... are you?

Today We Bring You Bits of Random

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?

Tribute to British Television: A Guest Post by Petie

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!

Happy Birthday, Molly!

Heehee... couldn't resist.  :D 

My dear sister Molly turns thirteen today, and I am both shocked and delighted.  Shocked because the last thirteen years have flown by so fast, delighted that my sister is now a teenager and her Jane Austen indoctrination can begin.  We start reading Pride and Prejudice together this very night. :)

Molly and her fantastic fashion sense  at age two... though for privacy's
sake you're not going to see a "Molly at thirteen" picture.  :P

I was a wicked sister today and hacked into Molly's blog, Each and Every Hour, to wish her a happy birthday--so if you have an invitation to her blog, you might wish to hop over there and read thirteen fun facts about Molly.  (If you don't have an invitation and would like to read Molly's blog, leave a comment requesting one and I'll see about procuring one for you.)  Oh-- and if you are hrmmm-ing and scowling at me for doing such a deplorable thing as stealing my sister's Blogger password, I will defend myself by saying that when she first created her account, she was so pleased with her password that she shared it with the family.  

I'm in a rather silly sort of mood tonight, so I'm just going to ramble about why my sister's so awesome (with manifold inside jokes for the family), and I shall also insert random cat pictures.  Because though Molly is well known for being a dog lover, she has a particular affinity to captioned cat pictures.  

Molly is quite an early bird.  I, though I would like to be industrious and early-rising, am usually not an early bird.  Hence, I identify with the kitten above.  Molly would be the kitten who is being threatened.

When Molly gets mad, she gets very mad-- but sometimes it's such a cute mad that it's all I can do not to giggle.  In general, however, she's the Beth in our circle of little women--calm, quiet and good-natured.  (The rest of us are a bunch of harum-scarum hooligans.  You didn't hear it from me.)

Molly loves to act, and currently she's gearing up for the triple role of Hero, Don Pedro and Borachio in our severely truncated production of Much Ado About Nothing (hey, when you're limited to five actors, characters start dying left and right).  We have discovered that she's very good at back-slapping. ;)

The picture above is one of my favorites (and rarely fails to reduce Anne-girl to hilarity-induced tears) but I must say, Molly would never be one of the Neglectful Humans in the picture--she has one of the tenderest and most compassionate hearts I've ever encountered.  Metaphorically speaking, since her heart is not actually visible.

Cough, cough.  Molly and I both have a tendency to Direct Things and Tell People How To Do It The Right Way.  It's not bossiness.  It's called Being Right.  "You know what it is.  Now swalley it." 

When she was wee, Molly used to ask, whenever we went out shopping, if we could go to Old McDonald's for lunch.  Ironically enough (in light of the picture above) it so happens that she has also had a long-standing ambition to volunteer at a vet's office.  :D

Last but not least (sorry... no cat...) Molly's skills as an actress are highlighted in her spot-on, bud-nipping impression of Barney Fife.  "Juanita? ...Barn."  She does, however, seem to get a bit annoyed when we repeatedly ask her to do her Barney thing.  "You just wanna see that little vein stick out!" 

Happy birthday, Molly!  May this next year bring you joy, fun, delight and a nice MLT, mutton-lettuce-and-tomata, where the mutton is nice and lean and the tomatas are ripe...

Love,
Amy

The Future That They Bring When December Comes

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.

What did you think of the trailer?

*insert appropriate Les Mis quote here*

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."

Are you excited or what?

Don't say what.

So long! Farewell!

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!