Last week, my mom and I went to Barnes and Noble and we bought two more DVDs.
I heard about Downton Abbey a little bit before it was announced that Masterpiece Theater was going to play it earlier this year, but I didn't know too much about it. It takes place in 1912/1913/1914, so in the Edwardian era. It's about a noble family and it's servants that live at the estate Downton Abbey. There are quite a few familiar faces to those who watch a lot of period dramas: Hugh Bonneville (Daniel Deronda), Maggie Smith (Becoming Jane, David Copperfield), Brendon Coyle (Lark Rise to Candleford), just to name a few. My mom and I just finished watching it. It was interesting, but be warned: there are some mature themes (with accompanying scenes) present in this series, but the scenes were only in the first couple of episodes.
I heard about North and South a while ago, and finally we bought it. I know that the book was by Elizabeth Gaskell, who also wrote Cranford and Wives and Daughters. I heard that it was good (and it's main character, Margaret Hale, has done well in "The Period Drama Heroine Tournament").
And I also got recently...
...the 1971 version of Sense and Sensibility. I had heard about this version, that it includes Joanna David (who was Mrs. Gardiner in Pride and Prejudice (1995)) as Elinor Dashwood, and Patricia Routledge (who was Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances) as Mrs. Jennings. I had only seen one version of Sense and Sensibility (the 1995 movie), so I wonder how this will compare.
Hope you enjoy N&S! I'll look forward to hearing a review of the 1971 S&S...I too have only seen the 1995 one, but Melody says that the 2008 one is also really good.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to the N&S and S&S reviews!! I liked the 1971 version of S&S better than the 1981 version. And maybe you'll add the newest S&S to your list of things to watch? hehe ;-)
ReplyDeleteOne of these days I might watch the 2008 version of Sense and Sensibility.
ReplyDeleteAmazing Grace is one of my all time favorite movies and you are going to LOVE North and South! Great choices!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to read the reviews! I am very very much looking forward to the North and South review! It is one of my favorites!!!!!!! <3
ReplyDelete~Elizabeth
I look forward to reading your thoughts on these films. I've hesitated reviewing and recommending Downton Abbey but I did really enjoy it (except for those few scenes/themes).
ReplyDeleteI love North & South! It's a bit darker than Cranford and Wives & Daughters (scenery not as bright) but the story is one of my favorites. I really enjoyed reading the book before I watched the miniseries and I connected with Margaret Hale like no other heroine I'd read about before.
S&S 1971 is a lovely version. I really enjoyed watching it and reviewing it a couple years ago (in my list of reviews on my sidebar). It's an older version so the scenes are more confined to indoor rooms and sound stages but I really enjoyed seeing Patricia Routledge in the role of Mrs. Jennings!
~Miss Laurie
Old-Fashioned Charm