Period Drama Week - Questionnaire and Poll

Again, thank you everyone for making Period Drama Week a possibility! I'm so glad that many of you enjoyed it. I have a couple of questions for you to answer if you have the time. Also, I've put up a new little poll at the side bar (and yes, the poll that I had up is still running): if you would be so kind as to vote, I would be grateful!

1. Overall, what was your opinion of Period Drama Week?
2. What were your favorite posts during the week? Not so favorite?
3. How was the trivia? Too easy? Too hard? Too long? Too short?
4. How was the tag? Was it too long or too short?
5. Did you like the days in which you could get involved? Or did you prefer the days in which the posts were more informative?
6. For the poll at the side bar (whether or not you would be interested in a blog that would be based upon the Period Drama Advice Column), do you have any more comments on it?
7. Lastly, do you have any suggestions for the posts for events?

Thanks everyone!

 God Bless,
 

Period Drama Week -Saturday: Conclusion (Part 4: Quotes and Which Period Drama Characters Would Be Friends)

Since I didn't have as many quotes as i would have liked for Friday's post, I opened the post for suggestions of favorite quotes. Melody from Regency Delight ~Jane Austen, etc.~ came up with a big list of quotes! Thanks Melody.

Sense and Sensibility (1995)
“If you cannot think of anything appropriate to say, you will please restrict your remarks to the weather.” ~Mrs. Dashwood

“It’s going to rain.”
“It is not going to rain.”
“You always say that and then it always does!”
~Margaret and Marianne

“I like Mrs. Jennings. She talks about things. We never talk about things.” ~Margaret

“I meant something less mournful, dearest.” ~Elinor

“I will think of something to tempt her. Does she care for olives?” ~Mrs. Jennings

“Lucy, if she tells you aught of the famous Mr. F., you must pass it on!” ~Mrs. Jennings

"Is there a felicity in the world superior to this?" - Marianne

"There's a bit of blue sky; let us chase it!" - Marianne

Pride and Prejudice (1995)
“Do you prefer reading to cards? That is rather singular.” -Mr. Hurst
“Miss Eliza Bennet despises cards. She is a great reader and has no pleasure in anything else.” ~Caroline Bingley
“I deserve neither such praise nor such censure. I am not a great reader, and I have pleasure in many things.” ~Elizabeth 
(It is slightly different in the movie)

“I have not the pleasure of understanding you. Of what are you talking?” -Mr. Bennet
“Of Mr. Collins and Lizzy. Lizzy declares she will not have Mr. Collins, and Mr. Collins begins to say he will not have Lizzy.” ~Mrs. Bennet
“And what am I to do on the occasion?--It seems a hopeless business.” -Mr. Bennet

“For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?” -Mr. Bennet

"I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women Mr. Darcy; I rather wonder at your knowing any." ~ Elizabeth

“An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents.--Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.” -Mr. Bennet

"A life holds few distinctions, Mrs. Bennet, but I think we may safely boast that here sit two of the silliest girls in the country.” -Mr. Bennet 

"Maria, this is your trunk, these are your gowns. You may arrange them in any way you wish. *whispers* Lady Catherine will never know!" ~Elizabeth

Emma (2009)
"A mile's walk and a daily scolding of Emma is just what Dr. Perry prescribes." -Emma (about Mr. Knightley)

Emma: We have heard that you are very musical, Mrs Elton.
Mrs Elton: Oh, I dote on it! Dote! As I said to Mr E. – don’t give me two carriages, don’t give me enormous houses, but I could not live without music. No. Life would be a blank to me without music.


“ ‘Knightley’, indeed. Never seen him in her life, and she calls him ‘Knightley’! Insufferable woman! Horrible, upstart, vulgar being with her ‘Mr E.’ and her ‘caro sposo’ and her carriages and air of pert pretentions and underbred finery. Actually to discover that Mr Knightley is a gentleman, and that the woman who brought me up should be ladylike! I’ve never met her equal! ‘Knightley’, indeed! I’ve known him all my life, and even Idon’t call him that!” –Emma 

Thanks Melody!

And here are the entries for "Which Period Drama Characters Would Be Friends?" Click the names to read the posts! If I forgot your's, let me know!

Miss Elizabeth Bennet from Elegance of Fashion

Miss Laurie from Old-Fashioned Charm




That concludes Period Drama Week! Thank You everyone for participating and making this event possible! Keep an eye out for a questionnaire on Period Drama Week!


 God Bless,
 

Period Drama Week - Saturday: Conclusion (Part 3: Period Drama Advice Column Entries)

Here are the entries to the Period Drama Advice Column! Feel free to read through them at your leisure. If you don't see your's listen, let me know!

Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables)'s Letter, Mary Bennet (Pride and Prejudice) and Amy March (Little Women)'s Responses (By Charity U from Austenitis)

Lady Violet (Downton Abbey)'s Letter, Lady Catherine de Bourgh (Pride and Prejudice)'s Response (By Miss Elizabeth Bennet from Elegance of Fashion)

Marguerite Blakeney (The Scarlet Pimpernel)'s Letter, Isabella Thorpe (Northanger Abbey)'s Response (By Abby from Newly Impassioned Soul)

Bella Wilfur (Our Mutual Friend)'s Letter, Mrs. Jennings (Sense and Sensibility) and Miss Pole (Cranford)'s Responses (By Miss Laurie from Old-Fashioned Charm)

Doctor Harrison (Cranford)'s letter, Emma Woodhouse's Response; Eliza Doolittle (My Fair Lady)'s letter, Mrs. General (Little Dorrit)'s Response (By Hayden from Story Girl)

Again, if I forgot your's, let me know as soon as possible so I can put it up!

God Bless,
 

Period Drama Week - Saturday: Conclusion (Part 2: Tag Quotes)

Thank you everyone that participated in the tag. Here are some quotes from you! I only included quotes from the tags that had links left here.

"Ooh, everything! I can’t possibly put it down to one thing…I love the beautiful costumes, scenery and scores. I love the element of escapism: living for a few hours in a world of the past where everything is very different, yet in some ways very similar to life now. I also like how you can rely on them to deliver good moral lessons, something which films and tv nowadays doesn't always do. Even the characters that don't act morally very rarely get a happy ending: they face the consequences of their actions, while those who do good are rewarded - in short, everything turns out as it should. Something else I like is how good manners and courtesy towards others is usual practice in period films." ~ Abby from Newly Impassioned Soul on what her favorite things in period dramas

"No matter how many times I watch the original series it always draws me in making me laugh and cry." ~ Miss Laurie from Old-Fashioned Charm on why Cranford is one of her top three period dramas


"I love having multiple adaptations!  If one's not great, it means you don't have to be annoyed because there already was or will be a better version. " ~Mimic of Modes from A Most Beguiling Accomplishment on why she loves multiple adaptations of period dramas


"Next, Marguerite. I like her because she's loving, strong, brave. And her hair's awesome. :)" ~ Charity U from Austenitis on her favorite character in The Scarlet Pimpernel


"Elinor would be my main reason for liking this book. I really like the story in general of showing that Sense is better than Sensibility. I like how it shows how unfair marrying how society wants you to marry. It is unfair to marry some one that you don't like, let alone love, just because they have a great social status. And that in the end it really shouldn't matter, what should matter is what makes you happy." ~ Elizabeth from The Endless Road on why she loves Sense and Sensibility 


"Very delightful, this movie. Another one that really lifts the spirits, it is so bright and cheery! I think the Emma and Knightley actors do an excellent job, and I love the music, costumes, etc." ~ Melody from Regency Delight ~ Jane Austen. etc~ on why she loves Emma (2009)


"Through them, I can live for a few hours in the past centuries I love and meet the characters of my favourites novels, like they would be real people. I also learn a lot about costumes and daily life in past times." ~ Irene from Cipria e Merletti on why she loves period dramas

Stay Tuned for the rest of the conclusion of Period Drama Week!


 God Bless,
 

Period Drama Week - Saturday: Conclusion (Part 1: Period Drama Trivia Challenge Answers and Winners)

Okay, so for the conclusion, I thought I would split it up into multiple posts throughout the day. So here's part 1 of the conclusion, and I know you've all been waiting for it... The Period Drama Trivia Challenge Answers! The Winners and the buttons for the Winners will be at the bottom of this post.

1. Which two period dramas were Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle in together?
   Correct Answer - Pride and Prejudice (1995) and The King's Speech (2010)
2. Name the three Jane Austen adaptations that were released in 1995.
   Correct Answer - Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion
3. What author wrote the novels The Way We Live Now, He Knew He Was Right, and the books that became The Barchester Chronicles?
   Correct Answer - Anthony Trollope
4. Who wrote the screenplay for Emma (2009)?
   Correct Answer - Sandy Welch
5. What three Pride and Prejudice (1995) actors/actresses were in The King's Speech?
   Correct Answer - Colin Firth (Prince Albert "Bertie"/King George VI), Jennifer Ehle (Myrtle Logue), and David Bamber (Theater Director)
6. How many adaptations of Sense and Sensibility (not spin-offs or modern retellings) were there from 1970 to the present?
   Correct Answer - Four (1971, 1981, 1995, and 2008)
7. How many versions were there of North and South (by Elizabeth Gaskell)?
   Correct Answer - Two (There was one in 1975 with Patrick Stewart as John Thornton and one in 2004 with Richard Armitage as John Thornton)
8. Name three period dramas that Michael Gambon was in.
   Possible Answers - Wives and Daughters, Emma (2009), Amazing Grace, The King's Speech, the Doctor Who Christmas episode (I guess it was like A Christmas Carol? Where Michael Gambon was Scrooge?)
9. Name three period dramas that Colin Firth was in.
   Possible Answers - Pride and Prejudice (1995), The King's Speech, The Importance of Being Earnest
10. Who wrote the screenplay to North and South?
    Correct Answer - Sandy Welch
11. Who wrote the screenplay to Wives and Daughters?
    Correct Answer - Andrew Davies
12. In Little Dorrit, what was Pet's real name?
    Correct Answer - Minnie
13. What was at stake in Cranford? In Cranford (2007), finish the quote: "There is ____ at stake!"
    Correct Answer - Lace
14. In North and South (2004), what did John Thornton mention before first proposing to Margaret Hale?
    Correct Answer - The Color of the Fruit 
15. What did Roger Hamley send to Molly Gibson in Wives and Daughters?
    Correct Answer - A Wasp's Nest
16. What was the name of Osborne Hamley's wife in Wives and Daughters?
    Correct Answer - Aimee (or Amy)
17. What was the name of the county that the Bennets lived in in Pride and Prejudice?
    Correct Answer - Hertfordshire
18. Who were Lady Bertram's sisters in Mansfield Park?
    Correct Answer - Mrs. Price (or Frances Price) and Mrs. Norris
19. What were the maiden names of the sisters in Question 18?
    Correct Answer - Ward
20. What was Mrs. Bennet's maiden name in Pride and Prejudice?
    Correct Answer - Gardiner (since Mr. Gardiner was her brother)
21. In He Knew He Was Right, what was Emily Trevelyan's maiden name?
    Correct Answer - Rowley (her sister was Nora Rowley)
22. What were the names of the sisters fighting over Mr. Gibson in He Knew He Was Right?
    Correct Answer - Camilla and Arabella French
23. Who were the four living members of the Carbury family in The Way We Live Now?
    Correct Answer - Lady Carbury (her first name was Matilda, but I don't remember mentioning her name in the movie), Sir Felix Carbury, Henrietta "Hetta" Carbury, and Roger Carbury
24. Where was Mrs. Elton originally from in Emma?
    Correct Answer - Bristol
25. What was Mrs. Elton's maiden name?
    Correct Answer - Hawkins
26. Name three period dramas that Romola Garai was in.
    Possible Answers - Emma (2009), Amazing Grace, As You Like It, Nicholas Nickleby, Daniel Deronda
27. True or False? The name of the Dashwood's original home in Sense and Sensibility was Morland.
    Correct Answer - False: it was Norland
28. Who was Isabella Thorpe engaged to in Northanger Abbey?
    Correct Answer - James Morland
29. What is the name of the family that owns Downton Abbey?
    Correct Answer - Crawley
30. Who were the three women that were trying for Doctor Harrison's affections in Cranford?
    Correct Answer - Sophy Hutton, Caroline Thomkinson, and Mrs. Rose
31. Who was Doctor Harrison actually in love with?
    Correct Answer - Sophy
32. What was the name of Lady Catherine de Bourgh's husband in Pride and Prejudice?
    Correct Answer - Sir Lewis de Bourgh (but I would have accepted Lewis)
33. How old was Margaret Dashwood in the 1995 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility?
    Correct Answer - 11 ("I'll be twelve soon.")
34. How old was Margaret Dashwood in the book Sense and Sensibility?
    Correct Answer - 13 ("Margaret, the other sister, was a good-humored, well-disposed girl; but as she had already imbibed a good deal of Marianne's romance, without having much of her sense, she did not, at thirteen, bid fair to equal her sisters at a more advanced period of life.")
35. What was Mrs. Weston's first name in Emma?
    Correct Answer - Anne
36. Who is the heir of Kellynch Hall (full name, please)?
    Correct Answer - William Elliot (though some put down William Walter Elliot; is Walter is middle name? I never picked up on it)
37. Who is the butler at Downton Abbey (full name again)?
    Correct Answer - Charles "Charlie" Carson (I wanted the full name)
38. Who is the house keeper at Downton Abbey (again, full name)?
    Correct Answer - Elsie Hughes (I wanted the full name)
39. Who are Mr. Darcy's cousins that are present in Pride and Prejudice?
    Correct Answer - Anne de Bourgh and Colonel Fitzwilliam
40. What was the name of the woman that Paul Montague was engaged to in The Way We Live Now?
    Correct Answer - Mrs. Winifred Hurtle
41. What was the name of the new bishop in The Barchester Chronicles (or Barchester Towers for the book)?
    Correct Answer - Bishop Proudie
42. What was the name of the chaplain for the bishop in #41?
    Correct Answer - Mr. Obadiah Slope (though he may have changed his name from Slop)
43. What was Henry Tilney's occupation in Northanger Abbey?
    Correct Answer - Clergyman
44. How many children were in Catherine Morland's family in Northanger Abbey?
    Correct Answer - Ten
45. How old were Elizabeth Elliot and Anne Elliot at the beginning of Persuasion (not counting the flashbacks)?
    Correct Answer - Elizabeth was 29 and Anne was 27
46. What was the "North" town in North and South? What was the "South" town?
    Correct Answer - The North town was Milton; the South town was Helstone
47. What was the name of Charles, Henrietta, and Louisa Musgrove's brother who served in the navy?
    Correct Answer - Richard "Dick" Musgrove
48. What was the name of the boy that Mr. Carter was teaching how to read in Cranford (2007)?
    Correct Answer - Harry Gregson
49. How many children do Isabella and John Knightley have in Emma?
    Correct Answer - Five ("...the sixteen miles being happily accomplished, and Mr. and Mrs. John Knightley, their five children, and a competent number of nursery-maids, all reaching Hartfield in safety. ")
50. Why is Molly Gibson in Wives and Daughters called Molly instead of her Christian name? What was her Christian name?
    Correct Answer - Molly's Christian name was Mary. She was called Molly to differentiate between her and her mother since her mother was also named Mary

Thank you everyone for participating! Now for the Top 5 Winners that will also recieve a button/award to put at the side of their blog!

Melody -- 76%

Miss Laurie -- 74%

Abby -- 72%

Mel -- 54%

Birdienl -- 44%

Congratulations! Here are the buttons for you to pick up!

Stay tuned for the rest of the conclusion for Period Drama Week!

God Bless,  

Period Drama Week Tag: Part 4

16. Who are your favourite actors/actresses from period drama?

Colin Firth

He's a great actor! He portrayed the definitive Mr. Darcy in the 1995 miniseries for Pride and Prejudice and also earned his Oscar for his portrayal of King George VI in The King's Speech.

Jennifer Ehle

Loved her as Elizabeth Bennet! She captured the wit and brightness that Jane Austen put into her!

Romola Garai

At first, I wasn't quite sure about her Emma. I thought that she was a little annoying, but then isn't Emma annoying at the beginning of Emma? By the time the miniseries was over, I grew to like Emma (just like when I read the book), and I knew Romola Garai was the best Emma. She also acted very well in Amazing Grace.

17. Do you prefer watching a regular-length movie or a more in-depth mini-series? Why?
 I much prefer watching a miniseries. With four or more hours, you get much more of a feel for the characters and their personalities and the story has enough time to develop, which is harder for a regular length movie.

18. What period drama has one of your favorite actors/actresses in it?

Pride and Prejudice

Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. 'Nuff said.

Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey has so many actors and actresses in there that I recognize. Seriously, it's like they took every actor that was in a period drama and casted them in here! Take a look at my review to see the actors and actresses that were in here that were in other period dramas!

19. Which heroine from which movie was your least favorite? Why?
I'll list a couple that aren't on my favorites list.

Nan St. George (The Buccaneers)

I just couldn't take Nan seriously. For the first half of the movie, they show her playing with her sister and friends and they were practically acting like five year olds. Her character also took an immoral route, which I really didn't like. She's just not a very good role model.

Evangeline Eliott (House of Eliott)

I always preferred Evie's sister, Bea, to her since Bea was always much more sensible than Evie. Evie was always emotional and based her decisions on emotion. I kind of like Evie until Season 2 when she came back from Paris. Afterwards, she was portrayed as being more "worldly" (kind of like Laura Timmins, she started to be a know-it-all). Plus, she made some immoral decisions, so I lost respect for her.

Laura Timmins (Lark Rise to Candleford)

I won't say that I always disliked Laura. During the first season of Lark Rise to Candleford, Laura was more innocent and it worked for her. She was just trying to learn how to work in the post office and to do her job right. She continued this way until the fifth episode of Season 2... when she met Fisher Bloom. Suddenly, she wasn't the Laura that I had come to like. Spoiler Then, when Fisher leaves, she spends a couple of episodes moping around about Fisher (understandable: break-ups can be hard). But then when she recovered, End of Spoiler she became this Know-it-all! She started to get a bit irritating. I still like Lark Rise to Candleford, but I definitely would say that Season 1 and 2 were the best seasons. Still, I would say that Lark Rise to Candleford a favorite of mine since Season 1 was so good!

20. Which three period dramas are your least favorite? 

In other words, which period dramas that I disliked the most. Here we go! Feel free to disagree, but respect my opinion on this question. This is just my honest opinion.

The Buccaneers (1995)

This is the one that I dislike the most. I can only describe it as horrendous. Besides the very mature, unnecessary scenes and themes, there really wasn't a character that you could relate to much. At least with me (and my mom also noticed it too), I couldn't take any of the girls seriously: they were much too silly for me. I will say that some of the scenery is okay and some of the costumes were okay (though some weren't), but they weren't enough to save this miniseries. It also seemed like at the end, the main characters were either a) unhappy with their lives or b) happy with their lives, but got it through rotten means.

Middlemarch (1994)

I felt that the whole thing was pretty boring... Plus even after five hours, I still didn't know who half the characters were (which, after five hours, you should not only recognize them, but really know them well). Content wise, it wasn't nearly as bad as The Buccaneers (though there was one scene that you may want to skip). But the whole thing came off as very dull.

A Christmas Carol (2009)

Two words: Jim Carrey. Okay, right from the movie poster, you could tell what kind of a movie it was, but Jim Carrey didn't help. I know there are a lot of people who really like Jim Carrey (though I never really did) and in certain roles, his hyper acting can be useful, but it really didn't work here. I mean, at the end when Scrooge was overjoyed, it wasn't Scrooge at all -- it was just Jim Carrey... Plus there were moments that resembled The Lord of the Rings than A Christmas Carol and there were costuming issues in the flashbacks (I know, I'm criticizing a animated movie on costuming, but it wouldn't be that hard to draw in/animate historically correct costuming). I can't say that a young child would enjoy it -- there are moments that would be too frightening for young children (hey, it was almost a little much for me!). My suggestion: watch another version of A Christmas Carol...

And that is all of the questions! Thanks for reading!


God Bless,
 

Period Drama Week: Links and Trivia Reminder

Just a friendly reminder: if you would like to participate in the Period Drama Trivia Challenge, do so quickly! You have until tonight to enter the answers!

And also, if you would like me to quote you for the conclusion of Period Drama Week, leave all the links to your participation posts here (Advice Column entries, Which Period Drama Characters Would Be Friends, Tags, etc.). 

Thanks!

God Bless,
 

Period Drama Week - Friday: Witty Quotes

That's one of the things we like about Period Dramas, isn't it? The great scripts and witty quotes that somehow creep into our daily lives? Of course it is! Here are some of the witty quotes that I find particularly witty.

Amazing Grace

"No matter how loud you shout, you will not drown out the voice of the people!" - William Wilberforce

"I am a great sinner and Christ is a great savior." - John Newton

Cranford

Doctor Harrison: Nothing like this is ever done in London

Deborah: You're not in London, Doctor Harrison... You're in Cranford now.

Deborah: I mean, what will people think of her? And worse... What will be said?

David Copperfield

"Let me see you ride a donkey over my green again, and I'll knock your bonnet off. --And tread upon it!" - Betsey Trotwood (Thanks, Melody from Regency Delight)

Downton Abbey

"We all have chapters that we would rather keep unpublished." - Robert Crawley

"So put that in your pipe and smoke it." - Lady Violet

Lark Rise to Candleford

"Right's right, and wrong ain't right." - Mr. Paxton, owner of the Wagon and Horses


"Young Alf, can I borrow your hat? I'm gonna do my trick for our squire, the one where I make my hat disappear, and it ain't anywhere to be found." - Twister Turrill

Pride and Prejudice (1995)

Miss Bingley: I believe I can guess your thoughts at this moment.
Mr. Darcy: I should imagine not.
Miss Bingley: You are thinking how insupportable it would be to spend many evenings in such tedious company.
Mr. Darcy: No, indeed, my mind was more agreeably engaged. I've been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow.
Miss Bingley: And may one dare ask whose the eyes that inspire these reflections?
Mr. Darcy: Miss Elizabeth Bennet's.
Miss Bingley: Miss Elizabeth Bennet. I am all astonishment. 

Sense and Sensibility (1995)

Elinor Dashwood: Margaret has always wanted to travel.
Edward Ferrars: I know. She's heading an expedition to China shortly. I'm to go as her servant. But only on the understanding that I am to be very badly treated.
Elinor Dashwood: What will your duties be?
Edward Ferrars: Sword fighting, obviously, administering rum and swabbing.
Elinor Dashwood: And which of these will take precedence?
Edward Ferrars: Swabbing, I imagine. 

Elinor Dashwood: I do not attempt to deny that I think very highly of him - that I greatly esteem him... I like him.
Marianne Dashwood: Esteem him? Like him? Use those insipid words again and I shall leave the room this instant. 



What did you think about the quotes? Are there any of your favorites that you didn't see? Suggest your favorite quotes in a comment. I'll include them for the conclusion of Period Drama Week! I didn't have as many quotes here as I would have liked, so keep the suggestions coming!

God Bless,
 

Period Drama Week Tag: Part 3

11. Which period drama which you haven't seen yet do you most want to watch?

There are a couple on my list of movies to watch. I'm not sure which ones I want to watch the most, but on the list (at least the ones which we own the DVD for) are...

Sense and Sensibility (1971)...

...Elizabeth: The Golden Age (My mom got it for Christmas, so we'll have to watch it eventually)...

...and Lost in Austen. I've heard that people either love this film or hate it, so I'll have to see what I think of it!

But they might have to wait for a little while: my mom and I started to watch The Duchess of Duke Street a little while ago (and we're enjoying it). It stars Gemma Jones, who was Mrs. Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility (1995) and Mrs. Fairfax in Jane Eyre (1997). When we're done watching Season 1 (out of 2), then I'll review it.

And, of course, I'm eagerly awaiting Season 2 of Downton Abbey (Which better be good! Season 1 left so many loose ends!).

12. Which period drama has the prettiest soundtrack or background music?
That's one of the things I love about period dramas -- the soundtracks. I'm not sure if I can pick just one soundtrack that has the prettiest, so I'll list a couple here.

 

The Pride and Prejudice (1995) soundtrack is very lovely. There are a number of very pretty pieces in there.

Another lovely soundtrack is the Sense and Sensibility (1995) soundtrack. Unfortunately, Kate Winslet's singing parts were left out, but the rest of the music is very lovely.

Unfortunately now on CD, there are a number of lovely background pieces in Little Dorrit (2008). The tone is a bit sad, but they are still pretty.

The main theme of Downton Abbey is amazing. Although there is one piece I swear is straight out of Little Dorrit, but overall, there are very lovely pieces in there. The soundtrack has not been released yet, so I haven't heard any of the songs outside of the series.

Lots of great pieces in The King's Speech Soundtrack. Love the rehearsal song!

13. Which period drama has your favorite screenplay/script? Why?

I love, love, love, love, love the screenplay for Pride and Prejudice (1995): it stays true to the original novel (in other words, I don't go through it thinking "You didn't say that! She did!") and it's very well written. The screenplay was written by Andrew Davies, who does make some really good scripts (though lately he's been adding some unnecessary scenes).

14. Do you like having multiple versions of some period dramas? Do some period dramas need a newer version? Or are the older versions better?

Sometimes I like multiple versions, other times not so much. For Pride and Prejudice, for example, I absolutely love the 1995 version, so if I watch another version of Pride and Prejudice, I'm usually disappointed (let's face it, Colin Firth is Mr. Darcy). I have seen the three latest versions of Emma, though. I love the 2009 version of Emma, but I did also like the Gwyneth Paltrow version (though it does seem to go by quickly!)

Mansfield Park (2007): What did you think of it?

As for new period dramas, there are a couple that I think need a better version. I've only started reading Mansfield Park not too long ago and never seen any of the movie versions, but from what I've heard, I think there needs to be a better version of it that most people can agree upon as the best version. There's at least one good version of each of Jane Austen's novels except Mansfield Park (though Northanger Abbey (2007) could have been improved by a lot script-wise, but it'll do for now). After Mansfield Park, there does need to be a better version of Northanger Abbey: from what I've heard about the 80's version, it's not good at all, and while the 2007 version had good actors and good acting, the script needed improvement (plus a great deal of it must have been invention).

 As far as the older period dramas being better goes, it depends: there are some older versions of period dramas that can't be improved upon much more, so any future ones would be looked upon possibly as a disappointment (see what I said above about Pride and Prejudice). But if there really isn't a "good", older version of a period drama, then I think the newer ones tend to be better. Like I said, it depends.

15. "What is the longest period drama you've seen?"

Miniseries: probably Little Dorrit (2008) (which was about six to seven hours long)

Regular Series: Lark Rise to Candleford (2008 - 2011) (4 seasons, 40 episodes)

 Stay Tuned for the Final Part of my Period Drama Week Tag!

God Bless,