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Pride & Prejudice
Universal Studios Product Details |
Amazon.com
Literary adaptations just don't get any better than director Joe Wright's 2005 version of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. The key word here is adaptation, because Wright and gifted screenwriter Deborah Moggach have taken liberties with Austen's classic novel that purists may find objectionable, but in this exquisite film their artistic decisions are entirely justified and exceptionally well executed. It's a more rural England that we see here, circa 1790 (as opposed to Austen's early 19th century), in which Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley) is one of several sisters primed for marriage, with an anxious mother (Brenda Blethyn) only too desperate to see her daughters paired off with the finest, richest husbands available. Elizabeth is strong-willed and opinionated, but her head (not to mention her pride and prejudice) lead her heart astray when she meets the wealthy Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen), whose own sense of decency and discretion (not to mention his pride and prejudice) prevent him from expressing his mutual affection. They're clearly meant for each other, and as Knightley's performance lights up the screen (still young enough to be girlishly impertinent, yet wise beyond her 20 years), Austen's timeless romance yields yet another timeless adaptation, easily on par with the beloved BBC miniseries that has been embraced by millions since originally broadcast in 1995. Individual tastes will vary as to which version should be considered "definitive," but with a stellar supporting cast including Judi Dench and Donald Sutherland, this impeccable production achieves its own kind of perfection. --Jeff Shannon
Description
One of the greatest love stories of all time, Pride & Prejudice, comes to the screen in a glorious new adaptation starring Keira Knightley. When Elizabeth Bennett (Knightley) meets the handsome Mr. Darcy (Matthew MacFadyen), she believes he is the last man on earth she could ever marry. But as their lives become intertwined in an unexpected adventure, she finds herself captivated by the very person she swore to loathe for all eternity. Based on the beloved masterpiece by Jane Austen, it is the classic tale of love and misunderstanding that sparkles with romance, wit and emotional force. Critics are calling it "Exhilarating. A joy from start to finish" (Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times).
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Pride & Prejudice
- DVD: 0 pages (2006-02-28)
- Publisher: Universal Studios
- Label: Universal Studios
- Starring: Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Rosamund Pike, Jena Malone, Carey Mulligan
- Director: Joe Wright (IV)
- Encoding: Region 1
- Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1,
- Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
- Studio: Universal Studios
- DVD Release Date: 2006-02-28
- Run Time: 129
- Average Customer Review:
 based on 875 reviews
- Sales Rank in DVD: #150
Avg. Customer Review:
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Good movie; poor adaptation 2008-10-08
Comment: On the one hand, the music, the costumes, the hair, and the scenery are all very well done; and the movie does have a good fast pace to it. The designers showed great perception in having different levels of up-to-dateness and fashion among the various characters; the visuals are almost without fault, and the soundtrack is not bad at all.
On the other hand, Jane Austen should never seem fast-paced, even within the limitations of cutting a novel down to fit within 2 hours or so (there's a reason why there's a mystery series where the detective is Jane Austen herself) and there is also lacking in the movie a sense of Jane Austen's ineffable good humor. People are all to willing to tell their secrets, and constantly saying "Oh, didn't you know? . . ." and, for example, when Charlotte announces that she is to marry Mr. Collins, she exclaims, "Don't you dare judge me, Lizzie!" when there was no question of Elizabeth judging Charlotte in the book at all, only questioning her future happiness.
So you'll probably enjoy the movie more if you're not a Jane Austen fan to begin with than if you are.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Love this movie!!! 2008-10-08
Comment: This is one of my favorite love stories. I can watch it over and over again and never get tired of it. Kiera does an amazing job too and has become one of my favorite actress to watch. She's got a great future ahead of her. I've seen other versions of Pride and Prejudice and I think this is the best hands down!
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: I'm totally in love.............................. 2008-10-08
Comment: I think I watched it ten times in a row; it's that kind of movie. What a fantastic job done by the director and stunning cinematography. The music is some of the best I've ever heard. The acting was incredible! The scenery was amazing! You get sucked right in and never want to leave. I didn't think they could pull off a two hour version but it was so wonderful. I do wish it had been 30 minuets longer so we could see more interaction between Elizabeth and Darcy. But this version gets the point across with such passion it makes you want to melt. I think the casting was great, I especially liked Rosamund Pike and Mathew Macfadyen. I'm not a big fan of Knightley, but it was great casting she did well and I liked her in it. I think Brenda Blethyn cast as the mother was a bit annoying but maybe that was their point. I don't understand why all the book nuts say it has to sick by the book word for word. This is such an entertaining film and I think Jane Austen her self would have really enjoyed it.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: Pride & Prejudice 2008-10-01
Comment: This is a great version of the well known story. The movie is enchanting and takes you to another world. Love to stick this movie in while working around the house.
0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating: 
Summary: A fairly Poor Adaption of P&P 2008-10-01
Comment: I am kind of an Austen Purist.I watched this movie trying to be open minded, and if possible, to view it as a separate entity from the book. It didn't really work.
As a romantic comedy, it would pass, but as an adaption of Pride Prejudice, it falls rather flat. First of all, the casting is rather week in most areas. Keira Knightly does a tolerable job as Elizabeth, but one can't help but be disappointed in what seems like a lack of depth to her character. Mathew McFadyen doesn't really seem to be acting at all and merely looks morose a lot of the time. Lady Catherine Debourgh (sp) is well cast in Judie Dench, as is the actress who plays Charlotte Lucas. But that is about as far as it goes.
Nearly all of the priceless quotes and speeches that readers love so well are cut out, and by condensing the storyline to two hours, you have very little development of any relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth. The Pemberly scenes are very choppy and all of the beautiful scenes between Darcy and Elizabeth are non existent. The ending is quite week and is a total departure from the book. Add to all of this that her family is all portrayed as a listening behind the door, giggling all of the time group of idiots, without the exception of Jane, or her father, who are supposed to be a great deal more sensible than the rest of her family.
Finally, it just didn't really feel period accurate to me. The costumes seemed to vary, and looked as if they were assembled from more than one century,while the sets seemed incomplete and rather empty for the most part.
For anyone looking for a faithful adaption of the book, with tremendous actors and amazing quality, watch the BBC version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.
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