Pride and Prejudice: 1995 BBC miniseries vs 2005 Movie
Posted by shiftee on September 26, 2007
Pride and Prejudice is one of the most beloved classics of all time. The romantic story revolving around two of the greatest characters has captured many readers in the world. The heroine Ms. Elizabeth Bennet has attracted us with her wit and intelligence rare in the period set in the novel. The lead male character Mr. Darcy, with his standards and proud aura, has captivated many as well.
With the novel receiving many favorable reviews and getting favorable critiques, it was expected that the story would be adapted into the screen. There were many versions and adaptations, but the two most popular would be that of the 1995 BBC mini series, starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth, and the 2005 film, starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen.
1995 BBC TV serial
BBC’s Pride and Prejudice was composed of 6 episodes, and the entire series pretty much stuck loyally with the events of the novel. Audiences loved it, and the Rotten Tomatoes has given it a perfect 100%!
One look at Jennifer Ehle and you’re sure that she’s great for the role. She exhibits intelligence and sharpness that holds true to the character of Elizabeth Bennet.
Colin Firth has also brought about a great impression as Mr. Darcy. Both of them, him and Mathew MacFadyen, has been praised for their performances as the silent and serious hero.
2005 Film
Unlike the British TV serial which remained with the main storyline of the novel, the film had many changes. This is understandable as following the novel in its entirety would result in very long long long long movie. Scenes had to be cut and the storyline had to be revised in order to adapt it to the big screen.
Keira Knightley was nominated for an Oscar with her role as Elizabeth Bennet. She was also the only one of the Elizabeths that was of the same age as the character.
Matthew MacFadyen delivers a more brooding and silent Mr. Darcy, and is being compared with Colin Firth as to who is the best Mr. Darcy.
The movie is particularly complimented on director Joe Wright’s use of complex and sweeping shots that lasts several minutes. It eventually won him the BAFTA Carl Foreman Award for Most Promising Newcomer.
Aside from Keira Knightley’s nomination and Joe Wright’s award, Pride and Prejudice 2005 also garnered three more nominations in the Academy Awards (Achievement in Art Direction, Achievement in Costume Design, and Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures ), and four more nominations in the BAFTAs.
September 27, 2007 at 7:50 pm
I’m a huge Pride & Prejudice fan and have seen both the Colin Firth and the Matthew Macfadyen versions (many times) as well as reading the book. The 1995 Keira Knightly/Matthew Macfadyen version is my favorite of the two, but I think that has a lot to do with me being a huge Matthew Macfadyen and Keira Knightly fan. (I love Colin Firth too, but prefer his more recent comedy roles to his serious roles.) Also, I truly enjoyed the sweeping film shots in the 2nd one that were alluded to above. I truly enjoyed how the way the sweeping film making and directing choices enhanced the mood of the movie, which definitely helped put it into my list of “favorite all time movies.”
October 2, 2007 at 2:36 pm
I think I’m also biased. I like the movie better because of Matthew Macfadyen. Colin Firth was also great but I liked Matthew’s expressions better. Colin’s was more realistic and loyal to the novel, but Matthew’s gave a more charismatic meaning to the role.
I’m not really into Keira Knightley, but she gave a great performance. Jennifer Ehle also gave justice to the role; she has the looks of a strong-willed woman.
i also like the movie better because of the supporting characters. There were characters in the British serial that just didn’t suit my taste. I can’t quite get over Ms. Bingley, for example. She didn’t seem so sophisticated to me, as should be. Still, their performances were… what was the word? ahhh.. capital!
March 3, 2008 at 6:01 am
Personally I found the ‘Hollywood’ version of the timeless classic ‘Pride and Prejudice’ an absolute disgrace!
It shamefully neglected the story line and the acting on the behalf of both Keira and that other fellow was utterly shocking!
It was painful to watch and on numerous occasions my stomach positively turned and felt ill at the obscene disregard of a number of strict customs that were accentuated in the BBC version.
All in all. The most recent Pride and Prejudice was a knife in the heart of any true P&P fan.
March 18, 2008 at 7:07 am
i totally agree with Sarah, this new version of Pride and Prejudice was an absoltuely disgrasful attempt to rewaken Pride and Prejudice anybody who read the book will agree that the whole movie is wrong from the characters to the settings and even the words, toatlly aweful, Mr Darcy wasn’t even good looking and Kiera Knightley was so bad for the role that it is not funny, i absolutley hated it!!!!
April 9, 2008 at 1:34 am
The movie version was, in my opinion, a monstrosity! I cannot believe that people would actually spend money to ruin such historically divine work…As a Literature student there is a fine line between absurdity and sublime and quite frankly the movie version was nothing but absurd. I would prefer to sit down for that 330 minutes to watch the 1995 version than the 1 hr odd of the movie.
Personally i dont believe this is how Jane Austen would have wanted her novel to be interpreted and i wont bash the director/producer but i would like to request to him/her that in the event that they want to dramatize a novel do not let another “hollywood version of Pride and Prejudice” happen again.
….::TIKI::…
April 9, 2008 at 2:39 pm
When i first heard of the making of the latest P&P movie. I knew instantly it would be a poor adaptation of the book. It is impossible to capture the essence of such a great piece of literature in just one hour.
I enjoyed the 1995 adaptation immensly as it is true to the book and the characters were portrayed as best they could especially Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet. Portraying Elizabeth Bennet is something which Keira Knightley failed to do.
April 9, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Looks like the movie isn’t as well-loved as I thought.. ^_^
June 9, 2008 at 7:08 pm
I actually find very disappointing the 2005 version..Even though i liked both Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen very much, because both of them are closer to how i imagined the protagonists to be when i read the novel (i meam physical appearance), the story line and the changes in the plot in general very bad. It seemed to me as they trying to talk as fast as they could just to be able to put as much as they could in 2 hours. The 1995 BBC version was much better. Colin Firth was excellent..