Each film adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre has upsides and downsides. Each film attempted to capture the essence of the book as well as it possibly could. Each actor in each film tried their best to portray the personality of their character and get their motives across. Some of the actors were able to better portray their characters and get their points across.
Zefferelli's film starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and William Hurt was very accurate to the plot of the book. Charlotte Gainsbourg's portrayal of Jane was very accurate to the descriptions of her in the book. Her physical features matched those described in the book and she behaved like her. William Hurt is a very talented actor, but I thought he was a little older and not quite as attractive as I had pictured him. The scenery was lovely and despite a few minor plot changes, the story line was very faithful to the novel.
White's film, which starred Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens, was fairly faithful to the plot of the novel. I liked the way this film went into more depth to show how she was excluded by her her Aunt and the rest of her family. I thought Ruth Wilson had potential, but ultimately, I don't believe she really captured Jane's essence. Toby Stephens made an excellent Rochester and the proposal scene from this movie was arguably the best of the three. However, some of the other scenes from White's film were fairly cheesy. For example, the Red room in this film was very cheesy, as it was just a red light shining on her face. They could have made some different decisions for setting in this adaptation, but it wasn't a bad movie.
Cary Fukunaga's film starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender had a gorgeous setting and very attractive actors. My main quarrel with this film was that I found the actors to be more attractive than I thought the characters should be. Michael Fassbender is a very attractive man and Mia Wasikowska is a beautiful woman. Not to mention, St. John looked like he could have been a male model. This may sound silly, but I did not like the fact that Jane was blonde in this version. I think that at this time fair hair was a sign of beauty and Jane was specifically supposed to be plain. However, I really enjoyed the interpretation of Bertha in this version.
Ultimately, I have to say that I think Zefferelli's film is probably the best in my opinion because of how accurate it is to the novel. However, it would have been even better if they had Charlotte Gainsbourg's Jane paired with Toby Stephens's Rochester in the setting from Fukunaga's film. Don't get me wrong, Michael Fassbender is a beautiful man, I just felt that he was perhaps a little too beautiful to play Mr. Rochester.
Friday, November 25, 2016
Monday, November 21, 2016
Value in Sticking to the Script
The novel Jane Eyre is vastly intriguing, standing the test of
centuries. What is most astounding is how relevant the story remains
after all these years. There is so much demand for the story that it
has been adapted into three movies in just the last twenty years. Each film differs in representing the characters, setting, and storyline. Each piece takes creative license on many aspects of the plot, but some choices make more sense than others.
The Franco Zeffirelli film has by far the best Jane. Charlotte Gainsbourg looks the most like Jane would, and has the passion ate and logical mind needed. She interacts with the other characters in the most authentically Janian of the three versions. However, the Rochester is a tad too stiff and harsh to completely embody the character. The aspect I like most about this film is it's accuracy to the novel; out of the three, it stays closest to the original plot and wording. The scene that best exemplifies this is Rochester's proposal; it takes place at night and in the orchard, just as per the book.
Susanna White does a decent job of staying with the overall story line and creating interest in the piece. On a side note, I enjoy that the girl who plays young Jane is Georgie Henley, the same actress that played Lucy in the Chronicles of Narnia. However, Rochester's proposal takes place in the daytime, which is contradictory to the book. During the day, Jane was usually with Adele, so it makes little sense that the two would have the time to have the discussion during the day.
Last but not least, Cary Fukunaga's Jane Eyre has the highest production value. Clearly a lot of time and energy (not to mention money) was put into this film. However, this version least akin to the book, creating its own plot from bits and pieces of the novel. While this is not necessarily a poor decision, it simply tells a different story. And viewing this as a person who views that book plotlines as sacred, I cannot appreciate this film as well as the others. Both the Jane and the Rochester are well-cast, but it's hard to get past the shifts in the story.
My favorite film, which much deliberation, is the Zefferelli. Aside from Fukunaga's production value and White's Adele, I appreciate how closely Zefferelli's stays to the novel but still finds new life in the story. THe Jane is a bit more well-cast than the Rochester, but I appreciate the pairing. Also, who can forget the way Rochester's horse fell in the scene where Jane and Rochester meet- it is quite hilarious.
The Franco Zeffirelli film has by far the best Jane. Charlotte Gainsbourg looks the most like Jane would, and has the passion ate and logical mind needed. She interacts with the other characters in the most authentically Janian of the three versions. However, the Rochester is a tad too stiff and harsh to completely embody the character. The aspect I like most about this film is it's accuracy to the novel; out of the three, it stays closest to the original plot and wording. The scene that best exemplifies this is Rochester's proposal; it takes place at night and in the orchard, just as per the book.
Susanna White does a decent job of staying with the overall story line and creating interest in the piece. On a side note, I enjoy that the girl who plays young Jane is Georgie Henley, the same actress that played Lucy in the Chronicles of Narnia. However, Rochester's proposal takes place in the daytime, which is contradictory to the book. During the day, Jane was usually with Adele, so it makes little sense that the two would have the time to have the discussion during the day.
Last but not least, Cary Fukunaga's Jane Eyre has the highest production value. Clearly a lot of time and energy (not to mention money) was put into this film. However, this version least akin to the book, creating its own plot from bits and pieces of the novel. While this is not necessarily a poor decision, it simply tells a different story. And viewing this as a person who views that book plotlines as sacred, I cannot appreciate this film as well as the others. Both the Jane and the Rochester are well-cast, but it's hard to get past the shifts in the story.
My favorite film, which much deliberation, is the Zefferelli. Aside from Fukunaga's production value and White's Adele, I appreciate how closely Zefferelli's stays to the novel but still finds new life in the story. THe Jane is a bit more well-cast than the Rochester, but I appreciate the pairing. Also, who can forget the way Rochester's horse fell in the scene where Jane and Rochester meet- it is quite hilarious.
Jane Eyre Through Film
Interpreting a novel into a cinematic production is often difficult and easily judged. However, it is clear that all three films had workers that wanted to portray the novel as best as they could in their production. Since Jane Eyre can be interpreted in a variety of ways and make connections for some that it doesn't for others, the depiction of this novel in film can be vastly different. Although the three films were created during different time frames and had their own unique and creative twist, they all have redeeming qualities that make them stand out and be successful.
In the 1996 production by Zeffirelli, the scene in which Jane walks outside to take a break from teaching Adele is exactly how I pictured it. There is an emphasis on the beauty and elegance of nature which was also present in the book. The film creators did a good job portraying this importance of nature. However, other aspects of the movie were not carried out as well as the other films and did not follow the book. For example, Jane woke up next to Helen when she was dead in her bed, however, in the book she was removed from the bed before she woke up. This was not accurate or aligned with the novel. In addition, when Jane met Rochester in the movie, it was a overcast day. In the novel, it was nighttime when they met and it was cold, dark, and icy. Lastly, the marriage proposal scene was very awkward in this film and seemed forced and uncomfortable. This film was my least favorite because most of the scenes, characters, and settings did not look or seem like they did while I was reading the novel.
In the 2006 production by White, Lowood is exactly how I pictured the school to look and the relationships that Jane has with the people there and with the Reed's are portrayed very well and are in line with the novel. This film does a very good job at portraying Jane and how she feels regarding different experiences in her life. One thing that happens incorrectly in this film is Jane waking up next to Helen after she has died; in the novel, Jane is removed from the bed before waking up. Aside from this, this version of the film portrays characters and scenes just as I pictured them from the novel. The proposal scene seemed quite accurate and natural unlike the previous film. This version was definitely my favorite out of the three.
The 2011 production by Fukunaga was quite different than the other two versions. This film had flashbacks taking place which added a new element to telling the story of Jane and her life. In addition, this film seemed to have more accuracy when comparing it to the book. For example, the scene in which Jane wakes up from sleeping next to Helen is portrayed correctly in that Jane is removed from the bed before she wakes up so she doesn't see Helen dead. One inaccuracy, however, was that the proposal scene took place during the day and not at night like it did in the novel. Despite this, the proposal scene in this film seemed the most realistic and had the best acting. Overall, this movie rated somewhere in between the other two for me personally.
Watching all three of these films and seeing both the subtle and obvious differences was very interesting and beneficial to further my interpretations and understandings of the novel itself. It was good to be shown other people's interpretations of the text and understand how others may relate to the story. My favorite film version would be the 2006 BBC production by Susanna White, however, I would not mind watching any one of the films in their entirety.
In the 1996 production by Zeffirelli, the scene in which Jane walks outside to take a break from teaching Adele is exactly how I pictured it. There is an emphasis on the beauty and elegance of nature which was also present in the book. The film creators did a good job portraying this importance of nature. However, other aspects of the movie were not carried out as well as the other films and did not follow the book. For example, Jane woke up next to Helen when she was dead in her bed, however, in the book she was removed from the bed before she woke up. This was not accurate or aligned with the novel. In addition, when Jane met Rochester in the movie, it was a overcast day. In the novel, it was nighttime when they met and it was cold, dark, and icy. Lastly, the marriage proposal scene was very awkward in this film and seemed forced and uncomfortable. This film was my least favorite because most of the scenes, characters, and settings did not look or seem like they did while I was reading the novel.
In the 2006 production by White, Lowood is exactly how I pictured the school to look and the relationships that Jane has with the people there and with the Reed's are portrayed very well and are in line with the novel. This film does a very good job at portraying Jane and how she feels regarding different experiences in her life. One thing that happens incorrectly in this film is Jane waking up next to Helen after she has died; in the novel, Jane is removed from the bed before waking up. Aside from this, this version of the film portrays characters and scenes just as I pictured them from the novel. The proposal scene seemed quite accurate and natural unlike the previous film. This version was definitely my favorite out of the three.
The 2011 production by Fukunaga was quite different than the other two versions. This film had flashbacks taking place which added a new element to telling the story of Jane and her life. In addition, this film seemed to have more accuracy when comparing it to the book. For example, the scene in which Jane wakes up from sleeping next to Helen is portrayed correctly in that Jane is removed from the bed before she wakes up so she doesn't see Helen dead. One inaccuracy, however, was that the proposal scene took place during the day and not at night like it did in the novel. Despite this, the proposal scene in this film seemed the most realistic and had the best acting. Overall, this movie rated somewhere in between the other two for me personally.
Watching all three of these films and seeing both the subtle and obvious differences was very interesting and beneficial to further my interpretations and understandings of the novel itself. It was good to be shown other people's interpretations of the text and understand how others may relate to the story. My favorite film version would be the 2006 BBC production by Susanna White, however, I would not mind watching any one of the films in their entirety.
1+1+1=1
Many books are adapted into different versions, the most popular of which being a film. Most likely the films are created to let a book be enjoyed by those who might not be inclined to read it. They are also created when a book is written to be descriptive and full of such intense imagery as to make the reader want to be able to see the plot and not just imagine it. However, in the process of turning a book into a film, the writers and directors have to adapt and modify the plot as to make it fit a film’s format. Because of this, even film adaptations of the same book can be different and portray ideas differently than presented in the book. Of the three Jane Eyre adaptations we watched in class each has its own faults and strengths in accurately portraying the novel.
The first film we watched was directed by Franco Zeffirelli, famous for his modern adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Though the film recognized the importance of Jane’s childhood, it added a few scenes to make it pass faster than it did in the book. Rather than a gradual building of a friendship with Helen and Jane, it forms almost instantly when Helen shares her music with Jane, something that was not present in the book. Also, this adaptation doesn’t have Jane as a teacher at Lowood, and Helen is the only girl who we see become ill, so the film suggests that the entirety of Jane’s time at Lowood was just suffering.
Like the first film, the BBC adaptation also begins in Jane’s childhood. However, rather than have the scene in the red room be a hallucination brought from child-like fear as it is presented in the book, this film shows it as possibly real. They have red light illuminating the entire room, and they have an actor for Mr Reed appear on the bed. During the proposal scene this film has Jane and Rochester talking during the day rather than at night as they were in the book, but it does include the ominous storm following their discussion. It even includes the foreshadowing of the lightning bolt striking the tree where Rochester had just proposed to her.
Unlike the other films, the Universal version does not follow the exact plot of the novel, instead starting at the moment when Jane is running from Rochester’s house. This has the viewer’s first impression of Jane to be different from the book. Instead of a rebellious girl fighting against unfair circumstances, Jane is first viewed as a weak, ill, and in fear of something from her past. This adds an element of mystery to the plot, as well as intrigue into Jane’s past rather than the book’s anticipation of the future.
Though the each film as approached the novel differently, they all display the key themes and events from the novel. Each has the heart wrenching moment of Jane’s only friend dying and the teachers at Lowood being unsympathetic towards it besides Miss Temple. They all also show Mrs Reed's favoritism for her children and Jane’s constant seclusion during childhood. Some create new scenes or have different approaches in their portrayals, but through these differences they show the same main ideas of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre.
What Makes a Good Book-to-Movie Adaptation
There have been many book-to-movie adaptations that have made me excessively and unnervingly happy, just as there have been many that have made me excessively and unnervingly disappointed. There is really no room for anything in between. This is true for many literary nerds like myself, and everyone likely has a different standard for what makes a good book-to-movie adaptation. Mine involves two things: accuracy to the original book’s plot and descriptions, and translating the words to the screen in a way that is just as exciting as the book was.
The first Jane Eyre movie had a lot going for it. I think it did very well in conveying the mood of the book on screen. Jane was plain and passionate, her life and love just as so. Lowood was cold and unforgiving, and Gateshead and Thornfield were both the perfect amount of spooky. However, many things about the plot were changed for the sake of making the movie interesting. Helen’s characterization, for me, was the most drastic change, turning her from a methodical and introverted girl to a warm and immediate friend. I believe that accuracy should never be sacrificed for ratings, so this does not rise to the top of my favorites list.
The second movie was much more accurate. John Reed hitting Jane with the book was kept, Jane’s head wound was kept, the ghost in the red room was kept, and that’s all just in the first few minutes of the movie. Despite all that, it wasn’t a very good movie. There was no connection from one event to the next, and though I’m not certain, I think that someone who has never read the book would have an extremely difficult time understanding what was going on. In the same vein as the above paragraph, I also believe that ratings should never be satisfied for accuracy. Therefore, this is not my favorite, either.
Good Films Show the Novel in Other Ways
Re-creating novels into movies is a tough feat. It's nearly impossible to get the film to match the book word for word. That is why sounds and images are important to tell the story. It's imperative that the way the film is recorded embodies the images and sounds a reader would have in mind. The 2006 BBC Jane Eyre, directed by Susanna White, does just that; the noises and footage put into the film make up for not being able to read the novel exactly how it is written.
This film opens artistically with the books Jane liked to read as a child, and show how the book is pictured in Jane's young mind. The other films forgo this. The first scene is more closely done to the novel than the other two, which is important. The Red Room in this novel is a little dramatic, but it really drives home the point of how this room may have looked in a young child's mind. Another important detail that this film orchestrated better than the other two is the effect of disease among the school at Lowood. The impact and severity, as well as number of girls, is shown clearly. Even though the transition from little Lowood Jane to grown up Lowood Jane was just as choppy as the first film, this one shows Jane being an adored teacher at Lowood and the other one does not. Finally as far as plot goes, the proposal scene is quite verbally accurate because Blanche is mentioned as well as all the doubts Jane has, and just like in the novel, it rains in the movie during Rochester and Jane's run back to Thornfield.
When reading Jane Eyre, there is plenty of outside imagery and descriptions of nature. This film captures that best. There were plenty of nature and outside shots shown. During the proposal scene the sound of chirping birds can be heard. The weather and darkness are also created well in this movie. Nature, an important part of the novel, becomes an equally important factor in the movie.
This take on Charlotte Bronte's novel speaks the most. It represents the novel the best by really portraying images and how they would look to not only a viewer, but characters inside the film/book. The movie focuses on nature, which corresponds with what the book highlights as well. Obviously a film cannot be exactly like a novel, but this movie makes up for it with other artistic ideas of showing plot and moods.
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Who Has More Passion ?
The three different interpretations of the novel Jane Eyre differ immensely. From the actors to the setting all of them depict the same scenes, events, and relationships in different ways. Each film evokes a different emotional response from viewers thus leading viewers to different opinions of each. Of the three interpretations I did not enjoy Franco Zeffirelli's 1996 interpretation very much at all, but enjoyed aspects of both Susanna White's 2006 interpretation and Cary Fukunaga.
Overall, I did not enjoy Zeffirelli's interpretation. There were many aspects of the film that broke away from what actually happened in the novel. For example, Jane wakes up next to Helen Burns' dead body instead of being carried away before waking. This bothered me because I feel as though waking up next to the body of your best friend would have some serious psychological effects on a young girl. Due to the fact that this did not actually happen in the book, I do not think that the director should have made it a part of the movie. Additionally, in this version I did not get the sense that Jane and Rochester passionately loved each other. They seemed a bit more cold to each other and the way they kissed was very strange and lacked passion.
There were different aspects that I enjoyed about both White and Fukunaga's interpretations of the film. White's version included many physical details that really enhanced the viewing experience. For example, the depiction of Adele in this version is very accurate and detailed. The done up curly hair and ostentatious dress is exactly what I would have expected from the book's description of Adele. I liked that in this interpretation Adele sang and danced in the exact way in which I pictured in the book. Additionally, the proposal scene includes much more emotion and passion than the first film. I appreciated this because it feels more accurate. I got the feeling that Jane and Rochester genuinely loved each other and actually wanted to be together. There were many aspects of Fukunaga's interpretation that I also enjoyed.
Fukunaga's interpretation included my favorite Jane. Although she had strawberry blonde hair, I thought she did the best job at conveying Jane's passionate personality that is evident in the novel. Another aspect I liked about this version was the fact that it flashed back and forth between Jane at St. John's and Jane at different points in the book. I thought that this was a nice cinematic touch as it builds suspense and keeps viewers engaged. The proposal scene in this version was by far the most passionate. I felt the raw emotions of both Jane and Rochester through the words they said to each other and I really enjoyed that feeling. Overall, I thought that this version was the most unique and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Each interpretation of the original novel was unique. Each made me think about the book differently and made me appreciate the story even more. It was interesting to see the different interpretations pinned up against one another.
Overall, I did not enjoy Zeffirelli's interpretation. There were many aspects of the film that broke away from what actually happened in the novel. For example, Jane wakes up next to Helen Burns' dead body instead of being carried away before waking. This bothered me because I feel as though waking up next to the body of your best friend would have some serious psychological effects on a young girl. Due to the fact that this did not actually happen in the book, I do not think that the director should have made it a part of the movie. Additionally, in this version I did not get the sense that Jane and Rochester passionately loved each other. They seemed a bit more cold to each other and the way they kissed was very strange and lacked passion.
There were different aspects that I enjoyed about both White and Fukunaga's interpretations of the film. White's version included many physical details that really enhanced the viewing experience. For example, the depiction of Adele in this version is very accurate and detailed. The done up curly hair and ostentatious dress is exactly what I would have expected from the book's description of Adele. I liked that in this interpretation Adele sang and danced in the exact way in which I pictured in the book. Additionally, the proposal scene includes much more emotion and passion than the first film. I appreciated this because it feels more accurate. I got the feeling that Jane and Rochester genuinely loved each other and actually wanted to be together. There were many aspects of Fukunaga's interpretation that I also enjoyed.
Fukunaga's interpretation included my favorite Jane. Although she had strawberry blonde hair, I thought she did the best job at conveying Jane's passionate personality that is evident in the novel. Another aspect I liked about this version was the fact that it flashed back and forth between Jane at St. John's and Jane at different points in the book. I thought that this was a nice cinematic touch as it builds suspense and keeps viewers engaged. The proposal scene in this version was by far the most passionate. I felt the raw emotions of both Jane and Rochester through the words they said to each other and I really enjoyed that feeling. Overall, I thought that this version was the most unique and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Each interpretation of the original novel was unique. Each made me think about the book differently and made me appreciate the story even more. It was interesting to see the different interpretations pinned up against one another.
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