Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 130
 Against my "better?" judgment! September 19, 2008
Mrs. C. Shepherd (Stockport UK)
31 out of 32 found this review helpful
When I first read about "Lost in Austen" in Radio Times I thought it sounded like an amazingly silly idea. I decided I probably wouldn't bother to watch it. Thank goodness my curiosity got the better of me, I am thoroughly enjoying it and can't wait to see how they get the story back on track---if indeed they do! The overall look of the production is classy and colourful,with some very intriguing new takes on these much-loved characters, especially Mr.and Mrs.Bennett and Lady Catherine. Jane Bennett's decline after her disasterous marriage is heart-wrenching, almost too heavy for the light-hearted comedy of so much of the production. As a life-long Jane Austen fan, "Lost in Austen" has proved to be a very pleasant, unexpected surprise!
Give it a chance September 25, 2008
P. Maslin (UK)
61 out of 66 found this review helpful
I ignored the first couple TV episodes thinking 'utter rubbish, how can they interfere with P and P'? I was urged by friends to watch the third and loved it! Thankfully I caught up online, it was joyful and my loyalty to the Colin Firth Darcy although not surpassed was tinged with respect for Elliot Cowan's interpretation. This production made me smile and cry, don't view it as an Austin purest but as a slant on a much loved story, just enjoy.
A treat October 13, 2008
P. Smith (Vienna)
20 out of 21 found this review helpful
At one point in this lovingly-made, delightful and funny production the invented Austen character Miss Amanda Price, acted with verve by Jemima Rooper, persuades Mr Darcy to play Colin Firth (in that soaked shirt scene so tortured by the pause button on so many VHS recorders for so long by so many female followers) and exclaims 'I'm having a strange post-modern moment here.' It's a telly moment to relish.
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br /What went right with this four-part series? Just about everything.
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br /You have the Pride and Prejudice story intact but endangered by its time-travelling visitor yet the feel of the story is there in a way that no television or film production has captured since arguably its best ever representation, the BBC series (pre-dating the Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle effort for all its merit) with the Fay Weldon scripted excellence that was the BBC's production in 1980.
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br /Looking just at the, how can I put it, the dramatic 'side' of "Lost in Austen" I think some of the characterizations in this series approach and in a couple of cases even surpass the performances of the actors in the definitive 1980 Pride and Prejudice series. Both excel in their own way and just in case you are at all worried about any humorous tinkering that might 'spoil' the original Austen story then all I can say is please don't be. This series I think appeals on several levels, not least to fans, like me, of the original novel.
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br /Apart from anything else, here we have the best and prettiest ever Jane (Morven Christie) and the best ever Wickham (played by Tom Riley) to name but two from a cast who clearly enjoyed themselves making this series. However, singling out anyone is perhaps unfair because there are very convincing performances all round. The director, too, handles adeptly the original story as if re-telling it to fellow fans but adding some of his own wry "Life on Mars" type jokes along the way. It just works.
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br /The series is a credit to all concerned but if special mention be made then it should be of Guy Andrews who wrote the script giving all its invented PP scenes a witty and authentic Austen irony.
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br /He also gifts us such lines as "Miss Elizabeth Bennet has just lent me her mobile..."
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br /Miss Amanda Price's expression as she delivers this deadpan line is a treat.
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br /So is this series.
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Down Town is back! January 2, 2009
psalem (Kingston, England)
30 out of 32 found this review helpful
For some reason one of the funniest sequences in this wonderful comedy was cut when this dvd was released - Amanda singing Down Town to Mr Darcy and friends. There was a bit of an outcry, and it seems to have done some good because it's been restored! It encapsulates everything that is magic about this show. Jemima Rooper was born to play Amanda - her comic timing is spot on and she's very lovable. Mr Bingley makes me laugh every time I watch this scene, and Mr Darcy's face - at first horrified, and then secretly amused - is a great turning point in the love story. I don't know what they were thinking of cutting it before but it appears pester power has worked!!
No singing please January 3, 2009
Anthony Whitfield (London, England)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
This is an excellent twist on the very familiar 'Pride and Prejudice'. Just one thing spoils this dvd release. In the second tv episode, Jemima Rooper, unable to play piano, entertains her hosts by singing 'Down Town',(a song her Mother used to sing to her when she was little, and bear in mind this was early 1800's). On the dvd, this two minute scene has been cut (a copyright issue so I'm told), quite making nonsense of the scenes just before and after. Otherwise this is excellent, it is well thought out and acted, and the actors well chosen. It is of course much more amusing than PP. Pride and Prejudice and time travel in one neat package.
br /SINCE WRITING THIS, I'M TOLD THE MISSING SCENE IS BEING REINSTATED. THE ONLY WAY TO TELL IF YOU HAVE THE NEW VERSION IS BY THE DVD NUMBER. 37115-28213 IS THE OLD NUMBER.Jan.2009. Check reverse of cover BEFORE you remove wrapper, if it doesn't mention deleted scenes it is the new version. IF YOU REMOVE THE CELLOPHANE FIRST, YOU CAN'T SEND IT BACK.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 130
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