The Making of Pride and Prejudice (BBC) by Susie Conklin, Sue Birtwistle
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Book Reviews of The Making of Pride and Prejudice (BBC)
Book Review: a lovely companion to the bbc miniseries
Summary: 5 Stars
There is no denying that Sue Birtwistle's production of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is an exquisite adaptation of one of the finest novels in English literature. The cast is magnificent, the script knows when to be faithful and when to adjust, the music is lovely, and the settings are lush perfection. Knowing all this, one does wonder about the many other people who brought this fine work to fruition. (If you have the DVD Special Edition, you may have met some of these individuals in the featurette "The Making of Pride and Prejudice".) This book is absolutely loaded with pictures and photographs that cover every aspect of the work behind-the-scenes and in front of the camera, from location scouting to casting, music and choreography, costumes, makeup, filming and post-production. I especially enjoyed the long conversation with Colin Firth (Darcy), the head shots of the actors (who sometimes look very different than one expects -- Jennifer Ehle with blonde hair comes to mind!), the typical day's schedule, and the locations map. I learned a lot about this production and filmmaking in general. This book is interesting, informative and very entertaining. If you like the book or the miniseries, you should enjoy this volume very much.
Book Review: What can I say that has not been said?
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a slim little volume, and you might be slightly disappointed when it arrives. But it is packed with information (in small type) and with fascinating pictures and snippets of information. Want to know how the actors and actresses were chosen and what problems they had with Regency English? This is the book. Want to know how the costume designers found the materials to make those lovely dresses, and where they got their inspiration? Again, this is the book. Want to know how to make a Regency costume? Sorry, this book cannot help. But you can get pointers by reading the pages on costume design. If you are a fan of Colin Firth and/or Jennifer Ehle, or simply love the BBC-A&E production of Pride and Prejudice (1995), you should obtain this book. Just reading this book once gives you so much information about the series, and a better understanding of how this production came about. Of course, you might want to keep the book instead of passing it on to a friend (sorry, Candace!). My only regrets are a) that I did not order this book earlier, and b) that I did not order two copies of this book while Amazon was having its free shipping deal. Candace will get her copy later.
Book Review: As entertaining as the film itself!
Summary: 5 Stars
This "behind-the-scenes" book is fantastic! As an avid fan of the miniseries (I own the video, and have watched it 7 times!), as well as the book, I thought I knew all there was to know about Pride and Prejudice. I learned the error of my thinking when I bought this book. The amount of information included in this book is invaluable. From background on the costume design to words from the composer and choreographer to a very interesting interview with Colin Firth (Darcy in the film), this book covered everything I could possibly wish to know, and more. A feature I found especially fascinating was a diary of an entire day of the filming of the miniseries - no small feat, from how the diary reads! The movie stills are as gorgeous as the action film itself, and the candid photos were hilarious! I also liked how quotations from Austen's novel were included in sidebars with stills from the film to enhance the understanding of a particular area of technical work. This "making of" book is a treasure in and of itself, and a wonderful companion to the stunning miniseries.Book Review: A behind-the-scenes look at a great movie!
Summary: 5 Stars
If you liked the BBC's "Pride & Prejudice," you MUST buy this book. Not only for the pictures of the movie and characters, but the tons of backstage photos you get. All of the characters in the movie are fleshed out as actors and you really get a better sense of the movie in the end. There is a section on the costume, makeup, set, production, casting,etc... basically everything you would ever need to know about P&P: both the mini-series AND the book. I mention this because I was plesantly surprised at seeing a section of the book dedicated to the mission of the mini-series and a perspective on the original P&P novel. This book will also be valuable to period actors/those wanting to make a adaptation, especially if interested paritcularly in the Regency. As an actress, it was interesting to hear the different casting stories and see the behind the scence pictures. It is the kind of insight you usually get on a commentary track (which the DVD does not have) complete with pictures! A great book for fans of the movie or book, and period actors or filmmakers.Book Review: A Perfect Companion Book with Stunning Photographs and Great Commentary
Summary: 5 Stars
For the first time, I recently watch the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. This adaptation created a desire to know more about the filming and the cast & crew. I was pleasantly suprised to discover this wonderful book of trivia.
The photographs of the cast out of character gave a truly amazing picture of the quality of the makeup artists and costumers. Some of these actors, you'd NEVER recognize on the street!
I genuinely enjoyed the insights into casting the miniseries and the search for the perfect locations.
For me though, the best part of the book was the interview with Colin Firth, what a joy! He is such a gentleman.
The book while short is jam-packed with trivia from where specific scenes were shot, what scenes were shot first/last and how the actors costumes developed over time!
Truly a purchase that I'm glad that I made