Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Not in Heaven Yet, but Getting There!

Oh, my dearest bloggers! I try to shy away from religious phrases and such because I know that not everyone shares my beliefs and because I started this blog to have discussions on Literature, NOT religion. But I can't help myself. I am in a state of happiness. I have to say it!

"God is GOOD!"

What propelled me to make a religious exclamation and post the word "heaven" in my title? Cary Fukunaga's 2011 version of Jane Eyre has leaked to the internet. I have just logged off from watching it free. Imagine the state of euphoria I'm in, readers!

First off, let me give some immediate disclaimers. If you haven't seen the movie yet, don't try and look this up and watch it just because you want to be cheap and save some money. The movie is worth the ten dollar ticket, and is MUCH better expressed on a cinema screen than on a fuzzy 6 inch "youtube" style DivX player.

There's also only one site (or at least one that actually works and doesn't infiltrate your computer with viruses) that shows the movie in its entirety, and it comes at a price. The quality isn't good at all. It was watchable, but not to a very high extent. In fact, fifteen minutes into watching it I had to turn off my Gateway laptop and log onto my mother's macbook that has better screen quality. If you don't have a mac (the clarity of a mac screen is a great deal better than any other brand) then I would suggest you don't bother watching it.

The audio is also out of sync. Their lips are moving before they actually say their lines, and that will distract you throughout the whole thing. Therefore, if you haven't seen the movie yet DON'T try to find it. You're better off without it, and seeing the adaption on a fuzzy screen with screwed-up audio is worse than not seeing it at all because it ruins the feel of your "first time" movie experience.

For those who have seen the adaption already, it all depends on how you can cope with the glitches. I'm so obsessed that I just HAD to see it even with the obvious downsides it presented. It wasn't all that bad. I still had tears come to my eyes (whereas in the movie with a good screen and perfectly tuned audio, I was sobbing), and this will be enough to hold me until the DVD comes out. But I'm not going to watch it again. I don't want to ruin my "DVD" experience, the same way I don't want to ruin the "first time" experience for those who haven't seen the movie at all.

All in all, heaven is fifty-nine days away for me. Before the video leaked, it seemed like a grueling century. Now I think it's a bit closer. :)

7 comments:

  1. I found a downloadable version but it required a password to unzip the file(s) and you had to register your email address and ... well, ain't going down that route. :/ Still waiting for the cinema release here - two months to go. Am forcing my husband to see it with me, mwahaha!

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  2. I've since found a free version that you can watch online with pretty good clarity and GOOD audio. But I'd still suggest that you not watch it. The movie has the greatest affect on the screen. I was sobbing when I saw it on the big screen (and I saw it at the theatre three times) but I only leaked a tear or two when I saw it online.

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  3. I snapped and watched Jane Eyre 2011 online on a website called Megavideo, the picture and sound quality were good. (I know that's a bad thing to do as it hasn't been released in the UK yet!) but I couldn't wait to see it anymore and I really enjoyed it although I didn't understand why Edward had a beard at the end of the film. Maybe it was to show the audience Edward was unkempt? I loved the scene after the wedding, it was just like reading the novel. I thought the actors were okay. I wish Micheal Fassbender was a bit more passionate as Edward Fairfax Rochester though. Mia was okay as Jane, I thought she was a little wooden at times but she tried. Another thing that doesn't happen in the book but does in the film, is that Edward puts his hands around Jane's throat.

    In conclusion I thought Jane Eyre 2011 was a good film and I would recommend any fan of Jane Eyre to watch this film but try not to compare it to other adaptation of Jane Eyre you have seen because you may be disappointed. I will probably buy this version on DVD at some point.

    In conclusion, to have a perfect adaptation of Jane Eyre it would have to be six hours long which will never happen so enjoy Jane Eyre 2011 for what it is. The 2006 version will always be my favourite and Toby Stephens will always be Edward Fairfax Rochester and Ruth Wilson will always be Jane Eyre for me even though I dislike the bed scene as Jane would never kiss Edward like that!

    All in all, I think that almost any adaptation of Jane Eyre will have parts you like and parts you don't. I don't think there is ever a perfect adaptation, so you just have to enjoy what you get and I did find this one enjoyable.

    I will probably buy this version on DVD at some point when it is available to buy in the UK!

    Kate xxxx

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  4. Yes, a lot of people did have that opinion about the new film while others (like me) thought that it was near perfect. It's all a matter of perspective.

    Cary Fukunaga borrowed a lot of ideas from the 1944 film (where for example Orson Wells had a beard). It put me off at first too, just like I didn't understand how it was that he and Mrs. Fairfax were still at Thornfield. But I guess it saves the time of having to explain where they went and introduce a new character, which is not something you can do in a 2 hour film. Anyway, I loved the ending (including the beard). Of course I would have loved more screen time because I adored the chemistry between the leads, but I think for what the movie was trying to achieve that it ended perfectly.

    As for the leaving scene (my favorite part) I think that the whole hands around the neck thing was just to express the physical dominance and violent passion that Rochester has. In the book he grabs Jane fiercely and "shakes her with the force of his hold" as he says the same words Michael Fassbender was saying in the film. Michael just decided to take it a bit further. He grabs Jane by the arms at first and then runs his hands to her neck and the way the grip edges between violence and passion kind of expresses his torn emotions.

    Michael Fassbender is my Rochester. Mia Wasikowska is very close to my Jane, though not quite. I haven't found anyone who really nails my perception of Jane. So you can see the obvious difference of opinion between us. But I too loved the '06, so we have some similarities.

    Love your comment! Thanks for sharing your opinions. :)

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  5. Thank you. Please don't misunderstand me, I DID enjoy Jane Eyre 2011 and I will buy it on DVD in the UK but goodness knows when that will be?! I agree what you said about the ending and the more I watch it the more I like it because the chestnut tree symbolizes their love for each other as it is where Edward proposes to Jane! *sigh*
    If I remember correctly Orson Wells does have a beard too at the end of the 1944 version.

    The leaving scene is one of my favourite parts in the 2011 film and in the novel as well and I agree with what you said about Edward desperately trying to persuade Jane to stay with him, even if it means becoming close to violence although I do not believe for one moment that Edward would harm Jane in any way; he loves her too much. The 2011 film is the only film version to show the leaving scene as it portrayed in the novel and I was so happy when I saw it! At least there is isn't any awful "kissing on the bed" scenes, this time the leaving scene is done properly at last! Hooray!

    I can't wait to see it on DVD with better picture and sound quality with a bar of chocolate, a cup of tea and Edward Fairfax Rochester for company. Bliss....

    Cary Fukunaga's two hour adaptation is MUCH, MUCH better than the horrible Ciaran Hinds adaptation. Yuck!!

    The 2011 Jane Eyre is the best movie version I have seen.

    Kate xxxx (Leeds, England)

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  6. Ha ha I agree. The 2011 did the best job of portraying the leaving scene. I had trouble accepting the "kissing on the bed" scene in the '06 as well, but I'm sure one of my regular visitors, "Supergran" can talk to you about that. She and I had a little debate about it in one of my posts. If possible, I hope to post the movie in better quality either on my blog or to Youtube once I purchase it. The DVD comes out August 16th in the US and I'm counting down the days. I can't wait to see the deleted scenes added.

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  7. I'm really jealous that you are able to purchase on 16th August! I have to wait ages in the UK as we don't get to see it in cinemas until 9th September. It would be great if you could put on your blog! I wonder what the deleted scenes will include?

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