Has anyone also seen Mina Nair's version of Vanity Fair? Mina Nair had an absolutely beautiful vision and I have to say I was very impressed with the look and feel of the movie.
But I really loved the miniseries a lot more. They had a lot more time to flesh out there characters. Natasha Little was an excellent Becky Sharp and I loved how catty her character was.
Thoughts?
I am a huge Reese Witherspoon fan. In the 2004 version, she isn't portrayed as a thief. So, I think she is a much more sympathetic character than the 1998 (By the way, the Becky Sharp from 1998 is also in the 2004 version as Lady Jane Shayshanks. I wish I had known that! I can't quite remember who that character is in the newer one.)
The Reese one was well acted, but the older one is well-acted AND really explains to the viewer what is really going on. The 2004 really didn't develop the characters like the mini-series does.
Like them both though.
I just finished watching them both... I think the style of the '04 is brilliant, but the movie fails to get its point across, not due to the fine acting of Reese, but the way in which the story was tinkered with to make Becky likeable... The mini series is excellent, and I would watch it again... I cant say the same thing for the movie. BLESS THE BBC!!
shareAmen to that. Better than the movie by a long way! The movie version wasn't bad, but in an effort to cram everything in to around 2 hours, it just didn't flow very well and characterisation got lost. This mini-series made sure things flowed well and allowed time for the characters to breathe. The only flaw I would point out was the final episode did seem a bit rushed as it tried to tie up the loose ends.
I still liked the film, but if I was going to watch one or the other, 99 times out of 100 it would be this series.
mini series is much, much better. the movie is an average feebleminded book-to-screen adaptation, while the mini is one of the best things i've seen in years. and by the way, reese witherspoon is a fine actress, but natasha little is a knock-out. this mini made me stalk her and her other works all over the imdb. her portrait of becky is the most mesmerizing acting i've seen in quite a while.
shareAgree totally with you. Ecept that i do not think that Witherspoon is a fine actress, do not care for her at all.
sharewhen I said fine I ment average at best, and certainly not in this one. actually, come to think about it, when I called vanity fair the movie average, I thought outright bad. more like a movie trailler, really. it seems that I was in quite a good mood that day ;) anyway, the mini rules!!! natasha is THE goddess!!!
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Gordon P. Clarkson
Who on Earth would prefer the dumbed-down Movie version to this ? Without doubt one of THE great adaptations of a Classic novel,which also happens to be one of my favourit books.Definative.
I would say that the '98 version is much more fun.
I think this is partly because we see much of the story from Becky's point of view, and the '98 Becky was much more amused by life. It is always a pleasure to see someone who so clearly enjoys life.
Not to mention the glaring difference between what Becky says and what she is thinking.
"...he has a good heart, and that is more important than riches."
The only good thing I can say about the '04 version is that it did at least have Natasha Little in it. In a very small part, of course.
I hated that movie. It seemed to me to totally miss the point of the book. Becky is not supposed to be the sweet, sympathetic girl that Reese tried to make her. Becky is not a very nice person. I just thought they tried to make everyone waaayyy to loveable (even Lord Steyne!). I really, really hated that movie.
I would take this miniseries as the only worthy adaptation made of a great book. I haven't seen the Susan Hampshire version yet, but I'll bet she made a very good Becky. I doubt it's as good as this one though.
I don't care about money. I just want to be wonderful. - Marilyn Monroe
The mini series is SO much better! The only thing I didn't like about it was the soundtrack (all those loud, annoying, horns!)
Also, Lord Styne (in the mini series,) is so ICKY/CREEPY/RUTHLESS, much worse than in the '04 version!
Totally agree with you Liza. The 2004 movie does not do the book justice at all. Becky was meant to be a heartless, ruthless social-climber not an innocent misunderstood woman. The mini-series is way better!
shareI think the rarely seen 1987 adaptation with Eve Matheson is the best, but as it is rarely seen and hard to find, most people don't know about it. I haven't seen the Susan Hampshire version, but I really like her.
shareI finally tracked down the Susan Hampshire version. She did a good job, (she's a great actress, of course), but I have to say, even she wasn't quite as much of a Becky as Natasha Little. You've raised my curiosity though, Stan. I guess I'm going to have to find a copy of the '87 version now
I don't care about money. I just want to be wonderful. - Marilyn Monroe
I agree with all of you. The Natasha Little version is far superior. Not only in depth (of course the length helps this) but the Becky in the Mira Nair version just wasn't nasty enough. i didn't like it at all
shareThere were so many things wrong with the Mira Nair version. I wanted to like it, I really tried. But the alterations to Becky's character were just impossible to overcome (even if they had cast a real Brit in the role rather than Reese Witherspoon).
shareI really liked the 04 version. I've never seen the 1998 version but I have it in my netflix queue. I'm going to watch it soon. I liked the '04 version but for some reason I thought I missed some parts. I rewatched it and found that I had seen it all. Hopefully, this version will explain a few things. I really like the story.
shareI started watching the Mira Nair version and resigned after half an hour. It was awful, so different than the book...
On the other hand, Natasha Little version was quite a revelation for me. I love the book and this miniseries is one of the best adaptations of any book I've ever seen. Rebecca is simply superb, Dobbin is wonderful (I fell in love with Philip Glenister after seeing this :)), other characters, like George Osborne or Rawdon Crawley are also great. Because it is a British miniseries it goes without saying that costumes, music etc. are perfect :)
I love British costume dramas. I haven't read the book yet but I have seen the BBC series 4 times so far. I think the Hollywood version did not (or could not) build the characters enough therefore if you do not know the story already some of the storylines does not make much sense. Also the Hollywood version is too glam.
''they should have a spell check button for non-native speakers''