Northanger Abbey

Starring:Katharine Schlesinger, Peter Firth, Robert Hardy, Googie Withers, Geoffrey Chater, Cassie Stuart, Jonathan Coy, Ingrid Lacey, Greg Hicks, Philip Bird, Elvi Hale, Helen Fraser, David Rolfe, Elaine Ives-Cameron, Angela Curran, Tricia Morrish, Oliver Hembrough, Anne-Marie Mullane, Michelle Arthur, Sarah-Jane Holm
Director: Giles Foster
Studio: BBC Warner
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

The socially restricted lives of 18th-century women hardly seems like a subject that would inspire dozens of 20th (and 21st) century adaptations--but the brilliant novels of Jane Austen are flush with sparkling dialogue, razor-sharp wit, marvelously realized characters that range from adorably sympathetic to grotesquely comic, and--above all--ingeniously intricate plots, which arrive at a seemingly inevitable happy conclusion yet keep you seized with suspense every inch of the way. The Jane Austen Collection pulls together six BBC miniseries from 1971 through 1987, one for each of Austen's much-beloved books.

Unsurprisingly, the gems of the lot are also the best of the novels: Pride and Prejudice and Emma. Pride and Prejudice, expertly translated to the screen by novelist Fay Weldon, skillfully chronicles the ups and downs of the sensible but quick to judge Elizabeth Bennet (the adorable Elizabeth Garvie) and the snooty Mr. Darcy (played with an imperious scowl by David Rintoul). Any adaptation of Emma rests firmly on its central character, and Doran Godwin wonderfully captures Emma Woodhouse's resilience, determination, and exasperating self-satisfaction. Definitely the funniest of Austen's novels, Emma's satirical humor is perfectly balanced with romantic yearning, and this 1972 version succeeds delightfully.

Persuasion, though more melancholy in tone, has a wonderfully sympathetic heroine in Anne Elliot (played by the graceful Ann Fairbanks), who once turned away the man she loved but is given the chance, seven years later, to set things right. Sense and Sensibility suffers from comparison to the star firepower and cinematic sweep of the 1995 movie with Emma Thompson (a must-see for any Austen fan), but the dueling characters of gracious Elinore and headstrong Marianne, two sisters struggling with fallen fortunes, make for enjoyable viewing in this 1981 adaptation. Mansfield Park has perhaps the dullest hero and heroine of any Austen novel, yet the story zips along, powered by some of Austen's most outrageous supporting characters, here brought to deliciously comic life by Anna Massey and Angela Pleasence. Northanger Abbey satirizes gothic romances and the overheated imaginations that loved them; but though the tone is more broad and melodramatic than most of Austen, this 1987 adaptation suits the novel and rounds out this very satisfying boxed set. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful stories.......2007-06-13

I received this collection from my children who know that I am a Jane Austen fan. The DVD's are outstanding. There are several episodes of each story, so you can break them up if you want to - for instance, Pride and Prejudice is comprised of 5 separate episodes and requires both sides of the DVD. The adaptations are excellent - the characters are well fleshed out and believable in the ir roles. If you are a Jane Austen fan, you will love the adaptations, since they follow Ms. Austen's original story lines much more closely than some of the popular movies do. You can recognize lines from the books. Get them - you won't regret it!

BBC Jane Austen set.......2007-05-26

The BBC productions are good, but dated. It doesn't matter, however, if you are a Jane Austen fan.

very good productions.......2007-05-07

I have enjoyed these movies very much. It is interesting to see the older versions.

great gift for women.......2007-04-10

I have given this set to:
Sisters in law
nieces
grand daughters

Jane Austen was one of the greatest love story novelists and women LOVE her. I like her use of English words we don't use anymore scruple and repine for example

A worthwhile collection for any Austen fan!.......2007-04-05

This BBC boxed set has all of Jane Austen's works in one collection. As always the BBC adaptations are one of the most faithful to the novels upon which they are based. The version of Pride & Prejudice was my favorite of the collection. The actress who portrays Ms Eliza Bennett plays her role with wit, charm, and a vulnerability that is juxtaposed against the actor who plays the proud, arrogant Mr Darcy. Persuasion is also well-made, and the story of love lost and found is told poignantly with good performances by the two leads. The version of Emma here is the most faithful I have comes across of other adaptations, but I did not like the lead actress' portrayal of Emma, she seemed too stuffy, and even cold [compared to Kate Beckinsale's and Gwyneth Paltrow's performances in other versions]. This version of Sense and Sensibility was also very true to the novel, but both the main leads appeared plain and washed out [I much preferred Emma Thompson's and Kate Winslet's performances in a different version]. Finally, the version of Northanger Abbey here was truly a departure from the other DVDs in this collection, and that is quite understandable given that Jane Austen did write it in the style of a Gothic romance [whilst still poking fun at the English upper class].

All in all, its a worthwhile collection for any Austen fan, and its good to watch them and compare the scenes to the ones in the books.

Average customer rating:

Hardly acceptable as good film making.
Not quite good enough for four stars..but good!
Really Bad!
Very Disapointed
Jane Would have approved

Northanger Abbey (BBC, 1986)
Starring: Katharine Schlesinger , Peter Firth , Robert Hardy , Googie Withers , and Geoffrey Chater
Director: Giles Foster
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Persuasion (1995)
Mansfield Park (1999)
Mansfield Park (BBC, 1983)
Emma (A&E, 1997)
Middlemarch

ASIN: B0007OY2P8
Release Date: 2005-04-19

Amazon.com

Jane Austen goes Gothic in this darkly dramatic rendering of her Northanger Abbey, a novel that wasn't published until after her early and sudden death. Austen pokes fun at her peers in this story, in which her heroine, Catherine Morland (Katharine Schlesinger), is hopelessly addicted to macabre romance novels that wreak havoc on her imagination. She comes from a large, but loving family, and she's taken, as a companion, to the decadent society of Bath. There, she meets the duplicitous Thorpe siblings, Isabella (Cassie Stuart) and John (Jonathan Coy), and the kindly Tilney sister and brother, Eleanor (Ingrid Lacey) and Henry (Peter Firth). The Tilneys also have an elder brother, the snobbish soldier Frederick (Greg Hicks), and an oddly eerie father, General Tilney (Robert Hardy). Needless to say, all this provides plenty of fodder for fantasies and Catherine comes up with many, even imagining all sorts of evils on a visit to the Tilney family home, Northanger Abbey. The soundtrack is more than a little melodramatic, but it's best to think of it as a humorous touch rather than a serious, punctuating one. --N.F. Mendoza

Customer Reviews:

Hardly acceptable as good film making........2007-07-01

How could someone have all the right equipment to make a movie and fail to deliver? Wrong combinations of costume, sound and film kept this from being a success. The castle would have been interesting to see if the filming had picked up the details of the furniture and the outdoor scenes. The Roman bath was an unusual attraction for the film but you could not see it very clear. The hot springs were a good site also but the color was so drab that the lake was unattractive instead of beautiful to look at.

Low budgets must have put the filming at risk and they had to offset it all with bad sound, improper costume coordination (or lack of)and direction of the film in general.

If these problems had been addressed the movie would have easily gotten five stars from me.

However, it was like "Gone With The Wind" compared to "Persuasion" by BBC.

Five stars for ALL of the performers, though.

Not quite good enough for four stars..but good!.......2007-06-30

The photography was awful...the sound was hideous and off-beat for the time era! The costumes and scenery would have been out-of-this world had someone filmed it right! The Roman bath would have been something worth watching the movie to see...once again, if you could see it clearly! Why bother to film in an actual Roman bath and not get some good shots? Why use lovely costumes with cameras that fade out their colors? That Abbey! What I wouldn't have given to see it on a clear screen!

If there is a newer version I would like to see it. Great storyline and great acting...just poor taste in production, or too tight of a budget. Unfortunately, this film left me wishing I could actually see a movie like this. How could anyone take this combination of beauty and muck it up this bad?

Okay, the protagonist was a little goofy looking, but, wasn't she supposed to be? Jane Austen described her as pretty, but not so smart.

Really Bad!.......2007-06-01

I love this book and all Jane Austen books but this movie is dreadful! I thought the acting was not very good and couldn't connect with any of the characters. I bought it cause I usually like most Austen adaptations. Let me put it this way, I bought it watched it and then put it into my trashcan.

Very Disapointed.......2007-04-16

When I was considering buying this film, I read all the reviews and though alot of them were negative, I decided to get it anyway because I am a huge fan of Jane Austen's books and like BBC's movies. I was very disapointed after watching it! This was one of the worst movies I have seen. I could not believe it! The music was much to modern for time period, and they made the movie much too creepy, whereas the book is much more lighthearted, though there are some dark parts to it. If you're considering buying this, I would advise against it. I hate to be negative, but watching this movie was a waste of time.

Jane Would have approved.......2007-04-07

This production of Austen's best satire gets the author's meaning across and is entertaining, beautiful and well-acted. The 20th century music offends some purists (which I usually am) but I liked it and thought it didn't detract from the wonderful acting or Austen's extraordinary story. My favorite part is the final scene when Henry Tillney comes to propose to Catherine. It is easy to see in the young woman's eyes that she is wondering if he is real or just another of her novel-inspired fantasies. Wonderful!!!

Average customer rating:

Emma/Northanger Abbey
Starring: Jane Austen 2pak
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( E ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Persuasion (1995)
Mansfield Park (1999)
Emma (1996)
Sense & Sensibility (Special Edition)
Pride and Prejudice - The Special Edition (A&E, 1996)

ASIN: B000A59PLK
Release Date: 2005-08-09

Description

Contains Emma and Northanger Abbey.

Average customer rating:

This was a dud
Disappointing! Not one of Peter Firth's Best Movies!

Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey

Manufacturer: BBC
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Mansfield Park (1999)
Persuasion (1995)
Middlemarch
Emma (A&E, 1997)
Mansfield Park (BBC, 1983)

ASIN: B00066FED6

Product Description

This gothic mystery is adapted from the Jane Austen novel of the same name. Young Catherine Moreland, innocent and fresh from the country, enters into the depraved society of Bath with dreams and fantasies sparked by her love of gothic romance novels. When she meets the dashing Henry Tilney, the young owner of the mysterious Northanger Abbey, she has difficulty distinguishing fact from fiction.

Customer Reviews:

This was a dud.......2006-12-08

I really love all of Jane Austens Novels, and I have seen other BBC/A&E productions of her other books. This was by far the worst Jane Austen movie I have seen. It was not very enjoyable at all. A few parts were acctually gross. I would not reccomend this to anyone!

Disappointing! Not one of Peter Firth's Best Movies!.......2006-02-07

I have seen most of the BBC productions of Jane Austen's novels and I liked all of the ones I have seen except Northanger Abbey. Peter Firth is a great actor but even he couldn't save this dud and he seemed uncomfortable and confused as though even he himself was confused by the disjointed, choppy filming and knew that it was going to turn out to be a lousy movie! The actress who played Catherine was very cute but didn't really have a great range and showed the same expressions on her face to show every type of emotion. She would constantly make her eyes get all big and her mouth drop open into an o shape. Very irritating.