Jane Austen discussion

Have you guys heard of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries? It's a a video "blog" on youtube that modernizes Pride and Prejudice; I highly recommend checking it out. It's very funny and easy for our generation to relate to because of all the interactions with many of the different forms of social media that most of us use today (twitter, tumblr, youtube, etc). Here's the link: http://www.lizziebennet.com/

Yeah, I am currently on like the six movie already and I have to say that when she talks about Darcy, her sister Lydia comes in and uses some crude humor to get her point across how guys talk which made me uncomfortable.

Perhaps I won't watch it then....

Thanks Steph!! I won't do it!! Hate things that ruin it for me!!

I love it! Its funny and you should actually check it out and decide on your own whether you like it or not! Its not orthodox Austen which is actually the main point. The characters are well developed and it is replete with humour. So yeah, i suggest you check it out first if you are comfortable with witty humour. :)
The first one is good and the dialogues are pretty good.

Stephanie wrote: "Soph.....DON'T DO IT...I just watched a minute of the first episode......it's bad, really bad and just makes fun of the awesomeness of JA - you'll never be able to get it out of your mind .... I'll..."

It's mostly the crude humor for me mostly!

Thanks. I shall see. I mean, Lost in Austen was pushing it for me!!

Umm... what crude humor? The thing that Anna is referring to is something that Lydia says, and if you watch closely you can see that Lizzie is horrified about it. It is only a once off thing, and it just shows how crazy Lydia is. A modern-day Lydia Bennet would act like that. I really think it keeps the spirit of Pride and Prejudice, whilst making it believable in a modern setting. And Anna, I would really love for you to point out all the other crude humor bits, because I certainly cannot think of any.

It's not crude at all. Soph, you really should try it (and I agree about Lost in Austen - that one was terrible). Even if you don't like it, at least you've based it on your own opinion.

Exactly jenny!

Ok. I tried it. Gave it a fair go, I did honestly. And not overly keen....

Soph wrote: "Ok. I tried it. Gave it a fair go, I did honestly. And not overly keen...."

Fair enough. At least you gave it a go.

Ok. So I gave this a try as well. I can usually do a modern retelling of one of the books, but this was not for me. But then again, I am probably too old for the target audience. :)

Great soph!

Oddly enough I was able to watch the whole movie of Lost in Austen without stopping and never starting again..

Jenny wrote: "Umm... what crude humor? The thing that Anna is referring to is something that Lydia says, and if you watch closely you can see that Lizzie is horrified about it. It is only a once off thing, and i..."

I was really disgusted by what Lydia said and plus I didn't want to repeat what she had said...it made my skin crawl to think about it let alone write it.

I watched it all start to end but might not be doing so again in a hurry!

Aww protective of her work! ;)
But no I agree. I didn't really like as I think some things need to just be left as they are, you can continue making them into movies and series but leave them as they are - you can't better perfection!

I'm new to this group but I have to say I am enjoying The Lizzie Bennet Diaries it was what made me embark on this my 'Summer of Jane' as I have now dubbed it where I plan to read her novels, watch movies adaptions, and read some of the modernizations ,etc. So even though I know some of you don't like the Lizzie Bennet Diaries I think you should be aware they bringing new interest to Jane Austen's work. I'm not the only one I've heard say was reading them because of the web series.
-Pammie

Yes I agree!! I think that's why the Lost in Austen was ok when I watched it the first time as I wasn't a huge Janeite like I am now, but when I watched it again... Different story!

Have any of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries fans seen Monday's episode? LOL the end cracked me up so hard with that gelatin mold. Ew.
-Pammie

First off, am loving LBD (although I think it is going a bit too slow). Anyway, I think some of you are right about the order in which one is exposed to the adaptations (ie. read/watch adaptation first, then read P&P, then re-read/watch adaptation again). I read Bridget Jones' Diary when I was 13, and really liked it. A few years later when I was 16, having forgotten most of BJD, I read P&P and absolutely adored it (I have since read it 6 times). Sometime later, I watched BJD and realized that a) it is A LOT like P&P and b) it is very much inferior to the original. So yeah, I see where you ladies are coming from.

But I think that LBD is a pretty good adaption compared to BJD, Lost in Austen or Bride and Prejudice (when I think of the latter one, I just want to dry retch - it was terrible!). Oh, and don't get me started on P&P&Zombies.

I think that if any adaptation can bring more people into reading Jane Austen, then that can only be a good thing.

I enjoy watching the Lizzy Bennett Diaries. I am glad this thread turned me on to them.

Thank you

haha yeah its fun! especially now that bing and Caroline are being shown !

I love the actor playing Bing Lee. He and Jane capture the sweetness of their characters so well.

Liana wrote: "@Jamie - But Lizzie was never friends with Caroline in the book. Jane was friends with her, Lizzie never trusted her, and Caroline always saw her as competition for Mr. Darcy. So it's strange to Li..."

Oh duh!! When you wrote Caroline, my addled brain translated that into Charlotte! That's why I was so confused by what you wrote! Ignore what I wrote (I deleted my post.)
Lesson of the day...don't post on social media in the middle of a stressful workday. I can't multi-task.

And I totally agree. The relationship btw Lizzie and Caroline is weird.

I am really enjoying the Lizzie Bennet Diaries. They're fun, witty, entertaining and most importantly, modern, because that's what the entire adaptation is about, modernisation.

Don't let the first few comments deter you. Go and check them out and if you don't like them, don't watch them. :)

exactly..its a little strange that Lizzie can't see Carolines snake like expressions!!

Have you seen the newest episodes? I've been watching this show from almost the beginning on and I really liked it. I was impressed by the actresses and the whole idea but now they are on the 45th or something episode and I think they kind of lost their track. The last episode was just about Lizzy staring at Wickham's butt(sorry, it's true). Now, I am not sure whether they'll get back to the main point of it or whether it becomes even worse. I hope they'll find their way back.

Very modern and for our times, however not for me. I only watched 3 episodes, picked at random, but it was tedious.
Patg

I really like it!!!!

I was a huge fan of the show so far but now they changed too many things and I am not sure if they are still true to the real meaning of Pride and Prejudice. They make it seem like Elizabeth is the reason why Lydia ends up with Wickham... I mean of course she could have warned her sister but Lydia would have not listened anyway but that was her only mistake. In the Diaries they make it seems like Lydia is not loved and alone, wronged by Lizzie and ignored by Jane ... out of loneliness she is driven into the arms of Wickham. I do not approve that.

OMBG have y'all seen the newest post? Well there were three to be honest. I loved the GiGi one from Pemberley digital because I love, love Fitz! But then on twitter, Charlotte is 911ing Lizzie about Lydia! OMBG. & if you have not seen the newest from Lydia (& it's not the ep.), head over to twitter or Facebook.

I know it is out there & it is drastically different from Jane Austen's version of P&P, but it y'all have to admit in our modern times, with our modern social media this might be more adaptable. Did I make sense? I am kinda on cold medicine.

Bing is so cute! He's like everything that I pictured him to be. Ditto with the rest of the characters. Except for Giggi, I mean she could have been better casted.

I disagree re: Gigi... I think she looks a lot like Darcy which is pretty good. She and Fitz have some pretty good shennanigans going on and have been dubbed Team Figi :)

Agreed! Fitz is adorbs.

Robin wrote: "Agreed! Fitz is adorbs."

I caught up over the course of a few days, and had to make a real effort not to start saying things like "totes adorbs". That being said, Fitz IS totes adorbs.

Y'all LBD news update: new GiGi video post on twitter, it didn't come up on my FB account. The casting is great btw, seeing GiGi & Darcy together, you might believe they really are siblings!

True. What about Bane? Bing and Jane!

Anna wrote: "True. What about Bane? Bing and Jane!"

Jing-lee? (Jingly!)

I think we might just see a development in the Bane/Jingly relationship soon! （＾Ｏ＾☆♪.
I am so addicted to this. & @Anna OMBG do I Spy Matt Smith AKA The Doctor in your avatar?

This episode made me cry. I forgot they were acting.

I know they are really good huh

I actually really enjoyed LBD :) but then again I've always been a fan of the Green brothers and Hank was pretty a awesome with this :D considering it did win an Emmy :P
Took me a bit to catch up, especially in between exams, but it was adorable and the pop culture references are great :)
Darcy's impression of Fitz was kinda awesome. Episode 83 or something, greatest way to end a vlog. And of course ep 98 :)

Yay! Welcome to the Pemberlings, Nicole! Did you watch the two recent updates, as well (Dr Gardner's seminar vids)?

Hey! Thanks you very much :)
Yes I did! They were adorable and Darcy as always was a sweetie :)

I really want Hank Green to make a Persuasion redo, in a similar style. Not sure how it would work but hopefully :)
But alas he said he was tied of doing Austen. :o
As if any one could tire of Ms Jane ;)

Have you noticed that Daniel Vincent Gordh (actor who plays Darcy in LBD) looks like Harry Judd from McFly :P It has been on my mind since they revealed Darce ;)

Nicole wrote: "Hey! Thanks you very much :)
Yes I did! They were adorable and Darcy as always was a sweetie :)

I really want Hank Green to make a Persuasion redo, in a similar style. Not sure how it would work b..."

OMG YES I WANT PERSUASION SO MUCH!

Persuasion or Mansfield Park, please! :)

Katie wrote: "Persuasion or Mansfield Park, please! :)"

You could actually do a really great vlog style MP... The only problem with both lead characters is that they are kind of introverts so would they have vlogs? On the other hand, I just want to see them so they need to figure out some way to justify it!

Manda wrote: "Katie wrote: "Persuasion or Mansfield Park, please! :)"

You could actually do a really great vlog style MP... The only problem with both lead characters is that they are kind of introverts so woul..."

Hmmm, I've seen youtubers who said they were shy in real life. It could work. :)

Katie wrote: "Manda wrote: "Katie wrote: "Persuasion or Mansfield Park, please! :)"

You could actually do a really great vlog style MP... The only problem with both lead characters is that they are kind of intr..."

I ACCEPT. Makers of things, please proceed.