Monday, September 18, 2006

Pride and Prejudice collector's DVD review

DVD Talk has a nice and detailed review of the three-disc collector's edition of Pride and Prejudice. Here's the final verdict, but clicky to read the blow-by-blow.

This bookshelf-worthy anniversary DVD of A&E's "Pride and Prejudice" has a rabid built-in buyership ready to snatch it up. More casual fans who already have the earlier edition may not feel like buying it again.

While nothing has been added to the main program -- no commentary tracks, no improvement of a picture that always looked (perhaps intentionally) overexposed and bleachy -- the new extras are fun and enriching. The top two stars are absent, but the actors who are interviewed prove to be a funny bunch. Crispin Bonham Carter, whose Bingley is Darcy's ever-polite best friend, gets in a naughty little dig about the difference between his and Colin Firth's pants. Jane Austen would probably chuckle.

Over at IMDB there's a Firthite fan's-eye view of the features, also quite detailed. Here's the naughty bit and verdict:

Crispin was shown walking through the original church where the wedding scene was filmed. They showed the scene and he said he was continually asked by the director to "adjust his breeches" and "you can see why!" He also said Colin was annoyed that HE didn't have to adjust his breeches! (I guess no one noticed Colin's breeches during the hunting through London for Wickham scene!)
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It cost around $42 for the set including postage, it is beautifully packaged. The 3 discs are in a hardcover glossy book type cover with Colin on the cover, and that, along with the Making of P&P book are slipped inside a hard dark green gold-embossed slipcover.

I did really enjoy the "extras" but I can't really say it was worth $42. For someone who doesn't already own the Making of P&P, it might be more worth it.
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I just watched the Biography episode of Jane Austen included on the disc, and it was wonderful. Some P&P footage and commentary on Colin as Darcy by some "Jane-ites," and as that episode alone sells for $24.95 at the A and E site, perhaps $42 for the 10th anniversary package isn't such a bad deal after all.

Too bad you can't buy just the third disc, though, as most of us already have the Making of P&P book and the quality of the other discs is no better than the other A&E editions."

From Froogle, looks like Echelon has the best deal at $36.99.

By the way, here are the results for the "Which are you most looking forwards to" poll:

Alpha Male 33% (34)
Road to the Sky (Kerala) 8% (8)
Pride and Glory 28% (29)
Michael Clayton 7% (7)
The Coast of Utopia 16% (16)
Macbeth 8% (8)

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