Andrew Davis pondering
The Welsh filmmaker Peter Greenaway once made a controversial remark criticising film versions of literary work as mere “illustrated books”. Regarding Jane Austen’s work, he said:
Cinema is predicated on the 19th century novel. We’re still illustrating Jane Austen novels–there are 41 films of Jane Austen novels in the world.
What a waste of time.
Click here for the Wales news article containing the above quote.
To the discomfort of Mr. Greenaway, there have been more Austen adaptations made since he spoke. As recent as just two weeks ago, BBC has announced that a four-episode production of Emma will be launched this fall. The award-winning writer Sandy Welch (Jane Eyre, 2006, TV; Our Mutual Friend, 1998, TV) is working on the new script, with actors pending.
Why do we need another Austen adaptation? Do we need another “illustrated book” as Greenaway has argued?
I was surprised to hear such remarks from Mr. Greenaway, himself an art house filmmaker. He certainly doesn’t need to be reminded of the power of the visual. I have expressed my stance against his argument in a previous post entitled ‘Vision not Illustration’. But as more Austen adaptations appear, laying ratings and profits aside, I still believe there is an artistic merit in turning book into film.
The visual has an immense power in bringing out the essence of the literary. An image can elicit deep and hidden thoughts, stir up emotions of past experiences, point to new insights, and unleash multiple responses in just a short lapse of time. The cliché “A picture speaks a thousand words” has its application in this visually driven generation. Not that I do not treasure the classics, or the literary tradition. Far from it. I think a good film adaptation can, at best, enhance our enjoyment of the literary, and if it fails, can only help us appreciate the original genius even more.
If Bach, over 300 years ago, could invent Theme and Variations, why can’t we in this post-modern age, where multiple narratives are cherished, create adaptations to a recognized original? Of course, the key is held by the filmmakers. It takes the insightful and interpretive lens of a good writer, director, and cinematographer to craft a fresh perspective, one that can evoke a new vision and yet still remain true to the spirit of the original.
Kate Harwood of BBC explains why another adaptation of Emma is ensued:
In Emma, Austen has created an intriguing heroine, and our four-hour canvas allows us to explore this multi-faceted character in detail. Emma was Austen’s last novel, written when she was at the height of her craft, and we are delighted that such an esteemed writer as Sandy Welch is bringing her vision to this appealing story.
How appropriate it is for Harwood to see film as a canvas for visual exploration, and the writer’s vision as a crucial element in the creative process.
I say, bring on more Austen adaptations. Jane would be most pleased… belatedly.
*****
The above posted article has since been published in the Jane Austen Centre Online Magazine, where you can read more about Jane and her world. Click here to go there.
Click here to read my review of Part 1 and Part 2 of Sense and Sensibility, broadcast on PBS Masterpiece Classic Feb. 1 and 8.
Ripple Effects 
What is quite strange is that to some extent Jane Austen’s novels, as much as Hardy’s, are frequently about women coping with desperate circumstances…the need to find a husband, without letting any of the exigencies of poverty affect one’s deportment, and with strict limitations on how many seasons it’s acceptable to be on the market, is hardly escapist – and yet, the language, customs and costume of this time conceal the compromises so well that escapism is mostly what Jane Austen Cinema provides. It may or may not lead to her novels.
Susan,
I remember a quote from one of the Austen sites that says seeing a JA movie adaptation is like hearing Mozart’s symphony played on a harmonica. You’re right in observing that often Austen movies are turned into ‘chick flicks’ while Austen books are much more complex and intelligent.
The filmmaker’s interpretive vision of the original literature is crucial to crafting a film version with depth and authenticity.
Arti
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