EMMA - MOVIE [Blu-ray] [1996]

Good film

Great purchase and a lovely film to watch.

This a great feel-good film and one which I always reach for when I want some light entertainment and romance. I also love the Kate Beckinsale version and usually I always have a preference for one or other where there are two adaptations of a story to pick from, but in this case they really are on a par. They are individual pieces, both very well made with much to recommend them. Although this is a Hollywood version, with lavish costumes and beautiful settings, it is not over-glitzy or modernized in any way. Gwyneth Paltrow, who I always like, plays a brilliant character with elegant poise and a perfect english accent. Emma is the most frivolous and perhaps least easy to like of all Austen's heroines, but she manages to play her in such a way as to make the viewer understand and love her all the same. By the end, she has matured and learnt so much and it is the natural progression for her to realise her feelings for Mr Knightly and marry him. The story is packed with humour as Emma sets about match-making and meddling in the lives of almost everyone she meets, ultimately resulting in disaster. The scene at Box Hill is brilliantly done and is definitely a highlight of the show. The proposal scene with Mr Elton is also hilarious. Ewan McGregor is perfect as the dashing but roguish Frank Churchill and Sophie Thompson captures the ridiculous but loveable Miss Bates. Also look out for a fleeting glimpse of Corrie's Richard Hillmann (Brian Capron) as John Knightly.

Well acted

Lovely period costumes and well done. Must say I do prefer Johnny Flynn as Mr Knightly! However much rnjoyed

Lovely film quick delivery

Scratched

I had seen this film quite a while ago, so this was a revisit. It is close to the novel, and elegantly and delightfully transposed to the screen. Gwyneth Paltrow is here in one of her best parts, but absolutely outstanding is Jeremy Northam as the ever patient Mr Knightley.

Ich muss gleich im Vorfeld sagen, dass dies die einzige "Emma"-Verfilmung ist, die ich bislang gesehen habe, daher kann ich keine Vergleiche ziehen. Positiv überrascht hat mich das British English von Gwyneth Paltrow. Auch sonst ist sie, wie ich finde, eine gute Wahl für die Rolle der Emma Woodhouse, einer hübschen, klugen aber verwöhnten Vertreterin des Landadels. Jane Austen soll mal in Bezug auf Emma gesagt haben :"Ich werde eine Heldin schaffen, die ausser mir niemand mag." Weit gefehlt, Miss Austen, ich mag sie mindestens genauso gerne. Sie ist nicht vollkommen, verhält sich oft daneben (die Picknick-Szene; autsch!!), spielt Schicksal und mischt sich in die Angelegenheiten anderer ein, in der festen Überzeugung, Gutes zu tun, stiftet jedoch nur Unglück. Dies lässt sie sehr menschlich erscheinen, Emma ist keine Superheldin, was ihr fehlt ist die Selbsterkenntnis. Lobenswert an dieser Austen-Verfilmung fand ich ausserdem, dass die feine Ironie und zum Teil auch Sarkasmus durchkommt, die ja in allen ihren Büchern präsent sind. Oft sind es nur kurze Bemerkungen, Nebensätze, beiläufig geäussert, die einen zum Schmunzeln bringen, und man muss schon richtig zuhören, damit einem nichts entgeht. Kritik: wenn ich etwas kritisieren müsste, dann vielleicht die Wahl der Harriet-Darstellerin, die im Buch weder reich, noch intelligent, sondern einfach nur hübsch ist, und im Film leider nicht (bitte nicht falsch verstehen, ich schätze Toni Collette sehr, nur eben nicht in dieser Rolle) Diese Adaption ist empfehlenswert für all jene, die gerne für eine Weile den heilen Mikrokosmos der Jane Austen betreten möchten, wo es keinen Krieg oder richtige Tragödien gibt und wo man schon am Anfang weiss, dass man am Ende mit einem "and they lived happily ever after" belohnt wird. In diesem Sinne, viel Spass beim Gucken, nicht so viel kritisieren, lieber mitleiden und mitlieben.

For once a period drama that does not try to make it into a 21st C movie- women should have been.....then. But they weren't. I love period drama or comedies as so much attention is given- ( I have ADD and notice the details & continuity lol) and these are splendid. The trees are splendid! Emma is acted as a young women who acts as if she were older at any age than we are as their length of life was often much shorter, especially for women in pregnancy, laboyr. It was contractual- title for money and family continuity. Our Emma is well educated which was a luxury in the early 1800's , and if not as much of a reader as other heroines in Austin's books, well read. Reading for self was as important as exercise or music, and entertaining . At least here we can see how their life was, and how it could've different as it was for Jane Austin herself, who was very observant, well spoken and an avid reader and thinker. No doubt she paid attention to societal differences, and news as well. She could foresee more, clearly. The opening is delightful with a lovely but simple twirling decoration, and the story of village lives begins. It is remarkable how close they all were. I believe especially if you visit Upper Canada Village (near Iroquois, ON- eastern Ontario) you can see how this would be, yet so hard for us to imagine. It's hard to believe that it was so, when in an apartment building where one hardly sees anyone, nor is greeted by anyone.ever. Gwyneth Paltrow is perfect if too thin for that era, out-going, generous, a bit snobbish, thoughtful of her actions and so loved that she can recover from her own thoughtlessness with deeper thought, quite quickly. Toni Collette is energetic, enthusiastic but unsure and is the friend who's life Emma directs, with varying results until her friend shines as herself , after experiencing much sorrow and uncertainty. Emma does try to make amends which is still hard to do even if her status should make it easier. It is good that she bothers given her status, and that is part of the human connection between two totally divergent times, hers and ours. Points are made about true love and acceptance of the other being the point of a happy marriage, unlike the rector who married for money, basically, and has a social climbing, poorly mannered, wealthy wife. There is no question that one will be married, have lots of children, and learn the consequences of actions without thought. Charity she gave but not kindness. How valuable for us to consider ourselves. The movie has lush pastoral photography, scenery, clothing, furnishings and wonderful styles of carriages and horses. They are magnificent. Never any dirt on them from travelling! Even with her warm circle of friends, her very high thinking of herself, Emma can consider her activities, actions and consequences, even if a bit late, as a self-styled village matchmaker. As Austin's other books add, life can be very hard especially on reputation and like Dickens, we become aware of society's poverty, the neglected, perceptions, harshness, the need for courage, kindness, forgiveness and true charity regardless of social class. Emma at times is funny and all of of the performances fantastic. At the time people were away for far longer given horses, bad roads, freezing bumpy carriages, poor communication and social demands that were very strict. I love this movie; I love the gargantuan trees that we just don't have, why I don't know. The buildings are lovely, and it is so much for the eyes and senses. A beautifully constructed movie both light, fun and serious all interwoven amo gst gorgeous roses and spring scenes. I watch this to lift me up, lighten the world, which it always does! I love Jeremy Northam!

Film sorprendente, per me una piacevolissima scoperta. La star è la brava Gwyneth Paltrow, ma eccellenti anche le interpretazioni di un cast veramente ai massimi livelli. Un mondo aristocratico, di cui si apprezza lo stile, l'eleganza e la forbitezza di linguaggio. Premio Oscar per la miglior colonna sonora. Memorabili le armonie dei balli. Trama originale e pure ridanciana, incentrato sulla maldestra attività di una sensale di matrimoni, che rimane impigliata lei stessa nella rete dell'amore. Consigliato vivamente.

オースティンの長い小説を手際よく映画化されていて楽しみました、 原作では心の動きが多いのでこの映画だけでは描き切れなかったと思いますが これはこれで楽しくきれいな「エマ」になりました。

I loved this movie It is beautifully filmed, the costumes and scenery are lovely to look at and make it believable coming from it's time period. I am a huge Jane Austen fan and am trying to watch every version of all of her books. This is the only version of Emma that I've seen so far. The movie is very funny and generally quite light as opposed to Sense and Sensibility or Mansfield Park - however that doesn't take away from the character development or the teaching of good morals and the satisfaction of a beautiful ending to the story which only occurs after Emma has learned the lessons she desperately needs to learn. I loved the humor - it is a wonderful "girl" movie with laughs and tears and of course beautiful language with nothing objectionable...It is the kind of movie that gives you the escape that you need into a world that is believable on some level but not real enough to be depressing. My only objection is that the DVD has no bonus materials - I would've loved to hear director and actor comments during the film as is often done and or a section on how the movie was made. After seeing several of these in other movies - it brings the movie alive in another way. Well worth watching.