If Jane Austen had heard of what Seth Graeme-Smith had done to her beloved classic Pride and Prejudice it is difficult know whether she would have approved or not, but one thing is certain a Catherine Morland (from Austen’s Northanger Abbey) would most certainly have enjoyed the book.
Now this said book is coming to the big screen next year starring Lily James, Matt Smith, James Riley and Charles Dance. The trailer for the film was released two days ago and it will certainly shock Austen fans.
Although at the beginning, anyone watching the trailer will be lured into a false sense of security thinking that it is just like any other Austen adaptation (well except for the title suggesting otherwise) with its calm and gentle music, finally dressed ladies and all the other usual elements that we have come to expect from a period drama. Well…almost.
This trailer takes it up a notch, featuring plenty of action shots that will certainly change your impression of the characters. It is sharp, fast and really draws the audience in – a very clever trailer in fact.
But although this more to do with the book rather than it making it into a film itself, there have been plenty of different adaptations of Austen’s book (some more successful than others) but it is hard not to think if this is possibly a step too far. However, the film might be able to change some people’s minds on that idea – depending on its quality, which judging by the trailer is quite a high standard.
It is clear that the film will have plenty of attitude and should potentially do well at the box office due to the enduring appeal of Jane Austen’s novels with fans – even if Sam Graeme-Smith’s version is slightly more difficult to swallow.