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Monday, March 30, 2009

Pride and Prejudice, Undead

Last year, I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time. How I managed to wait that long to read it, I don't know. I do know however, that it was not an accident that it took me so long. That it was a conscious decision. A choice. Somehow, even getting a degree in literature hadn't forced me to read that book up until I was 30 and was peer pressured into reading it.

Before I read it, I saw an amazing movie based on the book called Bride and Prejudice. This was the Bollywood version of the book, and since I saw the movie before I read the book, I pictured the charactors as Indian when I read it. I think it made the book even better.

After reading the book, my friend Juan Miguel* insisted I watch the BBC movie based on the book. Never one to turn down a Colin Firth movie, I agreed. Compared to the Bollywood version, it was a bit dry but still enjoyable. It was a little hard to wrap my mind around a new Elizabeth since I had been picturing her like this:

not like this:







But now there's a new Elizabeth Bennet on the block, and this one is undead. Have you heard about this? Someone re-wrote Pride and Prejudice but changed it so it's about zombies. Here's a link to an article about it. If you click on the link to hear the interview, you get to hear an excerpt from the book (be warned, it's kind of nasty).

I know that some of you who read my blog are major P & P fans. What do you think? Or if you don't like/don't want to read the original P & P, will you read the zombie version?

*Name has been changed to protect identity.

11 comments:

Kathy said...

I just listened to the excerpt- how romantic! Whenever I read Jane Austen, I think of how it would be better if the thought of a cracking skull were added.

I think I'll start an online petition expressing my outrage towards these nerds.

JJF said...

I thought we promised not to discuss my love for the BBC version of P&P in public. lol. Called me out. There goes that...

Elizabeth Downie said...

JJF, I changed the name to protect your anonymity. Hopefully no one knows what "JJF" stands for. I think you'll like the new name I picked out for you.

PS - I'm pretty sure everyone who knows you knows how much you love P&P, but that's sweet that you thought it was a secret. ;)

Anonymous said...

THIS IS IN ALL CAPS BECAUSE OF MY EXCITEMENT! I CANNOT WAIT TO READ THIS BOOK AND I'M GOING TO AMAZON RIGHT NOW TO GET A COPY...THE ZOMBIE VERSION THAT IS! I read the original in high school!

Katherine said...

I heart P&P and the BBC version of the movie! I don't think I could handle the zombies, though. I DO like Bride and Prejudice - you can't be "No Life Without Wife!!"

Jess said...

That's so funny that you have a hispanic friend who likes Pride and Prejudice because Jonathan Fuentes loves that movie, and reads a passage from the book every night before going to bed. He and Juan should be best friends:)

Angie Cheney said...

I too just read it for the first time last year. Crazy about the Bollywood version; that would sure change things. Have you seen the Hollywood version, not the BBC one (With Keira Knightley, etc.)? It's awesome. :)

The Leo said...

I must say that Ashwarya Rai is the most beautiful woman on the face of the planet (former Miss Universe and Bollywood's Elizabeth Bennett in Bride and Prejudice) and although my loyalty is with the A&E version, mainly because of Colin Firth, I love her and would watch her in anything including zombie movies.

Kelly said...

Emmy and I listened to it on tape when she moved out here and it was horrible. It was an older woman with a really rough smoker's voice who was theatrically trained, which means one too many diction classes. Ask Emmy about my views on people who have taken diction lessons. Swallow all that dang spit in your mouths, people! Anyway, I digress. It just sort of ruined it for Em, I could tell. And my loyalty is also with the A&E version as well. Don't even get me started on Kiera Knightly.

Angela said...

ok, i'm seriously a total jane addict. i didn't read p&p until 2006. and then i read it 6 times that year. i'd seen the LDS version first, actually. and i think it's a cute modern twist (and you can find the "restored" version to watch with the lds term references in it to make it more funsy). i also like the keira one, to be honest. though, i usually watch the last half, cause let's be honest from Rosings on is the best part! Anyway... So then i was also of course introduced to the colin version, though i hate that stupid double wedding at the end. blah. i haven't seen bride and prejudice yet, though.
anyway, i digress. like i said, i'm a jane addict, which is why i'm planning a trip to england in september to coincide with the jane austen festival in Bath - anyone interested in coming with? Anyway, again with the digression. I think this new zombie version sounds hysterical. i would totally read it. i mean, to think that darcy and elizabeth were like sleeper agents trained to kill zombies and be MFEO? who wouldn't want to read THAT? i mean, gosh. hahah. anyway... there's also a series... i can't remember who wrote them... the fitzwilliam darcy novels. there are like three of them - that were written about pride and prejudice from darcy's point of view. i found them to be the best p&p spinoffs that i've read. the second one was weirder, but, i still like it. but then again, with the jane and the austen and the addiction. I think my comment is way way way long enough now... you should also read persuasion if you haven't already. LOVE it. and sense and sensibility. just sayin. and you know clueless is based on emma, right? ok, seriously, done with the commenting!!!

Sarah said...

Did I ever tell you that it was Matt Keller who introduced me to "Bride and Prejudice"? Shocking, I know. :) I often find myself picturing that ridiculous montage on the beach with the surfboards and the gospel choir! :) Wanna have a movie night sometime??