Masterpiece Theatre announces Complete Jane Austen Season
PBS’ Masterpiece Theatre has updated their broadcast information to announce “The Complete Jane Austen“, a four-month program beginning January 2008 showcasing adaptations for all six novels plus the new biopic Miss Austen Regrets.
The featured adaptations:
- Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion (recently broadcast March 2007 on ITV)
- Sense and Sensibility (new miniseries written by Andrew Davies, currently in production by the BBC)
- Emma (Beckinsale/Strong, recently rebroadcast March 2007 on ITV)
- Pride and Prejudice (1995 Ehle/Firth miniseries)
According to the press release, this is the first time in television history that Jane Austen’s novels have been broadcast as a complete collection.
“Once we sealed the deal on the four new Austen adaptations, we decided we had to complete the package with Emma and Pride and Prejudice,” says MASTERPIECE THEATRE executive producer Rebecca Eaton. “The biopic Miss Austen Regrets is the frosting on the cake: an intimate portrait of the remarkable woman behind these wonderful stories.”
We’re looking forward to it!
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The Year of Jane Austen extends into 2008! I am excited, I guess, because of the attention to Jane, even though I’m less than enchanted with most of the films. I can still have high hopes for S&S and Miss Austen Regrets, not having seen them yet…
And I guess this means we can put the final stake in the hardened, Dog the Bounty Hunter-lovin’ heart of A&E, the Little Art and Less Entertainment Network? And PBS probably will show P&P uncut, UNLIKE A&E. *cough*
(Yes, as a matter of fact we are bitter because A&E bought rights to all the Hornblower novels and then pulled funding for the films. Very, very bitter.)
“Presenting Austen’s novels consecutively is a brilliant idea because they reinforce each other — and they are not too long,” says Davies.
I think Joyce Carol Oates would beg to differ, sir.
I’m really wondering what Miss Austen Regrets will be like… Glad to hear that it’s offically going to be made!
I have found this about Miss Austen Regrets, I don’t know if you know about it:
http://www.pfd.co.uk/clients/loverinj/f-fwd.html
It’s director’s page, and it informs about film’s producer.
Or click on the “Miss Austen Regrets” link under the title of this post to read all the previous posts on the subject–not that there’s a whole lot of info!
“(Yes, as a matter of fact we are bitter because A&E bought rights to all the Hornblower novels and then pulled funding for the films. Very, very bitter.)”
Oh so are we, so are we. Not to mention that that series included one of our favorite actors, Paul McGann, who was wonderful as Bush, and oh, wait. Jane Austen.
Can’t wait for January!
I’m so looking forward to this amazing scene! Adaptations of all six of JA’s novels to be run in the same season and then add to that a bio film of the author herself! To quote Marianne (or Emma Thompson) “Is there any felicity in the world superior to this?”
If Miss Austen Regrets is really going to portray an ‘older’ Jane, I think Amanda Root should be playing her! In my opinion, she would be more than perfect.
Perhaps Anna Chancellor could be persuaded to play her however-many-greats-auntie.
I’m curious about the Miss Austen Regerets as well. As for the other six films…who could ask for more? I am simply delighted!