Tuesday Open Thread: Hymenally Challenged Edition
Welcome to Tuesday Open Thread, where we post links and info that don’t quite make the cut for a full blog post but that we thought our readers would find interesting nonetheless.
We were very much amused by the press release for a new inspirational Regency romance. It starts out with the usual “Anything Jane Austen Is Like Printing Money On A Xerox Machine” marketing-speak, and then:
Many Christian readers, however, are disappointed by the racy slant that some modern authors bring into Jane Austen’s literary world. For example, recent spin-off movies and books, such as Bridgette Jones Diary, Clueless, and Mr. Darcy’s Daughters, feature young women who ignore the spiritual principles embraced by Austen herself.
Really? Those are the books/movies you choose to complain about? There’s a heck of a lot raunchier Austen-related stuff out there than BJD and Mr. Darcy’s Daughters, that’s for sure. And Clueless? Seriously, Clueless? The main character’s virginity is a major plot point! It engenders the two best lines in the movie!
Cher: I am just not interested in doing it until I find the right person. You see how picky I am about my shoes, and they only go on my feet!
and
Tai: Why am I even listening to you to begin with? You’re a virgin who can’t drive.
LEAVE CHER ALONE! Go pick on Mr. Darcy Does His Wife and the upcoming Sacred Married Smut, if pick on something you must.
As always, feel free to post links or pimp your Austen-related project in comments. This is an open thread, so what’s new in your patch of Janeiteville?
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This Christian reader, for one, is far more disappointed by a lack of good writing in JA-spinoffs than by a lack of “spiritual principles.”
“Tuesday Open Thread: Hymenally Challenged Edition”
ROTFLOL!!! My office mates are ready to call the Rescue Squad. I’ll be useless for the rest of the day.
Hymenally Challenged
I have to agree Mags, you have outdone yourself this time! I just snorted tea through my nose.
I love Clueless. It’s hilarious, and I still say the best film adaptation of Emma that we have.
Holy crap!! I’m dying laughing. Never thought I’d ever see the words Hymenally Challenged and Jane Austen together, but here it is! I have to agree with you about their choice of examples. Guess they conveniently overlooked Linda Berdoll’s sex romps. I’m no prude, but I returned her first book. I’ve read better trashy romance novels by no name hacks!
“…spriritual principles embraced by Austen herself.” What the heck are they talking about? I’ve not read all (what’s left) of Jane’s letters and none of the biographies about her, so could someone fill me in on the spiritual principles she lived by? Maybe I should read the full press release.
Actually I guess maybe this did qualify as a post after all!
I think the “spiritual principles” stuff is partly code-words for “doesn’t have sex/drug use etc. in it.” I know there are people who prefer their books that way–and that’s cool, and it’s good that publishers are providing books for that market. But I think it also partly means that Jane Austen’s books have a strong moral underpinning, but I’m not sure the person writing this press release completely understands that moral underpinning, which is why I wondered why he or she picked those particular examples. There are illegitimate children and mistresses and unmarried couples shacking up in Jane Austen’s novels, too, but it’s the “bad” characters doing it. When the ancillary titles have the main characters from the novels doing “bad” things, like Mr. Darcy treating his future wife like a prostitute for instance (and attempting to seduce her before their marriage is exactly that in the novel-world created by Jane Austen, no matter what we modern 21st-century types think about it or how hot Colin Firth looks in a wet shirt) or exhibiting Mrs. Darcy as a sexual toy before all the Pemberley dependents, they violate the moral code of Jane Austen’s novels. It’s a subtle difference, and the books and films called out in the press release are really very, very far from the most egregious examples. Which is what I was attempting to say in the post, but with more snark and funny quotes from Clueless.
P.S. “Hymentally challenged” is from Clueless–everyone knows, that, right? Dionne says it’s the P.C. term for being a virgin.
Am I the only one who feels a proofreader could have been beneficial to the people who wrote this?
P.S. “Hymentally challenged” is from Clueless–everyone knows, that, right? Dionne says it’s the P.C. term for being a virgin
But your Hymenally challenged sounds so much more P.A.–period authentic
I have purchased only one fanfic sequel, “Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife” and threw it across the room after a few chapters, never to be picked up again. It was carted off to Goodwill, long ago.
I have nothing against the authoress but it was truly a horrible book. I’ll never be happy with anything but Jane Austen herself!
Hymentally challenged
hee hee hee! *I* need a proofreader, clearly. It is “hymenally challenged” in the movie, of course.
Tabby, don’t judge all JA paraliterature by that title! It’s definitely an acquired taste (not one I’ve acquired but there you go). There are others that aren’t bad at all–though no patch on Jane, of course.
Mags I heartily agree with you about Clueless! It is THE BEST Emma adaptation so far. Proves that even a modern adaptation can stay true to the spirit of the source material. I thought it was funny and smart at the same time. LOVED Cher’s explanation of “if the government could just get in the kitchen, rearrange some things, we could certainly party with the Haitians! ( pronounced HAY-TEE-ANNS LOL!!) And in conclusion, may I remind you that it does not say RSVP on the Statue of Liberty!”
Hahaha! Her self-assured, authoritative speech was perfectly in line with our original Emma’s personality! Some people definitely don’t give Clueless a fair shot!
I’ve missed the run-up to “Mr & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One.” When I read the “One can visualize, quite accurately, every detail” line in the “What Readers Are Saying,” I got a little light-headed. Please no, I’d rather not know quite so much detail, thank you very much.
Since this is an open thread….BBC has confirmed the new production of Emma by screenwriter Sandy Welch. No word on casting yet, but filming will take place late spring/early summer.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2009/01_january/28/emma.shtml
The only explanation I can think of is that they might not even have heard of *those* books. Perhaps they have been listed under ‘porn’.
The word *Hymenally challenged* may have been in ‘clueless’, but for me it is here that it has really registered and the context is far funnier. LOL!!
Reeba, around here they’re all right there on the shelf in the bookstore and often within sight distance of Jane Austen’s own novels. Read the reviews for some of them at Amazon–people purchased it thinking it would be okay and then were appalled at what they were reading.
I read The Watsons and Emma Watson by Jane Austen and Aiken last week. As a historical drama it was a pretty good read. As a continuation of Austen’s fragment it was a disappointment.
[Slight spoilers ahead]
I was surprised by how Aiken handled some of the characters Jane had introduced. Mr. Howard, for example, I was distressed by how he willingly lived under Lady Osbourne’s thumb and seemed concerned about marrying well. (I wanted to smack him upside the head many times.) There was barely any character development, and it was hard for me to really root for Emma. (It really did feel like a washed-down version of Cinderella.) It was strange introducing…”Aiken’s gentleman” so late in the story, and having him appear and disappear like a genie. I didn’t notice any sort of spark between him and Emma to foreshadow his letter later and her realizing her own feelings in turn.
Overall a disappointment.
Are there any other completions of The Watsons out there, that are better?
Mags I made a particularly witty comment to this post yesterday but, alas, it got caught in the spam filter. Please rescue it!
Got it! Sorry about that.
And in conclusion, may I remind you that it does not say RSVP on the Statue of Liberty!
*stands and cheers*
Good One,Mags!!!!
How is it a woman with your sence of humor….isnt writting your own novels?
James
Oh and I hope that,the woman who was,ah ,snorting tea while reading this. had iced tea!
Who’d want to burn your nose?
James
Alas, it was Earl Grey. But a tepid Earl.