Jane Austen's Burlesque

Pretty Funny. Christina Aguilera channeling Marianne Dashwood, and Cher channeling Mrs. Jennings.

Mr. Palmer, Clips from Sense and Sensibility

Hugh Laurie as Mr. Palmer. Surely his performance as this man is unrivaled by other actors who have played the part.

Lucy Steele Comes Clean about Sense and Sensibility

Remember Lucy Steele in 1996's Sense and Sensibility? As played by Imogen Stubbs, she was a conniving mean spirited b--tch, er, witch. Imogen is currently playing Anna in The Glass Menagerie at the Cambridge Arts Theatre. In a recent interview, she fondly recalled playing as Lucy opposite Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson:

“It was a terrific cast, it was a bit like the Harry Potters, you know. On the whole British actors are lovely so it’s always a good atmosphere.

“Ang Lee was gorgeous and Emma Thompson, along with Judi Dench, is up there with the nicest women in the history of the universe. And I knew Hugh anyway because his mum was a great friend of my mum’s, and we grew up in Chiswick together.”

Surely another plus when working on a good old British period drama are the costumes. However Imogen found she’d been a little left out when it came to dress rehearsals – and the less said about her bonnet, the better.

“I had rather silly costumes. It looked as though I had a bucket on my head! Initially I was blonde and we started like that but I looked too much like I was related to Kate (Winslet) and Emma. We were all too blondy, so I had to go dark. So I had this silly little mean wig and a bucket on my head and no make-up – I looked slightly piggy.”

Imogen went on to say about Lucy: "Everyone thinks, ‘oh, awful little Lucy’, because everyone loves the two main girls, but Lucy’s a survivor – almost more like Becky Sharpe in Vanity Fair.

“I’ve played a lot of heroines but I think villains are a lot more fun." - Cambridge News Co.UK

Austen Shopaholic – Sense and Sensibility featured in ‘The Books on Film Collection’

Need a great holiday gift or treat for yourself? Barnes and Noble Booksellers have just released The Books on Film Collection featuring six great classic movies paired with a new edition of the classic novel that it was adapted from. The highlight of the collection for me is of course director Ang Lee’s 1995 film Sense and Sensibility staring Emma Thompson (Elinor Dashwood), Kate Winslet (Marianne Dashwood) and co-staring Alan Rickman (Col Brandon), Hugh Grant (Edward Ferrars) and Greg Wise (John Willoughby). The DVD of the movie and a new edition of the book are presented in a beautifully designed box set and would make the perfect Janeite holiday gift.

Also included in the collection are such literary and movie classics as Kenneth's Branagh's 1994 film Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Gillian Armstrong’s 1994 film Little Women, Sidney Lanfield's brooding and atmospheric 1939 adaptation of The Hound of the Baskerville and Martin Scorsese’s 1993 powerfully romantic film The Age of Innocence.

For a limited time each boxed set in the collection is $13.48, or if you can’t choose just one, then buy the entire collection as a set for $53.95. Such a deal for six classic movies and novels that will supply many hours of enjoyment.

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Sense and Sensibility and Harry Potter

Q. Which six actors from the 1995 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility directed by Ang Lee have been featured in the Harry Potter movies? If you can list them, you are indeed a true Austen/Potter movie buff. Answer to be posted tomorrow.

This pop quiz is brought to you by Jane Austen Film Adaptations Locations page at Sara Eastle Locations: the good folks who represent thousands of historic homes in England available for the next movie or television show that you are producing.

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A. The six actors in S&S '95 who were also in Harry Potter movies are...

Alan Rickman: Col. Christopher Brandon/Professor Severus Snape
Emma Thompson: Elinor Dashwood/Professor Sybil Trelawney
Robert Hardy: Sir John Middleton/Cornelius Fudge
Imelda Staunton: Charlotte Palmer nee Jennings/Dolores Umbridge
Gemma Jones: Mrs. Dashwood/Madame Pumfrey
Elizabeth Spriggs: Mrs. Jennings/Fat Lady

Great job to those who answered.