Period Movies Box - Jodha Akbar (2008) - Reviewed

First of all   Happy Independence Day to all Indians!


Jodhaa Akbar (2008) - Reviewed
My Overall Rating : 7.5/10

Jodhaa Akbar - Indian Period Movie

This is the first time I am going to write my views about an Indian period movie since its Indian Independence Day and this time triggers passion to write something related to my country.

I know India hasn't had much credit to claim when it comes to period movies, the box has been comparatively empty, but then, I thought of a movie which is a very well made period film, Jodha Akbar.

The movie stars Hritik Roshan (Akbar), Aishwarya Rai Bachhan (Jodha), Ila Arun, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Sonu Sood and the iconic Amitabh Bachhan, who has rendered his baritone voice as the narrator of the movie. The movie follows the story of the sixteenth century Mughal emperor, Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar's marriage of alliance with a rajput princess, Jodha Bai of Amer, which eventually turns out into a love story.

The movie is very beautiful to the eyes, the costumes and the sets have been designed with details. Its not just the visual and the art direction, the movie scores on each and every ground you can think of, lots of inspiration for other Indian directors and producers to make something worthwhile. The performances are amazing, especially Ila Arun's role as Maham Anga is superb!

If you like period movies and haven't seen this one yet, make haste, its a very good movie, added to that you'll get listen some great songs too!

IMDb Link - Jodhaa Akbar
Wikipedia Link - Jodhaa Akbar

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Period Movies Box - Friday Favorite Character - Elinor Dashwood

Elinor Dashwood

The main protagonist in Jane Austen's Sense & Sensibility. Elinor Dashwood can be referred to as the 'Sense' part of the novel since she practical, honest, good natured and thoughtful. Elinor is not described as a complete beauty but is said to have regular features and good figure. She is very balanced both, mentally and emotionally. Comparisons have been drawn between her and her younger sister, Marianne Dashwood who happens to be the 'Sensibility' part of the book. Unlike Marianne, Elinor is more in control of her emotions and definitely much more compromising.


Some people are of the opinion that the character Elinor Dashwood is loosely based on Jane Austen's elder sister Cassandra Austen. Jane was most close to Cassandra, throughout her life.  


The way Elinor hides her feelings for Edward thinking that there was no hope for her only shows how practical she was in the ways love and romance. Though her feelings were genuine and strong, she could not give Edward a hint about them because she was very concerned about what exactly the society expects of her and her conduct.


Ah! I think Elinor was a little too concerned about the society and didn't think about herself. Personally, I am of the opinion that its fine to be agreeable in society but then its shouldn't be to an extent where you stop valuing yourself and all you care about is society. Elinor Dashwood is a very well written character indeed, sense personified!


I love love love Emma Thompson's portrayal of Elinor Dashwood in Sense & Sensibility (1995) and I think very highly of her. In fact, the casting of the movie was very good, perhaps a replacement for Hugh Grant would have added more soul to Edward's character. It is as I reckon one of the best period movies I have seen and the critics think the same.

Period Movies Box - Northanger Abbey (2007) - Reviewed

Northanger Abbey (2007)
My Overall Rating - 6/10

Northanger Abbey

Well, I watched Northanger Abbey few hours back and I think I should stop watching TV adaptations of Jane Austen's books since not all of them turn out to be as good as Pride & Prejudice (1995)and it disappoints me  . This adaptation stars Felicity Jones (as Catherine Morland), JJ Field (as Henry Tilney), Carey Mulligan, Hugh O' Connor among the rest.

If Persuasion (2007) was the worst adaptation of a Jane Austen novel, this one would only be the second worst I have seen so far. On second thoughts, I think I must not compare it with Persuasion (2007), it would be unfair, since this one has far better sets, scenes, actors and costumes. Still, you won't be able to appreciate the film as one of Austen's delectable work or a movie made on it.

Felicity Jones has done decent work as Catherine Morland, though she looks like a twelve year instead of fifteen. J.J. Field is good and handsome in the role, I liked his voice as well. He looks mature and sufficiently amusing at the same time. Carey Mulligan, well she is the big thing and quite proves herself in a supporting actress role. Actually, she's the best you have in the complete cast.

The movie is too short, just ninety minutes or so, I think that makes a good revision of the actual story. As far as the production is concerned, I was happy to see some raise in the standards as compared to those of Persuasion (2007) (personally, I guess it shows cost cutting and recession hit movie industry so evidently).

If you are a die hard regency era fan and can endure anything in the name of old charm, well, its fine to devote you hour and a half on this movie. Just in case you are looking for something which equals in standard to Pride & Prejudice (1995), you must avoid the movie or you'll be let down deeply.

IMDb Link - Northanger Abbey
Wikipedia Link - Northanger Abbey

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Period Movies Box - Friday Favorite Character - Elizabeth Bennet

Elizabeth Bennet

Elizabeth Bennet - Pride & Prejudice

Of all the books and all the characters, there are two which hold the top position for me, one of them is Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. I know there are millions of girls who look upto this fictional character as a figure of inspiration and why not, there are more than one reason to like the prejudiced young woman.

Her family calls her 'Lizzy' and friends call her 'Eliza'. Quick wit and a certain sarcasm can be counted as her charms. Through out the book we see that Jane Bennet is labelled to be the most beautiful of the five Bennet sisters, but Elizabeth's look have not really been seriously mentioned anywhere. She is thought to be the second prettiest of her sisters though. As quoted in the book,  "a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous", Elizabeth is also proud of her wit.


The thing that I like best in this character is that she's not blondie like many other beautiful women. She is intelligent, independent and she definitely has a sharp tongue (which I too have)! There have been so many character analysis been drawn for this character but I thought to write what I personally feel as a reader of the novel and a viewer of the movies. 


Keira Knightley is the best Elizabeth Bennet so far, I think. Aishwarya Rai could have been very good only if she have had this role a decade earlier, when she was actually young and light.




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Period Movies Box - Marie Antoinette (2006) - Reviewed

Marie Antoinette (2006)


My Overall Rating - 6/10

Marie Antoinette - Kirsten Dunst

I quite wanted to watch this one for a long time now. Yesterday I did watch it and there was this one thing that ruined the movie. It stars Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Judy Davis, Rip Torn and many others. Its is based on the life of the iconic queen of France, Marie Antoinette who got married at a young age of fifteen and became the Queen of France at the age of nineteen. Her extravagance ultimately led to the doom of the Versailles.

Kirsten Dunst has acted well and has Jason Schwartzman, but it was something I did not expect this from Sofia Coppola, the director and writer of the movie, she is an Oscar winner (Lost in Translation). It has been listed as drama on IMDb but I found it very comic, indeed. Now, the worst part, the Background Score of the movie, yikes! How could anyone be so insane and ruin a period movie with that sort of music and beats. Their excuse is that,' the movie was made for the young and teenagers'. Well I personally think that teenagers don't watch a movie for the silly and odd beats in the background. It literally crushes everything else. The art direction is so so good, you would just want to keep looking at the sets and the costumes are so fine.

Basically, its a nice story, wrecked by the silliest music I have ever heard. I would like Kirsten Dunst acting in a period movie again, a good and decent one perhaps. You can watch the movie for its exquisite sets and beautiful dresses.

IMDb Link- Marie Antoinette
Wikipedia Link - Marie Antoinette

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Period Movies Box - Mansfield Park (1999) - Reviewed

Mansfield Park (1999)

My Overall Rating - 6.5/10

Mansfield Park - Frances O' Connor

Mansfield Park, another masterpiece by Jane Austen. Like all other movies made on Austen's books this one too is a good period drama to watch. The movie stars Frances O' Connor, Jonny Lee Miller, Alessandro Nivolo, Sophia Myles among the rest. The protagonist of the novel is Fanny Price, young and intelligent woman but with a humble background. The story follows Fanny's life at her home with a large family and scarce resources and the years when she is sent to live at her rich aunt's at Mansfield Park.

Let me be very clear at the outset, if you're expecting something which is like Pride and Prejudice, I'm afraid you'd disappointed. Though the leading character of the story is intelligent and good you won't be able to connect with her as much as you did with Elizabeth Bennet or Elinor Dashwood. The movie differs from the novel in more ways than one. Not to ignore, Mansfield Park was the least famous of Jane Austen's books according to the general belief and I think the same. The one thing which I didn't like at all was the change made to the character of Fanny Price. In the novel, Fanny is shown to be shy and timid, never giving her opinions on a topic where as in the movie Fanny is shown as extrovert as any woman could be at that time (we are talking about early 1800s here for God's sake).

Overall, the acting and the performances are good and I don't think that the actors can be blamed for any drawbacks in the movie. The differences made to the plot of the movie from the original book is definitely annoying since they have made changes to the personality of the protagonist herself. Still, the movie is a good one time watch and you won't regret your two hours you invest on it.

IMDb Link - Mansfield Park
Wikipedia Link - Mansfield Park

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Period Movies - Nicholas Nickleby - Reviewed

Nicholas Nickleby (2002)

Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Jamie Bell, Christopher Plummer, Jim Broadbent, Anne Hathaway, Romola Garai

Charles Dickens, like William Shakespeare, is one of those reliable authors to whom filmmakers can turn when they have a desire to produce something with a classical bent. The length and complexity of many of Dickens' novels makes them a challenge to adapt into motion picture screenplays (the ideal format for them is the television mini-series). Nicholas Nickleby is especially problematic. Not only is the book a gargantuan 800+ pages (depending on font size), but it is rather… shall we say… slow.

Writer/director Douglas McGrath, who gave a similar treatment to Emma six years ago, has successfully condensed Nicholas Nickleby to the point where it can fit into a time span of less than two and one-quarter hours without doing irreparable damage to the story's essence. The narrative shows occasional hiccups, but, considering how it has been shoehorned, it is reasonably clear. The characters, while losing some of their depth, are nevertheless well-defined. And the pace has been greatly quickened. Dickens' book is an excellent means to aid the onset of sleep; McGrath's movie zips along. Yet, despite the differences, this still feels like Dickens, perhaps because the best things about Nicholas Nickleby remain, including the uniquely Dickensian setting (19th century England) and characters.

The title character is played by British TV actor Charlie Hunnam, whose good looks prove not to be a detriment to his ability to play the 19-year old only son of a recently deceased country gentleman. When Nicholas' father dies, leaving behind a legacy of debt, the young man is forced to travel with his mother and sister, Kate (Romola Garai), to London to seek the assistance of Nicholas' uncle, Ralph (Christopher Plummer). A notorious miser with little concern for his poorer relations, Ralph nevertheless appears to show signs of humanity by securing a position for Nicholas as the assistant headmaster at a rural boys' school, working for Wackford Squeers (Jim Broadbent). Soon, however, Nicholas learns that his uncle has given him an unbearably odious job – Squeers is a sadist who delights in punishing the children in his charge. One day, when Squeers is beating the crippled boy Smike (Jamie Bell), Nicholas loses patience with the headmaster and turns the cane on him. He then departs, taking Smike with him. This action enrages Ralph, exacerbating his already prickly relationship with Nicholas and encouraging Ralph to take revenge upon Kate, who is under his "protection."

McGrath's Nicholas Nickleby is set up as a struggle of good, as personified by Nicholas, against evil, as represented by Ralph. Each of these characters has various allies, but the final struggle is between the two of them. In the acting department, Christopher Plummer is vastly superior to Hunnam, who gives a straightforward but unspectacular portrayal of Nicholas. Plummer essays Ralph like Scrooge – sinister, nasty, miserly, and driven exclusively by base emotions and desires. The difference is that, while one dramatic night results in Scrooge's redemption, there is no such light at the end of the tunnel for Ralph. (Dickens wrote Nicholas Nickleby a few years before A Christmas Carol.) The supporting players - including Jim Broadbent as the oily, vicious Squeers; Anne Hathaway as Madeline Bray, the other half of Nicholas' heart; and Billy Elliot's Jamie Bell as Smike - represent a strong group of secondary actors. Nathan Lane, Alan Cumming, and Timothy Spall also have small parts.

The progression of the story is somewhat episodic, as is characteristic of many of Dickens' tales. Purists and die-hard aficionados of the novel may be dismayed by the manner in which it has been adapted, with all of the fat trimmed off (and, as I'm sure some will comment, some of the meat and bone with it), but, for a general movie-going audience, Nicholas Nickleby works. This is the engaging story of an upright man's quest to protect his family, find love, and see justice done. As a means to bring a classic novel to the attention of a modern audience, McGrath's Nicholas Nickleby is a success.

--James Berardinelli, ReelViews

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Period Movies - Much Ado about Nothing - Reviewed

Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, Robert Sean Leonard, Kate Beckinsale, Keanu Reeves, Richard Briers, Michael Keaton, Brian Blessed

Much Ado about Nothing is Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of one of Shakespeare's better-known comedies. Centered around two romances - Hero (Kate Beckinsale) and Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard), and Benedick (Kenneth Branagh) and Beatrice (Emma Thompson) - the story follows these very different courtships. For Hero and Claudio, it's love at first sight and, as with any immediate attraction, they have a lot to learn about each other. Beatrice and Benedick, on the other hand, have known each other for quite some time and it takes a little none-too-subtle prodding from their friends to help them realize and admit their feelings.

With Henry V, Kenneth Branagh made a stunning motion picture directorial debut, setting the cinematic world on its collective ear with a rendering of the story that many consider the equal of, if not superior to, the legendary Laurence Olivier production. Now, two films (Dead Again and Peter's Friends) and four years later, Branagh has again taken Shakespeare to his pinnacle. Much Ado about Nothing is a much different sort of picture, but no less impressive.

For those who don't find Shakespeare's comedies funny, this is the film to see, because it's hilarious. It isn't just the lines that create laughter, but the manner in which they're set up and delivered. Expressions and actions often play a large part in the comedy, some of which is decidedly physical. These are the kinds of things that don't appear on the written page. The film also contains its share of drama, and the pathos and poignancy come as easily and naturally as humor.

The life and vitality of this production are amazing. Things move along with a breezy energy that makes it impossible not to get caught up in the experience. Cuts and edits to the unabridged play are partly responsible for the uptempo pace. However, while Branagh is not entirely faithful to the original text of Much Ado about Nothing, his film takes pains to capture the play's spirit. Only Shakespearean purists are likely to recongized what has been excised.

As might be expected, Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson turn in sparkling performances. To date, neither has done better work. When they are together, the chemistry is apparent. Here, as in Dead Again and Peter's Friends, it's a high point. Branagh and Thompson are worthy contemporary rivals of any of the silver screen's great husband-and-wife couples.

Denzel Washington, not a name one might initially associate with Shakespeare, delivers Don Pedro's lines with a comfortable ease that might surprise those who associate him only with contemporary films. Keanu Reeves, as Don Pedro's bastard brother, Don John, isn't as bad as one might reasonably expect (given his lackluster track record), principally because he doesn't have many lines. Robert Sean Leonard's range is occasionally stretched, as well. Any time he's supposed to cry, the tears don't quite come.

Veterans Richard Briers and Brian Blessed, along with newcomer Kate Beckinsale, fill out the supporting roles with typical British flair. Michael Keaton is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser as the over-the-top Constable Dogberry. He's like something lifted from Monty Python, complete with The Holy Grail's galloping around on a non-existent horse. Somehow, I don't think Shakespeare envisioned the character like this.

Much Ado about Nothing is a gem of a movie - a real find in 1993's sea of mediocrity. Branagh has successfully used a mixed cast of "names" and "unknowns" to breathe life into this lavish production, and never has Shakespeare been more warmly received. I'm not sure if "feel good" has ever been used to describe a picture based on the Bard's work, but the expression fits. This film cements Branagh's status as a great director of Shakespeare, and perhaps of film in general, as well.

--James Berardinelli, ReelViews

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Period Movies - Great Expectations (2012) -Upcoming Movie

Great Expectations (2012)

Director Mike Newell will follow up last year's action-adventure Prince of Persia with a new film adaptation of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations.

Plans to release the film in 2012 are part of a year-long celebration of the 200th anniversary of the novelist's birth, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

On February 7, the British Film Institute announced "the largest-ever retrospective of film and television adaptations of Dickens's work," set to tour the globe in 2012, including visits to the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Cinémathèque grançaise in Paris.

The bicentenary, called "Dickens 2012," will be coordinated by the Charles Dickens Museum, Film London and an international group of institutions to deliver a program of events on February 7, 2012.

Of the various films based on the tale, one of the truest versions of Great Expectations is David Lean's 1946 version starring Jean Simmons and Alec Guinness. Also, Anthony Hopkins starred in a 1989 rendition in which Jean Simmons appeared, and a 1974 version featured Michael York and Sarah Miles.

Alfonso Cuarón (Y Tu Mamá También, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) did a modernized telling of the tale starring Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert DeNiro in 1998.

Great Expectations tells the tale of Pip, an orphan in 1800s England who attains wealth through the gift of an unknown benefactor.

--Independent, UK

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