Classics Without All the Class discussion

I didn't even know! But this news gives me even more reason to get on this book. I keep planning to read it, but haven't gotten to it yet. I loved A Tale of Two Cities. I will check it out. :)

Hm. Maybe now that I've looked into it, I'm more excited about the new adaptation of The Great Gatsby.

I've certainly taken note; though with restrained enthusiasm. The book has been done to death, frankly, and its difficult to see what new dimension can possibly be served by dishing it up again. Let's contemplate: what can we look forward to? An unconvincingly young Miss Havisham in the person of Helena Bonham Carter, a dashingly handsome Pip rising dripping wet from the marshes on his horse, the obligatory nude scene forced in somewhere and - oh, yes - Pip and Estella closing for the final passionate kiss. Nah! Think I'll give it a miss!

I'm slowly making my way through "Great Expectations" and luckily so far don't have to wach the movie to finish the book. That being said, as Helena's in it, I think I'll watch it.

Yes, she is an excellent actress. But possibly slightly miscast?

Frederick wrote: "Yes, she is an excellent actress. But possibly slightly miscast?"

Yes, I suppose she would be.

I always have high hopes when my favourite classics are put to film though."

That's exactly how I feel about this film, seeing as Great Expectations is one of my favourite novels, if not THE favourite.

In Italy it's already out, but I think I'll wait for the DVD because here they dub everything in italian and it's really annoying.

Also, I don't think Bonham-Carter is miscast. She plays slightly mad characters quite well (she was a perfect Bellatrix Lestrange) and Miss Havisham wasn't supposed to be very old in the novel, she probably was in her forties or early fifties (it is said that she was abandoned at the altar 25 years before - I wasn't sure so I googled it - and girls used to marry very young at the time). Plus she was played by Gillian Anderson in the BBC adaptation last year and she seemed absolutely perfect, I think, not too young at all.
I'm more concerned about Estella and Pip cause I've never heard of either of them.
@Adam: is it out in the Uk now? have you seen it?