JASNA Oregon & SW Washington Region
  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • JASNA
    • Our Region
  • Contacts
  • Membership
  • Events
    • 2023 Events
    • Events Main Page
    • Past Events >
      • 2022 Events
      • 2021 Events
      • 2020 Events
      • 2019 Events
      • 2018 Events
      • 2017 Events
      • 2016 Events
      • 2015 Events
      • 2014 Events
      • 2013 Events
      • 2012 Events
      • 2010 AGM Portland
    • Carpooling
  • Tribute Grant
    • Tribute Grant 2023
    • Past Tribute Grants >
      • Tribute Grant 2022
      • Tribute Grant 2021
      • Tribute Grant 2020
      • Tribute Grant 2019
      • Tribute Grant 2018
      • Tribute Grant 2017
      • Tribute Grant 2016
      • Tribute Grant 2015
      • Tribute Grant 2014
    • Tribute Grant Honorees
    • Tribute Grant Winners
  • Photos
  • Members Only
  • Links
  • Site Archives

Movie review of 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies'

2/7/2016

0 Comments

 
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies opened in general release in Portland on February 5, 2016. The following movie review is by regional members Stephanie Fleming and Elaine Blatt, who attended the sneak preview of the film on January 22, 2016.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.
Thus begins Seth Grahame-Smith’s parody of Pride and Prejudice, now made into a movie to which JASNA members were invited for a sneak preview January 22. Since most of you did not avail yourselves of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Stephanie Fleming and I thought we’d let you in on what you missed. Please be aware that this description includes spoilers.

The story begins in a Regency England threatened not by the French, but rather by unruly masses of zombies. The zombies are the result of a mysterious infection, which renders its victims “undead” and which is spread through biting living humans. In this Regency England, young ladies of accomplishment don’t just cover screens and speak French, they also must be skilled zombie warriors and speak either Japanese (preferably) or Chinese, depending on where they received their combat training. Thus it is not just rain which threatens Jane as she heads to Netherfield for dinner on horseback, but also zombie hordes in want of more brains.

Grahame-Smith credits Jane Austen as “co-author” of his book, and indeed, the book fairly well hews to Jane’s original story, mainly adding in zombie attacks at appropriate moments and providing what some readers (myself included) found to be a much more satisfying end for Mr. Wickham than merely being banished to New Castle to join the regulars. The movie, on the other hand, deviates from Grahame-Smith’s book (and from Jane Austen’s story) in a number of important ways. You will be glad to know that Mr. Collins still makes an offer to Lizzy, whose refusal still receives approval from Mr. Bennet. And Elizabeth still tries to kill Mr. Darcy after his rather rude proposal (actually, this fight scene is one of the more entertaining parts of the film) and fights Lady Catherine (England’s most successful zombie killer in the book and movie) with swords and daggers rather than words. However, Austen’s/Grahame-Smith’s story is substantially simplified and changed for the movie. There is no trip with the Gardiners to Pemberley, and Lydia does not run away with Wickham to London. Instead, the movie includes a completely new plot line involving a mysterious Lazarus Church, where some zombies are hiding out eating pig brains in the hope (we are told) of living in peaceful co-existence with living humans. Wickham is a liaison to this community and – gasp – the community is not so benign as it is made out to be. Elizabeth’s feelings for Darcy in this film version overtly surface when Darcy rescues Lydia from Lazarus, where she has been taken prisoner by Wickham. Elizabeth reveals her true feelings for Darcy as he lays apparently unconscious after a climactic zombie battle at the walled city of London. Wickham does get his just reward in the movie, but it’s not nearly as delightful (in the book he is rendered paralyzed and incontinent after a carriage accident). 

Darcy is well played in the movie by Sam Riley, best known for his role as Ian Curtis in Control, a biopic about the lead singer of the post-punk bank Joy Division (OK, I had to Google Joy Division, too). A leading zombie killer, this Darcy doesn’t just put people off with his haughty behavior, he also disrupts dinner parties by loosing carrion flies to detect latent zombies (the flies can find undead flesh), and unceremoniously beheading them at the table. Lily James of Downton Abbey fame gives a feisty performance as Elizabeth, and is enjoyable as an action hero version of the Jane Austen heroine, who declares she will never trade her sword for a ring. Who-vians will recognize Matt Smith as Mr. Collins. Lena Headey (Game of Thrones) is the zombie-decimating Lady Catherine. 

This movie adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is clearly more zombies than Pride and Prejudice, although it’s entertaining to note that, apparently, zombie aficionados aren’t entirely satisfied with it as a horror film:
“While the insertion of romantic elements may appeal to some, personally the added genre muddles the overall action and semi-Horror elements of the film. It’s important to note that the romantic theme of “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” is a critical component, a base originally introduced in the novel written by Jane Austen.” 

(http://decaymag.com/2015/11/20/pride-and-prejudice-and-zombies-movie-review/)
Yes, DecayMag.  Who knew?

For me, the actual “added genre” in the movie – zombies – worked as a parody. Much has already been written about sub-currents of dread in Pride and Prejudice related to threats of invasion and war, and the zombie threat clearly personifies that dread. But more importantly, I think the present day popularity of zombie-themed entertainment reflects our own sub-currents of dread in an increasingly uncertain world. Thus the zombie threat connects the modern audience directly with people in Jane’s world. And even the substituted plot line of the Lazarus Church (clearly added to up the zombie-ante) retains a connection to Austen’s original – can’t Darcy’s intervention to effect Lydia’s marriage be seen as rescuing her, in a sense bringing her back from the metaphorical “death” that her flight with Wickham imposed?

Don’t get me wrong. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is not a good movie. But it is good fun. ​
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    JASNA ORSWWA

    Welcome to the web site of the Oregon & SW Washington Region of the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA). We are a friendly and active group dedicated to the appreciation of Jane Austen's life and works.

    Please email for more info! Also, please let us know if you have interesting Austen-related news/tidbits to share with everyone here on the home page.


    Categories

    All
    About
    Agm
    Austen Inspired
    Books
    Bylaws
    Charles Dickens
    Courtship
    Dancing
    Essays
    Events
    Family Connections
    Humor
    Illustrations
    Jasna
    Jewelry
    Letters
    Magazines
    Maps
    Meetings
    Members
    Miscellany
    Movies
    New Members
    Online Videos
    Photos
    Poetry
    Radio
    Reading Group
    Regency
    Reviews
    Sherlock Holmes
    Theater
    Travel
    Tv
    Web Sites


    Archives

    May 2022
    July 2021
    May 2021
    January 2021
    September 2020
    July 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    July 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012


JASNA Oregon & SW Washington Region

Welcome to the web site of the JASNA Oregon & SW Washington Region, a friendly and active group dedicated to the appreciation of Jane Austen's life and works.

© 2011-2019, JASNA ORSWWA. All rights reserved.

Contacts  |  Membership Inquiry

About Us  |  Events  |  News

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos used under Creative Commons from Leyram Odacrem, Ben Sutherland, Robbo-Man, Tobyotter, drs2biz, simononly, SteveR-, shimelle, Ben Sutherland, Adair733, WarmSleepy, summonedbyfells, mischiefmari, Jim Linwood, cwasteson, Ben Sutherland, Adair733, Jamiesrabbits, Ben Sutherland, Jo Naylor, stephenshellard, cwasteson, M Pinarci, Maxim34374, slightly everything, HerryLawford, caligula1995, Patrick Denker, gabig58, Adair733, Adair733, Damian Gadal, dolldalera, Ben Sutherland, adplayers, William Arthur Fine Stationery, helenogbourn, Adair733, Adair733, cwasteson, Eileen M. Kane