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Great Expectations [Blu-ray] REVIEW FROM REAL BUYERS:
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
TERRIFIC- YET LACKS THE FINAL SPARK OF GREATNESS. See other adaptations below...
By MyD
I considered fewer stars, but this is a very worthy production on it's own. See comparisons to other recent versions ***with links*** near the bottom of this review.
This adaptation is chock full of well known actors and wonderful performances. The production values are outstanding and the setting is true period (not a re-imagining). In fact, this edition may become some peoples' favorite version. However, I felt it lacked that final spark to make it a true classic. I suggest a rental first and try other recent adaptations below.
FIRST THE EXCELLENT. The actor playing Pip is terrific and I am glad they didn't simply try to find the most famous name they could cast. This is a reasonably faithful adaptation for purists and that may sway you to this production over others. Much original dialog is used, yet applies great skill employing a more natural voice of cinematic acting rather than a melodramatic stage acting style. Still, very Dickensian! Jason Flemyng, as the blacksmith that raises Pip, proves he is more than just a role player and I felt he was truly outstanding and sympathetic. This version as a whole was really fantastic at portraying the mood of Pip's transformation and his embarrassment with his previous life and friends, as well as his realization and reconciliation later. I also really liked that this version deftly defines the very moment where Pip charms Ms. Havisham as a boy, and unknowingly saves himself from a fate reserved for another, meaner gentleman.
NOW THE LESS GOOD. The movie had so many elements that could make it a true classic. However, it fails to flesh out Ms. Havisham and Estella. The movie feels long, yet still too short to make you care about characters necessary to draw the viewer in. I LOVE Helena Bonham Carter, but she carries so much Tim Burton movie baggage into this production that it's a little distracting. Her performance is cartoonish (though not as over the top as usual). One doesn't feel the real madness and mystery in Ms. Havisham. She seems like such an obvious choice, yet I didn't see the gravitas in her interpretation or persona. Young Estella is appropriately cold, but so irritating that one just can't believe Pip would ever love her. The charm does not accompany the coldness. I don't feel the director ever gave Holiday Granger the opportunity to redeem or humanize the character later in the movie. I love Holiday, but I also feel she is not right for Estella. She is too sweet faced perhaps. Her demeanor is cold, but her face projects girlish beauty, not cold beauty. Jaggers the lawyer is more jolly than austere. Fiennes as Megwich has a believable rough accent, but he is a little too fine a figure to be a brute convict and is not really that menacing.
TRY THESE ALTERNATIVES:
The 2011 miniseries Masterpiece Classic: Great Expectations is perhaps the best modern adaptation. This is the TV miniseries with Gillian Anderson (yes, she shocked me too!) Gillian stuns with an amazingly mysterious, almost creepy Ms. Havisham that conveys the madness and even a bit of otherworldly beauty. Her portrayal is a little more exaggerated, yet I felt appropriate and intriguing. The extended miniseries format allows for the development needed and never grows tiresome. Truly, with this excellent version out, I don't know why they felt the need for the movie production just one year later (2012 in the UK rather than 2014 you see on the US release).
1999 version Great Expectations with Justine Waddell and Charlotte Rampling. This is probably my favorite because I am partial to Justine's portrayal of Estella. She is absolutely cold and distant, yet so stunningly beautiful and charming that one cannot help but love her. As the viewer, I was compelled to feel as Pip did.
1998 version Great Expectations with Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow. A little more re-imagining with this one. But, it is perhaps the most atmospheric and compelling of the versions. Purists may not like this one, but I found it very beautiful and entertaining.
I own all versions listed in this review. I will probably not watch the actual reviewed movie again (I watched it twice already).
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
A masterpiece: a sumptuous and moving adaptation of Dicken's classic
By M. Secaur
As someone who loves Charles Dickens and the work of director Mike Newell, I have been eagerly anticipating this film since its release in England last fall. I was fortunate enough to attend its Arizona premiere at the Scottsdale International Film Festival on October 7th, and I have to say that all my anticipation was well justified. It is more than just a good film or a faithful adaptation of one of the 19th century's greatest novels; it is a masterpiece.
I can't understand why so many reviews, both from critics and the public alike, are so negative. It is a good watch whether you've read the novel or not. Literary purists will enjoy it for the fact that it stays so close to the book, and casual film buffs will appreciate that the twisting Dickensian plot is made comprehensible enough so that they can follow along as well. Having watched other adaptations including the much-lauded 1946 Lean film version, which was, incidentally, the last time this story made it to the silver screen, others pale in comparison. There is not a thing about it that I would change or want any different. It is probably the best film I've seen all year.
Hats off to screenwriter David Nicholls, who manages to successfully translate a 450+ page novel into the perfect 2-hour film. He kept it to just the right length--long enough to avoid feeling butchered, but short enough so that things weren't dragged out longer than necessary. The pacing was good, and I never felt like something had been "cut out", a rare feeling in a production like this. The preservation of Dickens' own dialog and his occasional touches of humor lends an authenticity rarely felt in adaptations of his work (ref. BBC's disastrous 3-hour miniseries).
The visual look of the film is lush and gorgeous, with evocative landscapes of the Kentish coast and Gothic interiors looking equally appropriate. The choice of costumes is intriguing-a stylistic mash-up of 19th century with a psudo-theatrical flair. While I found some of the hairstyle choices, particularly those of Estella's, slightly out of place with the time period, overall, it works in this film.
What I found as the most pleasant surprise was how well acted this film was. The trap that so many actors fall into of allowing over-the-top theatricality and quirkiness overpower the fact that Dickens intended his characters to come off as real people has been avoided. The entire cast is ideally suited to their respective parts, and give real, moving performances. Unlike other Dickens adaptations, Jeremy Irvine and Holliday Grainger as the older Pip and Estella gave better performances than I expected from the trailer, and look out for Toby Irvine, Jeremy's real-life younger brother, as Young Pip--he's a scene-stealer! Helena Bonham Carter simply is Miss Havisham, and plays her as she should be played, slightly dotty, but with a reason for her madness. Robbie Coltrane is excellent as the less-than-trustworthy Jaggers, and Jason Flemyng as Joe is literally an exact replica of the character as I imagined while reading the novel. The real standout, though, is Ralph Fiennes as Magwitch. His beautiful eyes carry the character to perfection, and along with a believable but intelligible North Country accent, it's hard to imagine anyone but him in the role.
To sum up, Mike Newell's "Great Expectations" is unquestionably one of the best Dickens adaptations ever made, certainly the best of feature-length, and I recommend it to anyone.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
"You Must Know I Have No Heart..."
By R. M. Fisher
Great Expectations is my favourite Dickens novel. Granted, I haven't read all of them, but I doubt that any will ever top it. What strikes me the most is its originality, for this is a book that does backflips through the usual narrative tropes and is filled with original characters and ideas: the mysterious benefactor, the embittered old woman who raises a child to be her revenge on men, a gender-flipped Cinderella who realizes he was better off a blacksmith, and a fascinating, captivating, tragic ice princess of a love interest.
Mike Newell's take on the source material is pretty good, particularly coming so close on the heels of the 2011 miniseries starring Gillian Anderson and Ray Winstone. In much less time to spare, it still manages to tell the complete story in a way that doesn't feel (too) cluttered or rushed. The most interesting difference between the two adaptations is that the film keeps Biddy but drops Orlick, whereas the miniseries kept Orlick but dropped Biddy. I've long-since believed that any take on "Great Expectations" will focus either on Magwitch or Miss Havisham, thereby emphasizing either the mystery or the romance of the story. Without Biddy, the miniseries focused more on the action and danger of Magwitch. And without Orlick, this film focuses much more on the heartache and intrigue that Miss Havisham provides.
And sure enough, the Miss Havisham and Estella of the miniseries (Gillian Anderson and Vanessa Kirby) come across as meek and fragile; whereas in the film (Helena Bonham Carter and Holliday Grainger) they are far more potent. On the other hand, the Magwitch of the film (Ralph Fiennes) is rather lacklustre, whilst in the miniseries (with Ray Winstone) it's as though Pip has let a dangerous and unpredictable creature into the house, one that poses just as much a threat to him as to anyone else.
It was only a matter of time before Helena Bonham Carter played the part of Miss Havisham, and she (ironically) reins in her usual eccentricity in order to play the part with a surprising amount of restraint. Whereas Gillian Anderson before her played Havisham as childlike and ghostly, Helena comes across as more shrewd and self-aware, getting visibly agitated only a few times in public. Despite the stopped clocks and the rotting bridal veil and the hollowed-out wedding cake that still sits among the remains of the banquet in the dining hall, this Havisham still has all her facilities and is canny enough to read the emotions of those around her.
Out of the entire cast, I was most interested in seeing Holliday Grainger in the role of Estella, for this is one of my favourite literary characters. In many ways, I wish the novel had been about her, for there's just something captivating about the portrayal of a child who is raised in such melancholy surroundings, by such a twisted mind, for such a specific purpose. And how when reaches adulthood, she's actually self-aware enough to comprehend what's been done to her, to confront the woman that designed her so calculatingly, and yet be unable to break free of the principles that shaped her. Holliday manages to capture the inherent tragedy of Estella. She's suitably coltish and beguiling, and though they don't give her particularly flattering hairstyles, I loved the stylistic choice of dressing her in varying shades of purple. Like her name suggests, she comes across as the cold, unattainable, unreachable star of men's fantasies.
Personally I didn't think Ralph Fiennes was a particularly imposing Magwitch. Not only is the film far more interested in Estella and Miss Havisham anyway, but Fiennes doesn't really capture the brutality and danger that Magwitch is meant to embody. Magwitch should always be threatening and unpredictable, like a barely restrained dog, thus providing contrast in his adoring treatment of Pip. Sadly, there's simply not enough time to provide the proper setup or payoff for their relationship; the limited run-time means that the film can only tick the plot points instead of plumbing the depths of its themes. Towards the end there are several scenes of exposition that explain the backstory in murky flashback sequences, but it's not done particularly elegantly, and - as in all of Dickens' novels - the sheer amount of contrived coincidences at work is a bit of a stretch.
I've also noticed in the past that sometimes Dickens' protagonists can sit uneasily alongside his supporting cast, many of which easily become caricatures if not handled properly. There's always the risk that they'll be too comic, or the heroes too dour, leading to a strange sort of imbalance in the tone. In this case, it's handled well. Jeremy Irvine is fine as Pip (though to me there should be a purity and a dreaminess to Pip that's not quite conveyed) and the more colourful characters don't threaten to upstage him or upset the grounding in reality. Even David Wallace as Pumblechook is kept under control, and Olly Alexander, who I've never seen in anything previously, is fantastic as Herbert Pocket - quite possibly my favourite take on the character.
Any adaptation worth its runtime has to be heavy on atmosphere, and Newell captures the misty emptiness of the Kent marshes, the decaying ruins of Statis House, and the bustle and claustrophobia of London. It's a feast for the eyes, as any version of this particular story should be. Likewise, there are plenty of nice little details from the book strewn throughout: Joe and Mrs Gargery sleeping head-to-toe in bed, young Estella dancing on the barrel-tops, Wemmick and his cannon, and the riotous nature of the Finches, complete with foppish makeup and glass smashing.
Still, it's a good take on the source material, which (despite the missing Orlick) manages to pull together all the disparate threads of the novel and weave them together into a relatively cohesive whole. It's heavy on atmosphere, and though I would have like a bit more time to explore some of the book's depths, it does manage to depict the two key concepts that sum up the entirety of Great Expectations: regret and hope.
- Great Expectations - Official Site
Directed by Mike Newell. With Toby Irvine, Jason Flemyng, William Ellis, David Walliams. A humble orphan suddenly becomes a gentleman with the help of an unknown - Great Expectations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Great Expectations is Charles Dickens' thirteenth novel. It is his second novel, after David Copperfield, to be fully narrated in the first person. - Great Expectations - Official Site
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón. With Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hank Azaria, Chris Cooper. Modernization of Charles Dickens classic story finds the hapless Finn as a - Great Expectations - EzineArticles
In order to have a great business, you must have a great team. Learn how to have the right expectations of your business team so that they can help you - Great Expectations ®
Great Expectations is a teacher/administarator professional development program that provides teachers and administrators with the skills and knowledge needed to - Great Expectations | The Daily Post
For this week’s writing challenge, we want you to ponder your best, and worst, expectations. - SparkNotes: Great Expectations - SparkNotes: Today's Most
From a general summary to chapter summaries to explanations of famous quotes, the SparkNotes Great Expectations Study Guide has everything you need to ace quizzes - SparkNotes: Great Expectations: Plot Overview
A short summary of Charles Dickens's Great Expectations. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of Great Expectations. - About Us | Great-Expectations.com
About Us . Great Expectations was founded in February 1976. Jeffrey Ullman came up with the idea for video dating when he was speaking to a family friend about the - Great Expectations (2013) - Rotten Tomatoes: Movies | TV
Critics Consensus: Not the best version of the oft-filmed Dickens classic but far from the worst, Mike Newell's Great Expectations breathes just enough life into the
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