First Scene of Jane Eyre 2006
M from Bronteblog has received more information from Seven Films about the Maspalomas sequence of Jane Eyre. This, then, is an image from the opening of the series- a dream sequence of some kind. 
This is Georgie Henley as Jane Eyre. Personally, this image only deepens my confusion!
25 comments:
Oh and Jane has really long hair!?
Someone I showed this to commented on that as well. I really don't know what to say. I can't tell what they are trying to do here.
I would have thought you would have been more concerned about the red dress considering your feelings on Jane wearing one at the end of the 1973 version.
I keep thinking of the eastern allusions in the story - Mr. Rochester's "harem," that one charade, etc.
And the red dress - red room connection? I suppose not.
(I'm thinking the long hair might be part of the dream, vision, in any case)
Apart from that, that's one gorgoues picture. ;) I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens...
Yes, along with the red dress, I found much that is disturbing about this picture.
The setting and costume seems to hint at a Middle Eastern theme. M from Bronteblog pointed out about Charlotte's fascination for The Arabian Nights. If this is true, I wonder if there is something more to this Middle Eastern (or Eastern) theme in this version (given our day and age).. :|
to Vaire:
There certainly is a lot to play with here but how it all falls together is a mystery- it should be a lot of fun once it does come out. My mom took a look at it and seemed to think that the dress was more typical of Bangledesh than the Arabian peninsula- which would make the possiblity of going to India with St.John interesting in light of young Jane's daydreaming... I suppose.
to mysticgypsy:
It could be that Bewick's has been swapped for Arabian Nights, since it was one of Jane's favourite books as a child. Although when it is mentioned, she was already in the Red Room and its charm had worn off for her.
I really do wonder about the treatment- if they are doing something with the middle eastern theme. It would be really interesting but I worry. Being half middle eastern myself I am always sensitive to these things.
I suspect that the dream sequence is just that - a child's fantasy of a place. It probably is meant to grab people and link in to the India stuff later.
to aidan brack:
That's very likely, but it seems like a lot of trouble and expense if that's all it is.
Actually, following what your mother mentioned, the scene could also represent a girl in Rajasthan in India.
I agree, it does seem like a lot of expense. I suppose this production is meant to be lavish..
However, in the picture, her dress seems very modern. I highly doubt that such was the fashion in the early 1800s.
This is more confusing..
I'd agree that it's not going to be cheap although European filming isn't too dear if well-planned. It might be a recurring daydream or some such.
It looks impressive certainly and we haven't seen anything similar on TV in recent years here which I think is a large part of it. There is a lot of pressure for period drama to do something new and visually impressive these days to justify its cost. Bleak House got incredibly good viewing figures for Dickens (mostly due to its slot) and so the BBC are treating JE as a similarly ambitious project according to the few comments I've seen to the press.
:)
to Mysticgypsy:
Why Rajathan?
Well, very early on they did say it would be a lavish production. I would think so with such a list of shooting locations! Chatsworth House is grander than anything I would normally associate with Jane Eyre!
to Mysticgypsy:
The dress seems clean- like most of the BBC's current work. A little more tidy than one normally sees. I think it is authentic- but for which culture I don't know.
to aidan brack:
Indeed! When I was trying to index the archives I came across some articles from just before the first hints surfaced that the BBC were remaking Jane Eyre. I believe that, honestly, these articles were perhaps days ahead of those hints! The articles stated the BBC were slashing their budget for dramas. On Bronteblog they said this meant we wouldn't be seeing any new Bronte films soon, but I disagreed because there's always at least one remake per decade. The BBC have a way of obscuring their plans! First their release of '73 and now this.
"Why Rajathan?"
The design of the dress and well as the desert setting seems Rajasthani.
http://www.rajasthan.gov.in/people.SHTM
to mysticgypsy:
It does look right. What an interesting site. And you seem to know quite a lot about India and the surrounding geography!
I've had some Arab and South Asian influences :)
I wonder whether the pictures Jane will show Rochester will include any images of the desert. (assuming they include this scene.)
Doing a bit more thinking, all of which has probably been thought and said before. ;D But I'm really starting to love what I'm seeing.
When the novel opens, Jane can't go for a walk, it's a dreary winter day. She's prevented from action - her surroundings are cold and dreary and unwelcoming, both literally and figuratively.
In the book, she turns her thoughts to Bewick's Birds book, and dreams of cold places. But, it would have so much more contrast to have this dream/vision of a hot desert. It ties into Eastern references later in the story, it sits well with the Fire-and-Ice contrasts later in the book too.
A couple passages referencing the book, (you mentioned this, I think, brontëana :D)
(After the conversation with Mr. Brocklehurst at Gateshead)
"I took a book- some Arabian tales; I sat
down and endeavoured to read. I could make no sense of the subject; my
own thoughts swam always between me and the page I had usually found
fascinating."
(reflections on the changes at Gateshead, when she goes to visit dying Mrs. Reed)
"Glancing at the bookcases, I thought I could
distinguish the two volumes of Bewick's British Birds occupying
their old place on the third shelf, and Gulliver's Travels and the
Arabian Nights ranged just above."
"I wonder whether the pictures Jane will show Rochester will include any images of the desert.
If I am not mistaken, Jane's pictures (in the novel) were mostly about storms and seas...but who know what this version might include? ;)
Along that note, I wonder if Jane foresees Rochester in the desert (in an equivalent Eastern dress?!)
(I couldn't help but be reminded of a popular Indian film song that takes place in the desert, with the heroine wearing a red sari ;)
to mysticgypsy:
I would like to hear about them sometime!
to alison:
I was wondering about that as well, perhaps in the same sense that the book has the scene when he recognises Latmos in one of her pictures.
to vaire:
Those are all really interesting ideas, and all of them are probable. Somehow I don't think this will be the only surprise in store for us when it airs this autumn!
to mysticgypsy:
You mean, young Jane has visions? That would be very interesting indeed!
And you're right, there are no desert scenes among Jane's pictures.
Yes, that's what I meant.
Also, here's a link to a picture from the Indian film song I mentioned. The woman is dressed in a similar attire.
http://img228.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pyramids0it.jpg
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