Molland's Community

I don't see it mentioned here, but they've cast Sally Hawkins as Anne Elliot in the new PERSUASION.  Hawkins was in the Victorian drama "Fingersmith" and the 1930s era BBC drama "Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky".  I liked her in both of those.  She was also in LAYER CAKE and VERA DRAKE, which I haven't seen, and had a small part in "Tipping the Velvet".  Check out "Fingersmith" in particular.  She does a good transformation in that from guttersnipe to lady.  I can sort of picture her playing the worn out Anne and blossoming into the happy in love Anne at the end.

I think it's too early for casting news on the new S&S, but they have cast Fanny Price in the new MP, which you are probably all aware of.  If not, it's Billie Piper, best known these days for playing Rose on the new "Doctor Who".  Don't be alarmed if you look her up online and find nothing but sex kitten photos.  Apparently she's a former teen pop star.  I like her on "Doctor Who" and the recent modern Shakespeare adaptation of "Much Ado About Nothing" though I haven't seen her do any kind of period work, so I'll reserve judgement.

Yeah, I pretty much post all this stuff on AustenBlog.

The cast for the new NA (http://www.austenblog.com/archives/2006/08/15/supporting-cast-for-northanger-abbey-2007-confirmed/#comments) is pretty much set, though there hasn't been a Frederick cast, and they refer to Henry as "the heir of Northanger Abbey," so we are wondering if he has been cut. If so, what the hell did they do to the plot???

I  saw Billy Piper on Doctor Who the other night- the 'Girl in the Fireplace' when these androids visited pre-Revolutionary Versaille  after the brain of Madame de Pompadour. Pretty good stuff !   ;D  I am interested to see Billy Piper as Fanny in Mansfield Park 3.

As for the new NOrthanger Abbey, I wonder if Captain Tilney has fallen victim to budget cuts ? If so, Thorpettes, Anne and Maria may have gone the same way.   ???

Jane Austen never used extra charecters so although Frederick Tilney is minor , I've always considered him as functional to the story. Hmm. Henry as heir of Northanger Abbey ?  :-\
All I can say is although they're minor and not so nice charecters, I missed seeing the Hursts in Pride and Prejudice 3.  ;)

More PERSUASION casting news:  Rupert Penry-Jones [MI-5] is playing Captain Wentworth,  I confess, I'm a little disappointed since someone put the notion of Richard Armitage into my head.  Armitage is both manlier and broodier.  Oh well.  Better news on the Sir Walter front.  He is going to be played by our old friend Anthony "Rupert Giles" Head.  I can picture him as the shallow, selfish, self-absorbed Sir Walter and he may bring a little humor to the part.  Not that Corin Redgrave wasn't wonderful in the 1995 PERSUASION, but I have such fondness for AH.  Actually, that might be a bad thing given he's not a nice character.  ;)  Anyhow, this project is shaping up as possibly the most promising of the new Austens.  Though I'm still not convinced by Rupert Penry-Jones.  He's too soft looking.

I love the idea of Tony Head playing Sir Walter. He's got a goofy streak that rarely got let loose by the Giles character (though occasionally it peeked through) and I think he'll be just terrific in the role.

Gee, I wonder who put the idea of Richard Armitage in your head? ::)  ;D

I have to say, as much as I love and adore P2 I am really looking forward to this movie! Looking forward to the new S&S and MP, too.

I really enjoyed a group read of S&S this year and hate to think of the story
butchered by a tacky screenplay.

HP,  I feel dubious. In your opinion, any hope
 S&S may yet be worthwhile ?   :-\

Any other views welcome. 

If I recall, rumour has it S&S3 will be a mini-series.

Andrew Davies is doing S&S, right?

He'll probably have the Steeles involved in an orgy or something.   ::)

He indicated in an article that he wanted to explore (no pun intended) the backstory (no pun intended) of Willoughby's seduction of Eliza Williams.

I wouldn't mind seeing the duel scene, though. I've been meaning to write that fan fiction for years.

*chants*

DUEL DUEL DUEL DUEL!!!!

I love duels. They're so pointless and idiotic, but utterly romantic at the same time. ^_^

I just saw a photo of the cast of MP3.  They have Fanny slouching.  Oy.

I was so excited about the "Season of Austen." Now, given everything that I've seen and read about all the new movies, I am so depressed.  They all look plain scary.  Granted, Andrew Davies is involved in several of them, and that says a lot.