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I hope we all get a chance to see it!
Enjoyed the novel, so I can't wait to see it!
I was lucky enough to attend one of the Sundance screenings. The movie was so fun! I loved it!!! The cast was great. Keri Russell made the perfect Austen-era heroine. And, fun fact - Rupert Vansittart who plays Mr. Wattlesbrook (a character Shannon Hale says she based on Mr. Hurst in the 1995 BBC version of Pride and Prejudice) is the same actor who played Mr. Hurst in P&P. From what I understand, Sony has purchased distribution rights to the film so I would bet everyone will get a chance to see this one before too long. I'll definitely be going to see it again once it's released into theaters!
Yep Sony has picked up worldwide distribution rights!It sounds fabulous!
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/86...
I can't wait to see it!
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I want to see this also - loved the book.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbHr8Y...
Thanks for the trailer - looks great!
Can't wait! September for me here in England!!
Oh, I can't wait! I do not know when or if it will be released in Italy but I will watch it in English! That's sure!
I am so excited!!!!! Been waiting forever for this to come out! Love this idea. They need a real Austenland!
I didn't like the book much but I must admit that trailer made it look really good and I can't help thinking it would be better as a film anyway. I'll be waiting for it to come out :)
I can't wait for this movie!!!
Can not wait to go see this movie.
Anyone in Hampton Roads, VA want to see it when it comes out?
I was hoping this book would be made into a movie! I'm excited to see it!
Austenland opens in New York and Los Angeles this weekend (8/16) with other cities to be announced. I am anxiously waiting to see if it will be shown in my area. I am hopeful since there is a theater near me that shows smaller films. It was one of only a few in Michigan to show Joss Whedon's "Much Ado About Nothing." As an aside, I highly recommend that movie and the DVD is already on my Christmas wish list.
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I LOVED Whedon's version of Much Ado too, Shea! (I can't believe that is his house!) We have a similar theater near here, so I have hope I'll get to see Austenland in the theater in the coming weeks.
Rachel wrote: "Shea wrote: "Austenland opens in New York and Los Angeles this weekend (8/16) with other cities to be announced. I am anxiously waiting to see if it will be shown in my area. I am hopeful since t..."Rachel, were you already a Whedonite? I am and it was so good to see so many of my favorite actors in the movie. I am glad Whedon filmed it as a true comedy (as I believe Shakespeare intended) and let the physical humor fly.
I have to say when I found out that Austenland was coming out, I reserved a copy of the book from the library. I ended up reading it in one day. I have to say I wasn't too impressed with the book. I found it a bit too contrived. Maybe if it had been a bit longer it would have been better. The characters didn't seem to be as well drawn out as they should have been. Having said all that, I did see the trailer for the film and am still really excited to see it. The film looks to be a lot funnier and quirkier than I found the book to be. I absolutely love Kerri Russell, have since Felicity, and any movie with Brett McKenzie in it is going to be awesome (Flight of the Conchords). I think this movie will prove that sometimes the movie turns out to be better than the source material.
"Austenland" is showing in 'limited release' here in Los Angeles and, boy, do they mean 'limited.' I just did a search for it and there's only one theatre that has it within 20 miles of me. Fortunately, I think it will be in wider release on Sept 6th, so I'll have to wait until then to see it. I don't anticipate loving it, but I enjoyed Keri Russell in "Waitress" with Nathan Fillion, so I'm sure I'll like her in this, too. I also wondered what people thought of "Much Ado," and now I'll be sure to see it when it comes out on DVD.
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Oh, yes, I was DEFINITELY already a fan of Whedon's Shea! I enjoyed Buffy while it aired (and even quoted the bad film version that predated the series, if you can believe that!) but I REALLY adored him for Firefly. I am so happy that he is now one of the biggest creative forces in Hollywood, with The Avengers.
Rachel wrote: "Shea wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Shea wrote: "Austenland opens in New York and Los Angeles this weekend (8/16) with other cities to be announced. I am anxiously waiting to see if it will be shown in my..."Shiny! ;-)
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HA HA!! So cool to hear from another Browncoat! :D
No. Ruttin. Way. Browncoats REPRESENT!!
Something On Thread Topic:http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/mo...
And Something Off Thread Topic-but it is Joss and I MUST make an exception:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/mo...
@Shea: Both good. On Much Ado... did you see the letter he wrote to friends inviting them to be in Much Ado? http://www.buzzfeed.com/ellievhall/th...
Manda! That is great thanks for sharing.
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Thanks for that link, too, Manda--it's COOL! (And I love how this thread suddenly became an anti-Alliance one! :D)
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Rachel, The Honorable Miss Moderator
(last edited Sep 20, 2013 02:41PM)
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rated it 4 stars
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It was SOOOOOOO much fun! The plot is nothing special but Keri Russell and JJ Feild make it more than worth watching, and as usual, Jennifer Coolidge brings the funny. Feild especially works well and I hope to see him in more and more things. And look for the hilarious closing credits!
Rachel wrote: "I got to see Austenland last weekend at that independent theater near me I mentioned earlier! I was SOOOOOOO much fun! The plot is nothing special but Keri Russell and JJ Feild make it more than ..."
Rachel,
Thanks so much for posting this! I checked my independent theater (where I saw "Much Ado") and sure enough they are running it this weekend. I know where I will be Sunday at 4:30 PM. :-)
I have to wait for DVD. The closest theater for me is about 45 mins away and don't want to go by myself.
If you have longed to live in the time of formal introductions, empire waist gowns and gentleman callers wearing cravats with buttoned-up vests, you too may have fallen into the Jane Austen trap.
Shannon Hale, a Utah author, capitalized on this period fascination in her novel "Austenland," which has been turned into a screenplay and will premiere on Friday, Jan. 18, at the Sundance Film Festival. Directing the film is Utahn Jerusha Hess, who has found success at Sundance previously as co-writer of "Napoleon Dynamite."
The Hale-Hess combination has produced a family-friendly romantic comedy that has sold out all scheduled Sundance screenings.
"We always just have these weird movies where people are like, 'What is this?' and then they are like, 'Oh wait, I can have my 3-year-old watch this,'" Hess said. "I was able to bring that funny 'Hess humor' to it. It's a little off the wall at times."
The comedy may be off the wall, but Hess, along with her husband, Jared, have become naturals at producing films that appeal to a wide range of people.
"It's something we never really give a lot of thought to; it's just how our sense of humors are," Hess said. "I think it takes a little bit more effort to think of jokes that aren't raunchy. I don't know how we've hit the nail on the head to be so universally liked, but it's an awesome thing."
Hale also assured that the film's message and content would be consistent with the book.
"I don't think people who were fans of the book, and liked it for not being raunchy, will be disappointed," Hale said. "I don't let my kids see PG-13 movies, and I would let them see this."
Hess said that its innocence and light-hearted feel may have been a factor in the film's acceptance by Sundance.
"I think it was just like the anti-Sundance movie," Hess said. "It just felt like after so many dark or serious or life-altering movies they just wanted to see something fun and light — and that's exactly what 'Austenland' is."
The story begins with a 30-something, successful woman who has given up on finding real love because nothing can compare to the romance found in Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," particularly the BBC production with Collin Firth as the irresistible Mr. Darcy.
Several big names can be found in the cast, such as Keri Russell as Jane Hayes and Jane Seymour as Mrs. Wattlesbrook.
Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight series, also joined as producer in order to participate in the film version of a book she loved. Meyer's first review of the book said, "Adorable! This is the best tribute to obsessed Austen freaks (like me) that I've ever read."
And according to Hale, the movie also will not disappoint.
"I could not be happier," Hale said of the finished product. "I thought it was hysterical and sweet and swoon-worthy."
But if it wasn't for a simple lunch meeting, this anticipated romantic comedy would not be part of Sundance this year.
Hess had read some of Hale's books, such as "Goose Girl" and "The Princess Academy," but "Austenland" was far from their discussion. It wasn't until saying goodbye that Hale gave a copy of "Austenland" to Hess.
"I happened to have a copy of 'Austenland' in my car, which is really weird because I never carry my books around," Hale said. "But I wanted to give her something because she paid for lunch, and so I thought, 'Oh well hey, here is this book.' It never crossed my mind that she was going to want to make it into a movie because it wasn't like anything she had done before."
Hess returned to her home and read the entire novel overnight and eventually called Hale expressing her desire to make the book into a movie.
They began writing the screenplay together. The two worked together off and on for a couple of years.
"We would just sit in a room and pitch lines at each other, and if it made the other person laugh, we would write it down," Hale said. "Working with a veteran screenwriter was so educating for me. We had a blast."
The change of scene was exciting and new for Hess as well, who usually writes screenplays with her husband.
"It was so fun," Hess said. "I'm used to writing with Jared and it gets very close. You can't just escape after you've had a disagreement; you have to actually go home with that person. So it was really fun to have a new sensibility, and she knows her craft so well. It was lovely."
Once the screening is over, both Hale and Hess will hope that "Austenland" is bought and distributed. As for the future, Hale's secret wish is for the sequel, "Midnight in Austenland," to also be adapted to the screen. But for now, she is enjoying the moment.
"I would love to do this all over again. I had so much fun," Hale said. "It's exciting because you make something, first the book and then writing the screenplay, and then you spend a year making the movie, and so after all that work you just hope that it will get a chance to get out there and be seen. So to have it so hugely embraced by Sundance and the people attending Sundance — it just seems like such a gift."