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Sunday, January 29, 2012

Old-fashioned Films Quote Game

I’ve seen several other bloggers doing this and it’s so much fun, that I can’t resist doing one myself. =) Sorry for being such a copycat. 


Guidelines
Guess the movie (mini-series or series) the quote came from, and also the character(s) who said them. There will be some blanks (“______”) and you may guess what goes in there if you choose, but it’s not worth any points as I’m just doing it so the story won’t be given away.

You will get one point for correctly guessing a film, and one point for each correctly-guessed character. The highest score would be 55 points.
And you can keep coming back and guessing if you want! I’ll comment with your results as soon as I can after receiving your answers.
This will run for a week, ending next Sunday (February 5).

(“C1,” C2,” etc. stands for “Character 1” and so on.)

Have fun!

Quote 1
Believe me, I almost fainted! I thought they were going to break down the door and murder us all!

Quote 2
C1: If I wasn’t going to be a writer, I’d go to New York and pursue the stage. Are you shocked?
C2: Very.

Quote 3
I think one must gamble. I mean, it’s all a gamble. Everything! Life.

Quote 4
C1: When is a man to be safe from such wit, if age and infirmity do not protect him?
C2: “Infirmity”?
C3: Do you call ___ _______ infirm?
C2: If ___ ________ is infirm, than I am at death’s door.
C3: It is a miracle your life has extended this far!

Quote 5
But then, fashion never was your forte, was it?

Quote 6
C1: You’re prettier when you’re in a passion.
C2: If my brother were here, he would be in a passion from which you would not soon recover!

Quote 7
Shelves in the closet! Happy thought indeed.

Quote 8
I suppose in the end, it was a romantic way to perish. For a mouse.

Quote 9
C1: Do you doubt me?
C2: Entirely.
C1: You have no faith in me?
C2: Not a whit!

Quote 10
‘_____’, indeed. Never seen him in her life, and she calls him ‘_____’! Insufferable woman! Horrible, upstart, vulgar being with her ‘Mr. __’ and her ‘caro sposo’ and her carriages and air of pert pretentions and underbred finery. Actually to discover that Mr. ______ is a gentleman, and that the woman who brought me up should be ladylike! I’ve never met her equal!
‘______’, indeed! I’ve known him all my life, and even I don’t call him that

Quote 11
C1: If we had met in other circumstances, I would have told you how deeply I admire your tireless efforts to force our ridiculous parliament to abolish the slave trade.
C2: Well if you had, I would have changed the subject and talked about botany.
C1: Botany? Why botany?
C2: Anything but politics.
C1: Well, I would have been bored by botany.
C2: So, even in other circumstances it would have been a disaster.

Quote 12
C1: I’m merely a clerk, at present. I’m well aware that I am the ‘umblest person going. My mother is, likewise, a very ‘umble person, and my father’s formal calling was ‘umble. He was a grave-digger.
C2: And what is he now?
C1: He’s partaking of glory at present.

Quote 13
C1: What is it you would like to sing?
C2: Do you know “I’ll Be Loving You Always”?
C1: (Smirking and mimics) “I’ll Be Loving You Always.” (plays piano introduction)
C2: (singing) #I'll be loving you, always...#
C1: (laughs and stops playing the piano)
C2: What’s the matter?
C1: (still laughing) You sing like a goat!

Quote 14
C1: And don’t sulk, it is not at all becoming.
C2: I wasn’t sulking.
C1: You were looking cross, which is much the same thing.  

Quote 15
C1: Sorry for calling you a geek today.
C2: That’s okay. What’s a “geek,” anyway?
C1: It’s hard to explain. But when you see one, you’ll know.

Quote 16
Some people say that he’s sold his soul to the devil. But if he has, I don’t know what he do with the money!

Quote 17
'Papa' is a preferable form of address. 'Father' is rather vulgar. Besides, the word 'Papa' gives a pretty form to the lips. 'Papa', 'potatoes', 'poultry', 'prunes', and 'prism' are all very good words for the lips. Especially 'prunes' and 'prism'.

Quote 18
Do you know what I think was a strange thing, how both you boys picked out girls below you in rank and family, yet neither of you set your fancies on little ____ ______. Now there's a lassie who's found her way into my heart.

Quote 19
C1: It is bad for him, I know, to be shut up as he is; yet what can we do?
C2: Well, he is young. And time is a great healer. Or so, at least, I am told.

Quote 20
Now turn around. Stand still. (tugs at braided & pinned up hair) Good. These are all real, at any rate. I can't bear false hair on a girl.

Quote 21
Thank you ___. Beneath your vagabond clothing beats the heart of a gentleman.

Quote 22
There are some girls who do not feel complete unless they marry. I was never one of those, but I think my sister is.

Friday, January 27, 2012

A Giveaway, Two Events, and Four Awards

(That's right, four.)

 So. Some odds and ends.

 Number one.
A lovely giveaway at Old-Fashioned Charm! Miss Laurie has reviewed A Jane Austen Devotional and will be giving away a copy! Click on the picture below to go to the giveaway post. =)

Old-Fashioned Charm

Number two.
Be sure to check out the upcoming event at Elegance of Fashion!



Aaand this one at Old-Fashioned Charm!
Old-Fashioned Charm

Number three.
I was awarded three blog awards ages ago and still have done nothing about them, but I was reminded a few days ago when Miss Dashwood gave me a new one.
I'm going to do a little thing - call it cheating if you will - and combine them all. They all require 7 random things about myself, so that means that by combining them I only have to write 7 rather than 28 (hooray!). The first two require that you pass it on to 10 people, but the last two require 15. So I'm going to do something odd and tag 15 people, and you can all choose whichever three you would like. ;-) I know, that doesn't make much sense. But it's the best I could do. Because I didn't want to tag 10 people for all 4 awards and 5 people for 2. That would Just Be Mean. ha

1. "The Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award" from Miss Dashwood! 

2. "I'm an Inspirational Blogger Award" from Miss Elizabeth, Abby, Miss Laurie, and Miss Dashwood!

3. "The Versatile Blogger" from Julia

4. "Tell Me About Yourself Award", also from Julia! 

Thank you very much, Abby, Miss Dashwood, Miss Elizabeth, Julia, and Miss Laurie!! I was so happy to be awarded by all of you.

And, the rules are almost always the same; on all of these, you share 7 random facts about yourself, on 1 and 2 you're to tag 10 bloggers (as I said above) and on 3 and 4 you're to choose 15. Also some of them say to thank the people who gave it to you & link to them, but I'd say that should be obvious. ;-)

So, 7 things about myself. Hmm...
1) My two favorite colors are pale pink and pastel purple/lilac/lavender
2) I prefer pastel colors in general.
3) Soon I will start on a sewing project: a Regency ball gown. We just got more material for it today.
4) I like cats. =)
5) My favorite ever American Girl book from my younger years is Samantha Saves the Day
6) I had a Jane Austen-themed birthday party a year or two ago and hope to post about it one of these days.
7) Speaking of posting, I'm hoping that my next post will be something fun. So be on the lookout. =)

And now, The Awards.
In reverse alphabetical order of the blogger's names. Because I get tired of alphabetical order. 
Stephanie
Miss Laurie
Miss Elizabeth
Miss Dashwood
Mel (but where has she gone?)
Maria Elisabeth
LitLover
Lauren (of Jilla)
Lauren (of Books, Fashion, and Tea)
Kathy
Julia
Hayden
Charity
Anne-girl
Abby

I enjoy blogging with each of you! =) And of course, all my dear followers and/or writers I follow. 

Well, I think that's it! 

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Jane Austen, etc. captions

After saying I probably wouldn't, I have decided to enter into Miss Dashwood's caption contest, because I happened to think of things. Now, some of them aren't exactly in the criteria for the contest, but I wanted to make them anyways because I was having too much fun thinking things up. hehe.

Picture: Emma and Mr. Elton, Emma 2009
Quote: Mr. Guppy, Bleak House 2005. (If you have seen it, you will recognize it.)

Picture: Emma 2009
Quote: Mr. Woodhouse said that about Frank in the book. I quite agree.
I used that picture because it is a spot in the movie where he particularly annoys me.

Picture: Sense and Sensibility 2008
Quote: Louisa Musgrove's famous (and almost fatal) line in Persuasion 2007
It doesn't really apply to Marianne Dashwood, but she always starts fainting on the movies and someone catches her. And I like to make fun of Louisa.

(...albeit behind one's napkin)
Picture and quote from Pride and Prejudice.
I just love that scene, and Mr. Bennet's quote "For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?"


(Because Captain Wentworth didn't "catch" Louisa)
So, those two can be together or separate, whichever brings you more amusement. 
Jo and Laurie said those lines in Little Women (1994)
(Jo and Laurie are really fun to quote, by the way...)

I'm just making fun of how the 2008 version seemed to turn S&S into a Gothic novel.

I just like Margaret's quote...

You wouldn't get this one unless you've seen "Old Quarrels, Old Love," a Road to Avonlea episode. And probably none of you have. But I wanted to make it anyways.

This is from the 1996 Miramax Emma... Emma was speaking of Jane Fairfax and complained to Mr. Knightley that "She wouldn't tell me anything about Frank Churchill." So I just adapted that into Mrs. Jennings quote "Lucy, if she tells you aught of the famous Mr. F, be sure to pass it on." And other times she calls him the elusive Mr. F. Most of you should know this.
Oh, and Frank starts with an 'F'...and he was quite elusive for a while there.

Harriet sometimes reminds me of Kitty Bennet, so I wanted to combine them.
Emma wasn't actually winking at her...she was just prompting her to say something and Harriet didn't quite understand.

Picture: Northanger Abbey 2007
Quote: Caroline Bingley, Pride and Prejudice

Picture: Sense and Sensibility 1995
Quote: Mrs. Elton, Emma 2009

So, those last two are supposed to be ironic because both the quotes were said by people who didn't really mean them; and I gave the quotes to people who would be quite sincere about it. And I do like the quotes myself.

Did you notice all the pictures were from Jane Austen movies? I wonder why...

Your hurried little blogger who got a little carried away,
Melody

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Emma Sings: movie comparison

Of all the Jane Austen movies, it seems to me that Emma is the one with the most number of major movies; there are three which are well-made and tolerably faithful to the book. I rather like to compare them all.


Looking at the movies as a whole, my favorite is the 2009 BBC mini-series with Romola Garai; but it is fun to take specific scenes and compare them, because each movie has some good points that the others do not.

There are really a lot of different things to compare in the scene where Emma sings (Frank joining right in) at the Cole's dinner party, including the featured song. I'm going to present all 3 here, and have multiple polls at the end in which to vote.

1: "Silent Worship" from the 1996 Miramax film

Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma and Ewan McGregor as Frank Churchill
Thank you, Miss Laurie, for the sound file!
Lyrics:
Did you not hear My Lady / Go down the garden singing / Blackbird and thrush were silent / To hear the alleys ringing
Oh saw you not My Lady / Out in the garden there / Shaming the rose and lily / For she is twice as fair.
Though I am nothing to her / Though she must rarely look at me / And though I could never woo her / I love her till I die
Surely you heard My Lady / Go down the garden singing / Silencing all the songbirds / And setting the alleys ringing.
But surely you see My Lady / Out in the garden there / Rivaling the glittering sunshine / With the glory of golden hair.

Song information:
The Italian version of this song was originally from an opera by Handel, but the version in this movie was adapted by Arthur Somervell in 1928. Had Emma been a real person she never could have sung that in her time. Wikipedia informs me that the original aria was recorded in one of Jane Austen's songbooks which leads me to imagine that's why they used it; but I've done no further research on the subject.

Some thoughts on the clip:
   Right before this scene, Mr. Cole asks Emma to perform; she says she fears she lacks the talent, to which Mr. Cole responds "Perhaps I should ask Miss Fairfax." The next second shows Emma playing. I always find this amusing.
   I love watching Mr. Knightley's reaction in each version when Frank starts singing!
   When I watched Frank Churchill in this scene the word 'imp' kept coming to my mind. By the way, that Frank really does need a haircut.
   This song and performance seems more sentimental than the others.

2: "Father, Father Build me a Boat" from the 1996 A&E adaptation
STARTS 0:38, ends 1:28
{Note 1/16: Video not currently on YouTube.}
Kate Beckinsale as Emma and Raymond Coulthard as Frank

Lyrics:
It was early in the month of May, / Down by the green hills I chanced to stray. / I heard a young maiden sigh and say that the man she loved / Had strayed away.
Oh, father, father build me a boat, / For it's over to Ireland I'm yearning to float / To search for my true love through tempest and storm / For I know in his arms / I'm safe from all harm.

Song information:
Most things I read say it's 'traditional', but some things list Herbert Hughes as the composer. He was also a collector folk songs as well as a song writer however, so he might not have actually written it; if he did it wouldn't have been around when Emma was set, as he wasn't even born until 1882.

Some thoughts on the clip:
   There seems to be much less of a focus on this scene than in the version with Gwyneth Paltrow. 
   The Mr. Knightley in this version is so scowlish! 
   I still can't decide whether I like Rupert Evans as Frank better than Raymond Coulthard or not...

3: "Bluebells of Scotland" from the 2009 BBC mini-series
STARTS 6:04
 
Romola Garai as Emma and Rupert Evans as Frank
Lyrics:
Oh where, tell me, where is your Highland laddie gone? / Oh where, tell me, where is your Highland laddie gone? / He's gone with streams of banners where noble deeds are done / And my sad heart will tremble till he comes safely home. 
Oh where, tell me, where did your Highland laddie stay? / Oh where, tell me, where did your Highland laddie stay? / He dwelt beneath the holly bush beside the rushing Spey / Where your blessing followed him the night he went away.
He dwelt beneath the holly bush beside the rushing Spey / And many a blessing followed him the night he went away.

Song information:
It's a Scottish folk song. From what I can find out, it was composed after the time period of Emma as well. *Sigh* So much for authenticity. 
I was having an immensely difficult time finding lyrics online to match the words in the movie, so what's up there is directly from the subtitles. I suppose these words are different than the ones generally used.

Some thoughts on the clip:
   I like the lightheartedness of this one. It seems so Emma-ish. And Frank-ish, for that matter.
   Did you notice this is the only one where Emma doesn't stop singing when Frank starts?
   Poor Mr. Knightley...

Conclusion and polls
Even after writing all that, I still don't have a favorite. I'm going to make a number of polls and whichever version gets the most votes total will get the ending vote! :-) I hope you have fun voting, too. And don't forget to tell me what you voted! I will probably do so in a comment.

Favorite Emma singer
  
pollcode.com free polls 

Favorite Frank singer
  
pollcode.com free polls 

Best Emma and Frank duet
  
pollcode.com free polls 
(I don't like using people's last names only, but I didn't want to bother writing out their full names and felt funny using only first names...)

Favorite song choice
  
pollcode.com free polls 

Best Emma and Frank acting
  
pollcode.com free polls 
As you're probably getting tired of all the polls, I will refrain from making one or two about Emma's hairstyles and dresses.

Favorite 'Emma Sings' scene overall
  
pollcode.com free polls 

Now. Did you enjoy this post? Would you like to see more comparisons of particular scenes from the Emmas? Which of the versions have you seen so far?
Oh, one more thing. I would appreciate your vote on the sidebar poll if you haven't already voted. 

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Charles Dickens Reading Challenge

Abby at Newly Impassioned Soul is presenting us with a...



...and although I was a little skeptical at first - I am a rather slow reader and Dickens has some very long books - I have decided to participate; after all, what is a challenge for, but to challenge a person?

The options are to choose 3, 5, or 10 books to read this year. I have chosen 3. I have a number of classics on my to-read list this year as well.

First of all, I'll be reading A Tale of Two Cities for school starting this month or the next. So the first book on my list is decided for me. I'm also supposed to write a review afterwards, which will probably make its way to this blog.

Next, I think I'd like to read either Oliver Twist or The Pickwick Papers. I haven't seen movies of either so I don't yet know the stories, and I believe they are both shorter than others; at least Oliver Twist is. Can anybody tell me which one is shorter?

At the moment I think I'm more partial to the idea of reading Pickwick (if O.T. isn't significantly shorter, which it very well may be), mainly because I can think of three other pieces of literature that mentions it. Anne of the Island, Little Women, and Cranford.
With Cranford, I'm actually just going by the mini-series. In it, Captain Brown gave his copy of the book to Deborah Jenkyns, who apparently did not approve of Dickens, and said "I defy you not to roar!".

In Anne of the Island (third book in the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery)...
"Anne looked up from Pickwick Papers. Now that spring examinations were over she was treating herself to Dickens." (I always wonder if Anne read Jane Austen...)
A little later in the chapter, Anne's friend Phillipa asks what she's reading, and after Anne answers, says "That's a book that always makes me hungry. There's so much good eating in it. The characters always seem to be reveling on ham and eggs and milk punch. I generally go on a cupboard rummage after reading Pickwick."
That's always made me curious.

Then, in Little Women (the movie, at least, as I haven't read the book...I know, I know; and it's on my book list this year) the newspaper thing they make has something about Pickwick in the title. I'm being terribly unspecific here, sorry.

Thirdly, I'll either read whichever one above that I haven't read, depending on how much time I have/what other books I want to read, or one of the other Christmas novels besides A Christmas Carol (as I've already read that).

But I'm very open to suggestions!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Regency Delight - First Anniversary



Happy 2012, and happy birthday to my blog! Exactly a year ago today I created Regency Delight. I gave my Janeite story in my first post, so today, in honor of this occasion, I am going to relate the history of making this blog.

My oldest sister, who had been blogging for a few years, was staying with us for Christmas. I don’t remember how the subject first came about, but she suggested/encouraged me to make a Jane Austen blog. I had been interested in Jane Austen (which began when first I learned about her) for less than two years, but already knew more on the subject than anyone in my family; who were, I think, becoming rather irritated by my endless prattle. The only Jane Austen blog I was really acquainted with was Jane Austen Today. I’d seen, though, how many Jane Austen fans were out there, and thought it would be great fun if I could go on and on to people who would actually want to hear (er, read) me doing so.

The original idea came from a “magazine” I was making. I’ve always liked writing, and I used to make a family newspaper; but as that had never been very prosperous, I was moving on to something else.

I’d only actually completed one Jane Austen novel (shocking, I know), but I planned to feature one as the focus for each issue of the magazine (which I was hoping to  produce once every two months - I intended this to be good motivation for reading all the novels before too long). I’d also include other tidbits about Jane Austen, the Regency period, other literature, etc.

I took most of my ideas and used them here instead. I used the picture I was planning to put on the front cover, drawn by my other sister when she was my age, as the header, and ‘Regency Delight’ was one of the names I’d been contemplating; I added ‘Jane Austen, &c.’ (&c. is just an old-fashioned way of saying etc., in case any of you didn’t know) at the end so my blog’s theme would be perfectly understood.

Now I’ll back up a little. As soon as the idea/possibility of a blog arose, my head was spinning with ideas, and I began a list of possible posts, as well as planning to have ‘sections’ featuring each Jane Austen novel, beginning with Pride and Prejudice, since that’s the one I’d finished. I’d have a post about the book, a review of the movies, quotes, and more. The book and movie reviews for P&P I had already written, and if you look at them now you’ll see that they are much shorter than the ones for other books and movies, which I later wrote. I might actually write new ones for those one of these days…

My goal was to finish reading the next book by the time I was done posting for the other. I usually did, and was even a couple books ahead of myself by the time I finished the 6th.

I decided January 1st would be a splendid time to start my blog; and so I did. It was all said and done much faster than most decisions I make!

After a nerve-wracking ‘making-the-blog’ period and I had everything set, I think I found some blogs from people who followed/commented on Jane Austen Today. I remember looking at other people’s followers too; going to their blogs, finding the blogs delightful – and the writers so much like me! – following, and leaving a comment. The first three were, I think, Old-Fashioned Charm, Austenitis, and Elegance of Fashion. I also remember thinking how similar the names were to some I had been considering!

I was so delighted to gain my first few followers – three of which were, in fact, the ladies who write the blogs mentioned just above. I am still very excited when I get a new follower!

2011: blogging year in review
These stats and such are as much for my own future reference as anything else; lately I have learned to keep minute records of things, so I won’t forget particulars that I wanted to remember.

Followers: 55
Total Pageviews: (approx.) 14,682
Number of posts: 90

3 most popular posts:
-(I never would have guessed!)

Top 3 referring blogs:
Creekside Cottage (410 views)
Elegance of Fashion (258 views)
Old-Fashioned Charm (218 views)

~Thank you very much Mrs. Rabe, Miss Elizabeth, and Miss Laurie!

36 direct searches for my blog (“regency delight” or “regency delight blog”)

Giveaways I’ve won

Guest posts

Blog events
Now that I’ve finished with all that boring stuff, I have a question for you, if you are interested: how do you remember finding my blog? I'd love to hear if you happen to remember.

Thank you to all my followers and commenters! I’ve learned so much this year, and am eager to learn more! It’s been truly amazing to find out how many people there are whom I have so much in common with! I hope during the following year, my blog will bring you much Regency and Jane Austen delight!