Jane Austen Style Gown Reminiscent of Becoming Jane

Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen in Becoming Jane

This gown, available on Etsy, is reminiscent of the gown Anne Hathaway wore in Becoming Jane. What do you think?

Jane Austen style gown available on Etsy

Miss Austen Regrets Preview

The premiere of the new biopic on Jane Austen's later years, Miss Austen Regrets, is quickly approaching on Sunday, February 3rd. at 9:00 pm. Presented by Masterpiece Classic, it is a co-production of WGBH/BBC and is highly anticipated by many Janeites. The story line focuses on the last few years of Jane Austen's (Olivia Williams) life, as she advises her niece Fanny Knight (Imogen Poots) on courtship and marriage, and attempts to help her navigate her choice of the correct match.

After Last summers biopic Becoming Jane, and the controversy surrounding the producers promoting the story with tag lines like "Jane Austen's Love Story Was Her Own", I admit to being a bit gun shy of further biographies of Jane Austen's life story. From the PBS press release, it appears that the writer Gwyneth Hughes has closely based the story on Jane Austen's letters, and family memoirs. That's a relief. You can read further details on the production at my other blog, Austenprose.

Did you know that in addition to Becoming Jane, there are several documentaries available on Jane Austen's life and world? You may want to check out these DVD's and put them in your Netflicks que, or order them for your own library.

• Biography: Jane Austen , A&E Home Video (2006)
  
  
• Great Women Writers: Jane Austen, Kultur Video (2000)
  


• The Famous Authors Series: Jane Austen, Kultur Video (1996)
  


• Jane Austen's Life, Arts Magic (2005)
  


• Jane Austen's Society, Arts Magic (2005)
  


• Jane Austen's Work, Arts Magic (2005)
  


• Becoming Jane, Miramax (2007) pre-order (release February 12th 2008)

Posted by Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Seen on the Blogosphere

Lori Smith book signing on November 13

Lori Smith, the author of A Walk With Jane Austen writes:
I'll be signing books at the Borders in Tysons Corner, VA on Tuesday, November 13, at 7:30 pm. So all of you Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland Jane fans, make plans to stop by Borders and visit Lori. The winner of the icon contest will receive a free copy of her book, a personal account of her struggles with faith and love as she travels through England and visits the sites where Jane lived and traveled. For more details about the location of Borders and parking, click here.

An Afternoon With Jane and Friends

In Illinois, story teller Patricia Hruby Powell will spend an afternoon with Jane Austen, Emily Bronte, and Emily Dickisnon at the Wauconda Area Library. The event will be held this Sunday, November 5th. Click here for details.


Writing in Style

The holidays are not far around the corner, and even the Prince Regent, that most discerning patron of the arts, would approve of this richly designed The Prince Regent Mont Blanc Pen. It's not inexpensive, but then no limited edition Mont Blanc pen is. If you have a spare three or five hundred dollars lying around (hah!), this is a great gift idea for your special Mr. Darcy.

Jane Goes Techno

Speaking of gift ideas, how about giving your true love a blackberry reader? In the article, Reading Jane on a Blackberry Reader: I Liked It, a darling man named Steve Johnson writes,

I just read "Pride and Prejudice" on my BlackBerry. And, reader, I liked it. Against all my own prejudices, all my own pride in the history and tradition of the printed word, I liked it.

I liked holding it in one hand, having it always with me, and customizing my fonts and screen color. I liked reading it on the train without advertising my tastes; I could have been reading "Tropic of Cancer" or "The Firm."

I really liked reading it in bed without the encumbrance of a book light.

I liked it all so much, I've moved on to Austen's "Persuasion" and am, frankly, halfway annoyed at having to take time away from that to write this. What comeuppance will the vain spendthrift Sir Walter receive, and will his deserving daughter Anne find satisfaction?

Becoming Jane Burdensome?

Last but not least, although the article Becoming Jane Has Its Burdens was published last summer in The Telegraph, I found it a perfect read for this post-Halloween weekend. Writer Chloe Rhodes takes on Jane's persona for a day at the Jane Austen Centre. Being Jane is not as easy as Chloe thought it would be, and she came away with a newfound respect for our Miss Austen. The article includes a cute video of Chloe in Bath, as well as photos of the movie and an interview with James Mcavoy.

OK, one more. I love visiting Go Fug Yourself. The clothes on that site provide my guffaw for the day. Here's Maggy Grace's rendition of The Jane Austen Fug Club.

Becoming Jane: Two Interviews

In Anne Hathaway's Jane Austen Nightmare at Askmen.com, Anne Hathaway describes a harrowing time during the Becoming Jane movie shoot. Bitter cold weather, and the pressure to "become" Jane and speak with a British accent took their toll. She had to return after the movie was shot to dub her voice because she was unable to consistently hold her accent during filming. The second interview from Brit.film discusses the movie with James McAvoy, as well as Julian Jarrold & Robert Bernstein.

It is interesting to get a take on the film from the stars, as well as the film's producer and director. The interviews are dated, but well worth the read.

Becoming Jane posts on this site.

Becoming Jane Has Arrived

But not in Richmond. We'll just have to make do with multiple photos of Anne Hathaway arriving for the New York City premiere. Click here to see them.


And here for an interview with Anne in the San Francisco Chronicle.


You can catch Anne on Live With Regis and Kelly on Wednesday, August 1.


Here's a trailer of the movie on Yahoo.