Reviews and swear words (and no more Emmys)

We are sad to report that Jane Eyre 2006 didn't win any more Emmys at last night's ceremony. Still, the three they won last week shouldn't be forgotten.

However, the net is bursting today with reviews of the Brontë novels themselves and other forms of art inspired by them.

Firstly, two newspapers review the concert John Williams - conducting the New York Philharmonic - gave last Friday in New York where a suite from his own soundtrack for Jane Eyre 1970 (in this case too awarded with an Emmy) was played.

From The New York Times:

His seldom-heard suite from “Jane Eyre,” a 1971 television movie, was a captivating surprise, especially the first movement, “Lowood,” with bittersweet harmonic language that recalled Vaughan Williams. (Anthony Tommasini)

And from the New York Sun, which seems to find the orchestra at fault:

From a TV version of "Jane Eyre" (1971), we had a little suite of three pieces. In the first, the Philharmonic committed many bobbles, but it didn't seem to matter much. (Jay Nordlinger)

Secondly, some more common reviews. NorthJersey.com reviews Shaggy Muses by Maureen Adams very briefly and positively. Nictitus reviews Wuthering Heights in French, and Book and Talk comments on Jane Eyre in Italian.

Lori Henry on More than Paris talks about a previous journey to Haworth and points to a fuller account by herself on Suite101.

The Hindustan Times, meanwhile, seems to look at a few fictional dream men. Heathcliff - as portrayed by Ralph Fiennes - is one of the select few.

Heathcliff
Wuthering Heights - Ralph Fiennes
What's to like in this guy, huh? Not his wicked plotting mind or cruelty but simply his single-minded devotion to one woman. Sure, it borders on obsession and madness, but it's interesting. And only Catherine Earnshaw can understand it. Even when she dies, all he hopes is that she haunts him all his life and stays with him always. Scary!
In real-life: None of it actually. Heathcliff only looks good in print and on screen. (HT)

And lastly a mention in an article from The Independent on bad language and the press:

The paper's style book urges caution in the use of such language, however, and bans the use of asterisks, regarding them as "a cop-out" and quoting Charlotte Brontë in opposition to their use in censoring books in her time. (Donald Trelford)

We have been unable to locate said quote yet, but we'll try and track it down. As usual, though, we would caution journalists against using the Brontës as advocates to their causes. It's okay to post their opinion but using it as a weapon against other stances may not always be exactly wise. The Brontës lived in a totally different era and the opinions they expressed apply only to their time. While we like to think she'd be against censorship of any kind, there's no way of knowing what Charlotte Brontë would say about swear words appearing in the press today.

Categories: Books, Haworth, Jane Eyre, Movies-DVD-TV, Music, Wuthering Heights