A train wreck of romance

The broadcast of the first episode of the new Wuthering Heighs miniseries tonight on PBS is, of course, mentioned in the US press:

Masterpiece Classic takes us back to the moors with a new adaptation of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley play Heathcliff and Cathy, the tortured lovers who share a train wreck of a romance. Brace yourself. 9 p.m., PBS. (Chuck Barney in Contra Costa Times)

"Masterpiece" (CPTV, 9 p.m.) turns to another classic in a new version of Emily Brontë's "Wuthering Heights," whose romantic tale on the moors works in large part to the dexterity of Tom Hardy, who plays several generations of Heathcliff, though newcomer Charlotte is adequately bewitching as Cathy. Burn Gorman (from "Bleak House") is a standout, too, as her snooty brother. The four-hour, two-part drama concludes next week. (Roger Catlin in Hartford Courant)

Tom Hardy stars in this new adaptation of Emily Brontë's novel "Wuthering Heights" as Heathcliff, the foundling who is taken in by a wealthy family and falls in love with his adoptive sister (Charlotte Riley). Burn Gorman and Kevin McNally also star (9 p.m. KCET). (Los Angeles Times)

Isthmus publishes a brief review included in the He-wants-to-seem-witty-but-sounds-like-ignorance-to-us category:

I haven't read Wuthering Heights since high school, but PBS's production matches my memory of the experience: confusing and compelling. It plunks us down in Emily Brontë's haunted English moors, where the orphan Heathcliff is brought into the Earnshaw family and falls in love with young Catherine.
Okay, "in love" might not be a strong enough term. After Catherine dies, Heathcliff charges into the windy night, digs up her grave and lies with her skeleton, imagining his beloved's face in place of the skull. There follows a tangled narrative involving revenge, abuse, woolly sideburns and way too many people with the first and last name "Linton." (Dean Robbins)

The Telegraph publishes a list of 100 novels everyone should read and Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre are both on it:

79 Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
Prequel to Jane Eyre giving moving, human voice to the mad woman in the attic.
14 Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Out on the winding, windy moors Cathy and Heathcliff become each other’s “souls”. Then he storms off.
7 Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Poor and obscure and plain as she is, Mr Rochester wants to marry her. Illegally.

The Sunday Herald finds a Heathcliff precedent in Robert Burns:

He was the first of the great romantics. His brooding, haunted masculinity was famous long before Emily Bronte invented Heathcliff. His dandified good looks, radical politics and chaotic private life were legendary before Lord George Byron had even reached adolescence. And by the time William Wordsworth began wandering lonely as a cloud, Robert Burns had already defined the romantic poet as a man of feeling, in awe of nature, and overflowing with spontaneous emotion. (Allan Burnett)

Talking about Heathcliffs, Jane Austen Today posts a poll about your favourite one: Tom Hardy, Laurence Olivier, Ralph Fiennes or Timothy Dalton?

Barbara Hall's Bookwise section in the The Times includes the following question. Who can this character be?

1The man who proposed to marry this governess suggested he give her a white and pink cloud for a gown, with a scarf cut from a rainbow. In Millcote, he wished to buy a rich amethyst silk and pink satin. But she preferred black satin and pearl-grey silk, and threatened to marry in her lilac gingham.

The Deccan Herald (India) goes for another recommendation as Jane Eyre 2006 is going to be broadcast next week in India (by the way, pastpending posts some nice icons of the series):

Ever find the time to languorously relish your favourite classic novels? You can now watch them on Zee Studio! Watch the television adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s much-adored classic Jane Eyre on Jan 23 and Jan 30 on Zee Studio at 10:30 pm. The adaptation mines Bronte’s novel for every ounce of passion, drama, colour, madness and horror available, bringing to life Jane’s inner world with beauty, humour and at times great sadness. Don’t miss it! (Jyothi Venkatesh)

Sunday's Zaman (Turkey) reviews Nur Baba by Yakup Kadri Karaosmanoğlu and compares it to Jane Eyre:

I am used to a rich tradition of literature that challenges prejudices and society’s attitudes. Charlotte Bronte’s female characters defy the socially accepted norm that women are inferior beings, and she had Jane Eyre say to Mr. Rochester the words that must have been shocking to her first readers, “Equal in God’s sight -- as we are.” Mrs. Gaskell addressed issues of gentility and poverty, making it clear that the poor have just as much aesthetic sensitivity and analytical ability as the rich -- they just do not have the opportunity to indulge in it. (Marion James)

The Erie Times News (Ireland) reports a tribute made to Charlie Corretore who in 1998 premiered an original production of Jane Eyre. A New Musical (Michael Malthaner - Composer / Charles Corritore - Lyricist / David Matthews - Librettist)

More than 350 people joined with 100 singers and musicians for the Erie Playhouse gala concert and champagne reception on New Year's Eve.
Musical highlights of the past 25 years provided the main entertainment of the evening. But Playhouse Executive Director Almi Clerkin and staff had a big surprise up their sleeves, as they turned the spotlight on longtime Playhouse Business Manager Charlie Corritore.
This season marks Corritore's 35th year on the playhouse staff. He holds the distinction of being the longest tenured employee of the theater in its 92-year history. (...)
Rich Tryzbiak, accompanied by Michael Malthaner, closed with the song: "Look To Your Heart," from the Erie Playhouse original production of "Jane Eyre" (1998), written by Corritore, Matthews and Michael Malthaner. (Meg Loncharic)

Lucy Gomez publishes a list of things to do in 2009 in The Philippine Star, including this strange remark:

38. Watch more movies! Look for the original Wuthering Heights.

We wonder which the original Wuthering Heights film is. Wuthering Heights 1920?

The CapeCod Times insists on the Jane Eyre romantic filiation with this contest:

The love stories we watch in movies often have their beginning in romance-drenched books. Think "Jane Eyre" for a classic example or "Twilight" for a contemporary one. So we ask: "What's the most powerful love story you've ever read?" Tell us in 50 words or fewer the title/author and why the book is so romantic, and we'll randomly choose an entry to win a classic valentine box of candy. Send your entry (with name, address and phone number) to Books Contest, 319 Main St., Hyannis, MA 02601 or e-mail it to mlauwers@capecodonline.com. Deadline for entries: Feb. 1. (Melanie Lauwers)

The Diario de Xalapa (México) devotes a post to the 23rd anniversary of Juan Rulfo's death. The author is compared with Emily Brontë:

Se le ha querido encontrar influencia a la prosa de Rulfo con los grandes escritores como Faulkner, Prost, Joyce o Kafka; sin embargo, el apego a las supersticiones, a los mitos de aparecidos, a los veneros populares y a las descripciones marcadamente locales de paisajes fantasmales, hacen que la literatura rulfiana se acerque más a los autores nórdicos como Lagerlöff, Ramuz, Bjornson, Hamsun e, inclusive, con la Emily Brönte (sic), de Cumbres Borrascosas, en el tratamiento del amor fou -tan atrayente para los surrealistas franceses. (Juan González) (Google translation)

Finally, Lulin olvasmányai reviews Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë in Hungarian, arrkay has created a new Wuthering Heights wordle and 100 books in 2009 has read Shirley.

Categories: Agnes Grey, Jane Eyre, Movies-DVD-TV, Music, References, Shirley, Theatre, Wide Sargasso Sea, Wuthering Heights