Pride & Prejudice (2005) Vs. Pride and Prejudice (1995)

Rating: 4/10 (6 December 2013)

There are several versions of Jane Austen's pride and prejudice, but this one by far is a very poor version in comparison to the 1995 version. First I would like to point out how this shortened 2005 version with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen was an interesting attempt to shorten the long episodes, but there are many reasons why many state that it is a failed attempt. There are several facts that prove this.
This film was full of many wardrobe mistakes. This story is based on the 19th century and many wardrobe mistakes were done in the 2005 version such as not wearing bonnets outdoors, which was well done in the 1995 version. This just ruined the historical aspect of this story. I also personally did not like the impression that Elizabeth Bennet gave. In comparison to the 1995 version the 2005 version of Elizabeth was very poor. In the 1995 version Elizabeth would explore nature, walk a lot, she would have well thought out responses, seamed wise with her words, and give loving advice to her sister Jane, and was overall calm and respectable. But in the 2005 version Elizabeth explores less, gossips more, keeps secrets from her sister Jane, and just seams overall like she is bipolar due to the drastic mood changes from scene to scene.
Overall one of the mistakes that they did worst of all was how the scenes changed. It is understandable that this version had to be shorter which gave limited time to show each scene, but this made it confusing many times. Some examples of when the scenes were confusing were for example, when the scene just randomly changes to a running scene in the rain and Darcy is running after her and proposes to her for the first time. Also, there was the random scene were Elizabeth is with her aunt and uncle and she visits Pemberley. These scenes were just random and there were really no events that led up to it. There were several scenes that just randomly happened like this. Personally I think this could be confusing and there should at least have been a narrator or something to state what was going on in these events because the scenes changed very fast multiple times through the movie. Even if the 1995 version is longer, the scenes were nicely spaced apart.
Other comments I can make is that Mr. Collins in the 2005 version has a poor character and seems too boring, while in the 1995 version he is creepy, gross, and funny. And at the end of the 2005 version, there is not wedding scene, just a scene were Mr. Darcy calls Elizabeth Mrs. Darcy, which is a letdown considering that marriage is what was important thought the story.