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Jane Eyre (BBC, 1983)

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Director: Julian Amyes
Actors: Timothy Dalton, Zelah Clarke
Studio: BBC Warner
Category: DVD

List Price: ~~$14.98~~
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Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

282 reviews
Sales Rank: 3736

Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 311 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6

MPN: WARDE2189D
ISBN: 141980524X
UPC: 794051218926
EAN: 9781419805240
ASIN: B000784WMW

Theatrical Release Date: 1983
Release Date: April 19, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Condition: BRAND NEW, Factory Sealed items direct from the Studios. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. Quick International Airmail!

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•	Sense & Sensibility (Special Edition)

Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 04/19/2005 Run time: 330 minutes Rating: Nr

Amazon.com
Jane Eyre--the mother of all gothic romances--gets abundant passion in this 11-episode BBC miniseries. Young Sian Pattenden is wonderfully willful and impetuous; viewers will immediately identify with the child Jane as she fights against ill-treatment at the home of her aunt and at boarding school. It's a shame to see her grow up into Zelah Clarke--until Clarke asserts her own quiet yet fierce spirit. The plot really starts rolling when Jane takes a position as governess at Thornfield, a handsome estate owned by the imperious and tortured Mr. Rochester (Timothy Dalton, a few years before he became James Bond). From there, this 1983 adaptation rips through the perilous highs and devastating lows of Charlotte Bronte's powerful novel, in which the courtship of these two prickly personalities gets twists and turns galore. Though the visual style is a bit pedestrian, the well-crafted script and skillful performances grow more gripping with every episode. The necessary feverishness springs from simple yet effective means, like macabre laughter floating down the halls of Thornfield. The scenes between Clarke and Dalton crackle with chemistry; Bronte fans will not be disappointed. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews: Read 277 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

Fantastic adaptation with minor flaws January 2, 2009
Cat (Southern California)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

It's a wonder how any young girl, unloved and mistreated as a child and cast out into a brutal institution, could develop into such an intelligent, honest and loving person. Such is the life of Jane Eyre-an uncommon girl who's quick wit and sharp tongue have shielded her from abuse by her extended family, her school instructors and her time as governess at Thornfield estate. Directed by Julian Amyes, this eleven-part series moves deftly through the life of Jane but remains faithful to Bronte's story. It is an older production and the camera work is a bit weak, but most of the cast is brilliant, including Sian Pattenden, who plays young Jane. The lead actors, Dalton and Clarke, give strong performances but lack some of the important character traits of Rochester and Eyre. Zelah Clarke plays 19yr old Jane, but Clarke was almost thirty at the time of this production. The age difference gives her more experience and confidence than Jane should have with Rochester. It's more interesting to watch a character struggle against intimidation and when confronted by an imposing man such as Rochester, Clarke was much too composed. However, not all of the fault is Clarke's. Amyes' has a habit of filming scenes from an unnatural distance that results in a loss of intimacy. Film actors shouldn't have to work so hard to be expressive. Their slightest look should speak volumes, but as I've seen from Amyes' other productions like Great Expectations and The Old Curiosity Shop, sometimes he films like we're watching the scenes from a theater which is an unfortunate disservice to his cast. I agree with many reviewers that Dalton was dashing and exuberant but I think his Rochester was bit more likable than he should have been-considering the life-draining secret hanging over his head. Dalton understood Rochester's manic exterior, but not the overwhelming oppression that must certainly loom over him. However, these points are minor considering the obvious effort made for this over five hour production. The script carried each episode well and at no time did it become tedious. There are many versions of Jane Eyre and I think viewers will find this the one the most fulfilling.

5 out of 5 stars

A Haunting,Haunted Romance December 29, 2008
Amaranth (Northern California)
"Jane Eyre" is the wonderful 1983 BBC adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's powerful novel. The movie brings the novel to passionate,sizzling life. Welsh actor Timothy Dalton is superb as the brooding,bitter Mr. Rochester who harbors a dark secret. Zelah Clarke,who doesn't look like the usual Hollywood beauty,is wonderful as the strong-willed,yet gentle Jane Eyre. Though hired on as a governess, she feels a great passion for her employer.

"Jane Eyre" has several plot twists that look quaint when one considers how classics have been updated. When Jane discovers that Edward Rochester is married, she leaves him. She doesn't see Mrs. Rochester's mental illness as an excuse for an affair. When the manor is burnt down, Jane returns to Edward's side and marries him.

"Jane Eyre" is a true cinematic classic,a pitch-perfect adaptation of the first gothic romance novel.

5 out of 5 stars

Great version November 20, 2008
crazy about period drama (USA)
I like this adaptation of Jane Eyre very much and it was a great price!

5 out of 5 stars

The best adaptation of Jane Eyre October 19, 2008
Shallie D. Johnson (Seattle, WA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

I re-watched this version of Jane Eyre and fell in love with it all over again.

I agree with what the majority of reviews written have said over and over - Dalton IS Rochester - brooding, powerful, and emotionally-charged. Zelah Clarke gives a terrific, confident, sharp performance. Good chemistry. The movie stays true to the novel. Curl up on the couch on your day off with this version and you'll have 6 delicious hours of Jane Eyre goodness to enjoy.

3 out of 5 stars

Faithful adaptation, but loses a lot in style October 6, 2008
English Major (Seattle, WA)
2 out of 6 found this review helpful

Right off, I have to admit that this version is very faithful to the orinal novel. I cannot find any fault with it in that way. If you want something that feels like the novel done word-for-word, this is the one. In that aspect, I really enjoyed it. There were, however, some stylistic flaws that got in my way.

First thing is the cinematography. It was terrible. I understand that this was made for TV in 1983, but that understanding only makes it seem a little bit better. It is kind of like watching a home video. I suppose that I have gotten used to even TV movies trying to reach the level of cinematic excellence in filming that films have now. It threw me off a little bit because the filming looked a lot like that done for soap operas. I am not a fan of soap operas, and at times it was hard to get away from that feeling.

The sound quality of the production was ok, but it kind of felt like a filmed version of a stage play. If they moved too far away from the camera, they sounded far away and kind of like they were fighting to be heard.

While I liked overall Timothy Dalton's portrayal of Rochester, he seemed, at times, too happy to be Rochester. I have never seen a Rochester smile so much. Yes, he is supposed to be charming, but there is a stretch in the middle when he completely loses the brooding quality that I have come to associate with that character. And, by the way, he is far too pretty to be Rochester. I almost laughed when Jane said that he was not handsome. Come on, he was James Bond. He's gorgeous.

One last comment about the DVD. Why couldn't they have taken out the credits for each episode. I watched the whole thing straight through, and I was a little annoyed at having to fast forward through 11 sets of beginning titles and 10 sets of end credits. It interrupted the story.

Overall, this was a very faithful adaptation, but the poor production quality, though understandable because of when it was made, limited my enjoyment of it.

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