Anne of Green Gables

[arduinna]

(icon not exactly Anne, but certainly bosom friends!)

Reading Anne of Green Gables a couple of weeks ago put me in the mood for the 1985 (... okay, wow, it really doesn't feel like it was that long ago) miniseries, which I couldn't find streaming anywhere. So I put the little yen aside until tonight, when I noticed that at some point recently my TiVo recorded the 2016 TV movie version. Which, I admit, I never had the slightest interest in, having thoroughly imprinted on the earlier Megan Follows version.

Still, it was Anne and it was on my tv, so hey! It was good - it's hard to go really wrong with that story - but sort of watered down, with all the prickly edges softened up, which was a pity. It also felt a bit rushed, with a run time of about an hour and a half (rather than the ~3 1/2 of the miniseries).

Also, much though I love Martin Sheen, wow is he the wrong actor to play shy, retiring, practically invisible Matthew Cuthbert. He did his best, but can't exactly hide his presence under a bushel. *g*

Anyway - glad a new generation has an Anne of their own, but I have to admit, glad my generation had the Anne we had. <3

Comments

[goss]

I ♥ the Megan Follows version as well. :)

[arduinna]

It was so good!

[rosaw]

I loved those books as a young person, though I've never seen any film adaptations. Have you reread them in adulthood? I should read one again and see how Anne stands with me now.

[arduinna]

I have, and they definitely hold up for me. I've never read the extended series, just the handful of younger-Anne books, but I still love them. The 1985 adaptation is definitely on DVD, just not streaming, so if your library has it and you're in the mood for something gentle and sweet to watch, I highly recommend it. (There are several - they used the same actors and every few years made another one to have Anne growing to adulthood as she did in the books. Just fabulous.)

[nestra]

I saw a clip of that, and their Gilbert was all wrong, so I wasn't too interested in that. Good to know that my feelings about Martin Sheen were confirmed.

The casting in that original miniseries is just so perfect.

[arduinna]

Their Gilbert was so, so wrong. And worse, Anne's reaction to him was wrong; after the big falling out she would be offended/dismissive of him to his face, then secretly smile at his antics as she left. Just. Wow, no.

The Martin Sheen casting was so weird that I was wondering if he asked to be in it; it makes no sense that they'd seek him out for that role.

The casting in that original miniseries is just so perfect.

It really is. *happy sigh*

[gramarye1971]

My parents (who have never read the books) saw the miniseries for the first time a few months ago, and I hadn't thought that they had enjoyed it as much as they did until we tried to watch the new adaptation, and my father (who does not usually have strong opinions on these things) said, "This doesn't feel right to me." So yet another vote for the miniseries for its casting and directing. ^_^

[arduinna]

Hee! That's awesome.

[arduinna]

ah, thank you! Those don't seem to be live, but I had completely spaced on being able to search filefactory, and am poking at more options now. \o/

[cybel]

Ah, I see the problem. The links appear to be bound to my specific search request, which has expired. I didn't realize that would prevent FF search results from being passed on. I've deleted my original comment to prevent others from falling prey to the same disappointment. ;-)

[arduinna]

Yeah, I realized that when one of my own search-produced links expired - so odd. But still, thank you, I have indeed found them and am enjoying the heck out of them! \o/

[cybel]

Glad to hear it!