Thursday, November 19, 2009

Your Favorite Books Brought to Life - Cranford News Redux

Today is just a BBC Miniseries news day. Shortly after I announced that we had an airdate set for Return to Cranford, PBS then followed it up with a DVD release date! On January 19th you could be the proud owner of the next chapter in the village of Cranford. My guess is that they will split the show up onto two consecutive Sunday nights, the 10th and the 17th of January, with the release on the 19th, as they have been known to do in the past. Great news for those who love repeat viewings of classic miniseries, which this is sure to be.

Need more details? Other than the fact it's 180 minutes and will have a 20 minute featurette called "Cranford in Detail." Let's look to the press release for "the official patter":

"Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton, Francesca Annis and Julia McKenzie return in the Emmy-winning drama based on the novels by Elizabeth Gaskell. Miss Matty's house is full of life and bustle. Her dream of having a child in the house has been realized in the birth of Tilly, daughter of her maid Martha and carpenter Jem. Elsewhere, the shadow of the railway still looms, but the line has been halted five miles outside of Cranford - a disaster as far as Captain Brown is concerned.

Meanwhile, as Mr. Buxton returns to town with his son, William, and his niece, Erminia. Miss Matty becomes concerned about another young person - Peggy Bell - who lives in an isolated cottage with her mother and domineering brother. She decides to intervene and engineers an invitation that will bring the four young people together. But when tragedy strikes, she fears she has opened a Pandora's box that Cranford will never recover from."

But not only was there Cranford news today... oh no! We also got Jane Austen Emma news! I recently reviewed (yesterday is recent right?) the new adaptation, indicating that it would be shortly stateside... well the wait to know when is over. I know the wait since yesterday has been unbearable for you! Anyway, the DVD will be out February 9th. Indicating that it will air sometime after Cranford and before the release date, around the 24th (confirmed on their facebook page, and yes, they have a facebook page, kind of shocking) till the 7th, indicating to me that they might be doing some "creative editing" to make it three one hour hour and twenty minute episodes versus four one hour... they do like there "creative editing," having done some heavy handed things in recent memory just to fit it in it's time slot or remove objectionable content... Prime Suspect anyone? Or all Captain Wentworth's scenes in Lyme Regis in the new Persuasion! But that's another rant, not the fun filled, yeah Emma that I'm here to announce. So yeah Emma! Can't wait for the extras either, hopefully that costume special will explain why they made Jodhi May all boxy.

Till the next announcement! I'm sure there can't be anymore today! Can there?

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