Rochester Porn

(Replying to Anna’s post.)

The new BBC-series of Jane Eyre isn’t just “fan fiction adaptation”, I think – clearly this goes under the category of “Rochester Porn”. I just invented that term, but that’s what it is. You know how guys rent porn flicks because it’s frustrating to them that there’s never any actual intercourse shown in regular movies (with the possible exception of Lars von Trier’s The Idiots) ? Well, my theory is that BBC’s new Jane Eyre miniseries is what women will watch when they’re frustrated that there’s never any real hard-core flirting going on in the regular Jane Eyre novel. It’s about time someone invented this genre, really: porn directed at female humanities graduates.

So, what do I mean to say with all this? Do I like it? Why of course I do! It’s Rochester Porn! Rochester-porn, people. What’s not to like about that?

Do I, however, think it’s a quality adaptation of a literary classic? No, I have to say that I don’t, so far. The director is the same who did Bleak House (how much did Anna and I squeal when we found out about this? Lots! Since, as you may remember: we loved Bleak House!), and while the art direction of Jane Eyre is every bit as lovely and quirky and innovative as it was on Bleak House, I don’t think the series really holds up to the standards of BH. Maybe it’s just that the production has not been provided with as much airtime as the Dickens adaptation? I can’t help thinking that the whole thing seems so rushed all the time. The childhood parts were effective in terms of nightmare-ish crooked camera angles, but they went through the chapters – that are quite extensive and significant in Brontë’s novel – so quickly that it felt more like an episode summary. You know, as in “Last time – on Jane Eyre!”. And even in the more elaborate grown-up parts of the episode there’s that rushed feeling to it, and it seems as if there’s hardly time for character development. The subtle little hints of the character’s peeves and quirks as we saw them in BH (Mr. Jarndyce stealing a gaze at Esther now and then, Lady Dedlock patting her maid’s cheek maternally) are easily completely lost here.  Which is a shame, since this is Jane Eyre! The Bible of Quirkiness! Featuring, possibly, the two most quirky literary characters of the 19th century; Rochester and Jane. Who, in this adaptation, walk around beaming openly at each other and flirting heavily.

But, well. As mentioned before – I like it, of course I like it. Part of me (a larger part than I care to admit) craves Rochester porn. And the art direction really is ingenious. And the scene with Rochester’s sprained foot was quite true to the book. And the actors are doing a freakin’ amazing job! Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson are out-of-this-world amazing, even when they have to rush through material worth of about 200 pages with only about 10 minutes of dialogue. Not to mention, Stephens is hottt!

So in other words – I’m enjoying myself. And I’m looking forward to seeing more of the series. And I’ll just try to take it for what it is; well-acted, cleverly photographed Rochester Porn.

…Rochester porn. Pie.

/marie