Lionsgate Films UK will release on Blu-ray director Mike Newell's Great Expectations (2012), starring Helena Bonham Carter (The Deep Blue Sea), Ralph Fiennes (The English Patient), Robbie Coltrane (GoldenEye), and Jeremy Irvine (War Horse). The preliminary release date set by the studio is March 25th.
Director Mike Newell's adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic novel. Young orphan Pip finds his life changed forever soon after encountering and lending assistance to escaped convict Magwitch (Fiennes) on the marshlands near his home. Later, after being summoned to attend the stately home of Miss Havisham (Carter) and finding himself mesmerised by the old lady's beautiful but cold-hearted niece, Estella (Helena Barlow/Holliday Grainger), Pip learns that he has been granted an inheritance by a mysterious benefactor. After moving to London to be educated as a gentleman under the guardianship of lawyer Mr. Jaggers (Coltrane), a now adult Pip (Irvine), believing he now has the necessary social standing, sets about convincing Estella that he is worthy of her love.
Looks interesting. But, from the trailer, it also looks to be somewhat inferior to the recent and also lavishly produced and wonderfully cast version featuring Gillian Anderson.
Well, it's better than the modern updated version we got back in the 90's.
(And yes, Carter's still playing Bellatrix...That's what happens when you marry Tim Burton. Please give generously and help us find a cure.)
And whoever's read the book would know that the trailer basically gives away every single one of Dicken's plot spoilers, but fortunately, most people haven't.
And yet another remake of a Dickens classic. Well, I'll jump in for they are always interesting and sometimes (Lean!) great. What I don't understand is: The Brits continually remake film versions of their literary classies, e.g. Dickens, Austen and more) and US filmmakers remake "Spiderman." Couldn't we at least have a REAL (not "dumbed-down for today's audiences") film adaption of some US classics?? "Huckleberry Finn" jumps to mind immediately. But then--US filmmakers know that their kiddie audience will not go see these in the theatre or watch them on TV. Sad.
