Jane Eyre - Summer film

My favourite film over the summer was the 2011 adaption of Jane Eyre. The film was released on 11thMarch 2011 in the US, and 9th September in Great Britain and Ireland. The cast stars accredited actors, including Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Judi Dench and Jamie Bell. The screenplay of the film was written by Moira Buffini, based on the 1847 novel by Charlotte Bronte.
I first saw the film in the cinema, when it was first released in the UK, but I hadn't watched it in a couple of years and my main memory of the film was positive, therefore I decided to re-watch it. In 2006, a television adaption of the novel was aired on BBC, in a four part series, starring Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens. The series was nominated for numerous awards and won 4. I watched this series when it was first aired on television, and was apprehensive as to whether the film would compare to the television adaption, having also read the book before watching the television series and the film. Having read many Bronte books previously, this encouraged me to watch the film, sceptical as to whether I would enjoy it and how it would compare to the novel in my personal opinion.
The casting of the film was chosen very well in my opinion. Mia Wasikowska plays Jane wonderfully, with the northern accent, plainness and strong willed character that Charlotte Bronte intended. However, the Edward Rochester character, played by Michael Fassbender was intended to be stern and not particularly handsome in appearance. Fassbender plays the role to a high standard; however as an actor who has modelled for Vogue and GQ, more of an effort could have been to make his appearance slightly closer to the original idea of the character.
The mise-en-scene of the film was exceptional in my opinion, up keeping the era that the novel was set in, such as period costumes, buildings, the location that the film was set in e.g. moors, countryside and the manor house, and even small but noticeable features such as speech and dialect. The film emphasised gothic elements of the classic novel, including features such as furniture and lighting, as the scenes filmed at night are lit in the frame by candlelight. The music is also fitted in well with the film, as tense and emotional scenes include classical compositions, which is also upkeeping of the era. The camera angles feature a mix, with high camera angles when Jane’s auntie is ill, showing her lack of power and sickness, and low camera angles for Edward Rochester, as he shows power and authority over Jane and his servants, however when he is standing with his suitor, Miss Ingram, they are equal and the camera angle is even as they are both identical in power and wealth, he then kneels down, so she is above him, showing her dominance and control.

Overall, in my opinion, the film had wonderful qualities and technical features, such as camera angles and mise-en-scene. Although I felt that some aspects could have been improved, such as the appearance of Mr Rochester, as the character is originally intended to be not particularly handsome, although Michael Fassbender plays the role brilliantly.