I’m watching the MLB Allstar game and blogging about film…pretty cool…
First off, I have to say what a breath of fresh air the ’94 version of Little Women was. I have seen it before, but it’s been years. I don’t remember liking as much as I do now. Then again, I’ve had Little Women on the brain for so long nothing seems quite the same as it used to. Anyway, I really enjoyed that movie today. As for Winona Ryder’s portrayal of Jo, I thought she did an acceptable job. As for some people hating her, I must say she did not have that affect on me. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I like her. I noticed while reading about this film that Ryder was nominated as Best Actress for and Oscar. Interesting. As for the rest of the cast, they really were in a different league than the actors from the two previous film versions. And by that I mean they were actually good.
I loved the different elements from the novel that this version offered. A few of my favorites:
Amy grows up
Amy burns the manuscript and falls into the icy water
Meg getting “dolled up” and Laurie’s disaproval
Amy’s Limes (and the fact Amy does get a rapping)
The mailbox
I know I have mentioned it before, but I love good movie soundtracks. I really loved this score by Thomas Newman. I was glad to see Dan’s post on music as a narrative. I completely agree and think it is a really effective way for a film maker to communicate to an audience. This music (just like this movie and book) was very warm and inviting. Here’s a YouTube clip that has about 5 minutes of this movie’s soundtrack. Sit back, relax, and enjoy. It really is beautiful.
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