Friday 13 February 2015

Examples of TV series or films that play in the early and mid/late Victorian era

I just had a look for TV series that play in the Victorian era and there are just so many. So I decided to list some, I either know or which looked quite interesting.

The first one is Jane Eyre
There are several adaptions of the novel written by Charlotte  Brontë in 1847. She was one of the three Brontë sisters (other two were Anne and Emily). Even though the novel is said to be set during the reign of George III. (1760- 1820) , you can see early Victorian hairstyles were being used. 
I have seen two versions of Jane Eyre, the 2006 and the 2011 version. In both we have typical early Victorian hair and mid Victorian hair.

2006 version:
Was a TV miniseries by BBC One and directed by Susanna White. The miniseries was divided into 4 parts.


The typical hairstyle for Jane Eyre is here the early Victorian plaited bun, the front is middle parted and two strands go back and join the bun. In this case the two strands are plaited as well. Something I noticed is that they started quite low with the plaiting than we did during class. Here in the trailer you cans see that the plaiting of the two strands starts just underneath the ear.

Ruth Wilson as Jane Eyre

 Later when Blanche Ingram appears you can see the tight ringlets on the sides that were worn during the mid Victorian times. At the back was still the plaited bun.

Christina Cole as Blanche Ingram

2011 Version:
Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and starring Mia Wasikiwska and Michael Fassbender.




In this image of Jane Eyre you can also the the typical plaited bun( like in the 2006 version) , something they changed are the front sections that are going to the back to join the bun. In this case they are looped and go underneath the ears. 


Imogen Poots played the role of the Blanche Ingram in this version and apart from the hair colour there are not really changes when it comes to the hairstyle. She as the tight ringlets on the sides as well and the bun too. I don't know why but somehow I prefer the look on Imogen Poots more than Christina Cole from the 2006 s´version.

Bleak House 

BBC TV miniseries which has 15 parts.2005 adaption. Directed by Susanna White and Justin Chadwick. Based on Charles Dickens novel Bleak House.


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In the images above you can see some of the key points of Victorian hair like the ringlets on the sides, bun with plaits at the back but they are more loose and kind of messy. In the last pictures of Gillian Anderson, who plays Lady Honoria Dedlock, it is hard to say if she had a bun at the back or not also the front is more wavy and not as straight as it was during Victorian times.


Oliver Twist

Novel by Charles Dickens, There are also several film and TV series adaptions based upon this novel.  I chose the 2007 version, which was directed by Coky Giedroyc and produced by Sarah Brown. This miniseries has 5 episodes ans was broadcasted on BBC One. 


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Oliver twist is set during the Victorian era. I tried to find good images to show the hairstyles but I couldn't really find a lot^^ But I found one image were you can see the early Victorian bun with the sections going to the back. But instead of being more loosely looped the section are higher up and then join the bun.

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From Hell

2001, Horro, Thriller
Is based on the novel 'From Hell' by Alan Moore and was directed by Albert and Allen Hughes. Johnny Depp, Heather Graham and Robbie Coltrane are starring in the movie

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I choose to list this movie as well ,because first of all it plays in the late Victorian era (1888) and also shows the poverty in England. Here especially it portraits the prostitutes, who don't wear the typical Victorian hairstyles. They wear their hair down in loose curls. I think it is more interesting to see how the 'real life' was for most of the people (which does not mean that all of them were prostitutes :), just that more people lived in poverty) than to always see the superficial lives of the rich with their nice hair. But another big factor for choosing this movies was of course Johnny Depp.! I think I don't have to explain :) :)


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Heather Graham as Mary Kelly

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Other films or TV series:

Bram Stoker's Dracula, 
1992,
 directed by Francis Ford Coppola, starring Gary Oldman, Keanu Reeves, Anthony Hopkins and Wiona Ryder, American Horror film, set in later Victorian era (1897)

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The Young Victoria
2009
directed by Jean-Marc Vallée


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A Christmas Carol
1984
based on novel by Charles Dickens
directed by Clive Donner, starring George Campbell Scott and is set in 1943.

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Miss Potter
2006
based on life of Beatrix Potter
directed by Chris Noonan, starring Renée  Zellweger and Ewan McGregor


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Nicholas Nickleby
2002
based on novel ' The Life And Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby' by Charles Dickens
directed by Douglas McGrath


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North and South
2004
based on novel by Elizabeth Gaskell
directed by Brian Percival
has four episodes and was broadcasted on BBC One


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