Pride and .. Predator?

[HairyHeretic]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/feb/17/pride-and-predator-to-give-jane-austen-extreme-makeover

Pride and Predator to give Jane Austen an extreme makeover

The new film from Elton John's Rocket Pictures will have the seven-foot extraterrestrial give the characters from Pride and Prejudice something more immediate to worry about than making advantageous marriages

It might prove something of a boon to those who reach for the remote control when yet another costume drama comes on television: Elton John's Rocket Pictures is developing a new spin on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, this time featuring a nefarious seven-foot extraterrestrial with hideous mandibles and a penchant for human blood. Yes, it's Pride and Predator.

Will Clark, best known for his award-winning gothic comedy short The Amazing Trousers, will direct the film, which is being produced by Rocket partners Steve Hamilton Shaw and David Furnish.

"It felt like a fresh and funny way to blow apart the done-to-death Jane Austen genre by literally dropping this alien into the middle of a costume drama, where he stalks and slashes to horrific effect," Furnish told Variety.

Both Pride and Prejudice and Predator have been twisted into a variety of new forms over the past two decades. Gurinder Chadha's 2004 musical Bride and Prejudice saw Austen's romance transplanted in Bollywood, while Alien vs Predator saw the monster from John McTiernan's 1987 original taking on Ridley Scott's murderous horrors.

The news does come as something of a surprise, however, as 20th Century Fox had reportedly been planning a solo reboot for its Predator franchise, following critical scorn for 2007's Aliens vs Predator – Requiem.

Rocket isn't averse to adding its own spin to iconic titles: it also has the animated Shakespeare spoof Gnomeo and Juliet in the works, featuring the voice of James McAvoy as a lovelorn pixie.

[MHaji]

Sadly, I think it's not going to be as good as its title. It sounds like an alien-slasher-flick thingy, for people who understandably want to see Mr. Wickham get gored by metal claws. It'd be funnier to have a Predator romantic comedy.

[Transgirlenstein]

...............................

Seriously?

.....

[HairyHeretic]

Could you make something like this up?

[Transgirlenstein]

In a sane world..yes.

[HairyHeretic]

What's the quote about truth being stranger than fiction, because fiction has to make sense?

[PearlRuby]

"It felt like a fresh and funny way to blow apart the done-to-death Jane Austen genre by literally dropping this alien into the middle of a costume drama, where he stalks and slashes to horrific effect,"

It's not done-to-death. You might as well say all genre's are overdone in which case, we're at a bit of a loss now aren't we? Someone once said (can't remember who exactly) that there are only 7 stories. It's how you present or tell these stories however, that makes them different. Look at how overdone the romeo and juliet style love story is, but it works, because there is always something different behind the general structure.

I think this idea is just...ridiculous. It really is laughable. Besides, I'll never pay to see the predator slash apart the gorgeous Mr.Darcy!

On a different note, I hated the Keira Knightly version of P&P. In my opinion, she's a terrible actress, who simply pouts at the camera and talks 'posh.' The BBC's Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth is THE perfect adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Think I might watch it now while I try to sleep ;D

[Ganam]

It is my hope that this movie also has terminators and Robocop.

[MHaji]

Oh, yes, the best part was the phrase "done-to-death Jane Austen genre." Does the director listen to the Metallica genre of music, or watch the Spielberg genre of movies?

The term he's looking for is "Merchant Ivory-style movies" but I think he assumes we wouldn't know what that is. On the bright side, at least this parody won't be suffocated by concerns about respectfulness for the source material.

Maybe this is just a brilliant hoax?

[Avis habilis]

Well, bear in mind this did appear in the Grauniad. It wouldn't be the first time they'd got something disastrously wrong.

Now one of those Jane Austen/Fighting Fantasy crossovers people were muttering about when "Lost in Austen" came out, that I'd like to see.

[HairyHeretic]

I found Pride and Prejudice and Zombies on Amazon the other day.

[Captain Maltese]

Damn, at first I thought it'd feature the Predator as Mr Darcy and thought 'way cool! The kissing scenes'll be hot!'