movie: jane eyre

You know, and I say this with deep romantic love, Rochester is a creepy creepster who is creeping creepily. Just. For the record. Oh my God his creeping over Jane. How did I forget how unearthly unsubtle Rochester is? He's not even goddamn trying not to be creepy.

Christ, man, just get a fucking sign that says "I HAVE A CREEPY SECRET WHILE I CREEP OVER YOU, JANE."

"Poor and obscure as you are", how did I completely block out this?

Jane Eyre version with Michael Fassbender, which just makes it weirdly appropriate. It's like, Magneto in the nineteenth century whose mutant power is Creepiness. Creepneto. IDK. And also, not genocidal. I mean, I assume, but I've forgotten a lot of the book, so maybe he leads some kind of--yeah, no idea.

Suffice to say, Creepneto is freaking me out badly.

Oh, strangulation in the church. That's--what the hell.

Wait, I'm about to meet the wife. This is terribly, terribly disturbing.

Comments

[alwayswondered]

I'm laughing at Creepneto, but WTF is with Michael Fassbender? I recently watched Fish Tank for the first (and probably only) time—was it you who was watching that and talking about it recently? Because it's like Magneto on a council estate in Essex WHOSE MUTANT POWER IS CREEPINESS. AGAIN. I'm seeing a pattern emerging, and actual Magneto is looking like the odd one out.

[wrenlet]

Try A Bear Named Winnie, it's a bit tear-jerk-y in parts but Fassbender is ridic. adorable with the bear. (Also, in the behind-the-scenes stuff he spent a lot of time feeding the cubs so they'd be all bond-y and such. ADORABLE.)

It's actually a shame he gets cast for creepy so much, he's so good in other roles, too. But he does give excellent creep.

(Also, Fish Tank is an Andrea Arnold film, she is quite good at showing the audience damaged people smashing their damage against each other who will absolutely not explain themselves. Which makes her films hard to watch but I still like them.)

[seperis]

Fassbender must have a gift.

Now I want him in Wuthering Heights where he can truly come into his own and exercise that pure creepiness for good. Please God.

[petronia]

Odd one out in the sense that Magneto wasn't skulking around a mansion making sexually suggestive comments at teenagers?

('Cos he totally was)

[aivilo_18]

Yeeeah, this is why I haven't watched the Fassbender Jane Eyre. I have a feeling it is going to be deeply problematic for me.

I love the Zeffirelli version because a) Charlotte Gainsborough is a total babe and b) I don't like William Hurt all that much which makes him the perfect Rochester for me because I can happily continue on my merry little way with my giant "Rochester is a creepy d-bag" neon sign and enthusiastic chanting and not even think twice about it.

But Fassbender as Rochester is going to give me issues. Like "I want you to domesticate me and make me make you sandwiches and have your babies and eventually live in your attic when you drive me fucking insane" issues.

[seperis]

But Fassbender as Rochester is going to give me issues. Like "I want you to domesticate me and make me make you sandwiches and have your babies and eventually live in your attic when you drive me fucking insane" issues.

Hello, my reaction. This.

[paintedmaypole]

I was reading Marianne Noble's The Masochistic Pleasures of Sentimental Literature when I went to this version of Jane Eyre in the movie theater. Which, heh. Kinda added to the creep factor a bit. But yeah, Rochester's kinda a creeper in the book too. I felt like this film did a pretty good job of letting elements from the book stand, rather than trying too hard to soften or smooth them out.

(The other thing I really liked about this version was the way they emphasized Jane's sexual desire. I always feel like the movie versions of Jane Eyre tone that down a bit, focusing more on the caretaking and conversation aspects of the partnership.)

[seperis]

They do hit the intense sexual attraction very nicely, true.

[litotease]

I've never seen a filmed version of Jane Eyre, at first just because I rarely like movie adaptations of books I've loved, and later because I was afraid of how godawful the romance would be without all of the gorgeous language for distraction. (I fell in love with the book when I was--13? 14?--and it took me way longer than it should have to see just how deeply problematic that entire situation is).

Your description, however, makes me want to see this movie desperately! LOL.

[seperis]

Eh, problematic situation is the entirety of history to date. I'm a huge fan of teh gothics, but somehow watching live action text really brings home CREEPER IS CREEPY.

[elaran]

Rochester is creepy in the book but that tbh, never registers for me because the story is an integral part of my childhood and myself and it's all just a big nostalgia high so I am pretty much incapabe of seeing* the NUMEROUS things wrong with the story and I get irrational about it too :S

This is a good post about why I love Jane Eyre and why it's important to me

*ok I can see them but I don't want to deal with them. If that makes sense. But that just sounds like I am all WOO RACISM AND ABLISM AND SEXISM etc. :S It's... important to me in a way that means I can't handle the other stuff?

[elaran]

Also I think I like the '06 miniseries more. But holy shit Fassbender is gorgeous :O

[domarzione]

Fassbender's thisclose to getting typecast as either That Sexy Creepy Guy or The Magnetic Pervert. (So, basically, Christian Bale with better teeth.) It's like his agent's got standing instructions to sign him up for anything with an inappropriate sexual (or almost-sexual) relationship. With bonus points for stalking/grooming his prey.

He's got two movies debuting at the Venice Film Festival in a few months: A Dangerous Method, wherein he has inappropriate (and kinky) sexual relations with his patient, and then Shame, wherein he has sexual relations with everyone, including up against the window in a room at The Standard (i.e., public sex for all of Manhattan to view). They've posted those stills already...

And, of course, he's giving everyone the stirrups-at-the-GYN view on the one-sheet for Haywire....

[seperis]

I am laughing so hard I can't see through the tears. Holy God, Fassbender.

[out_there]

Jane Eyre version with Michael Fassbender, which just makes it weirdly appropriate. It's like, Magneto in the nineteenth century whose mutant power is Creepiness. Creepneto.

BWAH! I have to say, Michael Fassbender is the only reason I'm thinking about seeing it, but if it's super creepy, I might wait for DVD and comfort-of-my-own-home.

[fyrdrakken]

Good Christ. So this post of yours reminded me that I need to get around to reading Jane Eyre, and I wandered over to Amazon and discovered that yes indeedy it's available for Kindle for free. And then in the "customers who purchased this also purchased these items" section of the page up pops a few Georgette Heyer titles -- for $1.99 -- and I figure it's another summer reading sale and I should snatch them up while they're marked down. Only it looks like Amazon has almost all of Heyer's stuff up for $1.99 right now. And I've still only read a handful of hers so, you know, time to stock up.

[seperis]

Heh. I just posted about this, thank you for telling me!

Eveyrthing but--oddly--The Toll House, Sprig Muslim, The Unknown Ajax, and A Civil COntract, though the last two are abotu to be released (re-released?) so that's probably why.

I dont' get why The Toll House, unless one of the editions is on sale and another isn't, like Teh Talisman Ring.

[suzvoy.livejournal.com]

Creepneto = WIN.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

It's so scarily accurate it's unreal. *shivers*

[innocentsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Rochester is not even slightly subtle. He is just lucky that Jane is pretty much a baby, who has spent the last nine years or so in a highly isolated, abusive and repressive girls' school in the north of England. And even then, she still kind of knows that something's up.

I am always very ambivalent towards Rochester. On the one hand, boy's got issues, and would really benefit from some treatment for his bipolar tendencies. On the other, he at least seems to realize that Jane is the bestest ever, which is more than anyone else in canon does. And she wants him, and Jane (being the bestest ever) should have anyone/anything she wants. So.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

And she wants him, and Jane (being the bestest ever) should have anyone/anything she wants. So.

This is pretty much my entire thing right there. Jane is awesome. She should have exactly what she wants. Apparently, it's Rochester. So.

[be-a-rebel.livejournal.com]

Is the new version worth watching though? I love the Toby Stephens version like crazy and I'm not sure I really want to see this one, despite the fact that I really like Fassbender as an actor.

I've personally always liked Rochester's weird creepy twisted-ness. Jane Eyre is one of my favourite books precisely because of the twisted, disturbing romance. :P

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Yes, he basically drips creepy issues, it's awesome. And Fassbender plays him very, very well.

[askmehow.livejournal.com]

Ahahahaha, Creepneto! Outstanding.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

IT IS SO TRUE AND UNEARTHLY.

[calligrafiti.livejournal.com]

At least it's not Wuthering Heights.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

Yo, I love Wuthering Heights. It's such glorious melodrama. Just downloaded the Tom Hardy version!

[traveller.livejournal.com]

hands down the most accurate review ever.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

It is like Rochester's raison d'etre is done brilliantly. He creeps.

Sharon Shinn

[jaymalea]

I just finished reading "Jenna Starborn" by Sharon Shinn. About 15 pages in I had a weird feeling of deja vu, and realized I was reading a re-working of Jane Eyre - set in a space faring universe.

Re: Sharon Shinn

[seperis.livejournal.com]

...seriously?

[debchan.livejournal.com]

Did they leave in the scene where he dresses up as an old gypsy woman? Because, creepy.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

I don't think so, but I need to rewatch; I kept leaping for my copy of Jane Eyre trying to remember key plot points. He creeps, though. Dear God, Rochester.

[hollyxu.livejournal.com]

Now I remember why I love your movie reviews so much. :D He's pretty much Creepneto aka Lying Liar Who Lies No Jane Don't Listen, but I must have blocked out the strangulation, where is that?

I think my favourite Jane Eyre adaptation is still the 2006 BBC one.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

In the church he starts strangling the younger of the two guys that coem to stop the wedding. It's--weirdly hilarious.

[dreamwaffles.livejournal.com]

CREEPNETO. YES. SO MUCH.

I watched this with my mom. We have watched ALL THE OTHER JANE EYRE movies together (there's like 3) and THIS ONE has the creepiest Mr. Rochester. CREEPIN' AWAY LIKE A CREEPERFACE.

Mind you, that didn't stop me from enjoying it a hell of a lot.

But I was like HOOOOOLY INAPPROPRIATE TOUCHING FOR VICTORIAN TIMES BATMAN for a lot of the movie.

[seperis.livejournal.com]

But I was like HOOOOOLY INAPPROPRIATE TOUCHING FOR VICTORIAN TIMES BATMAN for a lot of the movie.

Oh my God WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT? He was creeping her up every time she was in range of his creepy hands!