Lost In Austen

I am sure that many people, no, all people have watched "Lost In Austen". If you haven't, then beware, this is a SPOILER ALERT!!! You have been warned : )


Anyways, the movie is made up of 4 episodes, that were played on television by the BBC in 2008. The show details what happens when a serious "Pride and Prejudice" fan, swaps places with Elizabeth Bennet. The main character's name is Amanda Price. Amanda lives in London, during the very contemporary year of 2008. However, she is dissatisfied with her life, and seeks solace in the grace, manners and love which are all concepts in "Pride and Prejudice." Elizabeth Bennet arrives in Amanda's bathroom, exactly the moment that Price's drunken boyfriend has just proposed. Miss Bennet explains that only a "need" can open up the doorway. I am guessing this need was brought on by the extremely unromantic proposal, in which she was presented with the top of an alcoholic beverage instead of a ring. It only takes 5 minutes to realise that Amanda is seriously obsessed with the book, and is in "lurve" with the dark, and proud  Mr. Darcy. Needless to say, curiosity gets the best of Amanda, and she steps through the door and then is trapped Longbourn, during the 1800's. This is when the plot goes insane, and when my interest was peaked! With the former antagonist lost in 2008, "Miss Price" takes on the role of Elizabeth's friend.


Try as she might to keep the story from falling apart, everything goes completely wrong. Here are the parts of the plot that veered from the original story, but that I thought were absolutely brilliant...and hilarious!
-Mr Bingley falls for Amanda
-To get Bingley to love Jane, Amanda tells him that she prefers the company of women
-Bingley eventually falls for Jane, but blows her off as Darcy dictates  (same as in the original)
-Jane marries Mr Collins
-Mr Collins is even more disgusting than he is in the book...if possible
-Bingley becomes an alcoholic after the marriage of Jane. He  blames Darcy for his mistake of not marrying Jane.
-Amanda is on her guard about Whickham from the start, and eventually discovers that he is faultless. Darcy's sister tells Amanda that what Whickham did was a lie, conjured up as revenge for Whickham's rejection.
-Darcy falls in love with Amanda, but retracts his offer of marriage when he discovers that she is not a "maid".
-Caroline Bingley admits to Amanda that she also prefers women.
-Lydia runs away with, wait for it, Bingley??? This was an insane twist!
-Mr. Bennet duels Bingley when he finds him with his daughter in an inn. Bingley gives Mr.Bennet a really bad head wound.
-Amanda rushes home (2008) to get Elizabeth back. Elizabeth is found sporting a modern, boyish haircut. She is also holding a babysitting job, and is adept with using technology.
-Eventually, Amanda stays in Longbourn, and Elizabeth continues her life in 2008. They both get the lives they have longed for.


Apart from the fact that I have just butchered the plot for anyone who wanted to watch "Lost In Austen"; I would advise everyone to watch it. Especially so, If you are not competely satsified witht he original story and think it needs spicing up!

And yes, this is what I do with my time.... : )