My first post-sooooo exciting. I have been looking forward to ASH's Persuasion since I read about it here. The combination of two of my favorite things- Jane Austen and the Buffyverse- sooooo shiny.

miss-likes-to-fight | January 05, 02:51 CET

I watched it shortly after it aired in the BBC, thanks to YouTube.

Meh.

ASH is in it for maybe five, ten minutes altogether, and the outfit & hair take some getting used to. It was actually the second of the films I watched ("Mansfield Park" w/Billy Piper was the first) and...dunno. Maybe I'm not into the whole romance thing. (Well, ok, I know I'm not.)

So...watch this if you're a Jane Austen fan, but not if you're a Tony fan, because he's barely in it, and...a not-nice character, not to spoil too much. Even I, as the founder of W.ASH, can't really recommend this as a Must-See-Tony movie.

But if you want to see a really nice movie where he had a bit more substantial role, I do highly recommend I'll Be There, written by & starring Tony's good friend (And my favorite late-night host) Craig Ferguson, and a sweet young woman by the name of Charlotte Church. Tony's a scoundrel, but you just love to hate him.

ShadowQuest | January 05, 03:26 CET

Love ASH of course, and I'll probably watch this, but I'm not sure why they made it - the previous version, with Ciaran Hinds and Amanda Root plus Corin Redgrave in the role ASH is playing, was absolutely perfect - they needed to stop right then, as nothing could be better.

Kirochka | January 05, 04:25 CET

He hit Sir Walter perfectly - I know the novel very well indeed and he had exactly the right combination of vanity and slime. It was a decent enough adaptation until the last five minutes, which offended my Austenfan soul. ASH isn't in it a huge amount but is excellent as you'd expect in every scene he's in.

Gill | January 05, 05:16 CET

I'll be There is very good. And who can resist Joss Ackland in leather pants? (that's Ackland, not Whedon, though I'm sure he'd be just as irresistible.)

redeem147 | January 05, 05:37 CET

Have you listend to Craig's commentary, redeem147? That man is HILARIOUS!

Hmm...the Big Purple in leather, huh?

Going to a...scary visual place....

ShadowQuest | January 05, 06:03 CET

I miss ASH so much, it hurts. I wish the specifics of his character had not been given away in this thread, but I'm going to watch Persuasion anyway - 10 minutes is better than 10 seconds.

Tonya J | January 05, 06:07 CET

I will certainly check out the Austen-fest on PBS, because it still is going to be far superior to anything else I am able to check out on any given Sunday night... now with a fun ASH bonus! That they are showing A&E's absolutely definitive version of Pride and Prejudice is just lovely. Maybe it has no direct Whedonverse connection, but the wit and spirit of it would certainly appeal to many fans as witty and spirited as those that frequent this site.

Raggedy Edge | January 05, 06:54 CET

the previous version, with Ciaran Hinds and Amanda Root plus Corin Redgrave in the role ASH is playing, was absolutely perfect - they needed to stop right then, as nothing could be better.

Yes, yes, yes. but now...we go to so few movies, and my wife was confused when I insisted on this one, 12 or so years ago...it was bloody brilliant! But ASH in Austen? I have to see this!

But: I will watch this new incarnation next week!

Chris inVirginia | January 05, 07:16 CET

TonyaJ I hope I didn't spoil it for you. I tried to be very...vague about Tony's role. I just didn't want anyone going in expecting a Giles-like character.

Tony said at MCB that he relishes playing the evil characters, and really wishes Joss had given him the chance to show more of Ripper. Later, when we were waiting for the elevator together, I told him about a fic I was currently writing where I turned Giles into a vampire. His eyes lit up and he said "Oooh!" Too bad I can't get him a copy of it.

I did watch & record Amber's Griffon and Nick's Fire Serpent, which were both smelly Sci-Fi movies. Oh, and Nick's Pinata: Survivor Island or whatever that thing was called. And I'll add Tony's Persuasion to my collection.

ShadowQuest | January 05, 07:37 CET

This is a great, if small, role for Tony. The rest of the movie is blah. I bought the DVD shortly after it was released in the UK because I am a Tony Head completist (I actually own the DVD of Fat Slags for goodness sake!), but I simply fast forward through to Tony's scenes the few times I've rewatched it.

headcase | January 05, 08:44 CET

I think the review is a good thing. I did notice though, that Mr. Roush's name is misspelled in the descriptor, and, given that he's a firm Whedonverse supporter, and, well, for accuracy sake in general, could this be corrected?

k8cre8 | January 05, 10:15 CET

Ah, good catch k8. Done.

SoddingNancyTribe | January 05, 10:30 CET

headcase Hmm. You sound like a mite bit of a fan of our Mr. Head. :-) Perhaps you'd like to join W.ASH?

I saw Imagine Me & You in the theater, and loved it. I bought it as soon as it came out on DVD. My two friends, who went with me (Only one theater in the entire state of Wisconsin ran it - an arts theater in Madison), found some scenes amusing, but I think they were both...bothered by the major plot point.

I've seen And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself but I'm not sure I care to own it. It's a bit harder to get some of his stuff in the US because of the region differences. But I do have the first season of "Manchild" and desperately wish they'd release the other one.

I also wish I could get a copy of "Talking With Animals," the special he hosted about Sarah's TTouch work. I have her book (Autographed & personalized by both of them) and it's superb. She's a very nice woman, and I hope to get her second book as well.

ShadowQuest | January 05, 10:53 CET

I'm an Austen fan and was very excited to see this version of "Persuasion", especially because of Tony. Well, he was good but the rest of the movie... I don't know what the makers were thinking. They did some weird things with the story, didn't quite capture the feel of the time and then forgot to include one of the most important things with Austen: the humour! If you want to see Tony, he is good, even if he doesn't appear much. I wouldn't recommend this to hardcore Austen fans though. As a remedy I had to re-watch the older movie version... (Tony was fun in "I'll Be There"!)

Valerie | January 05, 15:57 CET

I have Imagine Me and You and Pancho Villa on DVD. And Scoop. There was a stretch of time where I'd by a DVD and there, previously unknown to me, would be ASH. He's like a party favour. (Easter Egg?)

redeem147 | January 05, 18:52 CET

Ack, I made a typo! *Self-flagellates*

swanjun | January 05, 19:25 CET

I wish the specifics of his character had not been given away in this thread

Sorry TonyaJ - I probably spoiled you for the character, but honestly, all that I mentioned is to be found in the first two pages of the book and first thirty seconds of ASH's performance.

Gill | January 05, 22:18 CET

Thank you, SNT! Good to see you...

It's okay, swanjun. We all make mistakes. We got your back...

[ edited by k8cre8 on 2008-01-05 20:01 ]

k8cre8 | January 05, 22:58 CET

I'm really looking forward to these Austin adaptions (and ASH as a bonus!)- however "Persuasion" is the one Austin book that I haven't read, or seen any adaption of, for some bizarre reason. :S Was going to start reading it today, but.....sounds like this adaption might be more enjoyable if I don't already know the story?

Trek_Girl42 | January 06, 00:15 CET

The Austenites over at SerenityMovie.org will be celebrating, snarking, and huzzahing all throughout PBS's Austen Appreciation. You all are cordially invited to join us in the fun here on this thread. Contributions in the form of epistolary, haiku and photoshopped threadbombs are especially welcome. :-)

[ edited by BrewBunny on 2008-01-05 22:45 ]

BrewBunny | January 06, 01:41 CET

Great book...great part! You go ASH!

magnus carnage | January 06, 05:48 CET

Any ideas why I'm not finding "Persuasion" on my Time Warner cable's quasiTivo? It's not as though the 13th is that far away. If the official title to look up is "Austen Appreciation," that's one I haven't tried.

astarte59 | January 07, 06:39 CET