Regency House Party
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Movie Reviews of Regency House Party
Movie Review: a charming trip through time
Summary: 5 Stars
I saw various bits of this series on PBS but due to schedule and forgetfulness I missed some chunks of the program. Despite this, the parts that I did see were enjoyable enough that I knew I would purchase the DVD set, and I was not disappointed.
I generally don't care for reality shows, but the PBS "House" series are an exception, and among those that I have seen this is the standout. The setting (an 1815 country house) and the scenario (young people and chaperones convening with the goal of being coupled by the end) were very appealing, and the players -- charming host Mr Gorell Barnes, determined Captain Glover, tenacious Mr Everett, frustrated Mr Foxsmith, suave Mr Carrington, enigmatic Countess Griaznov, saucy Miss Conick, flirtatious Miss Hopkins, aspiring Miss Braund, somewhat-excluded Miss Martin and stately Miss Samuels, along with older female chaperones Mrs Rogers, Lady Devonport, Mrs Hammond and Mrs Enright, as well as an army of very professional servants -- are for the most part likeable and certainly interesting to watch. The fact that the "characters" are based on their modern-day counterparts is a particularly clever idea. In addition, some visiting characters such as the posturing dandy and the humorous hermit, as well as experts in Regency subjects from phrenologists to personal trainers, add exciting interludes for the somewhat isolated country party.
The one frustration (which is common in these programs and is certainly understandable, but nonetheless sometimes irritating) is that some of the individuals seem to have a hard time remembering that they are to some degree playing characters, and they do not always react as they would have had to within the protocol and restrictions of the time period. Rather than declaring, "I would never do that in real life," the thought should have been "If I had really lived in this time and situation, these would have been my options and my lot" and historical conclusions drawn accordingly; a more anthropological approach from some quarters would have been appreciated. This is especially true of situations which in reality would have jeopardized one's reputation. But, this was of course an unscripted endeavor (though surely some suggestion and provocation must have been put in from the sidelines), and human nature is wont to invade. Still, when for example a young charge demands a written apology from her chaperone to smooth over a row, it seems that Regency etiquette and heirarchy have been completely abandoned.
The action in the first half of the series (that is, disc 1) is somewhat slow-moving as everyone adjusts to their new personas; it is also somewhat dominated by clashes in the female group, most likely due to the culture shock of being removed from independent 21st century lives and plunked into comparatively torpid days of sewing, gossip and the occasional archery practice, generally always in group. The gentlemen seem to get on better, but their days are accordingly occupied with more activity and less stagnation.
The diversions and added characters and visitors in the second disc make the activities more dynamic, though nearer to the ending things start to feel rushed, presumably due to the nature of the editing. The plot certainly never gets boring, what with the intrigue, rumors, trysts, battles, attitudes and gestures that form a web of the group. The mounting romantic and sexual tension (in a time when ladies and gentlemen touched rarely and always under the eyes of a chaperone) adds intermittent frissons to the plot, and also exemplifies the elaborate ritual of past courtship, where anticipation and flirtation were an extended prelude to dating and mating.
If you are a history buff, the setting and costuming alone are worth your time, and the players all genuinely look the part, especially compared to the glimpses of them in their modern-day lives (though several of the girls by the end are looking significantly sunburned, which would have been a horror for a well-bred lady at the time).
In summary, this is definitely a worthwhile investment for "historical reality" fans as well as anyone who'd like to lose themselves (briefly) in another time and place. Enjoy it.
Movie Review: Awesome!
Summary: 5 Stars
I caught about 15 minutes of the second or third episode a few months ago and just knew I'd never keep up with viewing the show (and I really wanted to watch it from its begining) so I've been planning on buying the DVD ever since. I'm so glad I finally did!
The 'players' in this history re-inacting "reality dating show" drama are people from modern England who agreed to play 'themselves as they might have been during the Regency'. They were given a summary of 'themselves' to go by. For example, in reality, the Countess is an actual countess who works in a coffee shop - at the House Party, she is a countess who is trying to cover up the fact that she has no money. The 'players' (I can't think of them as "contestants") play this 'game' in a sort of blurring of fantasy and reality - to the point, I believe, where they were reacting quite naturally as a Regency-era person and less like a modern-minded person.
The transition from modern-England to Regency-England was rough for many of the 'players' and they supported each other through the trials. Many hearts were touched and broken or bruised throughout the process and it was quite facinating to watch, even without the added bonus of doing so in Regency costume.
Fans of Regency (or Edwardian or Victorian) England or just history buffs should enjoy this show for what it is. I, being a huge fan of Jane Austen (particularly "Pride and Prejudice"), was used to the methods of speech and manner and had a grand ol' time.
My mother, who is more of a reality show fan than a history or lit enthusiast, lost interest not even halfway through the first episode. If you have no interest or even basic knowledge of the time period, I'm not sure you'd enjoy it, even if you love reality/reality dating shows. Fights between 'players' are not shown on camera (though they are discussed in some depth) and the romantic... liasons... between the 'players' are merely implied, which would also account for disinterest from those accustomed to American reality tv.
The only thing I could have asked from PBS was an update on the 'players', particularly those who made 'matches' toward the end of the show. Did the couples stay together? Do any of them keep in touch? A reunion show would be a bonus. Heck, if a "Regency Party 2" were produced, I'd buy it immediately!
The only problem I think anyone could have is a sometimes-poor audio, caused by the difficulties of shooting in a historic house rather than a studio. A remote to adjust the volume should probably be in-hand at all times, along with the 'rewind' button on your DVD player remote. Anyone who has watched period movies (such as Jane Austen adaptations) is probably familiar with this and should have no problems with knowing how to follow the dialogue.
Movie Review: Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Frankenstein all in one!
Summary: 5 Stars
If after watching the first few minutes of this series you find yourself having flashes of Pride and Prejudice, do not be alarmed. This era in time was very similar. Chaperones were in charge of young girls of marrying age; their job was to ensure a good financial match for their charges. This house recreates that time with four (and later five) girls and an equal amount of elligible bachelors for them to choose from. It is all about finding a suitable match while living under the code of the regency house days. Modesty is of the utmost importance here and status is everything. The guests include women with titles to men with the means to buy theirs all the way down to a hermit who lives on the grounds. The limits on the behavior of the couples might give the false impression that this series will be boring, but it is anything but. The slow dance is fascinating to see and educational as well.
Although it is obvious that a full re-encarnation of the regency period could not be put into effect because the guests are aware that they will return to their normal lives, it is interesting to see them coupling off anyway. The same rules of the 1810s do not apply to these relationships after the two months is over, so the women do not take status or the need to find a husband as seriously as they would if they did. However, the isolation of the day and the drastically different moral code does affect the matchmaking.
This series makes an excellent companion to Manor House. Both are set in England, though they are certainly a length of time apart, but this series focuses on the lives of the elite while Manor House delves into a life of servitude.
Unfortunately, the ending is somewhat abrupt and despite the six hour length of the series, it seems rather short. However, that is the mark of a quality program: leaving the viewer wanting more.
Movie Review: Really The Best So Far Among PBS' Reality Shows
Summary: 5 Stars
Of all the recent reality "House" series shown by PBS, such as 1900 House, Manor House, Frontier House, Colonial House, and others, this is the one that succeeds most brilliantly in escaping the present and re-capturing more fluidly the bygone era toward which the producers of this sociological project were grasping. This 2004 presentation is by far the most entertaining in the line of shows that document the experiences and reactions of twenty-first-century women and men who find themselves dealing with moral protocol and technology as it existed in the past.
Here concentrating on the year 1811 in Great Britain's Regency era (so called because the Prince of Wales was elevated to Regent in the face of his father, George III's, incurable psychological illness), five unmarried women and five unwed men, along with five middle-aged female chaperones, are ensconced in a lovely manor house and adjacent property in the hills of Herefordshire. For nine weeks of summer, these couples interact within the complicated restrictions of Regency courtship, and the relationships that spring up are recorded. The roles played by modern people take broad lines and range from a sea captain, a wealthy industrialist, a landed gentleman, an army officer, to a (secretly penniless) Russian countess, the daughter of a nouveau riche commercialist, a spirited but lowly female companion to a chaperone, and above all of them, the stern, goddess-like figure of the acting hostess and matchmaker, the dauntingly proper Mrs. Rogers.
I found the amount of detail and imagination that was invested in Regency House Party was what took this from a dry bit of otherwise well-intended pretend time travel, to something genuinely entertaining. At under fifty-bucks, this six-hour two-disc set is a steal!
Movie Review: Pride and Prejudice and the Battle of Trafalgar
Summary: 5 Stars
Ya gotta love any show that includes a man arising from bed in the middle of the night to make a huge "B Happy" sign (out of hay and rose petals) on the lawn to cheer up a young lady. Romantic gestures like that one, as well as having servants sneak love notes into the room of your amour, arranging a fireworks display, and reenacting the naval battle of Trafalgar happen aplenty in his entry in the historical "House" series, and I found it enchanting.
I felt that most of the volunteers genuinely did their best to put aside their modern personas and to react and behave as they would have in 1811. Of course there were some jarringly anachronistic displays of swearing, inappropriate flirtations and young girls sneaking off for secret rendezvous with men. But all in all, up until the last night (when the chaperones had gone), the modern young men and women did a fine job of behaving as was expected of them. As luxurious as their surroundings were, it couldn't have been easy to spend nine weeks using a chamber pot, having one bath a week, or sitting for three hours at the dinner table during those hot summer nights wearing elegant but stifling clothes.
I would like to have seen the DVD include a special features section with an aftermath, or update, of the participants. I would especially love to know what became of Jeremy Glover, who played the Naval Captain elevated to the peerage. I felt that he deserved considerably better than to be "settled for" by anyone. Also, I'm curious as to whether Mr. Foxsmith found happiness at last.