Great Expectations - BBC 2011 3-part mini series VS 2012 Mike Newell film

Having never studied Great Expectations or read it before, I had no idea really of what to expect or what it was even about, all I knew about it was that there was a character called Miss Havisham who was a crazy old woman who was jilted on her wedding day. My friend told me the BBC had made a 3 part mini series in 2011 which I would really enjoy and that didn't miss out any parts of the book, so I found it on Netflix. I also decided to watch the 2012 film as I think Helena Bonham-Carter is an amazing actress and thought she would suit the role of Miss Havisham perfectly. This way I could compare the way the story is told and how all the characters are portrayed in each version. 

BBC Version:

I really loved the BBC adaptation and Miss Havisham was exactly what I expected and wanted her to be. I loved the way the story was told and I found it quite easy to follow. As it was 3 hours long it could go into more detail which helped someone who hadn't read it before watching it understand what was going on, this is what I was worried about at first! At the beginning of the show Pip was a young boy and by the end he was a grown up young man which gives the viewers the feeling that they have watched him grow up, helping you to feel more attached to them and makes their character overall more relatable. Gillian Anderson portrayed Miss Havisham as a nervous, timid, quiet and completely damaged by her past, even the mannerisms like the scratching of her own skin made the whole act so believable and perfect. She also appeared as though she was unwell and doesn't eat very often at all and the make-up and hair portrayed this very well, she was really pale with scabby lips and looked like she hadn't slept or seen sunlight in a long time. I also really liked how as her mental state deteriorated towards the end of her life so did he appearance even more, she was wounded and scabby from her nervous scratching, her curls were falling outm, she looked unhealthier than ever. The characters in this version of Great Expectations were much more authentically portrayed and I felt as a viewer like I had more of a connection with them than I had when watching the 2012 movie. The costume, make-up and hair in the BBC version was more realistic in my opinion to the time which helped make the show seem more real and truthful. I also believe that Satis House was a much better location as it wasn't too over the top whilst still having the haunted, ghostly, cold, derelict, unloved and abandoned feel that it needs.

In my opinion the 2012 movie wasn't haunting enough and Helena Bonham-Carter played too much of a psychotic and mental Miss Havisham rather than the fragile, deeply broken hearted, mentally scarred and wounded character I wanted her to be. To me she seemed to have been too deliberately scheming and manipulative with her plans where as I think Gillian Anderson played her part more anxiously and didn't really seem to know 100% what she was trying to do by bringing Estella up just to ruin her and seemed genuinely apologetic for the pain and hurt she had caused Pip at the end of the film just before her death. Overall I believe while both productions being amazing that the BBC adaptation was more true in my opinion to the original tale, creating a more emotional and captivating watch.

Here is an interview with Gillian Anderson about her role as Miss Havisham:

2012 Mike Newell film:

Interview with Helena Bonham Carter on her role as Miss Havisham:

References:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5CUiEfqPz0uOzdIWoGA8w38AQzSAvafdsXtC-LIeEaObEcCIqtRuW3PbBg60SJg2_KMkTnzJaAiqDtT-TVCDetxLtmk_bQA4z2coggi9YBcL_jM4PmAI8HsPMr9KfTftn9ZD5vYs8Ys/s1600/BBC_Pip.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/11/22/article-2064629-0EE62E3D00000578-181_306x528.jpg
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02063/Gilian-Anderson5_2063010i.jpg
https://austenprose.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/douglas-booth-as-pip-in-great-expectations-2012-x-450.jpg
http://www.nailandrockett.com/IMAGES/blog/Great%20Expectations%20blog/slide%20show%20blog/Estella%20navy%20top%20half%20400.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6PjhuM4tSYFpIExdOBYO3_d6-xJykvq2TEyy8n-nRdSYJdAfUOhMrsFEeotF9PkZ-VFX0CUm2p8nmvMysnu13Oghc5GuKHizqmD96crP1pDezhIcQBwP_SEkW5r4FZPBkLhXxT7iDygnk/s1600/helena-bonham-carter-miss-havisham-great-expectations-01.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1RbnX552g4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As6mA6iabAc