This semester I’m studying Jane Eyre for the second time in a 12-month period. Getting back into it, I’ve realised I do actually quite enjoy the text, as the more I read it the more I like it.

Released in the US on the 11th of March (I’m not sure of the Australian release date), is a new film version of Jane Eyre. I’ve watched two of the older versions of the film and was quite disappointed – they all seemed to fail at some pretty crucial point. Either the supernatural element wasn’t anywhere near as spooky as Bronte manages, or Jane wasn’t young or plain at all, or Rochester in the end didn’t lose as many body parts as he does in the book…

This morning I watched a trailer for the new film, and I have to say I’m impressed. It looks like the gothic and supernatural elements from Bronte’s novel are all there and intact, and Jane (played by Mia Wasikowska, who played Alice in Tim Burton’s film) seems suitably young and presented to be quite plain.

I’m a bit wary of Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot and Hallam Foe – two of my favourite films) playing St John, as St John of the novel is pretty deplorable to me, and I can’t imagine hating Jamie Bell at all. This clip also suggests that the St John of this film might be a bit different.

Either way, this new adaptation of Jane Eyre looks great!