Michael Winterbottom recently updated the story to modern-day India:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1836987/
What were your thoughts on the film? For those who haven't watched it, the most striking difference is that the characters of Alec and Angel are merged into one.
I thought it was OK. It wasn't bad, but not my favorite.
I recommend Jude ( Michael Winterbottom) instead, or other three adaptation of Tess.
SPOILER WARNING
It is directed by Michael Winterbottom, so I expected more explicitly, but surprisingly no nudity ( I'm glad). However a lot of sex. (actually, a lot of sex in Tess, but just not depicted)
Michael Winterbottom, he must like Hardy. This is his third adaptation of Hardy's novel, Jude the obscure, Mayor of Casterbridhe, and Tess. I haven't watched the adaptation of Mayor of Casterbridge yet, but I watched Jude when it came out in 1993, and I was very impressed.
Trishna, is based on Tess, but a lot different. The story takes place in modern India. It follows the plot pretty faithfully till Trishna gets pregnant with Jay, spoiled handsome young son of rich hotel owner who is blind, so basically Jay is presented as Alec d'Urberville.
And like kelby lake said, Alec and Angel's character is convined into one. Therefore she has only one lover, so no love triangle...that's the best part! Jay has Angel's characteristics, later, become idealistic in Bombay doing his films, but his bad side comes out after Trishna's confession about the abortion, but it's more like, judgmental, cold, and two sided personality.
I have no idea what is modern India's sexual standard, and view of abortion, so hard to judge the morality of it, but modernization was definitely changing the rural life, like Victorian era.
Interestingly, this movie doesn't show what happened between them at the night they had sex for the first time. Rape or seduction? She was crying when she returned to her place, regretted, and left him. Then, later when Jay trucked her down and asked her to go with him, he said they didn't do anything wrong, and she agreed to go with him, so it was most likely consensual.
Trishna and Jay were pretty much in love and taking the relationship more seriously while they live together in Bombay. After Trishna's confession about their baby, Jay left her for a while, but finally came back and took her to his hotel he was in charge after his father's death. He became completely different person. He gave up his dream and was not fun anymore, and his view of her was completely changed. He treated her as a servant, and a courtesan. She finally killed him and went back to her home, and killed herself.
The motive for the murder was not clear. She even killed him in sleep. Hatred, of course, but she could've easily left him without killing him, and gone back to Bombay to pursue her dance carrer.... Why even killed herself? Perhaps, she didn't want to live anymore, after her the death of her love of her life...
Trishna and Jay were bonded by love and hate relationship. It's a interesting take of Tess of the d'Urberville.
This adaptation worked? I'm not sure.... Entertaining? Not really....
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