Hold On To Your Petticoats, Putos: A Latino Sense And Sensibility Is In The Works
16 October 2009, 4:30 PM. By Alex Alvarez
If you’ve been pining for a new adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved classic Sense and Sensibility, your waiting has come to an end. And if you’ve been longing for a cinematic reworking of the novel that contains and all-Latino cast, an East Los Angeles setting and allusions to pop culture then, wow. You are picky, ese. And it just so happens to be your lucky day.
Director Fina Torres co-wrote the script to From Prada to Nada with writer Luis Alfaro to bring you a modern take on the classic:
A whimsical spin on Austen’s original, From Prada to Nada follows two spoiled sisters when they are left penniless after the sudden death of their father. Forced to move in with their estranged aunt in East Los Angeles, this is a fish-out-of-water story where the girls ultimately find romance, as well as a love for their culture. Torres co-wrote the script with Chicano dramatist Luis Alfaro (Electricidad).
The movie will star Adriana Barraza, Camilla Belle, Alexa Vega and, unfortunately, Wilmer Valderrama.
Sounds like it could be pretty interesting. But will it stand up to other popular retellings of this time-honored tale of class and lovin’ and sighs or whatever?:
Latina Version of Sense and Sensibility [Latino Review]
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I don’t mean to be prejudice here, but I was pretty much into the idea until I read the part about it being set in East Los Angeles. I understand that the characters all of sudden fall on hard times and everything, but East LA isn’t the only Latino ghetto in America. I don’t know. Perhaps I have too much pride.
Wilmer Valderrama! no no no no no!
side note as an Austen fan i loooove the zombies and sea monsters addition
Meh, isn’t “West Side Story” a retelling if Romeo and Juliet? It’s not like contemporary retellings of classic novels/plays haven’t been done before. From Prada to Nada sounds kind of cool, I’d go watch it. What’s the worse that can happen? I hope there’s a dance-off.
It will, however, never top the supreme awesomeness that is “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.”
sigh. ok. this is one of my favorite chick books/flicks (emma thompson version) EVER. i strongly prefer the book, but i digress.
i am also all up for updating austen (see: clueless) for modern audiences. HOWEVER, you do have to have some good actors cast in these parts.
i actually don’t care about it being set in east los, cause i think it fits within the structure of the story (and yes, not the only latino area worth representing).
as another aside, i heard that pride & prejudice w/ zombies wasn’t all that good. but that dude is pretty picky about what he admits to like (he likes more chick flicks/books than i do).
Related: Is anyone else going to the Junot Diaz/Edwidge Dandicat paired reading at the New Yorker festival tonight?
I thought it was OK until I saw the cast. Why do they always cast non-Mexican actors to play Mexican-American characters? Every show that does that, fails. It’s like casting Saturday Night Fever without any Italians. And by that I don’t mean that I want to see George Lopez or Edward James Olmos, because I don’t.
zombies setting can be found a bit north in hollywood….BzR619
Any one of my seven nieces will tell you that it’s basically the same story line as this 2006 Hilary Duff movie:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433412/