selffamily I much prefer this version to the film, which naturally has its limitation of time to be considered. The cast I believe to be perfect, so much is said without words and the story plays along beautifully. It's been some years since I read the book, it's always on my list but gets pushed back because I have read it before, but perhaps this year? Becky is a delicious minx and Amelia is gullible and sweet. I loved Josh Sedley, adored Dobbin and Rawdon. There are so many brilliantly drawn characters, too many to mention. It's absorbing and entertaining, funny and heart wrenching. I have watched and enjoyed this before and no doubt will do so again.

nitro2038 You should read the review by PrimusM - it is an incredible read. I first saw this on television about ten years ago and immediately bought the videos. I have since bought the DVD and watched it again today. I had never read the novel (though I recall the name William Makepeace Thackeray from school), so I have no idea how accurate to the book this version is. However, previous reviewers seem to think it is as close as you can get. I love this mini-series so much. The somewhat dark humour and the love/hate for Becky is delicious. I love Natasha Little - first experiencing her acting abilities and beauty on 'This Life'. Strangely, the wonderfully grotesque nature of most of the characters reminds me of films like 'Strictly Ballroom' and 'Muriel's Wedding'. Odd I know, though they are also somewhat dark humoured films. Basically, this series is refreshingly un-Jane Austen like. Could you ever imagine 'Pride and Prejudice' opening with a large naked lady picking her nose while posing for a drunken painter whose young daughter is serving alcohol to his lecherous friends? Divine.

nwakego I haven't seen the new version (it's not out in the theaters yet here), but the fuss led me to re-watch the DVD of the mini-series. I agree with the comments that this is not the top-of-the-drawer BBC miniseries, although there are some very dramatic scenes, particularly as the venue of the film shifts to Brussels in the lead-up to Waterloo. Natasha Little is indeed bewitching as Becky Sharp, a slippery character if ever there was one, and it will be interesting to see how Reese Witherspoon will cope with this role. Perhaps since Ms. Little is much less well-known than Ms. Witherspoon, she has more scope for creating a unique image of the ambitious Becky Sharp. I look forward to the comparison.

TMMVDS I have usually enjoyed tremendously British mini-series based on classic novels, but...I read that wonderful novel some 15 years ago when I was still teenager and I fell in love with it instantly. There can't be many novels as witty, hilarious or ironic than this. Thackeray has a genius in understanding humanity all in its various forms. He is a objective spectator who sees all what's happening around him, and understands human nature incredibly well. He don't judge or praise anyone or anything. 'That's life' he shows us, and let the readers do their own convictions.But then I saw this tv-series, and if I hadn't read the book first, maybe I wouldn't have bothered to do so after it either. You can't spoil a novel that good completely, but still that tv-series left much to hope for. Like in other mini-series, Tom Jones, made at the same time, there should have been a commentator in it (novelist's alter ego). One of Vanity Fair's strong points are those wonderful comments which Thackeray made throughout the book. Without them half the fun is missing.I should also complain about annoyingly boisterous music, lack of colour and the casting, which wasn't that impressive in my opinion. Well, of course I had great expectations, but if you haven't read the original novel, or think it's something unique, this adaption might not be that bad. After all, it's made by Brits and they rarely give us anything totally rubbish.