Press Release
Nominated for Four Academy Awardsâ* Including Best Actress Keira Knightley Universal Studios Home Entertainment Is Proud to Announce the DVD Release of Jane Austen’s Ultimate Romance

Pride &Prejudice

A Hit with Critics, Couples and Family Audiences, the DVD Arrives with Exclusive Bonus Features on February 28, 2006 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Universal City, California, January 31, 2006 – A lavishly stunning new version of Jane Austen’s most celebrated romance, Pride & Prejudice, comes to DVD February 28, 2006, just in time for the Academy Awards®, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.  The four-time Academy Award®-nominated film Pride & Prejudice, starring Academy Award® and Golden Globe® nominee Keira Knightley (Pirates of the Caribbean) as the spirited and beautiful Elizabeth Bennet, is a sumptuous new telling of Austen’s timeless story of two young lovers and the power of first impressions. The illustrious cast, including Matthew Macfadyen (“MI-5”), Oscar® winner Judi Dench (Shakespeare in Love), two-time Golden Globe® winner Donald Sutherland (Cold Mountain) and two-time Oscar® nominee Brenda Blethyn (Secrets & Lies, Little Voice), brings a modern sensibility to one of the greatest love stories of all time.

Hailed by audiences as one of the most beloved romances of the year, Pride & Prejudice is nominated for four Academy Awards® – Best Actress (Keira Knightley), Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score. The film also earned two Golden Globe® nominations –Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) and Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Keira Knightley) and has appeared on dozens of critics’ 10 Best lists.

Directed by Joe Wright (The Last King) and produced by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner (Bridget Jones's Diary and Love Actually), Pride & Prejudice celebrates romance with a beguilingly youthful spin on romance, wit, and the importance of love and family. The DVD is priced at $29.98 SRP.

Critics Have a Ball with Pride & Prejudice

Top print and broadcast critics were charmed by Pride & Prejudice’s captivating romance and its refreshing take on a timeless love story.  Stephen Holden of the New York Times says the film “makes you believe in true love and happily-ever-after.”  Jim Svejda of CBS Radio calls it “The Best Film of the Year!” while Entertainment Weekly’s Owen Gleiberman rates it “Grade A! A sumptuous pleasure!” In USA Today, Claudia Puig dubs Pride & Prejudice “Lushly romantic and subtly sexy!” The film’s leading lady also enchanted reviewers, with Roger Ebert of Ebert & Roeper saying, “Keira Knightley gives a magical performance” and Peter Travers of Rolling Stone writing, “Keira Knightley is a tantalizing ball of fire.”

A Bounty of Bonus Features

The DVD is graced with bonus features that immerse viewers in the romance and intrigue of the Bennet sisters’ quest for love and provide an exclusive look behind the scenes as filmmakers recreate the fascinating world of Jane Austen, including:

·        A Bennet Family Portrait – An intimate look at each of five vibrant Bennet sisters and their parents.

·        Jane Austen, Ahead of Her Time – The history of a revolutionary storyteller and a very private woman.

·        Behind the Scenes at the Ball – A behind-the-scenes look at this lavishly stunning new version of the classic romance

·        HBO First Look: Pride & Prejudice, A Classic in the Making – Complete with talent and filmmaker interviews, this feature takes an extensive look at the making of the film

·        Commentary from director Joe Wright

Synopsis

One of the greatest love stories of all time, Pride & Prejudice comes to the screen in a glorious new adaptation starring Keira Knightley.  When Elizabeth Bennet (Knightley) meets the handsome Mr. Darcy (Mathew Macfadyen), she believes he is the last man on earth she could ever marry.  But as their lives become intertwined, she finds herself captivated by the very person she swore to loathe for all eternity.  Based on the beloved masterpiece by Jane Austen, it is the classic tale of love and misunderstanding that sparkles with romance, wit, and emotional force. 

* 2005 Academy Award® Nominations: Best Actress (Keira Knightley), Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Original Score

** 2005 Golden Globe® Nominations: Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy and Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Keira Knightley)

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and Entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.