If there's a great book out there that's gathered up awards, gotten a great reception and a fan following, you can bet your hard-earned pennies that someone out there in the far away world of film has their eyes set on making a movie out of it. Is it a bad thing? Well, that depends if you're one of those elitists that believe that books should stay books and directors should scratch their brains for something original to make. Problems with that. One, nothing original exists anymore, or if it does then we haven't found it yet. I still think that 'Harry Potter' is the most original 'out there' idea since Aldous Huxley's 'Brave New World'. And two, If you think you've got something new, then write it and believe in it. Ideas get taken all of the time and what makes them interesting are the little twists that storytellers create. Also, adaptations allow the story of the novel to take a different route, in essence, film adaptations may as well be fan-fiction, kind of.
Looking for Character
I'm not against adaptations. I don't care much for the film industry, or films anyway so maybe I'm speaking from the wrong podium, but nonetheless, adaptations are a tricky thing to get right. That's pretty much because if you get any little thing wrong from the book, then fans will shun it and bitch about it 'not being in canon!' Then again, if the film gets everything right, the setting, details, characters, the whole spiel, then you can't really call it an adaptation, just a copy. I haven't seen a film where every detail is the same as the book, the film ought to try something different. Some of your favourite scenes from books may not translate so well on the screen. That's why I fear I'd cringe if I watched 'The Fault in Our Stars'. Tip top book, but some of the dialogue is so close to cheesy, but it gets away with it because somehow, it works in the book. Gus' first lines with Hazel are great in the novel, but when I saw him say them in the trailer, eugh. I realize I may be the loner there, but then again, maybe I just can't spot good acting. Hardly surprising, I'm not interested in film. Then why write about?! Well, I'll tell you.
On the 25th of June, 2014, I heard news that stopped the world. No, nobody got assassinated and no teams won sports. John Green announced that Sarah Polley would direct 'Looking for Alaska'. Now, 'The Fault in Our Stars' did well, very well so it's no surprise we'll see more films. But, I'm worried. Not because I'm scared they'll ruin the magic of the book or Alaska Young won't be anywhere near as cool on the big screen as she is on the page, hell, I'm not even bothered if Dr Hyde is healthy and a young gun. Nope, I'm terrified I'll never remember how I pictured the book when I read it again. Because that's the worst thing in my opinion about film adaptations, they hijack your memories and stay there forever. I've not seen 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest', but I've read it twice and I always picture McMurphy as Jack Nicholson who acts like McMurphy, but doesn't look much like him. It's the same story with 'The Shawshank Redemption', I read it with the film in my head. However, it's one of the only films made that I adore so I can let that slide.
On the 25th of June, 2014, I heard news that stopped the world. No, nobody got assassinated and no teams won sports. John Green announced that Sarah Polley would direct 'Looking for Alaska'. Now, 'The Fault in Our Stars' did well, very well so it's no surprise we'll see more films. But, I'm worried. Not because I'm scared they'll ruin the magic of the book or Alaska Young won't be anywhere near as cool on the big screen as she is on the page, hell, I'm not even bothered if Dr Hyde is healthy and a young gun. Nope, I'm terrified I'll never remember how I pictured the book when I read it again. Because that's the worst thing in my opinion about film adaptations, they hijack your memories and stay there forever. I've not seen 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest', but I've read it twice and I always picture McMurphy as Jack Nicholson who acts like McMurphy, but doesn't look much like him. It's the same story with 'The Shawshank Redemption', I read it with the film in my head. However, it's one of the only films made that I adore so I can let that slide.
Filthy Language
I'm sick of hearing it but it'll never go away. We've all heard someone say this, and we've probably said it as well. 'The film was good, but the book was better.' There's lots of reasons why they're probably right, most of those I said above, but here's the real reason, and I truly believe this. You read the book with your own imagination. Everything you imagine is unique to you, nobody will have the same experience you had and everything the book describes, your brain does its best to create a perfect picture of it. So, yeah, the book is always better. Unless, of course, the film made everything just how you imagined it in your head, then OK, maybe the film is better. No, it would still be worse. Films are easy to enjoy, half the work's been done for you. The images and character descriptions are all spoon-fed whereas books are not. You do the bloody thinking for yourself. I sound like a snob, sorry about that.
Film adaptations aren't a bad thing, just remember the next time you visit the cinema that you will be disappointed. Unless you haven't read the source material- then go nuts. Adaptations aren't supposed to get everything right just for you, they're another way for fans to visit their favourite stories and enjoy them for what they are. So what if a character doesn't appear to be the same as they were in the book? Live with it. Anyway, I know its hard. I was annoyed when I saw the reboot of Spider-Man and discovered that the socially awkward, nerdy, closed in and shy Peter Parker turned into a skater-hipster with good hair and a cocky attitude. Then again, it's contemporary, but not at all what Peter's like in the comics I read. Toby Maguire all the way.
Stupid Andrew Garfield.
Songs of the Week:
Film adaptations aren't a bad thing, just remember the next time you visit the cinema that you will be disappointed. Unless you haven't read the source material- then go nuts. Adaptations aren't supposed to get everything right just for you, they're another way for fans to visit their favourite stories and enjoy them for what they are. So what if a character doesn't appear to be the same as they were in the book? Live with it. Anyway, I know its hard. I was annoyed when I saw the reboot of Spider-Man and discovered that the socially awkward, nerdy, closed in and shy Peter Parker turned into a skater-hipster with good hair and a cocky attitude. Then again, it's contemporary, but not at all what Peter's like in the comics I read. Toby Maguire all the way.
Stupid Andrew Garfield.
Songs of the Week:
- 'Mistakes of My Youth' by Eels
- 'Nobody's Home' by Avril Lavigne
- 'Firefly' by Submatik
- 'West End Girls' by Pet Shop Boys
- 'Gangsta, Gangsta' by NWA
- 'Today Was A Good Day' by Ice Cube
- 'All the Things She Said' by Simple Minds