Ah, the
ever present adaptation. This topic is one of those that I am so torn about
that depending upon the situation I will feel differently each time someone
asks me about it. I will say off the top that I have never seen a movie that was
adapted from a book that was better than the original book but there is quite a
range on the acceptable scale that has come from these productions.
The magic
in seeing a beloved book come to screen is the chance to see the mannerisms of
the characters, to hear the voices in their dialogue and to see the places
described in visual detail. It has the ability to put all of your mental
imagery into motion and when done right it can be magical.
The obvious
downside of that is as a reader you imagine these aspects in your own way and
if when it comes to life it is not as you had imagined it you could feel
disappointed. Let's take the Harry Potter series to start with. There is no
series more impactful on my life than the seven book wonder by JK Rowling but I
will say that every time after leaving a midnight screening of the latest movie
I was disappointed.
As
standalone movies they are great. We see dragons, castles, flying brooms and
epic villains come to life; all things that make for a great fantasy film. But
it’s all the connective tissue that gets severed that leaves me as a reader
left feeling like the movie makers missed the point. Yes, I know all the
details cannot be in the movie, they would be hours long but that is the
sacrifice the movie studios make and the ones the movie goers risk when they
see their favorite books come to the screen.
Some books
adapt to screenplays much better than others and depending upon the vision of
the writers and directors can be made it a masterpiece of its own. Some that
come to mind are 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'.
Both are Academy Awarding winning films that did full justice to the writers of
the books. These movies are not without their omissions or flaws but they got
something right.
With the
recent trend in Hollywood being to take any book and run with it, I think as
readers we need to change our approach to the cinemas. Are you going to study
every detail frame by frame so that we can feel superior by saying 'that's not
how it is in the book' or are we going to appreciate our beloved stories as
they are suited to the big screen?
In some
cases, like Harry Potter, I cannot help grouping myself in with the former because
I know all the details of the stories so well that any changes or omissions are
overwhelming to my senses but I can also appreciate and be thankful for the
opportunity to see Harry battle Voldemort in vibrant color.
When I
approach a movie for a book I've read I am going to sit back and enjoy the
show. Something may be different, some things may be changed, but if it is a
good movie they will capture the essence of the characters and remind me of why
I enjoyed the book in the first place.
Here are some of the ones I am looking forward too:
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part
2
Insurgent
Wild
Paper Towns
Paddington
Enjoy the Show. Write On. -T
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