Books are better than movies, most times, reading is a one on one experience, you and the author, creating your own sets and actors. This is the case for most times. So here are some adaptations. The first is if the book that is superior to the movie. There many be countless books that resist adaptations. In this case, I will say The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander. The first two books of The Chronicles of Prydain were adapted into the Disney animated film, The Black Cauldron (1985). Unfortunate. The movie directors, Ted Berman and Richard Rich, had directed The Fox and the Hound (1981). The trailer asked audiences to “escape in a world of darkness.”
The Alexander story wasn’t about darkness, it was about unexpected hope with the Assistant Pig-Keeper, Taran (Grant Bardsley), a princess, Eilonwy (Susan Sheridan) who is a fun twist from the other Disney Princesses, an old singer, Fflewddur (Nigel Hawthorne) whose harp strings snap at every lie, and a furry fellow named Gurgi (John Byner)! Disney did not continue with the last three books, it is the black cauldron of Disney’s film library, shame. I think it is the best entry for young people to get into high fantasy like Lord of the Rings. I think Lloyd Alexander’s Prydain should be adapted into a television series and get redemption from the 1985 film.
Next, a movie that offers an almost matching experience as the novel. Silence of the Lambs (1988) by Thomas Harris. The book is as brilliant as the Jonathan Demme film with the same tension, characters, and the disturbing presence of Hannibal Lector. I felt it was almost 1 for 1, except some of the cinematography and the acting performances of Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. Both characters have become iconic. I love the detective story of interrogating a prisoner to assemble a profile to a loose serial killer. What really stood out for me was the scene where F.B.I. trainee, Clarice Starling, gets into the elevator with the police officers. They tower over her, all tough guys, a contrast, but Starling is far more powerful than them with her cleverness outmatching Dr. Lector.
Another film simliar to the book is Princess Bride (1973) by William Goldman. He wrote the screenplay for the 1987 movie directed by Rob Reiner. Of course, Goldman was an incredible screenwriter and gave the film the grandfather reading to his grandson. The novel has a metafiction of an abridgement, the “Good Parts” version of S. Morgensten book. Both tell the story of former farm boy, Westley (Cary Elwes), and Buttercup (Robin Wright), the princess bride. Every part is so memorable as well as the lines. The novel and film are both funny, clever, so they are wonderful experiences on their own, read the book and see the movie!
I will also add a sub-category here with a film that adds a little to a book experience. This would be John Carter (2012) directed by Andrew Stanton. It is based on A Princess of Mars (1917) written by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The novel creates a fantastic world, every detail of characters, setting, and creatures are vivid. There parts of Thark culture that are left out, but enough slips into the film, Carter as “Dotar Sojat”! The movie bumps up Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins) from damsel in distress to warrior princess who is also a scientist, discoverer of the Ninth Ray! Plus, a background for John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) giving the reason why he won’t fight in a war. They are both adventures, great characters, the audience I saw it with in the theaters loved it, I would say give it a watch if you somehow passed it up.
The last part is films that are superior to the novel that is the source material. The first that comes to mind is Forrest Gump. The 1994 Robert Zemeckis film has a screenplay by Eric Roth. It is charming, a twist of Being There (1979) with Peter Sellers. Forrest (Tom Hanks) stumbles through history and has a romance with Jenny (Robin Wright). This is not the original book. In fact, it is the most unfunny and offensive novel. For example, in the novel, Forrest meets Nixon who opens his coat to sell him one of his watches. Roth must have taken the character of Forrest with other characters, and was loosely adding his own human touches to the story. Stick with the film. In other stories, read the books, they offer a stronger experience than the cinema.
#TheBookOfThree, #LloydAlexander, #TheBlackCauldron, #TedBerman, #RichardRich, #SilenceOfTheLambs, #ThomasHarrris, #JonathanDemme, #JodieFoster, #AnthonyHopkins,
#APrincessOfMars, #EdgarRiceBurroughs, #JohnCarter, #AndrewStanton, #TaylorKitsch, #LynnCollins, #PrincessBride, #WilliamGoldman, #RobReiner, #CaryElwes, #RobinWright, #ForrestGump, #RobertZemeckis, #TomHanks
The last part is films that are superior to the novels. The first that comes to mind is Forrest Gump. The 1994 Robert Zemeckis film has a screenplay by Eric Roth. It is charming, a twist of Being There (1979) with Peter Sellers. Forrest (Tom Hanks) stumbles through history and has a romance with Jenny (Robin Wright). Another appearance by Wright! This is not the original book. In fact, it is the most unfunny and offensive novel. For example, in the book, Forrest meets Nixon who opens his coat to sell him one of his watches. Roth must have taken the character of Forrest with other characters, and was loosely adding his own human touches to the story. Stick with the film. In other stories, read the books, they offer a stronger experience than the cinema.
#TheBookOfThree, #LloydAlexander, #TheBlackCauldron, #TedBerman, #RichardRich,
#GrantBardsley, #SusanSheridan, #NigelHawthorne, #John Byner, #SilenceOfTheLambs, #ThomasHarrris, #JonathanDemme, #JodieFoster, #AnthonyHopkins, #APrincessOfMars
#EdgarRiceBurroughs, #JohnCarter, #AndrewStanton, #TaylorKitsch, #LynnCollins, #PrincessBride, #WilliamGoldman, #RobReiner, #CaryElwes, #RobinWright, #ForrestGump, #RobertZemeckis, #TomHanks
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