tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post4151331335305719095..comments2024-02-12T15:15:51.364+02:00Comments on The Five Year Project: Novel Films Blogfest Part 2: What makes a good adaption?Misha Gerrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-43692828368842929502011-08-04T10:59:31.005+02:002011-08-04T10:59:31.005+02:00Aha at last I waited long enough for your page to ...Aha at last I waited long enough for your page to load to get to the comments box! Love your blogfest entries. Thanks for taking part. I agree with you that still manages to keep the essence (or my sense of it), I love it. Sometimes I find that actors are throwm together in films just because Mr Actor and Ms Actor are the public's favourites for the year and so the film bods imagine it will make the film a 'must' for their fans to see regardless of whether they are the best chosen for the storyline and roles. On the whole I liked the Harry Potter films and appreciated that they couldn't include every element of the story. To get the whole picture it means you have to read the original books which isn't a bad thing.Is it? :O)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-47290989345953999132011-08-04T03:28:55.665+02:002011-08-04T03:28:55.665+02:00Honestly, I wasn't a fan of the Da Vinci Code ...Honestly, I wasn't a fan of the Da Vinci Code the book. I watched the movie and thought it was "okay", better than the book.Trishahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16927558937796802496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-70051762414124613852011-08-04T02:02:44.898+02:002011-08-04T02:02:44.898+02:00I agree with you: a usually enjoy the book more th...I agree with you: a usually enjoy the book more than the movie (with a few exceptions). However, I really liked the Harry Potter movies. I thought they complemented the books well. Just me.Susan Oloierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07311938400999953443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-71196698887162833762011-08-03T22:18:06.758+02:002011-08-03T22:18:06.758+02:00You should read Beastly, then see the movie or vic...You should read Beastly, then see the movie or vice-versa. The film adaptation was SO different than the movie, not only did it veer, it swerved. But it worked. I may have liked the movie better. This is a first.Samantha Véranthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07446488761214047647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-36605367522408514482011-08-03T20:58:29.433+02:002011-08-03T20:58:29.433+02:00Great points!
If the focus is less on the story a...Great points!<br /><br />If the focus is less on the story and more on the special effects, it really doesn't make sense. If it's based on a book, it starts with a story--if that's taken off, not much is left. (Though I did like HP.)<br /><br />I agree on the Chronicles of Narnia. :)Golden Eaglehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08721520451194318436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-5125072698363771882011-08-03T18:48:14.516+02:002011-08-03T18:48:14.516+02:00I loved the new Sherlock Holmes movies. There was...I loved the new Sherlock Holmes movies. There was enough "new" combined with the expected/traditional to make it interesting.Shelley Slyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07981620646634240160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-69477361496203055422011-08-03T18:29:39.750+02:002011-08-03T18:29:39.750+02:00A very shrewd analysis. I'm with you on the bi...A very shrewd analysis. I'm with you on the big Holywood special effects. They can keep 'em. That's not what movie making is about, and it stands in the way of a great, enjoyable experience. <br /><br />The reason I haven't seen the Narnia movies is for exactly the reason you say here. My visualisation, when I read a novel, is all I need to enjoy it. Someone else's visualisation, constrained by the severe limitations of movie making, just spoil it. <br /><br />A thought-provoking post. Thank you.Tony Bensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06798586432645889182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-45802618438709198462011-08-03T15:54:51.128+02:002011-08-03T15:54:51.128+02:00I agree with a ton of this. I have a certain fond...I agree with a ton of this. I have a certain fondness for the HP movies, but they had to grow on me. And I DON'T like the effects that break canon (the flying around and apparating within the Ministry in OoP took a lot away from Voldemort and then Snape being able to fly in DH.<br /><br />I think the point about description though, is spot on--Lord of the Rings is another example--Tolkein explains ad nauseum, but it really works in the movie.<br /><br />The other really key thing i've noticed is I think short works can adapt well straight across (look at a few of Stephen King's novellas, like the Green Mile, but a LONG book you nailed it--better to keep the spirit but not stick too closely. I also really LOVE movies that add a twist--like Princess Bride--having it be read as a story was a bit of brilliance for the movie.Hart Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17599570189253229318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-32558089873148202122011-08-03T15:17:38.841+02:002011-08-03T15:17:38.841+02:00Agreed! I always get so worried when a book I lov...Agreed! I always get so worried when a book I love is being made into a movie. SO many ways to mess it up!Alexis Basshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00635465457833459349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-47200990903206975192011-08-03T13:03:15.313+02:002011-08-03T13:03:15.313+02:00I agree. I don't even care about special effec...I agree. I don't even care about special effects if the essence of the story is lost. For me, the score and actors for the HP films just work. The Narnia films work for me too, but having read the books as a kid, I don't remember every last detail. Da Vinci Code as a film was a huge disappointment. I was very unsatisfied, and it may have been a time when seeing the film BEFORE reading the book would've been nice. Plus, i hated the fact the actress didn't have red hair. That was a huge part of the story, I thought!<br />Anyway, I'd be happy to send you my copy of Stardust. Honestly, I didn't enjoy the book nearly as much as the film. But if you want it, it's all yours! Send me an email with your address. I don't mind sending it overseas. :)PK HREZOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11650153097981426833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-54744534625719880782011-08-03T11:30:10.227+02:002011-08-03T11:30:10.227+02:00Nice post! But I think you left out one of the bo...Nice post! But I think you left out one of the book/movie combinations that should always be mentioned. Maybe I'm biased... <br /><br />I need to stop here. I was writing a blog-sized comment. Sorry. Will blog about it :) Fan-girl...<br /><br />I totally agree with every point you made!Theresahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08027229777663171623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-24212432850115240132011-08-03T10:25:53.883+02:002011-08-03T10:25:53.883+02:00I loved the Narnia books (still do, actually), but...I loved the Narnia books (still do, actually), but I wasn't crazy about the films. I don't know why, honestly. I was all excited to see the first one and left feeling a bit let down. Wish I could figure out why.Jennifer Hillierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15783975547643539868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-70697163972553593782011-08-03T04:16:32.576+02:002011-08-03T04:16:32.576+02:00I think you make some good points here, but I thin...I think you make some good points here, but I think part of the attraction of translation to film is to see the imagination envisioning that is made possible through the special effects. For me, in some films the action and effects are the primary essence of a film, although I do prefer good story and good acting in the end.<br /><br /><br />Lee<br /><a href="http://tossingitout.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Tossing It Out</a>Arlee Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-15318067027159028832011-08-03T03:31:20.731+02:002011-08-03T03:31:20.731+02:00I hate it when a movie takes a turn from the book....I hate it when a movie takes a turn from the book. Totally disappointing. Nice list. Have fun hopping around.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08798243128846248604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-3848139560595475282011-08-03T02:16:22.384+02:002011-08-03T02:16:22.384+02:00Hard to say what can derail a book to film adaptat...Hard to say what can derail a book to film adaptation so badly sometimes. I suppose mostly it has to do with not sticking to the original material. :)<br /><br />I loved that version of Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr., btw.Luanne G. Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15762881276976395955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-17069539088599577322011-08-03T01:04:11.596+02:002011-08-03T01:04:11.596+02:00Points 1&2 are dead on! The new adaptation the...Points 1&2 are dead on! The new adaptation the BBC did with Sherlock was a winner because it kept the essence of Sherlock Holmes and modernized his style to fit today. But they didn't go flashy and that's where I think HP became caught up in bloated budgets and overly high expectations of the crew (the audience never was listened to very much).Steph Schmidthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00975939582442193113noreply@blogger.com