When I read a book and fall in love with it, I am always skeptical to I hear it is being made in to a movie. Some books are so amazing, and so personal that the little world designed in your head with what the characters look like is at risk of being destroyed. Is the story going to be done justice? Will the producers remain loyal to the details?
It is the norm to make bestselling novels in to movies as they do it every single time. A cast of actors famous enough to adopt an African child fast-track does not ensure the magic of a book is transferred on to the big screen. I remember my stark disappointment at The Horse Whisperer movie after it became my favourite book. Tom Booker didn't even die! Annie MacLean didn't have his illegitimate child. They didn't have a sex scene...I was very disappointed.
Angels and Demons, My Sister’s Keeper, and The Time Traveler’s Wife are all just a few recent ones, but more epic films such as The Lord of the Rings, Forrest Gump, and The Power of One are remarkable films. The most challenging thing that results in the original story being altered is the length. A classic example is Gone with the Wind, where Scarlett O’Hara’s two children by her first two husbands were completely cut out of the story. The Lord of the Rings was altered for cinematic effect. Does this betray the author’s integrity? Peter Jackson is quoted with saying "Sure, it's not really The Lord of the Rings ...but it could still be a pretty damn cool movie.” http://www.theonering.com/page3-25/TheMoviesTheCompleteListofFilmChanges this link is to a website that lists differences between the books and movies.
Why don't they make films in to novels? 'Wow that was such a great film I can’t wait ‘til they make it in to a book.' It is all about money and convenience. Movies are easier to watch, they are less time consuming and take no effort as it is all played out before you and doesn't require imagination. Books require your own vision, your own private ideas, but they are both vices of escapism.
It is the norm to make bestselling novels in to movies as they do it every single time. A cast of actors famous enough to adopt an African child fast-track does not ensure the magic of a book is transferred on to the big screen. I remember my stark disappointment at The Horse Whisperer movie after it became my favourite book. Tom Booker didn't even die! Annie MacLean didn't have his illegitimate child. They didn't have a sex scene...I was very disappointed.
Angels and Demons, My Sister’s Keeper, and The Time Traveler’s Wife are all just a few recent ones, but more epic films such as The Lord of the Rings, Forrest Gump, and The Power of One are remarkable films. The most challenging thing that results in the original story being altered is the length. A classic example is Gone with the Wind, where Scarlett O’Hara’s two children by her first two husbands were completely cut out of the story. The Lord of the Rings was altered for cinematic effect. Does this betray the author’s integrity? Peter Jackson is quoted with saying "Sure, it's not really The Lord of the Rings ...but it could still be a pretty damn cool movie.” http://www.theonering.com/page3-25/TheMoviesTheCompleteListofFilmChanges this link is to a website that lists differences between the books and movies.
Why don't they make films in to novels? 'Wow that was such a great film I can’t wait ‘til they make it in to a book.' It is all about money and convenience. Movies are easier to watch, they are less time consuming and take no effort as it is all played out before you and doesn't require imagination. Books require your own vision, your own private ideas, but they are both vices of escapism.
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