Film adaptations of literature (1 Viewer)

[andrew markworthy]

quote:Two hours? Did they measure an hour differently back in Elizabethan times?

Nope, and you really can do many of the plays in a much shorter time. Take a look at practically any Shakespearean play and look at how much time is spent on non-dialogue.



And yes, you're right - it was R&J.

 

[Kenneth]

As much as I enjoy seeing a "good" film adaption of a novel that I enjoy, I think Hollywood gets stuck in a rut on literary adaptations. I think some of the best movies made from books have been figurative translations and not literal translations. Beyond the obvious examples of "The Shining", "2001", and "Lord of the Rings" where many thematic differences exist between the books and movies, there are others where the cinematic changes make a good stand alone entity.



Disney adaptations are notoriously liberal with the story matter they are adapting but they often turn into excellent movies. Bambi, Little Mermaid, Aladin, and others all made excellent children's movies even though they took great artistic license with the original source material.



That said, I am looking forward to a big screen adaptation of "The Chronicles of Narnia". I would love to see "The Hobbit" adapted. I think a liberal interpretation of "Red Storm Rising" would make an excellent mini-series (probably too big for a movie). If they could figure out an effective way to do it, I would love to see some classics adapted (Dante's "Inferno", Milton's "Paradise Lost", "Beowulf", and "Romance of the Three Kingdoms"). Lastly, I would love to see "The Bridge of Birds" adapted, although I can't think of a director who would be up to the task.



Kenneth

 

[Bill Williams]

quote:I think a liberal interpretation of "Red Storm Rising" would make an excellent mini-series (probably too big for a movie).

Actually, Kenneth, I worked on an adaptation of "Red Storm Rising" during the 90's. I got about 120 pages into it when I just burned out on it. In my script I removed some of the minor and unnecessary details but for the most part stayed right on target with the book in nearly every aspect. It would have come out to be close to a literal adaptation of the entire book, had I finished with it. But I agree with your earlier thought, because of the complexity and length of the book it would work much better as a TV miniseries (definitely not a 4-hour miniseries, more like a 6- or 8-hour miniseries, to be exact).

 

[Kenneth]

I think there might have been a drop in interest in Red Storm in the 90's because of the cost and because the geopolitical situation at the time made it seem less plausible. However, with advances in special effects technology and changes in the geopolitical climate again it would seem that it would be both affordable and topical again.



Kenneth

 

[Dan Rudolph]

Try reading Ian Fleming's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Bears almost no resemblance to the movie except for being about a father with a boy and a girl and a flying car. Of course, the book wasn't very good, IMHO.

 

[MarcusUdeh]

Personally for me when I think of a great screen adaptation Spielberg’s take on Alice Walker’s The Color Purple springs to mind. Even though the film is less explicit than the novel’s depictions. It was the overall human story Steven carried from the book to the screen that people related to regardless of gender or race.

 

[Keith M.]

Speaking of Literature adaptions, has anyone checked out the Criterion boxset "Great Adaptations"?



Included DVDs:

1. Great Expectations

2. Lord of the Flies

3. The Most Dangerous Game

4. Oliver Twist





I was thinking of picking it up as soon as the new releases slow down a bit, my wallet is crying...