Movies vs Books – Part 3

Movies vs Books – Part 3

This post started out as a Book Review, but instead, turned into a philosophical rant… yet again.

In case you haven’t noticed this about me by now, and if you have, you’ve either found it endearing or annoying, I often take a situation, flip it inside out, back to front and look at it from a million angles until I drive myself batty with an internal battle between inner voices. Think Fight Club, for intellectuals, the arena being the mind.

The subject of conflict these days? Movies vs Novels. Here’s the story, I read the book The Help. It was an amazing read. I know there was a lot of controversy about the book, jabs thrown at the author that I won’t even dignify with discussing here, but I really loved the story.

When I was done reading the book, I watched the movie. I enjoyed it. It missed some few key points when I looked back on it, points that I cheered for in the novel, but I still enjoyed the movie.

Here’s the clincher, at the same time I was reading The Help, I was also reading The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. The Ya-Yas is one of my favorite movies, so I figured reading the book would be fun. It was not. I did not like the book.

Is what we are exposed to first, whether it be the film or the novel, the key to our perception and subsequently, the end result of our enjoyment? Please let me know what you think.

Books to Movies, Novels to Films Part 2

Books to Film – Novels to Movies Part 2
Look below for part 1 of this post

It has come to my attention that some of my favorite novels are coming to the big screen.

One such anticipated film is Friday Night Knitting Club By Kate Jacobs. It was a very good read, but I’m jumping out of my skin to see what they do with the movie. Why? Well according to internet sources, Julia Roberts was cast for the starring role. And I personally love Julia. But that movie was originally scheduled for release in 2010… now it’s been pushed back to 2013 and I’m wondering what happened to the original idea.

Next on the list, and I have an all consuming urge to travel to the future so I can see this one TODAY, is Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander. According to IMDB.com, it is scheduled for release this year! But hey, see above to understand that might not happen. Anyone who has read this series and contemplated a movie version has agreed on two things. One: It would need to be a mini-series to capture even a smidgen of the storyline and character development. Two: There is no actor on earth who could play the scrumptious role of our beloved Jamie and do him justice. So far, the finished product of this film is only a rumor. Only time will tell if it will ever hit the big screen. Time machine anyone?

Last but not least, a project I’m super-stoked about (probably because it actually looks like it will happen) is Janet Evanovich’s “Stephanie Plum” series coming to the big screen! What makes this different than the other two promises above? Well, according to IMDB.Com One for the Money: A Stephanie Plum Novel is completed and due for release on January 27th 2012. Katherine Heigl will star as the beloved and quirky Jersey girl, Stephanie Plum.

Will these novels-to-film projects produce chair-rumbling applause and standing ovations of new cult followers, or sighs and heads shaking in bitter disappointment? Will those who have read these pieces of art enjoy the films more than those who haven’t? Or will those fresh to the storyline, without expectations, enjoy the movies more than the readers? Only time will tell.

Has any book-to-movies moved you in a special way? Leave a comment below on your hits or missed.

Books to Movies, Novels to Films Part 1

Books to Film - Novels to Movies

This post was originally a 2 part article for Ezines, but I got sick of waiting for it to be published so I deleted it from there, to serve it here.
We've all seen it happen; we've all grunted and groaned when a favorite novel has been blasphemously skewered into a film. I personally almost cried when my most beloved novel Bless the Child was made into a b-movie that followed none of the characteristics of the book I had grown to love and honor.
But there is this little thing inside, this little spark of need, of want, of desire, to see if the images that floated across our minds while we read the tales woven on page, match up with the visuals of what others decide goes on our screens. It seems to be that, now more than ever, the films are living up to the books delivery.
My first novel-to-film happy moment was with the movie "The Green Mile
" I enjoyed it as much as the book. Then came the "Twilight" series. Yes I am a fan of the books, they pulled me in. I also loved the movies. A note on this though, I loved the movies because I knew the books. I watched the movies with people who had not read the books and they were not nearly as impressed. Interesting is it not? I feel the same way about the Harry Potter movies and books. I read the first Harry Potter, and enjoyed the first movie to no end, because I knew what was going on in the heads of the characters. The later movies, the ones whose books I did not read, I found far less entertaining. In fact, I found myself thoroughly confused during the last few films.
I can't compare "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy because I never read the books, but I know the die-hard fans were pretty much 50/50 when it came to their appreciation of the films. But again, I watched these movies with people who had read the books, and they were completely stoked about scenes I didn't quite get. They would say things like "Oh, I wonder how they are gonna do this part?" or "Wow, wait til you see what's coming up next!" only to find myself slightly moved by the scene they spoke of.
Let's move on a little to a favorite book series and TV series that is near and dear to me: "True Blood". The Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris is fantastic. It's fast-paced and moves along nicely. The characters are fresh, three-dimensional people that easily invite the reader to love or hate them, sometimes both. But to be honest, I enjoy the HBO show based on the books so much more. I did watch the show before I found the series.

Though the quality and interpretation of the novel to the filmmakers is an obvious necessity in deciding which is better, what I think it comes down to in the end is; which came first to YOU, the movie or the book?
Which books to movies moved you or betrayed you?
Part two to this post will appear tomorrow, discussing up-coming books to film.