by A.E. Albert
Books that are
Better than the Movie
Most of us readers would agree that the book is almost always superior to the movie. Here are a few novels I think truly surpass their cinematic counterparts.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone:
by J.K. Rowling
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The removal of Norbert from Hogwarts was a secret operation in the book. The movie altered this scene, therefore changing Harry's part in the escape and consequently his losing house points. Now that Gryffindor is last place, everyone hates Harry. These series of events lead to an emotional conclusion. Harry earns back the points, Gryffindor wins the house cup and he is praised by Dumbledore before the entire school. I know what you movie watchers are thinking, it was a great ending. Trust me, read the book!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
(Movie 2):
by J.K. Rowling
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I actually really like the movie. It's the ending I have a problem with. The movie has the Harry and Voldemort confrontation taking place in an isolated place. In the book, this spectacular conclusion happens before the entire magical world battling it out at hogwarts.
Everyone hears what Dumbledore did and watches Harry kick Voldemort's evil behind. Funny thing is, the book's version is a classic movie ending. I have no idea why they changed it.
Eragon:
by Christopher Paolini
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The movie is a cinematic abomination. Eragon is a fantastic novel. It has a great plot, characters and I love the unique magical concepts. However, the story was completely mutilated. Characters were altered until they were unrecognizable. And the magical components were not adequately described.
The greatest sin was Brahm. I loved this cantankerous, brave and secretive man. Unfortunately, you won't meet the man I just described unless you read book.
Overall, the movie was a childish caricature of a wonderful story.
Pride & Prejudice:
by Jane Austen
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Pride & Prejudice is all about character development which can be seen through organic dialogue and action. Yet, most of it was removed to fit into a 2hr. movie, .jpg)
There is a reason readers have been analyzing the various and diverse dynamics at play throughout the story for decades. What was once a masterpiece worthy of literary scrutiny has been reduced to a modern rom/com with outdated clothes.The Stand:
by Stephen King
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The Stand is one of my all time favorite books. It has everything- character, plot, dialogue, action; with a dash of King's classic macabre..jpg)
My criticism isn't actually toward the movie, but the author. Although Stephen King created a literary work of art, it doesn't translate well onto screen. I love the ending, but what makes complete sense on paper, appears almost silly when viewed through a camera lens.I guess that's the price to pay when dealing with King's wild and out of this world imagination.
About A.E. Albert
ReplyDeleteI thought it was going to be the other way.. Movies that are better than the book.
As a species, we're obsessed with what gets seen. The Deathly Hallows ending. Your concern with The Stand. My concern with The Representative. We're creatures of deep thought (well too deep!), resulting in over-judging something perhaps here, or in over-analysing something there.
Instead of all that over-thinking, and all that concern, how about just this instead.. What gets imagined, when reading the book, is then exactly what gets translated. A radical notion, isn't it?
On its own, the Lane Cycler that Croyan uses isn't a challenge to see. And neither is the Reference Centre, the place that Croyan visits, en route to his encounter with the Earth Representative. However, pair either of these visual elements with the four young adults, and their turreted house, or with Croyan, dressed in his grey suit and tie, waiting for the Earth Representative, and you'll no doubt experience the instinct to reject.
Overcome it! Same with Harry, battling Voldemort in front of others: re-install the image, as "unsightly" as it is, and just overcome the instinct to reject it.
We are artists, but we're also creatures with very high visual biases.
A movie, above all else, is a visual medium. That is the difficult task of translating a book to movie, taking words and projecting them onto a screen. A director or screenwriter's job isn't to be creative, but to take someone else's and re-create it. It's a daunting task.
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ReplyDeleteFifty Shades of Grey, the trailer, didn't capture the essence of the book for me whatsoever.. The Representative, in contrast, I think would be very hard to screw up; whether it's the four youths, and their lone white house, amidst a surrounding woodland, or whether it's the Lane Cycler, being shown to be taking off, or, if it's the Arbitration, with Mariel and everyone else, or if it's just Croyan himself, waiting alone in a darkened hall, having just recently dressed into a three piece suit.. these are all visuals that are too precise, that are too unusual for wide interpretation.
Of course, translating all these images would then have to mean another difference, with Fifty Shades of Grey.. The Representative wouldn't be fit to be made as a movie!
I think you're right though. some books should just be left alone. The story is better communicated through our mind's eye, as opposed to our other set.
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