Wednesday, October 22, 2014

That Look

My son is taking a literature class - The Filmed Novel - that sounds like a hoot.  They read an assigned novel, discuss it and watch the movie together.  So far they've read The Maltese Falcon, High Fidelity and True Grit.  It's been interesting to hear his take on how closely the movies follow the books. He has definite opinions about the movies made of some of his favorites.  I have to agree with him on the Harry Potter finale being anticlimactic but I am totally satisfied with the treatment of The Hobbit.  I like to think that Tolkien would be, too.

Why didn't they have classes like that when I was in college?

This may border on heresy for some, but in my opinion the book is not always better than the movie. Here is my list:
  • The African Queen - My edition of this book ends poorly. The odd couple who fought together for something that mattered and found love in the film do not accomplish their goal in the book and simply...separate.  What a downer.  We need heroes and hope.
  • The Painted Veil - Again, the movie ending was more satisfying.
  • The Ghost and Mrs. Muir - the book was a snoozer. The script writers got it right.
  • Remains of the Day 
  • Chocolat
  • The Accidental Tourist
  • Out of Africa
Some of my preferences must be attributed to the great performances of talented actors and actresses who breathed life into two-dimensional characters. Other preferences were in regard to story. 

This is my partial list.  I wonder if you would add






5 comments:

Cherry Odelberg said...

The Princess Diaries. And yes, I think The Great Gatsby was a fabulous movie production, but I could hardly make it through the book.

Debbie Fuller Thomas said...

I almost listed that one, too, but it had been so long since I read the book I wasn't sure.

Patti Hill said...

The Horse Whisperer was much better as a movie. In the book, the wife/mother has an affair with the horse trainer, even though the husband/father was an amazing guy. In the movie, she is tempted and so is the horse trainer, but she remembers all that she shares with her husband and chooses her family, even though the horse trainer was played by THE Robert Redford. Also, I remember the ending being better in the movie. I hope I'm right about that. It's been awhile.

Nicola said...

I much preferred the movie treatment of women to Tolkien's in Lord of the Rings.

Debbie Fuller Thomas said...

Patti, I remember that about the Horse Whisperer, too. Much better.
Nicola, I was happy to see the women had more active roles in the movie. I guess Tolkien was a product of his times. Too bad they cut a lot of Eowyn's scenes, which are on the extended version - yay! And the warrior-type elf/love interest for Legolas was a nice addition, I thought.