It's REAL! Sort of.
I'm off to see The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe for the second time this afternoon, and it's struck me that the last few years of my adult life have been weirdly like a series of dreams come true. Well, not come true, but I can SEE them now -- that is, apparently God, in Her infinite wisdom, has decided that all my favorite childhood books
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That's wonderful! I also grew up before the era of photorealistic toys, and had to apply a generous dollop of imagination to the plastic animal or whatever that was standing in for Aslan in my head. Would I have preferred CGI at the time? OF COURSE. But it's interesting how the mind is capable of generating its own reality when reality fails to oblige.
Oh, and your story reminded me a bit of The Last Battle where Puzzle dresses up in the lion skin. I was always extremely uncomfortable with the way the narrative condemned that, and now that I'm no longer six I can do a better job of articulating why -- this is one of the places where Lewis's allegory is at war with his symbolism, if you see what I mean. The allegory suggests that we shouldn't be bowing down to graven images (yawn); the symbolism throughout the series suggests that images are the only way our imaginations can take flight -- that is: when we are reading Lewis he ( ... )
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Yes, but it's sort of sad to me too--there's something to be said for the anticipation. But more, what if it's not like your dreams? I have to say I'm usually disappointed in the movie versions of my favorites. I've not seen the Narnia movie yet, but I remember when I first watched the LoTRs I hated it. It wasn't what I wanted. I finally accepted that it couldn't be exactly like I wanted, and I managed to enjoy the movies after that.
And I think the movie versions cause people to see things differently. I'm not really sure that there would be as many Snape supporters if Alan Rickman didn't play him. Or if the boy who plays Draco weren't cute, would we like him? I think the HP movies have had a huge impact on the fandom. I'm not saying it's bad, just very influential.
I guess if I made movies they'd all be exactly like the books and last 10 hours. I knew there was a reason I'm not living ( ... )
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I've heard rumors that The Dark is Rising is going to be made into a movieWOW! Pardon me while I squee briefly here. I love that series, and would indeed be cool to see it get the publicity boost that that a movie would give it ( ... )
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You're right about the years of anticipation and dreaming that makes up for actually seeing your favorites in visual form relatively soon after the books are released. A couple of my childhood favorites have been made into movies (Harriet the Spy, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler) and I haven't bothered to see them. I don't want to spoil the images I had of them as a child. I doubt many of my other favorites would be turned into films, as they're rather old-fashioned. I am quite glad about that, as Mr. Popper's Penguins could never be as good, even with all that damn CGI magic.
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I do see your point about a reluctance to see movies based on favorite childhood books. Personally I don't feel the same way about movied based on other books or stories; when a movie of "The Dead" came out I was first in line to see it and oh, god, I'm glad I was; one of the best literary adaptations ever ever ever and a truly great movie in its own right. Similarly I just saw Brokeback Mountain with no qualms at all about "ruining" one of the most brilliant short stories I've ever read, and my faith in Ang Lee was MORE than justified ( ... )
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There is a definite protectiveness that we feel for our favorite childhood books. I don't want anyone messing with my make-believe from that time. I also read HP when I was older (20-something, anyone?), so the movies don't bother me as much as if I had built worlds and dreams around the books as I would have as a child. I can still have problems with them, as I love to criticise everything, but it's not as offensive as if someone took a machete to my favorites from childhood. If done poorly, it is a real loss to see the images from the film instead of (or next to) your images from youth.
I can't recall any specific yearning in my childhood to see my favorites made into movies, and I'm not sure why. I didn't consider the possibility, most likely. Movies did influence me a good deal, as I recall desperately wanting to be Indiana Jones, but the book into movie idea just didn't make its way to my brain.
LOTR was beautiful, wasn't it? But gah, those animated ( ... )
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thank you for existing. you have made me happy. you have also managed to marginally increase my harry/draco love, which at this point i really had not thought possible.
i will be back. of that, have no fear. or... you know, maybe you should have some. fear, that is.
and now for an end to my convoluted-ness.
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It's nice to hear that you enjoyed the entries. I can't update this journal as often as I'd like, but it is my little shrine to H/D lurve. You can't feel too much lurve for this pairing, so if the fics here marginally increased yours, then my work here is done. :) Well, for the momemnt, anyway.
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Sorry not to have been around, and thanks for asking! I do have a couple of H/Ds sitting around in draft, and will be getting to them as soon as I can.
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trust me, i understand the frantic three AM thing. >.< RL should have a pause button so we could keep up with the fandom.
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