Booking Through Thursday: Celluoid

[parelle]

1. In your opinion, what is the best translation of a book to a movie? (or mini-series)
Master and Commander is the best translation of a book - or a series, as it were, since as a book-to-movie translation it's impossibly inaccurate, but I really do think it's a fitting trailer for the entire series.  I do excuse the casting inaccuracies here (

Comments

[rantipole6]

Agreed on Master and Commander! It was sad that they couldn't have included Maturin's espionage capabilities other than a quick line alluding to it in a conversation with Jack, but other than that I have no complaints. And ugly doctor be damned. Even when reading the books, I ignored the physical descriptions and created my own sexy versions of both main characters anyway.

[jhghendriks]

Worst?

That must be The Lawnmower Man.
Similarities between the story and the movie?
The title and the lawnmover.

[sacredchao]

For best, let me suggest Silence of the Lambs. The characters (and these were some very complex characters), the tone, it all carried through to the movie.

I agree on Gaudy Night for the worst. They were trying to jam a huge novel into a--what was it, three-hour?--miniseries. I sympathize with their problems--so much of the book is internal, especially the evolution and recognition of Harriet's feelings towards Wimsey. So, yes, the whole scene in the punt on the river never had a chance.

That said, I thought the lead actors were wonderful, although they had a much better showing in "Strong Poison" and "Have His Carcase." I saw these films only a few years ago (yay Netflix!), and prior to that had only seen Harriet Walter in "Sense and Sensibility," so I was a little worried. I needn't have been--the opening shot of "Strong Poison," of Harriet in the dock at the Old Bailey, was utterly perfect. I knew she was right for it before she'd even spoken a word.

[parelle]

I very much agree that the characters were well cast - Have His Carcase is excellent, and I do like it better than the book. But where did all of that tension go?

[nineveh_uk]

It was astonishing how right they got HHC, and how wrong GN. Gaudy Night would have been much worse had the actors not said that really, Peter and Harriet COULD NOT get casually engaged in a punt in the middle of the programme,

Peter: By the way Harriet, will you marry me?
Harriet: Do you know, I think I will. What have I said?

Small mercies...

I adore the M&C film - it's a pity Bettany isn't shorter (partly because he could then play Wimsey), but I can rationalise Crowe by saying this was clearly Jack in the slimmer part of the yo-yo cycle. And they have terrific chemistry together.

[parelle]

Yes, I've always thought that Bettany would make a wonderful Peter. Finding a Bunter to match was more difficult, however.

I did hear that Peterbridge vetoed the original script, but I hadn't realized that it was that bad! Good god, what were they thinking?!

[olde_fashioned]

Well, you know I've not read PoB, but it makes me approve of M&C all the more if you think it's faithful to the books. I do so detest messed up adaptations.

Have you seen Gods & Generals? That's one of my favourite movies, and Robert Duvall makes a much better Lee than Martin Sheen IMVHO!

[parelle]

... I know, you keep reminding me to see it :) I at last found my copy of it (a birthday present last year) which I'm going to try to see sometime soon!

[olde_fashioned]

;-P I can be a pest in that way, sorry! Please do let me know what you think of it when you do. :-D