It doesn't even have vampires?!
I haven't decided yet whether or not I'll go to see The Golden Compass, but one film I'll definitely be giving a miss is I Am Legend. Richard Matheson's masterpiece has been cinematically desecrated on at least two previous occasions, but at least those earlier versions were honest enough not to use the same title. This one, by calling itself I Am Legend, is as good as claiming to be Matheson's book, and it is not. This is not Matheson.
Why won't Hollywood make a book adaptation which is actually like the book? Could it be that, in some cases, they know they just don't have what it takes to be worthy of the original work?
Why won't Hollywood make a book adaptation which is actually like the book? Could it be that, in some cases, they know they just don't have what it takes to be worthy of the original work?
posted by Infidel753 at 4:56 PM
6 Comments:
I saw the Golden Compass a few days ago. I'm not impressed. It was so rushed, so chaotic... and too short. I realize that there's going to be a Part 2... but Part 1 was really nothing to write home about.
If you go, then just for the very hot witch. ;) She's definitely worth it.
:)
Ute
A really hot witch is a treasure indeed, that's for sure.....
I always thought that the book reading crowd & the general movie going audience wanted different things. I read a lot of books (including Phillip Pullmans Trilogy "His Dark Materials") & have always been disappointed with movie 'versions'.
I won't bother to see "The Golden Compass" because I heard early on when they first talked about making the film a lot of important religious references were being removed to make the movie more palatable to the public.
As far as the other movie you mentioned, I want to read the book, now.
The book is classic. Matheson has been cited as an inspiration by people like Stephen King and Brian Lumley. Give some of his other stories a try too, they're very imaginative.
You're probably right about the differences between book readers and moviegoers. I think the fact that movies cost so much is also a factor. With a $100 million investment, there's a tendency to "play it safe" and go with the conventional, the known quantity, the bland.....
My short list of Hollywood movies that came pretty close to hitting the mark in interpreting the authors intent:
1. Deliverance (James Dickey)
2. The Exorcist (William Peter Blattey)
3. The Godfather (Mario Puzo)
4. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Ken Kessey)
Apologies to any author's whose name I misspelled. I could have looked it up for accuracy, but just too lazy).
Don't forget The Princess Bride (William Goldman). But, I agree for the most part. Most books don't translate well as movies.
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