Books made into films: amusing differences

[Kevin]

Yes, but I thought it was relevant because some of the adaptations discussed were poorly rated for not trying to directly adapt the book and HellBoy I think was a success because it wasn't a direct adaptation.



I just wanted to toss something else into the mix of the discussion.

[Rock's Sunglasses]

[Jeffbert]

[cmoon]

Sometimes the movies ARE better--case in point: Plague Dogs.

[Kevin]

[Jeffbert]

I just watched & noticed a big difference, or perhaps it was an omission at the end. It has been quite some time since I read the novel, but as I recall & as shows, there was a chapter that was entirely omitted from the film. In avoiding a spoiler, I will just say that the chapter was about a certian disguise and the French's attitude toward that type of person.

For those who do not know, the Scarlet Pimpernel was likely the prototype upon which Zorro, Batman, and Ribon no Kishi (and most magic girls) were based, even though his disguises were many, rather than one sword-weilding avenging hero. Perhaps you confuse him with , but that was Daffy Duck's Zorro-like parody.

I cannot recall what attracted me to the novel, as it surely was not the title.

[Kevin]

The guy who wrote zorro flat out admitted he was inspired by pimpernel. Bob Kane said the Douglass Fairbanks Zorro movie is who inspired him for Batman.



edit: Pimpernel is considered the first modern superhero.

[Jeffbert]

[Jeffbert]

The Lost World was not only made into films, but Alien Voices performed an audio version with the video of the production. This really only showed how they produced the sound effects, but I found it thoroughly amusing.

has a few details about the video.

[Kevin]

[Jeffbert]

I am now about to finish The Land that Time Forgot, & I note 1 difference in the plots. It has been a while since I saw the film, so, it is very likely that there are more, & I suppose that I could note more than a few if I tried.

But the thing that I recall from the film is that once the U-boat crew had refined enough oil for a voyage home, they tried to leave without the English people (Doug McClure, etc), but the U-boat Captain tried to make them wait for them. In the film, the volcano was errupting, so leaving was a matter of survival, or so they hoped. In the short story, which was written during WWI, the Captain not only ordered the departure which occurred during a tranquil time, but fired the deck gun at the wall of the fort where the English people were still sleeping. I suppose the film, being made decades after WWI, & during a time of peace between England and Germany, wanted to downplay the enmity of Edgar Rice Burroughs' story, & make the departure of the U-boat for reasons other than leaving the Brits behind; hence, the volcano errupts.

Anyway, I have found a wealth on online classic literature on several sites. Two such sites are:





Tonight I expect to finish this story and begin reading its sequel.

[Existential Warrior]

I noticed people here were interested in Tezuka's adaptation of Crime and Punishment. Well, I haven't read that, but I have read Crime and Punishment while taking very elaborate notes. Dostoevsky is one of my favorite authors, and I just started Notes from the Underground.

Anyways, not to digress, every adaptation, except a Russian one, of Crime and Punishment sucks. Here, watch this trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLdIyTOPaE4

At around 43 seconds there is this random sex scene, presented in a ludicrous manner, that was never in the book. Typical Hollywood trash. I don't even want to watch the whole thing because I already have an idea of how unfaithful it is.

This is the only semi-good Crime and Punishment adaptation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAXCm1EZ ... re=related

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Crime-Punishment- ... 439&sr=8-7

I've heard, there was another one released in 2007 that was even more faithful. However, there are no subtitles for that. Moreover, no Dostoevsky novel can truly be replicated onto the big screen. It's simply impossible to truly emulate all the themes and questions Dostoevsky explores into movie format. For example, a good chunk of Crime and Punishment is filled with Raskolnikov's thoughts, justifications, and descriptions that can serve as interesting metaphors. Also, both those semi-faithful adaptations skip or go quickly through several important scenes (at least they don't butcher them like that John Simm one).

I don't know, when I read or watch an original source material, I do not watch adaptations. Plays are good though. Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet is amazing. There were only 2 small changes I noticed in them (e.g., quotes sequenced out of order), but in general, it was great. I prefer watching faithful plays rather than reading due to the play itself simply consisting of dialogue. Granted, in the case of literary giants such as Dostoevsky, Dickens, and etc. it is better to read...

[Jeffbert]