I'm that annoying friend in the movie theatre, when you're seeing a movie based on a book, that points out every difference between the book and the movie. Even in extremely well done movies like Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Don't get me wrong, I understand that there are time constraints and not every last little scene from a book can be included in the movie. What usually bugs me isn't the scenes that have been cut, it's the ones that have been added.
Now, if you're like me, you know how disappointed you can get when you're really looking forward to a movie based on a favorite book and, other than the character names, there's hardly anything in the movie that comes from the book. I've tried for years to learn to separate the books from the movies, if only so I can quit wasting money on movies that do nothing but disappoint. Two film franchises and a recently released movie have finally helped me accomplish the separation so I can enjoy both versions - the book and the movie.
Don't get me wrong, I understand that there are time constraints and not every last little scene from a book can be included in the movie. What usually bugs me isn't the scenes that have been cut, it's the ones that have been added.
Now, if you're like me, you know how disappointed you can get when you're really looking forward to a movie based on a favorite book and, other than the character names, there's hardly anything in the movie that comes from the book. I've tried for years to learn to separate the books from the movies, if only so I can quit wasting money on movies that do nothing but disappoint. Two film franchises and a recently released movie have finally helped me accomplish the separation so I can enjoy both versions - the book and the movie.
When the Harry Potter books first exploded onto the best-seller lists, I did what I could to ignore them. I'd tell myself, They're kids books, how good could they be? Then the rumor started going around that movies were going to be made from the books; which led casting searches for the main characters; which led to one of my favorite actors of all time, Alan Rickman, being cast as Professor Snape; which led to me buying the first book.
Yes, the only reason I started reading Harry Potter was because of Alan Rickman being cast in the movies. I knew I'd want to see the flims because he was going to be in them and I wanted to know the story before seeing the movies. So I bought the first book, and then the second, third, fourth; which was when the first movie came out.
Was I disappointed in the first movie? Sad to say, but, yes, I was. I spent the entire movie pointing out all the differences, large and small, from the book. I still enjoyed it, but I was disappointed. Book by book, movie by movie, it was the same. The movies got closer but there were always differences that left me thinking, Why in the hell did they change that part?? By the end of the series, I loved the books and the movies, just in different ways. Each time, though, I left the theatre slightly disappointed.
Yes, the only reason I started reading Harry Potter was because of Alan Rickman being cast in the movies. I knew I'd want to see the flims because he was going to be in them and I wanted to know the story before seeing the movies. So I bought the first book, and then the second, third, fourth; which was when the first movie came out.
Was I disappointed in the first movie? Sad to say, but, yes, I was. I spent the entire movie pointing out all the differences, large and small, from the book. I still enjoyed it, but I was disappointed. Book by book, movie by movie, it was the same. The movies got closer but there were always differences that left me thinking, Why in the hell did they change that part?? By the end of the series, I loved the books and the movies, just in different ways. Each time, though, I left the theatre slightly disappointed.
When rumors started surfacing about live action movies being made from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series, I immediately knew that I wouldn't like the movies. Tolkien's books were sacred to me and no one could do them justice. I was still excited by the idea of the movies, though; and I saw each one in the theatre when it was released.
I absolutely loved the movies! Sir Ian McKellan as Gandalf the Grey was the most brilliant casting decision since Clark Gable was cast as Rhett Butler. The first sight of Hobbiton gave me goosebumps. It was exactly how I imagined it while reading the books. Yes, I missed the inclusion of Tom Bombadil; and I wasn't overly happy about how Merry and Pippin joined Frodo and Sam's journey; but it was so well done, I was willing to overlook those small changes. Until (you knew it was coming sometime, didn't you?) the race between the Hobbits and the Nazgul to get to Rivendell. I was holding my breath and telling myself it would be any second now when Glorfindel came galloping to the rescue. At which point all the breath left my body and I had to bite my tongue to keep from screaming at the screen. What. Was. ARWEN. DOING. THERE?????
Minor changes, yes; scenes left out, okay, sure; changing a scene completely to give Liv Tyler a larger role?? Oh. Hell. NO! From that moment on, every change from the book leaped out of the screen and hit me over the head. I still enjoyed the movies - even The Hobbit movies that have a whole new story added just to extend the book into three movies - and even though I'm completely engrossed in the action on the screen, I'm still disappointed because the movies aren't the same as the books.
I absolutely loved the movies! Sir Ian McKellan as Gandalf the Grey was the most brilliant casting decision since Clark Gable was cast as Rhett Butler. The first sight of Hobbiton gave me goosebumps. It was exactly how I imagined it while reading the books. Yes, I missed the inclusion of Tom Bombadil; and I wasn't overly happy about how Merry and Pippin joined Frodo and Sam's journey; but it was so well done, I was willing to overlook those small changes. Until (you knew it was coming sometime, didn't you?) the race between the Hobbits and the Nazgul to get to Rivendell. I was holding my breath and telling myself it would be any second now when Glorfindel came galloping to the rescue. At which point all the breath left my body and I had to bite my tongue to keep from screaming at the screen. What. Was. ARWEN. DOING. THERE?????
Minor changes, yes; scenes left out, okay, sure; changing a scene completely to give Liv Tyler a larger role?? Oh. Hell. NO! From that moment on, every change from the book leaped out of the screen and hit me over the head. I still enjoyed the movies - even The Hobbit movies that have a whole new story added just to extend the book into three movies - and even though I'm completely engrossed in the action on the screen, I'm still disappointed because the movies aren't the same as the books.
Then, a few months ago, I read The Monuments Men. I knew it was being made into a motion picture starring George Clooney. In fact, that's why I read the book and several others that were going to be made into movies this year.
True stories, especially WWII stories, fascinate me. The heroism of people standing up and saying, 'No, you won't defeat us!'; the horror of Dachau, Auschwitz, and too many other camps; the stories of romance in the face of death...I read it all. Needless to say, I loved the book.
Last night, my husband and I finally watched the movie. With a cast that includes George Clooney, Matt Damon, Hugh Bonneville, Bill Murray and John Goodman, I wasn't sure what to expect in the movie. Was it different than the book? Oh, yeah. I turned to my husband at one point and said it was like Ocean's Eleven set during WWII.
Even though it was almost nothing like the book, I really enjoyed the movie. I noticed the differences but they didn't bug me like they do usually. Today, I figured out why. I was finally able to set aside my expectations of what I thought the movie should be and enjoy the vision of the people who actually made the movie. Looking at the book and the movie as two separate, but similar, stories allows me to enjoy them both without comparing one to the other and ending up disappointed. Also, any movie that encourages someone to go out and buy the book it was based on, well, that's worth the price of admission right there. Will this work for every book-turned-movie that I watch? Probably not. But at least I have a theory on how to make the experience less annoying and, in some cases, less painful.
(Until they decide to make a movie of The Scarlet Pimpernel, at that point, all bets are off.)
Which books made into movies have disappointed you? Or not? Which books would you like to see made into a movie? Answer in the comments below!
True stories, especially WWII stories, fascinate me. The heroism of people standing up and saying, 'No, you won't defeat us!'; the horror of Dachau, Auschwitz, and too many other camps; the stories of romance in the face of death...I read it all. Needless to say, I loved the book.
Last night, my husband and I finally watched the movie. With a cast that includes George Clooney, Matt Damon, Hugh Bonneville, Bill Murray and John Goodman, I wasn't sure what to expect in the movie. Was it different than the book? Oh, yeah. I turned to my husband at one point and said it was like Ocean's Eleven set during WWII.
Even though it was almost nothing like the book, I really enjoyed the movie. I noticed the differences but they didn't bug me like they do usually. Today, I figured out why. I was finally able to set aside my expectations of what I thought the movie should be and enjoy the vision of the people who actually made the movie. Looking at the book and the movie as two separate, but similar, stories allows me to enjoy them both without comparing one to the other and ending up disappointed. Also, any movie that encourages someone to go out and buy the book it was based on, well, that's worth the price of admission right there. Will this work for every book-turned-movie that I watch? Probably not. But at least I have a theory on how to make the experience less annoying and, in some cases, less painful.
(Until they decide to make a movie of The Scarlet Pimpernel, at that point, all bets are off.)
Which books made into movies have disappointed you? Or not? Which books would you like to see made into a movie? Answer in the comments below!