Thursday 31st December 2009 - 15:00:00
2009 has seen some of the best book adoptions brought to life through the big screen.
The one main concern around book adaptations seems to be fitting a four hundred page book into a 120 mins time slot, without missing anything important out.
At the same time the director/writer and cast doesn’t want to stray too far from to book so that they alienate fans.
But they want to grasp a new following to add to the loyal fans they already have.
Making the audience twice as big, as fans of the film want to read to book and vice versa.
Number 1 The Reader
The novel wrote by a German law professor and judge Bernhard Schlink was published in Germany in 1995 and then made its way to the United States (translated into English by Carol Brown Janeway) in 1997.
The film was adapted for the big screen by David Hare and directed by Stephen Daldry.
Starring Ralph Fiennes and Kate Winslet along with young actor David Kross, it was the last film for producers Anthony Minghella and Sydney Pollack, who, both died before its release.
The film converted the book to the big screen beautiful. But struggled in the way it dealt with the subject of Nazi concentration camps and the Holocaust.
Some people arguing that it was too brief and glossed over for their liking, but its hard to please everyone.
The film went on to gain over 40 nominations from around the world, winning 13 of them. The actors, directors and all involved produced an awarding winning film that captivated the audience.
Number 2 Where The Wild Things Are
Written by American Author Maurice Sendak the book was first published in 1963.
Author Sendak wanted to take creative control and find a director who he thought could take bring the book to life.
So he choose director Spike Jonze to take on the enormous task of translating the book into a film.
However there were more obstacles in the way as the studio didn’t like Jonze’s take on the book thinking it was to dark and would alienate the family audience.
So he had to go back and re shoot a handful at scenes, at one point it looked like he may have to re shoot the entire movie.
In the book the fact he runs off from his mother in his imagination is clear but this however maybe a little hard to see in the film. With sometimes the lines blurring with what is real and what is in his head.
The film does however get across the books message that family is important and you have to learn how to grow up and take responsibly for your own actions.
All in all this movies deserves to be at number 2 alone through the hard work and sheer determination to make the perfect film adaptation for the fans.
Number 3 New Moon
Following on from the success of Twilight Stephanie Myer wrote the follow up New Moon.
Regarded as the book that Edward leaves Bella Christ Weitz was drafted in to direct the film and bring the book to life.
Starring the same money making cast, Bella is left to her own devices as Edward feels that she is in too much danger when he is around her.
Well how wrong he can be, she falls in love with a Werewolf and turns into an adrenalin junkie nearly dying in the process of cliff diving.
The films does make a rather dull book much more interesting. Keeping Edward in the film through Bella’s visions.
Apparently Chris Weitz handed out and walked round the set with a copy of New Moon in his hand. It was a job after his pervious book adaptation The Golden Compass went spectacular wrong.
The film was a hit with the fans and went on to be record breaking, knocking The Dark Knight off the top spot with its opening and single day sales on $67 million .
Number 4 Confessions Of A Shopaholic
Confession of a Shopaholic the film adapted from The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic and Shopaholic Abroad written by Sophie Kinsella.
The film centred all around Rebbeca Bloomwood and her constant addiction to spending money on clothes and then putting them on credit cards she can’t pay back.
As a journalist she finds herself working at Successful Saving instead of her dream publication fashion magazine Alette.
Directed P.J Hogan and starring Isla Fisher the film does a good job converting the book into reality.
The clothes were made even more spectacular by designer Patricia Field who really made the film stand out in style.
The downside to the film is studio uses the novel's American title Confessions of a Shopaholic reinterpreting Rebecca as an American rather than English
The film and book alike are fun, girly and light hearted a great rom com and chick lit.
The film shouldn’t be take seriously, but every girl will wonder if they have a problem with spending after watching the film or reading the book.
Book adaptations are tricky creatures, if you miss out one of the favourite chapters of the book, then you are screwed and fans will be left unhappy and disappointed.
The question of the matter is should books me made into films, do they ruin a perfect good adaptation? Or should they make longer films so everything can.
Female First Natalie Broxton
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