aleathiel: (Default)
aleathiel ([personal profile] aleathiel) wrote2009-02-04 04:42 pm

(no subject)

So are they intending to make every single book I read as a child into a film? I mean, why would they do that? Why?

This time I am referring to Moonacre, but it applies to so many other things too. Shall we list them? His Dark Materials, the Dark is Rising, Narnia...

No, we shouldn't list them, it gets too annoying. And I get too sad.

[identity profile] sunawareness.livejournal.com 2009-02-04 05:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah as a child I was obsessed with the Moomintroll books, which I figure are safe. Wish the bbc would start doing kids books regularly again- their Narnia series and The Borrowers were better when done on tv I think...
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[identity profile] aleathiel.livejournal.com 2009-02-04 05:20 pm (UTC)(link)
The BBC did do a pretty good job. I don't have blanket problem with televising/filming books, but I feel that they out to be true to the spirit of the book, not just feel like they've used the plot but kind of forgotten everything else (which is how I felt about The Golden Compass, which wasn't a bad film, it was just hugely oversimplistic and lost the layers and the magic that the book has). I know every single scene can't be filmed as it is in the book, but I'd like to feel some of the same emotional connection.

I just watched the trailer for the Moonacre film and it looks too shiny. The colours are bright and its somehow too modern, despite being set in some fantasy past-date. I have no idea how faithfully they've followed the plot, but even if every word of dialogue is correct it looks wrong.

Okay, rant over.

[identity profile] sunawareness.livejournal.com 2009-02-04 05:29 pm (UTC)(link)
I've never been able to bring myself to watch The Golden Compass, no matter how good the film is I'm too attach to the books- like how I wish I hadn't read The Lord of the Rings before the three movies had finished, as I'd have been able to enjoy them more (although they still rule!).

I think it's a pity that animations (which aren't all cutesy and disneyfied) aren't made in the west- I think a lot of these would work better that way- sort of a western version of Miyazaki- when things can remain not quite real if you know what I mean.

I can comfort myself with the fact that they've never done Gormenghast at the very least- or the Jungle Book (because the Disney version doesn't count).
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[identity profile] aleathiel.livejournal.com 2009-02-04 05:51 pm (UTC)(link)
It isn't that bad, and it looks right, it's just been simplified too much. I love those books into little tiny pieces though, so I would never have been satisfied. I met PP before the film came out (I think they were still filming) and overloaded him with questions. He was mostly pleased with it, but warned me it wasn't going to be like the book. I don't know how he could have let go, but he said that's the only way you can do it. I won't ever watch the film again, but it wasn't as bad as I was afraid that it might be, if that makes sense? Although I wanted to scream at how they messed up what could have been a beautiful end.

The LOTR films, although of course they had problems, I can forgive almost anything because of the love and attention that went into making them. They got the spirit right, even if they did change things. And they are just stunningly beautiful.

The BBC did do Gormenghast. It's actually pretty good. You could risk watching it (It's just books one and two).

[identity profile] sunawareness.livejournal.com 2009-02-04 06:02 pm (UTC)(link)
God, what did they do to the end?

Yeah I've always been looking for Gormenghast to watch, I do generally like the BBC's adaptations.

One of my professors (Patrick Curry) has written a number of books on Tolkien and so I've had every single weakness of the movies pointed out to me which rather dampens the enjoyment for me- although FOTR remains one of my favorite films of all time (I went to see it 5 times at the cinema).
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[identity profile] aleathiel.livejournal.com 2009-02-04 06:33 pm (UTC)(link)
The finished it early. The whole end sequence with Lord Asriel at Svalbard and the death of Roger and the opening of the passage into the Northern Lights isn't there. It finishes with Lyra and co in Lee's balloon floating off to find Lord Asriel (ie is happier) with the children rescued from Bolvangar and Iorek back on the throne (although they did that in the wrong order too).

Good luck finding it. It's on DVD now and probably quite cheap.

Ah. Yes, that would be annoying. I point out things myself, but sometimes get annoyed if other people do... lol!

[identity profile] eldanna.livejournal.com 2009-02-04 08:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Not to mention all the books I read as a teenager too.

I never read Moonacre. Is it worth reading or should I just ignore the whole thing?
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[identity profile] aleathiel.livejournal.com 2009-02-04 08:10 pm (UTC)(link)
I liked it then. I probably wouldn't like it now. I remember is as very atmospheric, but that might have just been me.

(on which note, don't re-read Tamora Pierce. They aren't as good as you remember)

[identity profile] eldanna.livejournal.com 2009-02-04 10:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, I've already made that mistake.
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[identity profile] ineptshieldmaid.livejournal.com 2009-02-04 09:09 pm (UTC)(link)
*pokes at her childhood reading*

Enid Blyton? Doubt it.

Norah of Billabong would make BRILLIANT movies, actually, but again, I doubt it... sigh..
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[identity profile] aleathiel.livejournal.com 2009-02-04 09:18 pm (UTC)(link)
I loved the Adventure ones. With Jack, Philip, Dinah, Lucy-ann and the parrot.

I apparently (I don't remember this) announced to my parents that I wasn't going to read any more Famous Five books because the girls never got to do anything.
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[identity profile] aleathiel.livejournal.com 2009-02-04 09:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Actually they did make a TV series of Famous Five. But I didn't see it.