Books into Movies: Opinions, Reviews, Dsappointments and Vctories - Page 10

Lucy · 04-13-2008, 11:40 PM

I just watched a new adaptation of "A Room With a View" on PBS, and I am utterly infuriated. I try to be understanding about artistic license, filmmakers changing some plot points, etc, but this one has one of the main characters (George, for you fans) being killed off after the point in the story where it's supposed to end! (This has him being killed in WWI and then Lucy returning to Florence and hooking up with the Italian carriage driver.) What the hell?! That kind of change to the story goes way too far for me.

Google · Sponsored Links

CCL · 04-15-2008, 10:46 AM

^ I couldn't even bring myself to watch that, Lucy. To me Helena Bonham Carter is - and will always be - Lucy Honeychurch.

Mike'sgirl · 04-15-2008, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCL

^ I couldn't even bring myself to watch that, Lucy. To me Helena Bonham Carter is - and will always be - Lucy Honeychurch.

ITA! I had the Masterpiece show recorded on DVR but had not watched it yet. When I read Lucy's comment - I thought, "nope" and deleted it. NO regrets either. Thanks Lucy! Sorry you had to be the guinea pig, but I really appreciate the review comment!

Lucy · 04-15-2008, 08:58 PM

Mikesgirl, I thought about whether to put it in spoiler tags. But then I thought, "no, better to spare anyone who meant to watch it." You and CCL missed nothing, it was truly awful.

Critical · 04-15-2008, 10:18 PM

Thanks for the warning, guys. I didn't even know about this new version, but I'm a Forster junkie, so I might have tried to watch it when I found out about it. There really was no reason to remake it: Helena Bonham Carter, Maggie Smith, Julian Sands, Daniel Day-Lewis....are you kidding me? No cast could come close. Can't believe they would mess with the ending....then again, I can't believe they remade P&P and turned it into "MTV Brings You Jane Austen," so what do I know?

swingkat · 04-17-2008, 07:41 AM

As most people have said before, I tend to prefer the book to its movie adaptation.

I've been disappointed many times, but I guess one of the worst I remember is The House of the Spirits adapted from the novel by Isabel Allende. It had a good cast, but I guess the book itself was no easy adaptation subject. I thought "Running with Scissors" was abysmal, but then again I wasn't a big fan of the book either.

Among the best I've seen is the recent Pride and Prejudice with Kiera Knightley (surprising because I love the BBC version with Colin Firth

and was therefore prepared to hate the new version) and Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility. I also enjoyed the movie versions of the Constant Gardener, Like Water for Chocolate and About a Boy almost as much as the books themselves. I actually liked the movie The Notebook better than the book itself.

I'm looking forward/dreading to seeing Love in the Time of Cholera (have read conflicting reviews, love the book) which is more or less what I feel for The Time Traveler's Wife, minus having read conflicting reviews. I also haven't gotten around to The Jane Austen Book Club, but have it in my to see list

.

Mike'sgirl · 06-19-2008, 02:21 PM

Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult's will air on Lifetime Saturday, June 28th 9PM/8C

This is one of my favorite Picoult books - very powerful, deals with the effects of verbal abuse, and bullying amongst children - through young adult.
Starring Kelly Preston (I am assuming she plays the Judge (mother of one child); Britt Robertson and Ron Eldard.

Mike'sgirl · 06-20-2008, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike'sgirl

Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult's will air on Lifetime Saturday, June 28th 9PM/8C

This is one of my favorite Picoult books - very powerful, deals with the effects of verbal abuse, and bullying amongst children - through young adult.
Starring Kelly Preston (I am assuming she plays the Judge (mother of one child); Britt Robertson and Ron Eldard.

Oopps, my mistake on the plot. I was thinking of her book "Nineteen Minutes" instead of Tenth Circle which centers around the rape of a young teen.

Mike'sgirl · 08-28-2008, 12:58 AM

Well, this may not be the best thread to announce this but the Sookie Stackhouse (Southern vampire series) by Charlaine Harris makes it HBO debut on September 7th (9PM) for anyone interested. Anna Paquin plays Sookie. If you curious to know more you can visit HBO.

CCL · 08-28-2008, 10:03 AM

^ The show is going to be called True Blood and is being helmed by Alan Ball. I'm going to be checking it out (I've never read the books, however, so I won't have an opinion on their transformation from page to screen).

04-13-2008, 11:40 PM	#91
Lucy Wonky snarkmistress Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Playing kickball for the beer Age: 32 Posts: 8,733	Re: Books into Movies: Opinions, Reviews, Dsappointments and Vctories I just watched a new adaptation of "A Room With a View" on PBS, and I am utterly infuriated. I try to be understanding about artistic license, filmmakers changing some plot points, etc, but this one has one of the main characters (George, for you fans) being killed off after the point in the story where it's supposed to end! (This has him being killed in WWI and then Lucy returning to Florence and hooking up with the Italian carriage driver.) What the hell?! That kind of change to the story goes way too far for me. __________________ It's such a fine line between stupid, and clever. -- David St. Hubbins

04-15-2008, 10:46 AM	#92
CCL Jam Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Watching Christian the Lion videos on youtube Posts: 6,145	Re: Books into Movies: Opinions, Reviews, Dsappointments and Vctories ^ I couldn't even bring myself to watch that, Lucy. To me Helena Bonham Carter is - and will always be - Lucy Honeychurch. __________________ A life lived in fear is a life half-lived. Five by five.

04-15-2008, 08:58 PM	#94
Lucy Wonky snarkmistress Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Playing kickball for the beer Age: 32 Posts: 8,733	Re: Books into Movies: Opinions, Reviews, Dsappointments and Vctories Mikesgirl, I thought about whether to put it in spoiler tags. But then I thought, "no, better to spare anyone who meant to watch it." You and CCL missed nothing, it was truly awful. __________________ It's such a fine line between stupid, and clever. -- David St. Hubbins

04-15-2008, 10:18 PM	#95
Critical Bitten Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Merlotte's Bar & Grill Age: 40 Posts: 4,796	Re: Books into Movies: Opinions, Reviews, Dsappointments and Vctories Thanks for the warning, guys. I didn't even know about this new version, but I'm a Forster junkie, so I might have tried to watch it when I found out about it. There really was no reason to remake it: Helena Bonham Carter, Maggie Smith, Julian Sands, Daniel Day-Lewis....are you kidding me? No cast could come close. Can't believe they would mess with the ending....then again, I can't believe they remade P&P and turned it into "MTV Brings You Jane Austen," so what do I know? __________________ The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them. - Mark Twain

04-17-2008, 07:41 AM	#96
swingkat FORT Regular Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 70	Re: Books into Movies: Opinions, Reviews, Dsappointments and Vctories As most people have said before, I tend to prefer the book to its movie adaptation. I've been disappointed many times, but I guess one of the worst I remember is The House of the Spirits adapted from the novel by Isabel Allende. It had a good cast, but I guess the book itself was no easy adaptation subject. I thought "Running with Scissors" was abysmal, but then again I wasn't a big fan of the book either. Among the best I've seen is the recent Pride and Prejudice with Kiera Knightley (surprising because I love the BBC version with Colin Firth and was therefore prepared to hate the new version) and Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility. I also enjoyed the movie versions of the Constant Gardener, Like Water for Chocolate and About a Boy almost as much as the books themselves. I actually liked the movie The Notebook better than the book itself. I'm looking forward/dreading to seeing Love in the Time of Cholera (have read conflicting reviews, love the book) which is more or less what I feel for The Time Traveler's Wife, minus having read conflicting reviews. I also haven't gotten around to The Jane Austen Book Club, but have it in my to see list .

06-19-2008, 02:21 PM	#97
Mike'sgirl FORT Fogey Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: IA Posts: 3,167	Re: Books into Movies: Opinions, Reviews, Dsappointments and Vctories Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult's will air on Lifetime Saturday, June 28th 9PM/8C This is one of my favorite Picoult books - very powerful, deals with the effects of verbal abuse, and bullying amongst children - through young adult. Starring Kelly Preston (I am assuming she plays the Judge (mother of one child); Britt Robertson and Ron Eldard.

08-28-2008, 12:58 AM	#99
Mike'sgirl FORT Fogey Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: IA Posts: 3,167	Re: Books into Movies: Opinions, Reviews, Dsappointments and Vctories Well, this may not be the best thread to announce this but the Sookie Stackhouse (Southern vampire series) by Charlaine Harris makes it HBO debut on September 7th (9PM) for anyone interested. Anna Paquin plays Sookie. If you curious to know more you can visit HBO. __________________ ““Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.” Lao Tzu

08-28-2008, 10:03 AM	#100
CCL Jam Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Watching Christian the Lion videos on youtube Posts: 6,145	Re: Books into Movies: Opinions, Reviews, Dsappointments and Vctories ^ The show is going to be called True Blood and is being helmed by Alan Ball. I'm going to be checking it out (I've never read the books, however, so I won't have an opinion on their transformation from page to screen). __________________ A life lived in fear is a life half-lived. Five by five.