It's as bad as we thought...

[vicki]

Publisher's Weekly reviews the "The Seeker," (http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6486619.html) a depressingly loose film adaptation of Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising, aka a multi-decade member of Vicki's Beloved Bookshelf.

<Grinds teeth violently, snaps pencil in half>

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[KarenB]

Pollyanna here with a bright side - think of the money you are saving by not taking you and your kids to the movies with $8 or more tickets, can we please get popcorn, etc. . .

Me, on the other hand, (stomping around house, muttering under breath, scaring dog) . . .

[vicki]

No $ wasted on DVD purchase or rental! No time wasted looking for it or checking it out at the library! </Pollyanna>

The whole enterprise is deeply and importantly wrong. I hope that Susan Cooper (who is a lovely person--she visited our TDiR discussion at Readerville) at least negotiated a decent percentage of the take, so they have to shell out something to her in return for ax-murdering her book. Grrrrrrrr! <Clicks on virtual voodoo doll (http://www.virtual-design.com/demos/voodoodoll/voodoo.asp?section=demo&subsection=voodoo) in honor of bad filmmakers>.

[KarenB]

Ooooo! I LOVE the vitual voodoo doll!!! I feel sooo much better now! Thank you, thank you!!

[Jennifer]

It seems to me, ladies, that "The Seeker" joins a long recent line of good books that have been adapted in quite a shoddy manner. "Eragon" comes to mind as does "Bridge to Terabithia." Someone out there in Hollywood has half the process right. They know which books we like. But they seem to think that any old adaptation will satisfy. And unfortunately they have some basis in fact. Look how many of us go to see Harry Potter adaptations that are almost unitelligible year after year, alas. I gave up this go 'round. But I do mourn with you all. It hurts to see a fine book mangled on the screen.
Deepest sympathies,
Jen D.

[vicki]

I haven't read Eragon yet. After I do, I may see the movie to compare. I actually liked Bridge to Terabithia adaptation okay, although it would be hard for any movie to measure up to that book. Katharine Paterson's son helped adapt it for the screen, which may have helped stave off the worst of the Hollyworld nonsense.

One of my favorite movie adaptations of a kids' book in recent years was of Holes, which the author (Louis Sachar) actually adapted himself. He said he thought the movie may have actually improved on the book and I agree with him. I liked the book, but it contained some elements that were very well suited to presenting in the film medium, and then you had some terrific performances, particularly by Jon Voigt, Sigourney Weaver and Patricia Arquette, which added so much to the film.

[Jennifer]

Hi Vicki,
You bring up one of my favorite topics for discussion: the art of adapting a book successfully to the medium of film. You are so right that "Holes" was a great success. I wish "Hoot" had been as successful! I thought "Ella Enchanted" was quite good. One of my favorite books which should never have been made into a film was "Under the Tuscan Sun." I absolutely adore Frances Mayes' books about her life in Tuscany and she did the film adaptation herself. I understand that it's very hard to take a memoir and convert it into a traditional story, with a beginning, middle and end. Life isn't like a story. Mayes had a boyfriend, they found the house together. She created a story based on her experiences living in Tuscany. But it paled in comparison to her real life! I know there are always raging arguments as to how successful Peter Jackson et. al. were in adapting LOTR. Having seen the movies before I read the books (yes, the one person that did that!) I wasn't as offended by the Elves showing up at the Hornburg as many. Then I read the books and realized how odd that would be! But as a whole, I thought the film versions of LOTR captured the spirit of Tolkien's work demonstrating a great love and respect for his story. But lately, kids' books have not had a great track record for adaptations. The Hollywood types seem to know we want our beloved books made into film but most of these books are complicated by fantasy elements and they have love for their characters that is not the least bit self-aware. There is no tongue-in-cheek or postmodern insincererity. Hollywood seems to need an element of sarcasm in order to make things work. I guess we need more film makers who actually believe in the beauty of the works they are adapting..
Jen D.

[Piper]

Vicki,

Look on the bright side: it's a flop! It opened this weekend to terrible reviews (17% fresh on RottenTomatoes) and only $3.7 million at the box office.

Here's hoping The Golden Compass doesn't suffer the same fate, though it seems that they've taken more care in the adaptation so far.

[vicki]

Look on the bright side: it's a flop! It opened this weekend to terrible reviews (17% fresh on RottenTomatoes) and only $3.7 million at the box office.



Wooohooo--cosmic justice at work! With, perhaps, a little help from our virtual friend (http://www.virtual-design.com/demos/voodoodoll/voodoo.asp?section=demo&subsection=voodoo). :D I just hope that Susan Cooper got a very fat payment from the bad filmakers up front along with a nice percentage of the profits, if any.

Karma has arrived, so I think it's safe to put away the virtual voodoo doll for now. The Shakespearean Insulter (http://www.pangloss.com/seidel/Shaker/index.html?) should henceforth serve most of my spleen-venting needs on this subject. :)

[Smurrey]

Books to movie out in 2007/2008
The Spiderwick Chronicles (REEEEEEAlly hope this is good!)
The Kite Runner
No Country For Old Men
Love in the Time of Cholera
Elegy
The Golden Compass (REEEEEEAlly hope this is good!)
Atonement
Youth Without Youth (?)
The Water Horse
Persepolis (!!!)
The Other Boleyn Girl
Horton Hears a Who
Inkheart (REEEEEEAlly hope this is good!)
Prince Caspian
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2


And movies that aren't based on books but that I'm REALLY EXCITED about
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
The Dark Knight (!!!)


Query: Didn't Indiana Jones lose a crystal skull the man on the boat? Or was it when he was a kid (played by the yound River Pheonix)? Seems like we've seen a crystal skull before.

[Piper]

I'm excited about Persepolis; I saw a very positive review of it in Variety (it was shown at Cannes this year), and it's France's entry for the Best Foreign Language film at the Academy Awards.

[Smurrey]

I love it as a graphic novel. The art is very contrasting and the writing is dark.