Movies & Books Into Movies

[marcie]

How many of you have read a book, then watched a movie that was based on that same book? Were you disappointed? Or elated that they hadn't made any significant changes? Or even surprised to discover the movie was even better than the book?

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Books Into Movies Now on DVD
Recent Movies Based on Books
Books in a Series by Their Authors
Movies Based on the Book

Join us in an ongoing discussion of this very popular subject right now.
Pull up a chair, take off your shoes, pour yourself a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, and join in!

Your Discussion Leader: pedln

[marcie]

I really enjoyed the quirky Grand Budapest Hotel. I had not read anything about it before I saw it on TV. I'll check out those links you've found, Frybabe.

[salan]

 Oh, woe is me...I got Grand Budapest Hotel and Best Exotic Marigold Hotel mixed up.  That explains why I was totally confused the first third of the movie.  I kept waiting for familiar characters to show up.  However, I still didn't like the movie.
Sally

[pedln]

I guess I'll have to give "Grand Budapest Hotel" another try.  I watched the DVD earlier this year and for me it was OK, but nothing special.  But now it's got "Best of 2014"  and Golden Globe nominations.  Must have missed something.

There really seems to be a lot of historical, biographical films coming up --  looking forward to Big Eyes, Selma, and the Stephen Hawking and Alan Turig films.  And Unbroken.

[CallieOK]

I also watched The Grand Budapest Hotel on HBO this week.   Once I got into the "tongue in cheek" mode, I was able to chuckle at some of the antics and filming techniques - but I suspect the stars had more fun making the movie than I did watching it.

[Frybabe]

I might just watch it again because I missed something. There is a mysterious person, face not shown, who seems a bit sinister and gives a few orders to be carried out. I never figured out who he was.

[MaryPage]

I just flat out did not care for it;  it is not a genre that appeals to me, and now I am stuck with the DVD.  Oh well.

I wanted to ask if anyone here has been a fan of The Honorable Woman.  My newspaper listed it as one of the big hits of 2014 and one that will win awards galore, so I thought I would give it a whirl last night.  It is an 8 episode BBC miniseries and can be had On Demand on the Sundance Channel.

So last night I tried episode one.  I could understand every word, but I must confess I often could not truly follow what was going on.  I agree that the acting is superb and Maggie Gyllenhaal in particular is riveting, but am wondering if I want to spend 7 more hours trying to figure out what is going on and who is whom.  Any comments would be appreciated.

[ginny]

I watched Grand Budapest Hotel again last night as well and I think the more you watch it the better it gets, perhaps because you understand what's going on more and you kind of get the jokes, or some of them anyway.  It's definitely an odd piece and the first Wes Anderson I've seen.

It's in the comedy section of the Golden Globes.

It reminds me of Thomas Mann's Magic Mountain.

 I thought F. Murray Abraham did a super job, in addition, of course, to Ralph Finnes. I'm  not sure if Abraham (whose nose is not like the younger Zero's at all--that could be part of the joke) is nominated, I must look again. The more I see it the more I appreciate it.

[Frybabe]

In addition to the very few Stefan Zwieg books in English, I am going to have to add Thomas Mann to my list of authors to read.

[PatH]

I had heard of Stefan Zweig when I was growing up, but never read anything of his--probably just as well, I wouldn't have made much sense of them.  Frybabe, if you actually read Felix Krull, tell me what you think of it.  I've tried, and failed, to tackle it several times.  The only other work of Mann's I've read is Buddenbrooks, which I devoured in one bite, reading it straight through, enjoying it greatly.

[MaryPage]

Do you remember R.F. Delderfield's wonderful family saga novels from longtime passed?  Or should I say longtime past?  Makes no never mind to me.

I adored those wonderful fat novels set in Devon and full of the way folk talked in those parts in those days.  And I was beside myself with Joy when the BBC made a miniseries of them for television back in the nineteen seventies.

Well, the catalog called ACORN (a lot of you probably get it) that sells a lot of BBC and PBS stuff:

www.acornonline.com

has just arrived in my mailbox and it offers a DVD of that miniseries!  It was named for the first novel:  A HORSEMAN RIDING BY.  Whee!

[mabel1015j]

Has anybody seen "Wild?"

Jean

[salan]

Oh Mary Page, You brought back some fond memories.  Delderfield's God is an Englishman was my favorite book for a long time.  I read all the Delderfield novels.  I wonder how I would feel about them now?  I may have to try them again.  I do so hope they stand the test of time.
Sally

[jeriron]

A Horseman Riding By. Is sold at Amazon for $35 release date Jan. 13 .

[pedln]

I've never read any of Delderfield's works -gosh, is there still enough time?   .  But Netflix has his To Serve Them All My Days and I loved it.  Five Netflix Stars.

I saw The Hundred-Foot Journey last night.  I enjoyed it, laughed a bit, but it wasn't what I expected ( & I don't know what that was).  It got a little long, a little silly.  But it certainly gives a good view of what goes into creating delicious food.

[CallieOK]

MaryPage,  I hadn't thought about the Delderfield books in a long time.  Might have to reread them.

I didn't get to see "The Hundred Foot Journey" movie but did read the book.   Pedln, I thought it got a little long and began to ramble.  Thought I might like the movie better - but maybe not.

I enjoy the "Aunt Dimity..." light mysteries by Nancy Atherton - all set in modern times.

 In the first one,  "Aunt Dimity's Death",  American young woman Lori inherits a fortune and the letters that her mother and Dimity (both now deceased) wrote to one another after they became friends in England during WWII.   She must go to Dimity's cottage in rural England to get them and ends up living there with her subsequent husband and two lively sons.  The 18 books that follow are fun and very easy reads.
They don't need to be read in sequence.

[marjifay]

I thought Grand Budapest Hotel was the best movie I saw last year.  Most of the actors on the Golden Globes I didn't recognize, nor had I seen most of the other TV mini-series or movies, except Birdman which I thought was the worst movie I saw in  2014, mainy because none of it made sense to me, nor did I find it the least bit funny.  I want to see True Detective.  Internet Movie Database rated it 9.3/10, a really high rating.  

[marjifay]

Gosh, I never heard of Delderfield (male or female?)  Will have to look up books by him/her.

Marj

[MaryPage]

It is a he, and you must be too young to have known about his books, as they were written a long, long time ago.  They were heavenly great big fat family sagas set in Devon in England.  I devoured them.  Then the BBC made some miniseries of them.  You might find them too old fashioned now. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._F._Delderfield

[Frybabe]

I saw an interesting news item this morning. One of the Lancaster movie theaters is showing a movie with captioning for the deaf. They have devices at some of their seats that run the captioning. The news item also said that some films are now including captioning right on the screen. I did a little checking. It appears, and many of you may already know this, that the Feds are working on new rules that will require movie theaters to accommodate the deaf and hard of hearing. I see that aside from the on screen captioning and the at seat devices, special glasses that provide captioning are available. Apparently Regal has those available for their patrons. I assume that since it is a news item here, the theater must be the first or one of the first in the region to provide this service.

[ginny]

That sounds very interesting, Frybabe!

 I came in to say wow on the Oscars, 9 Nominations for Grand Budapest Hotel.

[pedln]

Frybabe, I tried using something in New York the last time SeniorLearn met there.  They had portable stands the you could put by your seat -- a little tricky to get set up because you had to aim them just so to get the captions.  I'm actually just as happy with DVDs.  But thank goodness for the FEDs and the laws being put in place.  The general public is probably unaware, but for the folks who need the things specified in the laws it makes a difference in quality of life.

Seems like there is a bit of consternation over the lack of diversity in the racial and gender makeup of this year's Academy Awards.  I dunno.  I consider myself very much a liberal, but I'd hate to think we should make awards like the Oscars based on anything other than merit and votes and whatever other guidelines are used.

[MaryPage]

To me it is just so amazing, as I did not even LIKE The Grand Budapest Hotel, and have been feeling sorry for myself because I wasted money buying the DVD. These days, I cannot handle going to the movies, just as I cannot handle going to an airport, so if I want to see a movie I have heard about, I buy it.  I truly believe it saves money in the long run, as going to the movies here now costs so much, and this way I can watch a film for as long as I can and then complete it later, can watch it as many times as I like, and can loan it around in the family.  All in all, I feel my purchases earn their expense, but I just flat out did not like that movie.  It is a genre I have simply never taken to.

I heard that complaint about diversity in the Academy Award nominations, and I think it is silly.  Very liberal myself, I immediately thought about the percentages.  Do the percentages of black to white in this now very integrated country demand equal or better showing?  The latest figures indicate the black community comes in at 13.2 percent.  So we expect 50 percent or better showing in giving out awards?  I don't think it works out that way.  Not that I think we should be ruled by percentages, as talent is talent.  I just think we should temper our expectations.

There is a documentary film that has been hidden away for 70 years debuting on the HBO channel on January 26.  Night Will Fall.  All about the Holocaust.  Seems the British locked it away.  I guess more will come out as to why.

[pedln]

Oh joy, a sleeper movie -- it seems so rare to come across one worth FIVE Netflix stars.  But STILL MINE, a Canadian film, is just that.  A 2013 release, it's set in a rural area of New Brunswick, Ontario.  Craig Morrison, an 88-year-old farmer wants to build a better home for his ailing wife, one that overlooks the Bay of Fundy, but roadblocks continually confront him.  This is a love story, family dynamics,  friendship, and characters you care about.


A True Story -- with SPOILERS

This is a true Canadian story, a cautionary tale of the tremendous power of the state over the individual in an age of pervasive bureaucracy. It is, indeed, a profound parable of irretrievably lost independence and casually forgotten freedoms.

[MaryPage]

I have just completed a two day binge watching of Outlander on Starz TV.  I rather expect by now most of you who enjoyed the books by Diana Gabaldon have managed to see the first season of this series, but if you have not, I must highly recommend it, as it is most excellently done.  Very, very engrossing.  I specially urge you to wait with each episode until the credits are finished, as the director gives a wonderful look back then regarding the making of that particular one.  I would never in this world have know, for instance, that Diana herself appears in Episode 4, but she does!

[MaryPage]

OUTLANDER Season One will be released on DVD on March 3, 2015.  I have it on preorder from Barnes & Noble.

[pedln]

My Dinner/Movie group met and watched Boyhood last night.  It was almost three hours, so we scheduled an intermission and had a home pot luck.

I liked it -- will give it four netflix stars.  There really isn't a plot, but you do get caught up  in all that's going on.  At times I felt a little like a nosy parker peeking in on everyone's life.

What do you all think?

[mabel1015j]

Just watched, on Ovation Channel, The Young Catherine (Empress of Russia) and am now watching The Other Boleyn Girl. It just came on, will be on until 7:00 EST. Great movies from books.

Jean

[pedln]

I'm not familiar with the Ovation Channel, but am fast getting informed about it with Google's help, and the Ovation Website.  Most of my films come from Netflix, but they don't have The YOung Catherine.  Interestingly, Amazon sells it as an "on demand" DVD.  Guess you were lucky, Jean.

[MaryPage]

Oh!  Oh!  Oh!

Such GREAT fun we have in store!  And so lovely to look forward to something delicious!

Disney has made a new Cinderella.  This one is not an animated cartoon (which we all loved), but filmed in costume of, it looks to me like, pre World War One 20th century.  Or maybe it's just pure Disney imagination. Anyway, we have from Downton Abbey, Ta Da:  the Lady Rose (Lily James) as Cinderella and Daisy in the kitchen (Sophie McShera) as one of the two wicked stepsisters! We have Cate Blanchett as the wicked stepmother and Helena Bonham Carter as the fairy godmother and Derek Jacobi as the King.  I am agog with excitement!

We have a whole month of anticipation.  The movie will be released March 13th.

[PatH]

Sounds like it can't miss.

[pedln]

Oh ho, what fun indeed.  Daisy is one of my favorite characters on Downton.  I wonder if she will remain so, after being mean to Cinderella.  I look forward to it.

[MaryPage]

Look in the March issue of Vanity Fair to see a marvelous photo of this upcoming movie.  The hats and dresses are a hoot and a half in themselves, and I'm betting you won't recognize Daisy Mason in the yellow dress and hat!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mBZS7jnoL4&list=PLTnR43JTLNs9XbX_pOAz807kQ-inGyVVj&index=6

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinderella_%282015_film%29

[marjifay]

Hope I'm not repeating.  Forgot to hit "post" so naturally my message did not come through.

The movie I disliked the most (Birdman) won for best picture.  Guess I'll have to watch it again from Netflix.  Everytime the camera focused on Michael Keaton he was chomping on some chewing gum; really made him look stupid.  

I thought Lady Gaga or whatever her stage name is sang beutifully all those songs from Sound of Music.  I'd never heard her sing before.  Julie Andrews went over to her and praised her singing.  Sad that Andrews has lost her singing voice after some surgery was done on her vocal cords.  Sound of Music was One of the few
musicals I really liked.

Grand Budapest Hotel, my favorite won a few awards, but mostly for technical stuff like cinamatography and a song I don't remember.

I thought the speech given by the lady who is the president of the Academy was excellent, as she talked about how the movies communicate with and unite people everywhere.  (I just hope no one makes a film ridiculing the prophet Mohammed.)

Marj





My favorite movie, Grand Budapest Hotel, got several awards, mosly for technical stuff and a song that I don't remember.  

All in all, I thought the awards program was fairly good, except for the host.  I did not understand his "jokes."

Marj

I thought the speech given by the lady who is the president of the Academy was excellent.  Especially when she said how they communicate with and unite people everywhere.  (I wanted to say "I just hope no one makes a film that ridicules the Prophet Mohammed)

[pedln]

The movie I disliked the most (Birdman) won for best picture.  Guess I'll have to watch it again from Netflix.

I know what you mean, marjifay.  It makes you wonder what you missed.  I haven't seen Birdman, but I did watch Grand Budapest and really didn't like it very much.  Guess I'll have to get it again from Netflix.

I think the best picture nominees for this year,  from what I've seen or read, seem to be movies for grown-ups, and not necessarily block-busters moneywise.  I hope I can see most of them withing the coming year.

Has anyone seen Ida, the film that won an Oscar for  Best Foreign Picture.  I started watching it a few weeks ago, but just couldn't get into it.  Guess it's another one to try again.

[MaryPage]

Oh, Pedlin, I am so relieved, because I heard all the cheers for The Grand Budapest Hotel and I ordered the DVD and I hated it.  That sort of idiotic carrying on is not and never has been to my taste.  Even as a child, I hated slapstick and/or cartoons where anyone got hurt or yelled at or chased anyone.  At the Saturday kiddie shows, all the kids would be screaming with Joy over the smashing and banging of that dang cat and Tweety-bird, and I would be cowering in my seat wishing it would be over, just as I wished the dentist would stop drilling!

No. that type of humor disturbs me deeply, and offers no pleasure whatsoever.

[mabel1015j]

I commented to the next generation of my family on Facebook, " i think you have to be high to enjoy Wes Anderson's movies." In fact, sometime ago i came to the conclusion that many of the Hollywood movie and tv producers must be smoking or snorting something, they make such (and honor such) unbelievable shows. I guess i'm sounding like an old curmudgeon, but that's fine with me. It's my opinion.

Jean

[marjifay]

I just watched the Polish film, IDA, on Netflix instant play after someone here (Pedln?commented they did not care for it.  I found it interesting.  A somewhat strange film.  I liked the music although the film's sound was not good when the group was playing for the dance.  The rural area shown was very bleak and run-down--Reminded me of what I saw when I was in East Europe and visited Romania. Also a very bleak country with people riding in carts pulled by horses.  Few cars in sight.  Children begging for money.

Sad what the so-called Christians did to the Jews there in Poland.  I remember seeing a film showing Polish Jews being carted off in a train to a concentration camp while the townspeople watched them,  grinning and pretending by pantomiming slicing their throats to show the Jews what was in store for them at their destination.

I'm going to watch some of the other foreign language films.  Most are so different from those made here.

Marj

[pedln]

Marjifay, I may have to try Ida again.  I probably did not watch enough of it before  and didn't give it a chance.

If you are interested in some of the foreign films I highly recomend Children of Heaven, an Iranian film.  The director, Majid Majidi, has also been praised for some of his other films.

Also recommended -- a German film,  Beyond Silence, directed by Caroline Link, and a delightful French film -- My Afternoons with Marguerite, and a sad Kurdish film - Turtles CAn Fly.


Caroline Link also directed Nowhere in Africa which I watched and enjoyed several years ago.  Since I have sound turned down and always use subtitles, I didn't realize it was a foreign film.

[marjifay]

Thanks, Pedln, for recommending the Iranian film CHILDREN OF HEAVEN.  Wonderful film!  (also on Netflix instant play)  Weren't those beautiful eyes of the little boy, Ali, so sad?  Made you want to hug him (and buy him and his sister new shoes).  What a contrast between where he lived and the wealthy district where his dad and Ali tried to find gardening work.  Beautiful homes.  I've seen other Iranian films advertised.  They seem to make good ones.

Now I will watch those other films you recommended.

Marj