Author Topic: Movies & Books Into Movies (Read 556891 times)

MaryPage · « **Reply #3920 on:** December 04, 2014, 12:41:10 PM »

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?

_______________________________

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

Wow, is he ever his father's son! Spittin' image, as they say. And why DO they say that?

PatH · « **Reply #3921 on:** December 04, 2014, 08:19:40 PM »

Frybabe, your doubts about the physics of Gravity are well-founded, and there are more goofs of that sort. IMDB has a list of goofs, a lot of them that kind of thing. Here it is, but no one who hasn't seen the movie should look at it. There are spoilers.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1454468/goofs

That said, astronauts say the movie captures very well what it feels and looks like to be in space. It's also the first 3-D movie I've seen where the 3-D actually made it better, rather than just making you duck every ten minutes when they throw something at you.

I enjoyed it a lot.

Frybabe · « **Reply #3922 on:** December 05, 2014, 06:16:08 AM »

Thanks, PatH. I didn't catch some of those errors that were mentioned, like the helmet floating when it shouldn't, and that she was sitting the wrong way on descent.

MaryPage · « **Reply #3923 on:** December 07, 2014, 09:27:26 PM »

Commercial on for THE RED TENT, and I am so far shocked that they have changed THE BIBLE story as I knew it, and I do not remember the book doing that! It was 7 years Jacob labored to win Rachel and then it was her father who fooled him with Leah, instead. Then he had to work 7 MORE years for Rachel![/color]

MaryPage · « **Reply #3924 on:** December 07, 2014, 09:41:57 PM »

Almost an hour into it, and they have never explained the red tent. This show acts as though it is just where the women live, and that is not what it was at all.

MaryPage · « **Reply #3925 on:** December 08, 2014, 09:34:37 AM »

Well, I will watch it again tonight in order to see the whole thing, but was, on the whole, disappointed with Part I last night. The thing that most astonishes is the moxie the writers had in actually changing the story as it was in The Bible!

Thought Debra Winger's small part in playing Rebecca was Outstanding. What a truly great actress she is. Three Academy Award nominations, too; and yet she is scarcely known. One of those actors that never fulfilled their promise, I guess. Her career just never took off.

Thought the scene where Esau and Jacob met was very good. Most of the rest was drivel, and they got so much flat out wrong. Why on earth they feel the restraints of time mean they have to change and mix up stuff, I do not understand; but this most excellent book has been betrayed by the filming of the great story it originally told.

FlaJean · « **Reply #3926 on:** December 09, 2014, 11:20:40 AM »

marking my place so it shows up in my favorites.

pedln · « **Reply #3927 on:** December 12, 2014, 12:59:46 PM »

The Golden Globes are out and also three NYT reviewers discuss their top picks of the year. Has anyone seen Boyhood? It is getting a lot of attention.

The year in movies

marjifay · « **Reply #3928 on:** December 13, 2014, 03:28:45 AM »

I saw the movie Birdman today staring Michael Keaton which was nominated for a Golden Globe award and I really disliked it. Awful. I wouldn't recommended it to anyone. Waste of money.

Marj

ginny · « **Reply #3929 on:** December 13, 2014, 08:54:34 AM »

Oh no, Marj!! Why? I was just about to go see it! What's wrong with it, why do you say "awful?"

I'm so glad I saw this first. I do like Michael Keaton, too.

marcie · « **Reply #3930 on:** December 13, 2014, 12:06:10 PM »

Thank you for that link, Pedln. I got sidetracked into several other links from there! I'd never heard of some of those movies. It's helpful for me to get everyone's reactions here.

marjifay · « **Reply #3931 on:** December 13, 2014, 12:27:32 PM »

It's usually the other way around for me, Pedln. . Right now I'm reading The Young Lions by Irwin Shaw after seeing the movie which I really liked. Wanted to read it because Marlon Brando wanted to play the German Nazii in the filmonly if they would make him a "good guy."

It never bothers me if the movie is not just like the book, as long a they make it a good movie. (And "good", to me, does not mean just like the book.)

Marj

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3932 on:** December 13, 2014, 08:56:59 PM »

I'm watching Peter Pan Live on Tv, Chistopher Walkens is terrible as Cap Hook. He looks like he's reading his lines off camera. He has no facial expression. He looks like he's just "phoning it in", just getting it over with. So disappointing.

Jean

maryz · « **Reply #3933 on:** December 13, 2014, 11:06:03 PM »

I just watched My Fair Lady on TCM - uncut and without commercials. I don't know long it's been since I saw the whole movie. It is so good (even without Julie Andrews) and such wonderful music and lyrics. A sheer pleasure!

FlaJean · « **Reply #3934 on:** December 14, 2014, 11:20:06 AM »

I watched part of Peter Pan but couldn't stick with it to the end. In the part I viewed I think that Brian William's (NBC newscaster) daughter did a terrific job as Peter Pan.

CallieOK · « **Reply #3935 on:** December 14, 2014, 12:45:30 PM »

I didn't stay with Peter Pan to the end, either. I agree about Christopher Walken as Captain Hook!
However, when I saw him in an episode of 'Worricker", I thought the same thing. Is he having health issues?

Last night, I watched "Amadeus" on PBS. I had seen it long ago but didn't remember much - other than Mozart's silly laugh and childish ways. The local host commented that the real Mozart wasn't that "goofy" - but did like his "wine and women".

MaryPage · « **Reply #3936 on:** December 15, 2014, 08:33:13 AM »

That is so weird! I usually agree a lot with Jean and Callie, but I thought Christopher Walken's Captain Hook was the absolute BEST I've ever seen! To me, he was Captain Hook as I have always imagined him. A fierce character, but at one and the same time, a spoof on a fierce character, which is, when all is said and done, what all of Peter Pan is. I cannot tell you how many times this past week I have told people that, and now I find you feeling just the opposite and it astonishes me!

Frybabe · « **Reply #3937 on:** December 15, 2014, 08:45:37 AM »

I didn't have a problem with Chris Walken as Captain Hook. I didn't like his makeup much though and he semed a bit old for the part. If, as some have suggested he forgot his lines at one point, the cast was quite quick to pick up on it and fill in the gap. The Williams girl was better than I expected.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3938 on:** December 16, 2014, 01:53:47 PM »

I recognized the "spoof" angle for the character, but he almost seemed to be spoofing acting. At least once he was obviously looking for his "spot" on the floor; he was so obviously looking to the side to read his lines - like the folks on SNL. I thought he appeared bored to death and was not putting any "character" into his character.

In fact, right from the beginning i wondered if he was sober.

Jean

salan · « **Reply #3939 on:** December 17, 2014, 05:30:28 AM »

Has anyone seen The 100 Foot Journey? It's now available on ppv; but I can't decide whether to purchase it.
Sally

ginny · « **Reply #3940 on:** December 17, 2014, 08:21:57 AM »

I have. I thought it was wonderful, uplifting, lovely. I disagree with the critics who say it's sappy. It's not. I read the book, too. The movie has a somewhat more idealistic ending than the book tho they are both positive.

pedln · « **Reply #3941 on:** December 17, 2014, 09:47:00 AM »

And the Netflix DVD will be available 12/30. I'm looking forward to it -- anything with Helen Mirren -- and hope it won't be "a very long wait."

ginny · « **Reply #3942 on:** December 17, 2014, 03:40:07 PM »

And a trip to Italy is also coming out on DVD on the 23rd. It went apparently immediately to DVD after being shown in the Netherlands and of course on British TV. The critics have rated it A-, can't really understand why it wasn't released here. I loved the first Trip, it's got Steve Coogan and Rob Bryson traveling about on assignment to taste the various restaurants of Britain, and the new one, the same, to Italy, I had so looked forward to seeing it, so will have to order it from Netflix.

The first one is an odd movie, they ride along on their trip, reveal things about themselves, and recite bits of poetry from memory as they come to the different historical areas of Britain, they try these fancy restaurants, they do impressions of famous people and vie with it, it's very interesting.

marjifay · « **Reply #3943 on:** December 28, 2014, 09:13:11 AM »

Has anyone seen the movie Into the Woods? I'm debating whether to go see it. I think it might be a musical and I'm not fond of most musicals.

Marj

Frybabe · « **Reply #3944 on:** December 28, 2014, 09:26:21 AM »

Marj, I'd like to see Into The Woods even though I don't care for musicals. It looks good anyway.

ginny · « **Reply #3945 on:** December 28, 2014, 09:45:47 AM »

I've now seen The Trip to Italy and I was surprised that it fell kind of flat for me. I don't know why. I loved the first one (The Trip) but this one seemed less interesting. I could have been distracted, it did have some laugh out loud moments, but some fairly tasteless ones, too. Steve Coogan in this one seemed bored, and I think that is what made the difference, it was, to me, not as good as the first one, but again, I may have been too distracted. In fact, I know I was. I'll watch it again later on.

Am going to see the 3rd Night at the Museum movie tomorrow.

MaryPage · « **Reply #3946 on:** December 28, 2014, 12:58:20 PM »

The critics did not find any excitement to express about the 2nd one, either, Ginny. Sometimes you just cannot recreate a perfect thing. I loved the first. It was the kind of thing you sort of hug yourself with Joy over. I have not seen this second one, for the very reason that the critics seemed to feel so let down by it. I wanted to feel the magic.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3947 on:** December 30, 2014, 01:17:34 AM »

I know that some of you read The Book Thief. I just watched the movie and at the end was talking to the television using some not very nice words. I thought it was a lovely story up until the last ten minutes of the movie, then "everybody leaves" became a prophecy. That was basically the end of the movie, altho there was a short scene where the mayor's wife shows up and obviously takes her in. There was another very short scene where Max shows up - looking pretty healthy for having been in a concentration camp, or was he? And then there was a short epilogue by "death" talking about how she had lived for 90 yrs and had become a writer!!!

Is that how the book ends?!?

If so, i would have thrown it across the room. I was so disappointed and disgusted at the ending of the movie.

Jean

Frybabe · « **Reply #3948 on:** December 30, 2014, 06:28:56 AM »

There is a third Night at the Museum out? Oh, goody. I liked the first two.

Jean, I'll have to check my book. I forget, exactly, the ending, but I do remember there was an epilogue at the end giving a oh, so brief account of the intervening time between the main story and her death. A little too short, I thought at time. I don't remember the "everybody leaves" statement, but it sounds like something Death may have said. In the book he was a little cryptic at times, or shall we say, matter of fact without much, if any explanation as I recall.

ginny · « **Reply #3949 on:** December 30, 2014, 08:29:48 AM »

Yes and I really think the third Night at the Museum is the best. I really liked it. There's a lot of sly stuff in it that apparently a lot of people miss, but it's good.

Light, cheerful, and a lot of fun.

FlaJean · « **Reply #3950 on:** December 30, 2014, 01:09:20 PM »

I didn't like the book The Book Thief and didn't finish it so don't think I would care for the movie. I've usually found that the book is better than the subsequent movie except for books by John Grisham. The movies made from his books are always better IMO.

Frybabe · « **Reply #3951 on:** December 30, 2014, 04:37:56 PM »

I didn't like the movie, didn't finish it.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3952 on:** December 31, 2014, 12:33:05 AM »

Frybabe, it was Leisle (sp?) who said more then once "everybody leaves."

Jean- i agree about Grisham's movies having better endings than the book.

salan · « **Reply #3953 on:** December 31, 2014, 04:30:34 AM »

I dvr'd the second Grand Budapest Hotel. I thought it was a sequel to the other. I tried watching, but found it rather boring & not what I expected. Ralph Fiennes was good as usual, but the story line was rather confusing. Maybe I'll start it over, not expecting a sequel and see if it is any better. Have any of you seen it & if so, what did you think?
Sally

Frybabe · « **Reply #3954 on:** December 31, 2014, 06:55:09 AM »

I watched Grand Budapest Hotel last night and liked it. In the ending credits Stefan Zweig was given credit for being the inspiration for the movie, so I looked him up. Notice how closely Ralph Fiennes resembles Zweig in the movie.

http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20140310-the-writer-behind-budapest-hotel

What interests me is that Zweig was billed as the world's most translated author. Yet, who ever heard of him in the US today? Project Gutenberg has a few of his books listed in English. I plan on reading at least one. Also mentioned in the article was Thomas Mann's book, The Confessions of Felix Krull . I may just have to read that as well.

ginny · « **Reply #3955 on:** December 31, 2014, 06:57:56 AM »

Is there more than one? I had seen it in theater and the one I watched on TV last night was the same one. If it's got Ralph Finnes in it, it's really the first one.

People have different reactions to that movie. After watching that whole thing in the theater a friend of mine, when it was over, threw up her hands as if to say, "so?" ... Or at least I think that's what she meant. I did ask her but she apparently was not blown away by the film.

Oh my goodness Frybabe! How do you come up with these things? How clever you are to watch the credits so carefully.

So Jude Law's character was actually based on a real person! And I never heard of the real person, Stefan Zweig. And that's where the homage came in!

Thank you!

Frybabe · « **Reply #3956 on:** December 31, 2014, 07:08:34 AM »

More investigation is due, Ginny. I ran across this TripAdvisor page. Is this a joke? I thought the M Gustave and the Grand Budapest Hotel were complete fabrications, not to mention the Republic of Zubrowka.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g6840479-d6776131-Reviews-The_Grand_Budapest_Hotel-The_Republic_of_Zubrowka.html

Oh, yes it appears so. Check the red box at the top right of the page. How unexpected that Trip Advisor would put such a page up.

ginny · « **Reply #3957 on:** December 31, 2014, 07:18:49 AM »

On the side of the page that Frybabe left a link to is a very interesting review of the movie by somebody on the BBC. I always think it's interesting how they call Ralph Fiennes "Rafe" in England but it is talking about Wes Anderson films and the grand Budapest Hotel in general...it's very interesting. Now that I have read all this critical comment I think I'll get a copy of it from Netflix and give it another go, and watch it in relation to what I now know that I didn't know when I first watched it, and half watched it last night.

MaryPage · « **Reply #3958 on:** December 31, 2014, 07:53:22 AM »

HBO has been running the movie this week. I bought the DVD with some of my Christmas gift certificates, but then wound up watching it for free on HBO. Bummer! And not really my sort of thing.

ginny · « **Reply #3959 on:** December 31, 2014, 08:23:24 AM »

I wondered about you as I watched it , you were so gloriously enthusiastic about watching it, and I did wonder, apparently you had not seen it before?

That happens with me a lot, watching on HBO what I got as a gift. hahaha Quiz Show comes to mind. That is a good movie. I just watched it again on TV and did a lot of reading up on Charles Van Doren afterwards. He gave an interview years afterwards. He was most piqued by the ending credits saying he never taught again when in fact he's been an adjunct professor somewhere ever since.

He also much admired John Turturro's portrayal of Herb Stempel. I thought that was a beautifully acted movie and it was one present to me one year which I ended up watching on TV, but since then have watched the DVD several times. I think there's a lot to the Budapest Hotel movie missed on the first go...So there IS hope.

Frybabe, what a hoot. Somebody has quite the sense of humor.

News:

Author Topic: Movies & Books Into Movies (Read 556891 times)