Movies & Books Into Movies

[MaryPage]

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.
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Your Discussion Leader: pedln

I finally finished watching my DVD of The Hobbit.  It took me several days, because I would get so TIRED of it each session.  Whew!  I just cannot imagine suffering 2 more whole, long movies!
The man playing Bilbo is wonderful.  All the dwarfs, the whole little band, are darling and fun.  It is just the same old, same old battles with orcs and goblins and wolves and whatever.  Battles, battles, battles.  Running all over the place like mad, either deep in the bowels of the earth or around jagged mountains or through forests and across plains.  And half the time you can barely see or keep up with what's going on.
The best part of the movie is not a part man made up, but the part the gods created:  the topography of New Zealand.  Oh, how I would love to see the real thing!
There is a second DVD provided, and that sounded boring:  how the movie was made.  But then I noticed it included information on where they went in New Zealand, so I put it in my machine and started watching.  MUCH better than the movie itself!  Heavenly blogs with wonderful shots of incredible real vistas of those islands.  Little maps showing you where they were and where they were going.  Then blogs about the characters, and you come to know and love them.  Made my head spin to learn how many hundreds and hundreds of people in the background it took to make that film.
Yep, if you get your hands on the DVD set of The Hobbit, watch the OTHER one, and skip the movie itself!

[PatH]

Yep, if you get your hands on the DVD set of The Hobbit, watch the OTHER one, and skip the movie itself!

Tee hee, MaryPage.

All the things you didn't like about the movie were the things they either added or expanded from the book.  If they had kept to the original story, it would have been much better.  Toward the end of the book is something called the Battle of the Five Armies.  I don't like to think what they'll make of that one.

I'll try to get hold of the other DVD, it looks like something I want to see.

[JoanK]

I remember we used to have a Seniornet member who lived on one of those islands. She told me that the Little Blue Penguins would crawl up the beach at night and crawl into bed with her.

[MaryPage]

Good grief!  I'm not so sure I would cotton to that.  In fact, I'm fairly certain I would do everything to lock them out!
But I am in love with New Zealand.

[pedln]

I'm probably one of the .03% who has never read the Hobbit, nor seen the movie.  But after you r posts here, I think I would like to SEE it, at least, simple for the scenery. Someone on TV the other day said something to that effect -- "get rid of the little people and just watch the background.

Or follow Mary Page's suggestion "to watch the OTHER one."

But first I'll watch the Netflix DVD that came yesterday -- The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.  It's been a "long wait," probably because it stars a young Maggie Smith.

And while thinking of young and old actresses, I didn't know that Judi Dench was in Skyfall. I've never been a fan of James Bond, now that a friend told my Dench was playing I might have to watch.

[Frybabe]

Dench was in the second "Casino Royale" too. She made a formidable "M", tough and more hands-on than the original M character.

[maryz]

I thought I was the only one, pedln, who wasn't "hobbit literate".  We did love New Zealand, though, and would go back to visit in a heartbeat if the travel wasn't so grueling.

[rosemarykaye]

Pedln, do let us know what you think of the Miss Jean Brodie film - it's one of my all time favourites (though it isn't that faithful to the book).   Maggie Smith is of course a genius, but the whole cast is amazing.  I am still prone to quote Miss Brodie every time we walk along Princes Street and look up at Edinburgh Castle - drives my daughters nuts.

Rosemary

[rosemarykaye]

'The Hobbit' was a set book for us in first year at the Grammar School.  I loathed the mere look of it so much that I never read it and managed to pass the test at the end just by reading the blurb on the back.   I still haven't read it, though my elder daughter loves it and has read it many times.   All three of my children have seen the film, and seemed to enjoy it without raving about it.  They all said it was too long and that it's ridiculous and greedy to stretch it to three films.  However, it does have Martin Freeman in it, which is almost incentive enough for me to watch it.  I think Anna went just to here Saint Benedict Cumberbatch voicing the dragon 

I went to New Zealand many years ago when we were poor students.  Unfortunately we hadn't thought about the fact that our summer is their winter - it was freezing, rained all the time, and the places we stayed in were not equipped for cold weather, so they were cold and damp and depressing.  It didn't help that we were staying with husband's sister, who at that time was there because her boyfriend (now husband) was on secondment from his London employer.  She absolutely loathed Auckland, and our welcome was not warm.  It was a stressful time!  The only bright spot was visiting an elderly war-time friend of my MIL in Wellington.  She was a real character, very active in radical politics - this was the time of the Rainbow Warrior - and made us so welcome.  She also had a lovely warm house and baked her own bread! I was so glad to get to Sydney and Bali after NZ (that was of course in the days before there was any terrorism in Bali, and I thought I had never been to such a magical place.)  I should probably give NZ another chance, but I doubt that we'll ever be able to afford to go back.

Rosemary

[MaryPage]

Pedln, SKYFALL was ghastly.  Absolutely useless violence, going nowhere and signifying nothing.
I bought it just for my beloved Judi Dench.  I would advise you not to go near it with a ten foot pole!

[Frybabe]

I thought I saw somewhere a while back that Skyfall was not written by Ian Fleming, just based on Bond.

A couple of things I learned just now:

   Skyfall is Judi Dench's sixth and last Bond film. I didn't know she did that many.

   Some of the Bond films were based on short stories, not full length novels. I only saw a few short stories that weren't made into movies, all the full-length novels were.

[JeanneP]

JoanK

I think I know the lady in Newzealand you are thinking of.  Just don't remember her name from Seniornet do you?  There use to be a few on SN from Australia and NZ. Miss them all

[JoanK]

Sadly, I have forgotten her name.

[Tomereader1]

Well, let's see:  There was "Gumtree", who we lost; there was also a Jerry I think either Austrailia or NZ, then we have Kiwi.
Do these ring a bell?

[maryz]

Jerry from NZ died a year or so ago.  Kiwi is still around on a few discussions, I think, on Seniors & Friends.  She's doing well.

[rosemarykaye]

There was also Roshanarose, who I think decided to focus on other things.  She was a great participant.

[PatH]

Kiwilady (Carolyn) posts here occasionally.  Hi, Carolyn!

Ironically, Roshanarose took on some time-consuming projects just as we started the classic Greek discussions she had longed for.I miss her, and Gumtree too.

Still can't remember the name of the blue penguin lady, but she moved to be near her daughter, and we heard no more from her.  Presumably she didn't have a computer.

[MaryPage]

Agreed.  Roshanarose is a great favorite of mine, as is KiwiLady (Carolyn Sterling).

[Frybabe]

Octavia has been silent also. Too bad, I miss our AU/NZ contingent.

[JeanneP]

No, none of those name ring a bell as to being her.  Like me, she was from Manchester, UK area along with Glady's.  She had been married to a fisherman, Lived on a Island off the coast way because they had to get a ferry inland. She sold out and had met a man who lived on a boat. so sailed off to travel.  Bet she is having fun some place. Wish we knew where.

[pedln]

JeanneP, I wish I could help you out, but your description doesn't ring any bells for me.  I do remember the others -- Carolyn, Octavia, Roshanarose, and of course, Gumtree.

Thanks for bringing me up to date on Judy Dench and James Bond.  And if I do watch Skyfall, MaryPage, it'll be from Netflix and not anything I buy.

Speaking of Netflix, on the news this morning their stock is skyhigh today.  In Sept. it was $53 a share, and now it's over $200.  Oh shucks, another missed opportunity.  

Two of my girls were visiting over the weekend, so I didn't have a chance to watch Miss Jean Brodie until last night.  Loved it, and of course, Maggie Smith was just great.  And the rest of the cast too, as Rosemary mentioned.  I didn't recognize any of the other names of the cast, but especially liked Sandy, Mary McGregor, and Miss Gaunt.  I kept looking for the Maggie Smith of Downton Abbey, but really couldn't find her.  I forget when the film was made, but I loved the large group scenes, the school scenes especially.

When my girls were here we watched Babel (Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, and a host of others) that I've seen about three or four times and always try to force on others.  ANd The Hurt Locker -- great directing (K Bigelow), but the film really didn't do anything for me.  If I had been watching it by myself I would not have finished it.

Rosemary, isn't it part of a mother's job to drive her children nuts?

[JeanneP]

Is anyone watch the season 5 of "Mad Men"? I got the whole season and just have about a hour left. Doesn't seem to be keeping my interest this season.
What happened to Betty,his prev. wife.?  She must weigh about 230 lbs now. It is not padding because can tell by her arms and legs. Also when she was getting out of the bath.

[MaryPage]

Watched Silver Linings Playbook last night. 
Well, here it is.  I hated the movie.  Not people I could live amongst.  Not a culture I can relate to.  That being said, I
LOVED the film!  The acting and the filming were both extraordinary.  And that Jennifer Lawrence!  She makes everyone else look like two bit actors.  I’m talking Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper.  Wow again!  She has an aura, that Jennifer, and she just holds you in her power.

[pedln]

JeanneP,  I tried Mad Men a few years ago, when my son said that he and his wife were really enjoying the series.  I just watched one and wasn't particularly interested.  But so many people like it, maybe I need to give it another chance.

That's an interesting take on Silver Linings Playbook, MaryPage..  I liked Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone, so will give Silver Linings a try sometime, although it isn't one that sounds like my cup of tea.

I've received Life of Pi from Netflix and I think we're scheduled for a movie/dinner night on Friday.  Subject wise, it doesn't sound like my cup of tea either, but everyone has raved so about the cinematography that I want to see it.

Has anyone seen Hitchcock?  I've got that here from Netflix also.

Two of my friends got hooked on Downton Abbey, season 3, but had never seen seasons 1 or 2. So over the past several weeks we have been working on that -- I have the DVDs, British version (and was surprised how much I'd forgotten or perhaps had missed on TV).  We are finally up to the Christmas special, for sometime after Pi.

One of the newspapers mentioned yesterday that there will be 22 new films coming out this summer (up from 15 last summer).  I haven't chased down the titles.  Has anybody heard?

[JeanneP]

I just finished watching "Mad Men" Series 5 few weeks ago. Had watched them all and found them interesting. However on the last one I was getting little tired of it.  It will be over a year now before Series 6 comes out. that is if they make it.  I get the DVD and not spend time watching every week on TV

[Frybabe]

I've been watching Empires season 3 which is a history of the Jewish people. Now I know how the Macabees came about. Didn't know that one of the Greek rulers was forcing them to convert over to Greek ways. The Jewish peoples have a long history of being bullied and persecuted. It hasn't stopped yet.

[JeanneP]

I believe that this even happened in my country of England years ago. If Jewish religion one had to change to Christian or leave the country. I believe I see it in my own family on doing research and finding Jewish surnames. Not only that but in many of our features, with it showing up even in later generations.

[Tomereader1]

I am getting a treat tomorrow (I hope it's going to be a treat ).  My good friend has invite to a private screening of "The Great Gatsby" and she is taking me as her guest.  Other than the "modern" music  soundtrack, I should enjoy the movie immensely.  Will let you know.

[MaryPage]

Good grief, do they Really have a modern music track with The Great Gatsby?  It staggers my imagination.  Just will not do!  The Great Gatsby is the era of The Charleston, for crying out loud!

[PatH]

Please give us a report on the music, Tomereader.  It was written for the movie, but it could still have the Charleston style.

MaryPage, are you aware that composer John Harbison wrote an opera of The Great Gatsby a few years ago?  It was much admired.  I don't know what most of the music is like, but there is a lot of dance music in it, and he took great care to write tunes that resembled tunes of the time, but were just different enough that no one would be distracted by thinking of the words.

[MaryPage]

I did not know that, Pat.

What was it I was watching on the telly recently, gosh I hate my loss of short term memory, and yet I can recall some times in kindergarten vividly!  Anyway, you may know what it was:  they showed the exact same clips from all 3 films, including the brand new one, that have been made of The Great Gatsby.  Fascinated me no end, it did.  Of the three, Mia Farrow, the middle one, looked most like the Daisy in my head.  But I love Carey Mulligan more than Mia as an actress.  Time will tell.

[Tomereader1]

First: Do they really call this music?  The performers are JayZ, James Brown, Kanye West, Beyonce and Will.I.Am.
Secondly, a perfectly wonderful movie was ruined (IMHO) by the same stupid idea of using rock music for soundtrack.  Remember the 2006 movie, "Marie Antoinette" with Kirsten Dunst?  It showed Marie's extreme youth, naivete and how the pomp and wealth simply savaged her.  It was based, as I remember, on the book "Abundance" (which was excellent). And I have no idea why these directors insist on using rock as background. 

[Tomereader1]

I will report in after viewing, although the movie premiered in Australia and NY, the reviews were terrible for the most part.  I'm just glad my friend is not having to pay for our tickets! LOL.  As I don't have a good feeling about this one, and I had so looked forward to it.

[Tomereader1]

Here I am, back from the movie.  Did we mention that it is in 3D?  Now I personally, didn't see the benefit of that.  To me it made close shots seem "crowded", and at times it was like watching one of those little steriopticon slides ( know there's a more recent product than that, but I can't think of the name of it.) The long shots of Gatsby's mansion were really beautiful, as were those of Buchanan's mansion.  The scenes of the parties at Gatsby's were fantastic, 3D didn't harm those.  Now, for the music:  there was other music besides the rock stuff.  All in all the rock stuff was short-lived, though very loud.  I was impressed with the gal who played "Daisy Buchanan" and Toby Maguire.  Somehow Leo left me cold, but he must have been good, as a man who had invented himself, he exhibited self-centeredness to the Nth degree.  For all the high tech etc, I was not moved and was glad I didn't have to spend $$ to see this.

[rosemarykaye]

Oh this 3-D thing really annoys me.  On several occasions my teenagers have ended up paying exorbitant prices to see films in Edinburgh because the non-3D screenings were miraculously 'sold out'.  Even they agree that there are very few films that are improved by 3-D.  It's a complete scam.

Thank you for the report on the film Tomereader, I don't think I'll be rushing to see it.

Rosemary

[pedln]

I was never a fan of FSF's book, and have never seen any of the films, but always enjoy looking at homes of the rich and famous, so will give it a try.  Will the DVD be 3D, I wonder?

Last night I finished watching Hitchcock and really enjoyed it.  Hopkins and Mirren were fantastic, as always, and the focus of the film, the making of Psycho, was absolutely fascinating, with a lot of personal background about the Hitchcock finances, the marriage, the problems encountered in the making, etc.  I may even watch Psycho again, something I vowed never to do.

I understand that the film was based on a book entitled something like Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho.  Does anyone know anything about that?

[Tomereader1]

Click here: Inside the Music of 'The Great Gatsby' | ETonline.com
http://www.etonline.com/movies/133713_Inside_the_Music_of_The_Great_Gatsby/

Oh, well didn't work.  Go to ETonline.com, click on the bar (at top) that says Movies, then scroll down till you see the Gatsby frame with Leonardo's pic.  Then it should let you see some snippets of the film, with music and Baz Luhrmann's take on the music for the movie. It won't be in 3D, but has some very clear pictures.

[MaryPage]

Well one thing sure, The Washington Post and many other publications have panned this new Gatsby something fierce.  The one thing they praise is the clothes, especially those Carey Mulligan wears.  I will not go to the movie, because I am not going to any shows out anymore.  Neither will I buy the DVD in this case;  but I may watch it in some manner some day just to see the costumes.  I am like totally in love with the clothes of that time.  Absolutely hate todays fashions!

[PatH]

Well one thing sure, The Washington Post and many other publications have panned this new Gatsby something fierce. 

That's too bad.  It could have been so terrific.

[pedln]

All this talk about the period clothes reminds me of a Wall ST Journal article today -- young women today don't want to look lie their mothers; they want their grandmothers clothes.  Conservative and covered up is IN!!

Saw Life of Pi last night.  I was prepared not to be entertained, not to really like it, just wanted to see scenery.  I loved it, was on the edge of my seat almost the whole time.  Simply fantastic. After thinking all this time that it wasn't my cup of tea.  Just goes to show, one doesn't always know.  I don't even know the name of the boy who played Pi, but what a great job he did with that part.  And the story itself.  Though somehow, I don't think I get that much from just reading the book.   It needs the film.