Author Topic: Movies & Books Into Movies (Read 592322 times)

PatH · « **Reply #240 on:** July 17, 2009, 10:12:34 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?

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PatH · « **Reply #241 on:** July 17, 2009, 10:13:07 PM »

Here's an example where the movie is better than the book. I just read C. S. Forester's "The African Queen", the basis for that wonderful movie with Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn. The movie and the book are pretty much alike most of the way, but the ending of the book is quite different, and less satisfactory.

An amusing difference is that the movie has bumped up the social class of the characters. In the movie, Rosie and her brother are Establishment, (probably bottom level) and Allnut is Canadian, hence hard to place, though he is obviously working class. In the book, Rosie is the daughter of a shopkeeper, and Allnut is a Cockney, only one level down from Rosie.

Who knows how the marriages worked out in either case. In the movie, they are left floating down the lake on a piece of wreckage, no clue as to what happens next.

The book is a good read, though, with lots of details about navigating the river and patching up the African Queen.

pedln · « **Reply #242 on:** July 23, 2009, 12:10:13 PM »

PatH, you've just sent me looking at AMazon for African Queen DVDs. I think I'd like to own this classic, and that's definitely what it is. That looks like it might be a little tricky, as I don't want used, and I need captions or subtitles, but in English, please.

There was a bit of discussion among the reviewers about the imports, the Chinese subtitles, the region numbers, etc. And some discontent that US film makers haven't done anything about reproducing or remastering or whatever this classic, but have left it to non-US markets.

Guess I'll wait until I can hold it in my hand at the store.

pedln · « **Reply #243 on:** July 25, 2009, 10:53:53 AM »

Browsing in the online New York Times can lead to many places, and to another site for Books Into Movies, on slow Saturday morning. This one turned up as I was checking out the review of a new film just opening in New York and LA – Paradise Travel – based on a same title novel by Jorge Franco, a Columbian writer. Sounds kind of dark. The book has been translated into English.

But that led to this Macmillan Pub. site to movie tie-ins from books (and screenplays).

More Books into Movies

I didn’t care much for In Bruges, except for the scenery. But I am interested in When Did You Last See Your Father, based on the memoir by Blake Morrison. Has the film been released, starring Colin Firth and Jim Broadbent. (We talked about Broadbent not too long ago, but I don’t remember what he played in.)

Another surprise from this list was Jar City, based on the book by Icelandic writer Arnaldur Indridason. His works have been discussed on RATW, but I didn’t know a film was in the offing.

Seems to me I’ve heard of Snow Angels, from Stewart O’Nan’s book. Has anyone seen that?

Check it out. What have you seen and liked recently.

The other night I watched the German film Beyond Silence -- fantastic. Five Netflix stars. About a child, talented musician, whose parents are deaf. Don't know if it's based on a book. English subtitles. The parents are played by deaf actors, one French, one American.

PatH · « **Reply #244 on:** July 25, 2009, 01:13:09 PM »

Quote from: pedln on July 25, 2009, 10:53:53 AM

(We talked about Broadbent not too long ago, but I don’t remember what he played in.)

Jim Broadbent was talked about here for playing John Bayley in "Iris",but since then, the latest Harry Potter movie has come out, and he does an excellent job as Professor Horace Slughorn, a new character in this volume.

How good was the movie ("Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince")? I have a lot of complaints. They made the choice to go for gee-whiz flashy special effects over connected story telling, and added some new, unnecessary, bits to the story at the cost of leaving out stuff. But it's good enough that Potter fans will want to see it.

I suspect that anyone who hasn't read the book would have a lot of trouble making any sense whatever of the plot.

pedln · « **Reply #245 on:** July 29, 2009, 09:59:52 AM »

And, PatH, a recent NTtimes article commented about the emphasis on alcohol and drinking, with parents wondering about the messages being sent to young people.

We all love Nora Ephron, right? And the words “food stylist” is part of your everyday vocabulary? And Julie Powell has always been a household word. Maybe not. But here comes the movie, starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, based on her book about a year of cooking up every in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, a combination of two true stories – hers and Julia’s.

And Nora Ephron? Director and screenwriter. And taster and approver of every bit of food cooked and shown in the movie. Here’s the link:

Julie and Julia Cook

PatH · « **Reply #246 on:** July 29, 2009, 08:13:19 PM »

That's a great link, Pedln, especially to a foodie like me. The Washington Post had an article this morning connected with a preview of the movie. Opinions of her friends were divided as to how well the movie and Streep caught the spirit of Julia, but a lot of them thought they got it right. Interesting that you have to doctor a recipe to get it to splat properly when someone drops it on the floor. Julia worked for the OSS in Southeast Asia, she claimed only as a clerk, but the Post says it's now confirmed that she also did some spying. I like to think so.

From your link: "Mr. Flynn had to debone 60 ducks over the course of “Julie & Julia.” " Boy, I bet he was pretty slick by the end. I've deboned one duck in the course of my cooking career. It's not difficult if you started out as a Zoology major and took comparative anatomy, but it's picky and slow. I'd love to watch him in action.

PatH · « **Reply #247 on:** July 29, 2009, 08:27:11 PM »

Drinking in the Harry Potter movie: I don't see it as an emphasis. The main drinking scene is one in which Harry watches while Hagrid and Professor Slughorn get drunk (they are mourning the death of Hagrid's pet giant spider). Harry is carefully not drinking, because what he really wants is to manipulate Slughorn into doing something for him, and the whole thing sends a message of how dumb it is to drink a lot. There is more drinking elsewhere, but it seemed pretty understated to me, and I didn't see it as an issue. I will surely see the movie again, and I'll report if I see it differently then.

pedln · « **Reply #248 on:** August 04, 2009, 03:09:16 PM »

Quote

I suspect that anyone who hasn't read the book would have a lot of trouble making any sense whatever of the plot.

Thanks for the warning, Pat

Quote

Harry is carefully not drinking, because what he really wants is to manipulate Slughorn into doing something for him, and the whole thing sends a message of how dumb it is to drink a lot

.

. . . and for setting it straight about the drinking scenes.

Has anyone seen the film Lost in Austen -- apparently from a British TV miniseries. I'd never heard of it before. A modern girl switches place with Elizabeth Bennet and tries to help the Bennet sisters find husbands. Problems occur and she finds herself in trouble. It's said to be a fun, humorous show. A must for Austen fans, but enjoyable even if you're not. Son's family has it from Netflix, and I hope to watch it this week.

maryz · « **Reply #249 on:** August 04, 2009, 03:23:13 PM »

Not about a book-into-movie, but a remake of a play-into-movie. Did y'all see that Steven Spielberg is going to make a modern version of "Harvey"? The cast has not been chosen, or at least not announced. I dunno about that. We shall see. Daughter says probably Tom Hanks would play Elwood P. Dowd. I can see him in that part.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #250 on:** August 04, 2009, 04:21:45 PM »

It's hard to imagine a cast that could do a better job than the one in the original Harvey : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_(film)

For some reason this link isn't working but I've checked it two times and it is the correct URL.

Babi · « **Reply #251 on:** August 05, 2009, 08:43:49 AM »

Good casting, MARY. Tom Hanks would make a very good Elwood Dowd.

pedln · « **Reply #252 on:** August 05, 2009, 06:08:02 PM »

Tom Hanks would, Babi, but right now I can't picture anyone other than Jimmy Stewart.

Babi · « **Reply #253 on:** August 06, 2009, 08:28:54 AM »

Ah, Jimmy Stewart. I don't think he ever made a movie I didn't love.

ginny · « **Reply #254 on:** August 07, 2009, 08:24:39 PM »

I just saw Julia and Julie which is based on the book (by the same name?) Not sure but the movie is really sweet, and Streep nails Julia Child amazingly well, that hunch over a piece of meat, she must have worked on that little mannerism in a sea of accurate takes for a long long time. It's perfect.

I had read the book by Child about My Life in France, the movie does a nice job of including SOME of that stuff but not all. Stanley Tucci does a super job of being Paul Child, but they don't mention his photographs for the book or some of his jobs in the movie. The book (My Life in France) gives a slightly different impression of his work but it's a small quibble, obviously they both supported each other, beautifully shown in the movie.

I haven't finished the book yet. A lot of critics (2 today, the Wall Street Journal and People Magazine as disparate as those might seem) seem to feel less Julie and more Julia would have been better, just a movie on Julia Child herself.

SPOILER:

The movie ends without her becoming a TV star and also raises the question that Child herself did not care for the blog of "Julie" on her project. I wonder if that's true.

What did you all think of the movie (or the book) if you read or saw either?

Frybabe · « **Reply #255 on:** August 07, 2009, 10:22:16 PM »

It would be a little hard for Julia Child to have an objection to a blog since she passed away Aug. 13, 2004.

Babi · « **Reply #256 on:** August 08, 2009, 09:11:25 AM »

GINNY, I posted on "JUlie and Julia" in the library, if you want to read that.
I just started on the book, and I'm finding some of the humor really crude and
Miss Powell's description of her lifestyle less than appealing. What kind of
image does it convey to write: "I love my husband like a pig loves shit."

ginny · « **Reply #257 on:** August 08, 2009, 09:44:11 AM »

Frybabe, in the movie Julie kept hoping to meet Julia. A reporter calls her and says that Julia dislikes the idea or the blog (which apparently ?? went on before the book was published in 2005). But if it were only a YEAR? I am really confused over these elements.

I sat there the whole movie and thought but she was deceased when you wrote the blog and when you hoped to meet her. Apparently not? Apparently she was in her late 80's maybe 89 when the blog was going on. Did she die at 91 in 2002?

In Edit: Nope, wrong again: Julia Child: August 15, 1912 – August 13, 2004.

It's confusing, it really was, one of the confusing things about the movie.

Babi I'm still reading it also.

Steph · « **Reply #258 on:** August 08, 2009, 10:03:37 AM »

Julia was alive during the blog which was earlier than that. It took over a year for the blog to be edited to the book, maybe more.
As I remember someone asked Julia about the blog and she was quite old and confused about what a blog was. I think she thought they were making fun of her , so she was short with them about not really wanting to meet new people.

pedln · « **Reply #259 on:** August 08, 2009, 02:35:59 PM »

I've only read reviews, not the book, but am thinking that one of the reviews said Julie started the blog in 2002. So that would work for Julia having had a chance to see it before she died.

The reviews i read really tore Julie apart, saying she was very self-involved. And like the reviewers Ginny spoke of, would have preferred much less Julie and more Julia. The critics also remarked about the wonderful love story of Julia and her husband Paul.

I can't wait to see it, but will wait for the DVD. And maybe have a chance to read the book.

Frybabe · « **Reply #260 on:** August 08, 2009, 08:09:33 PM »

So the blog is something that went on before the movie? The blog is not a result of the movie but a motivation to make the movie? And the book was written from the blog? Is this a first - from blog to book to movie? I don't follow blogs so I forget how long they have been around.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #261 on:** August 08, 2009, 08:14:54 PM »

Julia's cookbook was first; Julie wanted to cook all Julia's recipes, and blog about it; then they published Julie's book, and from that, we have the movie=Julia & Julie.

Frybabe · « **Reply #262 on:** August 08, 2009, 08:57:01 PM »

I am about to read Harlan Coben's, Tell No One. Just on a whim, I Googled Coben and discovered that this book is now a movie. They apparently released it to DVD on March 31. Has anyone seen it? Looks like a low budget thing. Never heard of the leading actors. Didn't catch who directed.

Babi · « **Reply #263 on:** August 09, 2009, 08:49:56 AM »

FRYBABE, Julie Powell started the blog at the suggestion of her husband, who
was trying to find something to hold her interest. From her book I gather she
is a rather mercurial person. She had become interested in an old Julia Child
cookbook, and decided to make that the theme of her blog., ie., she would make all the recipes in one year and talk about it in her blog.

Steph · « **Reply #264 on:** August 09, 2009, 09:27:56 AM »

Yes, at the time of the blog, she was working part time , had a degree in writing and was convinced she was wasting her life. She got involved in the blog from her husbands approval of the subject and really blossomed.

pedln · « **Reply #265 on:** August 09, 2009, 04:00:27 PM »

Frybabe, I saw the movie about a year ago in NY -- it's French, with English subtitles. At the time I had no idea that it wa from a book, and I've never read anything by Harlan Coben. I thought it was a good movie, good acting, suspenseful. Glad to know the DVD is out. I might want to watch it again.

pedln · « **Reply #266 on:** August 09, 2009, 04:18:01 PM »

The other night I watched Lost in Austen, where 21st century Amanda Price slips through a door into Pride and Prejudice and changes places with Elizabeth Bennet. Some fans might be horrified at the liberties taken, but it's all in good fun. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though I fell asleep and missed the ending, which I rewatched today. Be warned -- it is three hours long, so start early. (We didn't start here until after 10 pm, so no wonder the sandman came.)

Frybabe · « **Reply #267 on:** August 09, 2009, 05:41:22 PM »

Pedln, thanks for the info on the film. I may just grab the DVD and share it with my sister. Already, I know she will just love the book and movie (she is a film junky).

Lost in Austen sounds like great fun. Three hours? I watched The Jane Austen Book Club a month or so ago. I liked that too.

ginny · « **Reply #268 on:** August 09, 2009, 08:11:51 PM »

The New York Times today magazine has a gigantic article on Julia Child and how we've changed as a nation vis a vis cooking and cooking shows. I think it's not positive but have just started it. It does show a photo of Juila Chlid behind her counter cooking with a whole bunch of people squatting behind her, one is handing her a plate.

ginny · « **Reply #269 on:** August 10, 2009, 08:18:23 AM »

AND the new issue of Time contains somewhat of a....unflattering view of "Julie," and the information that the Efron movie contains Julia Child's actual reaction and why, it's a bit different from the confusion on blogs that Frybabe posted, and more in tune with "Julie's" desire (to be famous and a writer) rather than the cooking part. What an interesting controversy.

Frybabe, let us know how you liked the Coben, I've never read one of his and he's all over the place now.

Steph · « **Reply #270 on:** August 10, 2009, 08:27:57 AM »

Coben is an interesting writer. He writes a series about Myron Bolivar.. Who is a sports agent that gets involved in mysteries. Quite funny in spots and good. He also writes stand alones and they are much darker and generaly involve mistaken identites and revenge.. Very good.

Frybabe · « **Reply #271 on:** August 10, 2009, 08:47:18 AM »

So far, I like Tell No One a lot. It is shaping up to be a bit gory which is not to my taste, but the story is so good so far anyway. In fact, since there was nothing going on at work on Sat. night, I read a little at the end of shift. Almost forgot to leave at shift end.

Babi · « **Reply #272 on:** August 11, 2009, 07:54:20 AM »

I made a good start on Julie Powell' "Julie and Juliet", but decided not to
continue. I found that I liked Miss Powell less and less, so I saw no point in
making myself read all about her. I didn't like her attitude, her language, her
self-involvement... or her housekeeping! Anything so bad it makes your landlady break into tears when she sees what you're leaving behind? A stove
so filthy no one wants to touch it, and she's been cooking on it?!!
I'll go see the movie, since Meryl Streep is reported to be so good, but I'm
returning the book to the library today.

pedln · « **Reply #273 on:** August 13, 2009, 11:26:27 AM »

Sounds like a wise decision,Babi. There are only so many hours in the day, so why waste them on something you don't like.

I've just finished watching The Miracle of St. Anna, about a group of African-American soldiers in a small town in Italy during WWII. I didn't realize at the time that it was from a book by the same name by James MacBride. I enjoyed the movie, but it was bloody at times, also confusing at times, (it jumped around) and having to get another disc from Netflix because the first one proved bad didn't help. Probably 3 1/2 stars.

Have any of you watched Netflix films on your computer or TV? While at my son's I watched Blame it on Fidel (a French film) on my laptop, and the family has their large screen TV hooked up to an old dead computer with a new motherboard, so they can see Netflix films. (We both have wireless routers.) If I had a VGA port on my TV all I would need would be a cable to connect to my laptop VGA port and bring in Netflix. But I don't have one and since Netflix can't stream captions or English subtitles yet it wouldn't be worth any investment for me. But Netflix sells something called a Roku ($99) and all you need is an Internet connection (don't need wireless) to download the films to your TV. They have English subtitles on the foreign films, and are working on technology to provide them on streamed English language films.

maryz · « **Reply #274 on:** August 13, 2009, 01:10:07 PM »

I don't think I'd like watching a movie on my computer - screen too small. Plus we couldn't watch something together.

We just got the second Harry Potter movie,HP and the Chamber of Secrets . It's only for 7-days, so we'll can't dawdle in watching.

pedln · « **Reply #275 on:** August 13, 2009, 07:20:55 PM »

Quote from: maryz on August 13, 2009, 01:10:07 PM

I don't think I'd like watching a movie on my computer - screen too small. Plus we couldn't watch something together.

Actually, Maryz, it's not too bad. I've watched on a portable DVD player before, and the laptop is bigger -- although mine is small, for travelling -- about 11 inches. My youngest and her partner don't have a TV, so I've watched films with them on their laptop. Of course, they let me sit in the middle, so I probably had the best view.

Enjoy Harry Potter. My DC grandkids generously let me bring all five of their Harry Potters home with me. I guess now that they're all teen-agers they don't repeat-watch as much as they used to. Though they'd all seen the new film.

Babi · « **Reply #276 on:** August 14, 2009, 08:36:57 AM »

Ah, that brings back memories. Relatives next door had 'our' first TV, with it's
very small screen. I can remember both families gathered in front of it,
all hunched over and leaning forward to watch a wee Milton Berle!

Mippy · « **Reply #277 on:** August 14, 2009, 09:29:32 AM »

aahhh ~ Babi ~ Me, too, and do you remember My Little Margie? And being allowed to stay up late for Saturday night movies at 11 p.m. on that tiny screen?

pedln · « **Reply #278 on:** August 14, 2009, 10:07:38 AM »

This is a bit off topic, but I have to tell it anyway -- going back to the early days of media.

One of my uncles by marriage was named Harry Johnson, and he loved to tell about when his family got their first radio. They turned it on, and the first thing that came out was someone singing a song that went -- "How do you do, Mrs. Johnson, how do you do?" Harry's mother just about fainted and said, "turn that thing off," and it was quite a while before they turned it on again.

Mippy · « **Reply #279 on:** August 14, 2009, 10:39:41 AM »

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Author Topic: Movies & Books Into Movies (Read 592322 times)