Friday, August 23, 2013

A Word On Book to Movie Adaptations

One thing I have always loved about books is the way that a few simple words have the ability to transport the reader on a thousand different adventures. Black lines on a page are used to paint elaborate  pictures of worlds and characters that the reader becomes intimately familiar with and attached to. In my imagination I have fought monsters and mortals, run through the corridors of Hogwarts or the streets of New York City, and watched as my favorite characters came to triumphant or tragic ends. However, the thing about books and the imagination is that no matter that everyone reads the same text, they do not see the exact same world, and I think that is why adaptations of books into movies don't always work very well. 

A simple fact of life is that there will never be a movie that everyone loves. There will always be people who find something to complain about or simply find that for whatever reason that movie is just not for them. While it is often exciting to see a book turned into a movie, the filmmakers are contending not only with the challenge of making a good movie that will please critics and film goers, but they are also trying to please a preexisting fan base who don't want to see anything happen to their beloved story. Unfortunately this is an impossible task because as I said before every reader has their own idea of what the world and the characters are like. 

Another unfortunate reality about book to film adaptations is that there will always be thing that are omitted or changed during the transition from page to screen. Again readers always have their favorite scenes or things that they believe are essential for the story, and sadly sometimes they don't make it into the film or are changed to fit the adaptation. The reason for this is simply because authors have room to play with that directors and screen writers do not, otherwise book to movie adaptations would be ridiculously long and wouldn't be feasible to make or watch. That being said, changing a story for film has to be done carefully so the plot still makes sense. 

In the last few years book to movie adaptations have become more common and often they don't seem to do very well. The case usually seems to be that book adaptations are either received well by the fans, or by the critics, but is very rare to see them accepted by both groups. I think this is usually because the story is either changed so drastically that fans don't like it, or the story follows the book and people who haven't read it get confused. In the end making a good movie out of a book is very difficult because it has to be a good movie on its own as well as true enough to the original story that the fans still want to see it.   

In the end the most important thing to remember about book to movie adaptations is that the movie is not the book! It is an interpretation of the story done by a few people who are attempting to please as many people as possible. The movie will never make everyone happy and there will undoubtedly be things that are changed in order to make the movie make sense for those who have not read the book. 

My final advise; if your favorite book is turned into a movie go see it! Remember it is an adaptation of the book and not the book itself. If you enjoy the movie then it doesn't matter if other people don't like it, be happy about the fact that you will be able to see your favorite story come to life whenever you want to. And if you don't enjoy the movie then simply go read the book again! 

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Clockwork Princess Snippet!

Yikes!!!! It has been one busy week, and unfortunately that now means I am incredibly behind on my Character of the Month posts, however I do plan on an attempted catch-up soon. Anyway down to business. Yesterday Cassie treated her fans to another Clockwork Princess snippet, and if you didn't know, Cassie is now in Toronto spending two weeks on the movie set, so make sure you check out her Tumblr for updates from that. So now for the snippet.



“Tess?” A soft voice at the door; she looked up and saw Will there, silhouetted in the light from the corridor. 

I think Cassie has successfully managed to put her fans in a depressing state of mind with all the dark snippets she has been giving us, because I can honestly say that I am not the only person who reads this and instantly feels sad.  

Friday, September 14, 2012

Clockwork Princess Snippet!

Here is yesterday's Clockwork Princess snippet from Cassie's Tumblr. I unfortunately have been really busy for the past couple days and I am slightly behind on my posts, but here it is. I think Cassie must enjoy seeing the reaction from her fans when she gives us these horrible snippets. Although you have to admit the fandom tends to freak out then analyze every little detail.



No one can say that death found in me a willing comrade, or that I went easily.


I can't tell you how much this snippet tears up my heart, although I'm going to cling to my frail hope that this is either an excerpt from a book that the characters are reading, or that it is some side character (like a ghost) who just happens to be talking about death. I don't think I'll be able to handle if this is one of the main characters talking. ):  

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

CotM - Day 12

I have had such a long day, it's nice to finally get a chance to sit down and work on today's Character of the Month post. I felt like we needed an awe moment with Jace and Clary today, so here is a beautiful representation of one of the sweetest scenes in City of Glass. You know which one I mean.



“I won’t touch you, not if you don’t want me to. I know it’s wrong – God, it’s all kinds of wrong –but I just want to lie down with you and wake up with you, just once, just once ever in my life.” There was desperation in his voice. “It’s just this one night. In the grand scheme of things, how much can one night matter?”
Because think how we’ll feel in the morning. Think how much worse it will be pretending that we don’t mean anything to each other in front of everyone else after we’ve spent the night together, even if all we do is sleep. It’s like having just a little bit of drug –it only makes you want more.

But that was why he had told her what he had, she realized. Because it wasn’t true, not for him; there was nothing that could make it worse, just as there was nothing that could make it better. What he felt was as final as a life sentence, and could she really say it was so different for her? And even if she hoped it might be, even if she hoped she might someday be persuaded by time or reason or gradual attrition not to feel this way anymore, it didn’t matter. There was nothing she had ever wanted in her life more than she wanted this night with Jace.


City of Glass by ~kyo31 via theherondaleboys


This is such a beautiful depiction of this scene, I love the urgency in their embrace, yet they both seem so at peace asleep in each others arms. 

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

CotM - Day 9 (Again)

OK, so this is my second attempt to post this CotM post, because for some reason (either my computer ate it which is possible, or I forgot to hit publish, which is also possible) I just noticed that this picture had not appeared on my blog. So here is my post for Day 9, I hope it works this time.

I love the idea for this post, the crossover of Jace holding Tessa's angle just sends my mind spinning, and I figured since we've been treated to TWO Clockwork Princess snippets this week, it was appropriate.

He flipped the book open to the front page, where the title was printed in ornate script. Across from it was a long dedication, the ink faded now and barely legible, though Clary could make out the signature: With hope at last, William Herondale.
"Some ancestor of yours," Clary said, brushing her finger against the page. 
"Yes. Odd that Valentine had it. My father must have given it to him." Jace opened at a random page and began to read.
"He unshaded his face after a little while, and spoke steadily. 'Don't be afraid to hear me. Don't shrink from anything I say. I am like one who died young. All my life might have been.'
"'No, Mr Carton. I am not sure that the best part of it might still be; I am sure that you might be much, much worthier of yourself.'"
"Oh, I do remember this story now," Clary said. "Love triangle. She picks the boring guy."
- Cassandra Clare, City of Lost Souls

I loved this scene in the book, although I'm still not sure I'm over the aftermath of what happened to this book...

CotM - Day 11, City of Heavenly Fire Snippet!

Hello everyone, thanks for checking out my Character of the Month posts, I hope your enjoying them. Today's post is a special treat with the quote coming straight from Cassie's Tumblr and the new City of Heavenly Fire snippet. I knew as soon as I read the snippet that it had to go with this picture so here it is.  




Alec looked down at the shattered pieces in disbelief. “You BROKE my PHONE.”
Jace shrugged. “Guys don’t let other guys keep calling other guys. Okay, that came out wrong. Friends don’t let friends keep calling their exes and hanging up. Seriously. You have to stop.”
Alec looked furious. “So you broke my brand new phone? Thanks a lot.”
Jace smiled serenely and lay back on the grass. “You’re welcome.”

**ETA: hee hee.

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect quote to go with this picture, and after all the gloomy Clockwork Princess snippets we've been getting, it's nice to have some light Jace and Alec banter.

Monday, September 10, 2012

CotM - Day 10

Well, in honor of the mission to trend #JamieISJace on Twitter, I figured that I might as well make today's Character of the Month post go with the theme. So instead of fan art today's special post will show Jamie IS Jace, plus a couple Jace-centric quotes.


"No. My eyes are usually described as golden," Jace told the intercom. "And luminous."
- Cassandra Clare, City of Bones

#35 - Jace Wayland from The Mortal Instruments by fictionalcharactercrush

"Haven't you ever heard that modesty is an attractive trait?"
"Only from ugly people," Jace confided. "The meek may inherit the earth, but at the moment it belongs to the conceited. Like me."
- Cassandra Clare, City of Bones



"Shadowhunters: Looking Better in Black Than the Widows of our Enemies Since 1234."
- Cassandra Clare, City of Bones

OK, well that's it for me today, I hope you enjoyed today's special edition of the Character of the Month post, and remember Jamie is an amazing actor, and even if he isn't how you envision Jace in your head, don't hate on him, he is going to do an wonderful job. (Besides, you will always have your own perfect image of Jace in your heads every time you go back and read the books.)