I read an article in the New York Times the other day about Michael Schur, co-creator of the television series Parks & Recreation directing a music video for the band The Decemberists based on a passage from Infinite Jest involving the fictional game, Eschaton. Thinking the idea was promising I sought it out, and Mike/everyone in The Decemberists, I'm sorry, but I wasn't feeling it. Why couldn't you have made it as fun to watch and listen to as it was to read? Nice try? I suppose the track record hasn't been to good for book to film adaptations. I'm not sure why I bothered to get my hopes up. Oh well.
Schur made an attempt, the times wrote about his work and I was incensed enough to write about his work, and all press is good press, right? Now I've got to pondering though, what is a good book to film adaptation? I liked the 1965 version of A High Wind in Jamaica despite certain qualities severely lacking, but what else is there? Fight Club? ...I'm kidding about that. I hardly have the patience for movies, so you tell me.
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A Clockwork Orange. Despite the author's objections, omitting the abrupt and unconvincing 21st chapter made for a much better film, IMHO.
East of Eden.
After I wrote this I remembered The Shining. A Clockwork Orange is great too. I also remembered that there was this really fantastic adaptation of Pride and Prejudice that I saw a few years back. It was about five hours long, and hardly missed a thing. Was it a BBC production? I can't remember. Never saw East of Eden, but I trust...
can't agree with East of Eden even though good performances by all. thought characters were somewhat stripped of their significance. Gone With the Wind follows the book almost exactly. Atonement good except for having to suffer through Kira Knightly. Would like to see The Reader; seems like it might work.
You know what movie I really like? Babe. I haven't read the novel, but I'll bet Dick King-Smith feels pretty good about the adaptation.
I promise I didn't use this opportunity just to use the author's name.
Really.
Dick King-Smith.
Shit is Babe on netflix instant watch? I think I know the password to my roommate's girlfriend's dad's account.
The Maltese Falcon. John Huston cannily left Hammett's prose intact (he had to change the line "Keep riding me and you'll be picking lead out of your navel" to "iron out of your liver", Hollywood being what it was).
Also: Last Temptation of Christ".
Also, too: The Leopard.
jesus' son is great. might even be better than the book, which is really just a collection of short stories.
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