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"Unicorn" Movie: Will you see the new film?

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mct16
Member
#1 · Posted: 16 May 2009 18:16
If this topic has already been discussed, then forgive me because I have not found it and am too lazy to check all the topics relating to it.

I have a golden rule: if you enjoy the book, avoid the film. That is why I have avoided the recent "Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter" movies as well as the adaptations of Alan Moore's work.

Since Spielberg and Jackson are apparently basing their Tintin film on the books I think that I will avoid it as well. I don't care how close they stick to the original story, I just don't think that it will be the same as if Herge's drew and wrote it.

You may think it unfair to be critical of films that I haven't seen, but I have seen some that were inspired by books and were a disappointment. Moore himself was very critical about "V for Vendetta" and "Watchmen" and that was good enough for me.

How about the rest of you? Will you see it come what may?
The Blue Lotus
Member
#2 · Posted: 16 May 2009 18:57
Of Course I'll watch it, I'm a Tintin fan so I'll see what they come up with. If it's rubbish, then I'll probably avoid the sequels. The Nelvana series is still enjoyable even though some of the episodes are quite different to the books.
By the way I've read Lord of the Rings and you're not going to get a better trilogy adaptation.
cigars of the beeper
Member
#3 · Posted: 16 May 2009 19:56
I'll see the Tintin movie. I, too, am a big LOTR fan, who read the books first. I agree with The Blue Lotus that the films of LOTR are the best adaptations possible.
jock123
Moderator
#4 · Posted: 16 May 2009 20:45
mct16:
Moore himself was very critical about "V for Vendetta" and "Watchmen" and that was good enough for me.

It would be fairer to say that Moore is critical of "Hollywood", and studios generally, and as a result he doesn't want any association with them; one result of this is that he says that he won't watch any adaptation of his work. He therefore has seen neither V for Vendetta or Watchmen.

Dave Gibbons on the other hand has seen Watchmen, and he both endorses the adaptation and the changes made.

Personally I enjoyed the critically mauled film of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen far more than the comic, thought that both the book and film of V for Vendetta weren't up to much, and think that both the comic and movie of Watchmen are flawed but pretty epic.

I quite understand your position, mct16, and think you've made excellent points about an interesting subject. I've a friend who refuses to see any stage or film adaptation of a book (funnily enough, he appeared to make an exception for Hamlet at the RSC...), so you aren't alone.

However, I can't say I have any such reservations myself, and I am looking forward very much to seeing what the film does with the characters and stories.
Balthazar
Moderator
#5 · Posted: 16 May 2009 22:42
jock123:
I've a friend who refuses to see any stage or film adaptation of a book (funnily enough, he appeared to make an exception for Hamlet at the RSC...!)

In defence of your friend's consistency, surely Hamlet at the RSC wouldn't be a stage adaptation of a book, but simply a production of something written as a stage play in the first place. (Or am I missing what you meant?)

Anyway, I share your opinion that Alan Moore's work isn't as good as he and his many fans seem to think it is, but I haven't seen any of the film adaptations, so can't give a view on them.

On the general point, I think there are some examples of very good books that have been made into very good films, but I agree that it's perhaps more common for great films to come from original screenplays or mediocre books, and also common for great books to be made into unsatisfactory films.

But I'm looking forward to seeing the Tintin film. (And I think the reputation of the book is well enough established for them to survive and outlive a terrible movie anyway!)
jock123
Moderator
#6 · Posted: 16 May 2009 23:07
Balthazar:
(Or am I missing what you meant?)

Sorry, yes, a bit obscure: Shakespeare apparently adapted Hamlet from a book, Amleth - or perhaps another lost play from the same source... Or a lost play from a different book... Or a book retelling the first book... Shakespeare scholars do like to make things complicated...! Anyway, it was an adaptation of an existing story...!

Oh, and by cunningly swapping the "H" from the end of the title to the start, he disguised the fact that he nicked it...

Very good summing up of the whole adaptation thing, by the way, although I'd be hard pressed to know just how many great movies are from original screenplays (I don't doubt it, I'm just blanking on it...
Balthazar
Moderator
#7 · Posted: 16 May 2009 23:45
jock123:
Shakespeare apparently adapted Hamlet from a book, Amleth (or perhaps another lost play from the same source… Or a lost play from a different book… Or a book retelling the first book… Shakespeare scholars do like to make things complicated… Anyway, it was an adaptation of an existing story…).

Thanks for the clarification. I see what you mean now.


jock123:
I’d be hard pressed to know just how many great movies are from original screenplays (I don’t doubt it, I’m just blanking on it…).

Well, off the top of my head, some great films that weren't adapted from existing books would be:

Every Chaplin and Keaton masterpiece (not that these silent movies exactly have much of a screenply, but they're certainly original stories, rather than adaptations),
Every Laurel and Hardy film,
King Kong (the original 1933 film, obviously),
E.T.,
Star Wars,
Raiders of the Lost Ark,
Toy Story (1 and 2)
Finding Nemo,
The Incredibles (another of my very favourite films),
The Lavender Hill Mob,
The Ladykillers (the original one , obviously),
Monty Python's Life of Brian,
Airplane.

My list seems to include a lot of comedy films (and I'm sure we could all add more, especially more recent ones). I wonder if original screenplays are more common in comedy films, and if serious drama films are more often adapted from an existing book.

I was going to include Some Like it Hot (surely one of the greatest films and greatest screenplays ever) but then I recalled that that was sort of adapted, maybe not from a book, but from an earlier German film written by one of Some Like It Hot's writers.
mct16
Member
#8 · Posted: 17 May 2009 00:21
Thank you for your observations so far.

Just diverting from the subject a while, I'm surprised to see criticisms of Alan Moore:

Balthazar:
Alan Moore's work isn't as good as he and his many fans seem to think it is

jock123:
the comic and movie of Watchmen are flawed but pretty epic.

I wonder if you would care to elaborate on that?
Tintinrulz
Member
#9 · Posted: 17 May 2009 02:43
Watchmen the graphic novel is much better than the movie, although the movie was still quite good. Lord of the Rings movies were great and some parts were better than the book. The Harry Potter books have all been better than the movies (besides Order of the Phoenix which became more focused in movie form).

I see the book and the movie as two different beasts. Sometimes the movies are better than the book, but this is rare.

Enjoy them for what they are. I'll definitely be seeing the Tintin movies.
Leviticus
Member
#10 · Posted: 17 May 2009 11:45
Of course I'll see it.

In fact, if it's as good as I'm expecting, I'll probably see it more than once!

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