#incredible book-to-movie adaptation

[the-golden-vanity]

Last night, I decided I was going to watch In The Heart Of The Sea. I'm fully aware that it's a terrible movie, but I know I'll end up watching it eventually. My interest in boat cannibalism demands it.

However, when I typed the film's title into the Apple TV search bar, In The Heart Of The Sea came up... as did Moby-Dick and Life Of Pi. It was as if Apple TV was telling me, "hey, would you like to watch something that has similar themes, but doesn't suck?"

[desperatelychaotic]

So I just finished reading American Psycho and all I can say is:

[dkettchen]

Watch Nimona, guys.

Watch Nimona and then go buy the comic and also read Nimona, cause as nicely streamlined as the movie is they did change the style quite drastically (proportions and stuff, I’m not on abt the 3D-ness or the adjustments to make characters visually fit their cast better) and Nate’s original art is GOOD, and they left out some things I really liked in the comic (where was big buff guy nimona you monsters ToT) and comic has slower pacing that lets you have some more time w the characters, yada yada

NIMONA GOOD, CONSUME NIMONA IN ALL ITS MEDIA FORMATS

[daisywords]

finally got around to reading Mexican Gothic. It had me hooked and actually followed through (the buildup was good but I was worried the ending/revelation was going to fall flat. it held up though.) Anyway my take is that it felt like if a really good movie was a book. Like the story operated more on movie logic than book logic if that makes any sense. (not a criticism, just an observation.) Overall well done and well paced. Predictable enough to be coherent but mysterious enough to be compelling. There were a couple of elements that seemed a little clumsy to me, but forgivable in service of the whole. Would recommend if you want to read a book that feels like watching Crimson Peak or something

[myheartissetinmotion]

sam reid percy blakeney WHEN

[ennaih]

Every Film I Watch In 2023:

255. Cujo (1983)

[highfantasy-soul]

So with the news that Netflix has cancelled Shadow and Bone season 3 and the Six of Crows spinoff, I feel extra justified in supporting the changes made to the show, specifically the advancement of Kaz's revenge story and Wesper. (This also goes for the Wheel of Time show that I feel shares many similarities to the process of adaptation that S&B faces)

In this day and age, showrunners can't expect 7 seasons of 24 episodes anymore. They have to cram as much into the (shortened) seasons they do get as they possibly can - which is where I and so many others get the frustrating feeling that they aren't sitting in the moments as long as we want them to.

BUT, script writers are having to work within insanely small parameters which makes sprawling fantasy stories (specifically ones based on books and with heavy internal dialogue and a huge cast of characters spread out over the world) extremely difficult to tell without having to cut massive sections to streamline the story or fast track some things/make things much more obvious than is shown in the book (as the internal monologues take care of clearing up confusion in written media).

So the frustration with ending 'slow burn' romances in visual media, while objectively I agree that it sucks we don't get more time to explore the character's feelings for one another, I'd much rather have canon, on-screen Wesper than another 'queerbait' flirtation that those who haven't read the books could just interpret as two guys being pals. Both Jesper and Wylan are side characters to the side characters in the show - they just couldn't get as much time to develop their relationship as say, a show with only two main characters who are the slow burn romance.

I'm glad the Crows got their due in the show - I felt they were all so incredibly in-character even doing things that weren't in the books (as of course, the Crows weren't in the Shadow and Bone books at all) and I love that we got to see more of Matthias in prison and Kaz got his revenge on Pekka in a wonderfully book-accurate way.

People who want one-to-one on-screen adaptations with books seem to ignore the logistical factors showrunners face with their shortened episode counts and the threat of cancellation looming over just about every single first season a show gets now. (Honestly, it's a miracle that Wheel of Time got a 3 season deal to start with so the showrunners could plan out three full seasons to make their bid to keep going with the story as Shadow and Bone didn't even get that).

Should we demand better from companies like Netflix that continually cut budgets and axe shows despite their massive popularity so they can save money? Yeah, duh. But let's put our anger and frustration where it deserves: on the powers that be, not those who are desperately trying to write a meaningful story in those terrible conditions.

Kind of a huge part of the writer and actor strikes was against these practices that make it so difficult for artists to make a consistent living in conditions that can sustain art rather than just content. We've still got a ways to go, but in the mean time, I'm going to enjoy the work they are able to create and view it from a more grounded perspective, understanding that they have time, monetary, and casting constraints they've got to work within.

If you want slow burns, go to books where authors have an infinite number of pages they can stretch the romance out in and you get all the juicy inner dialogues. For now, slow burn anything isn't really possible in the visual media sphere - not ones that are guaranteed to come to fruition at least.

[exy101]

rwrb (2023) takes the cake for worst adaptation ive ever seen truly what the fuck was that

[giantkillerjack]

Me and my wife: *hang out for 6 hours and stay up til midnight talking about our favorite things*

My wife: *leaves to shower and go to bed*

Me, 2 minutes later: *picks up phone to text her about the new movie trailer I just watched*

[leucoratia]

I just finished watching the 2022 adaptation of All quiet on the western front and holy shiiiiit guys another movie that just changed me fundamentally

[holy-shit-comics]

[johntorrington]

crash. certainly a novel.

[yennefer]

honestly i've been pretty much disappointed with media in general lately (insofar as movies and tv shows) BUT now that i actually have time to read again books have been more than making up for it lately. it's so odd to see so many remakes and prequels with bad writing when there's just SO many good, unique, FRESH stories out there no one has touched!

[servuscallidus]

Brideshead Revisited is a book.

There's an apparently very good tv adaptation from the '70s or '80s with Jeremy Irons, that touches on themes of the book the movie doesn't explore. It might not have been the best example but an adaptation often differs significantly from its book and can be worth seeing in its own right.

Besides, I really couldn't read the book, not matter how hard I tried I never managed to make it past the first few pages

[kneworder]

watching all three dune adaptations and reading the book just makes you appreciate villeneuve's dune even more because he does not waste anything. every shot every line every angle every moment has something to tell you. part of it is just the difference in modern high budget filmmaking vs. bad older low budget filmmaking but so much of the 1984 movie and the 2000 miniseries is just people talking solely for exposition purposes. it looks uninteresting and it sounds uninteresting but it's a necessary concession in these versions because it's information you need. except then you watch 2021 dune and information is integrated so seamlessly into the movie it's insane. all the chaff has been removed in favor of epic scenes between beautifully shot foreshadowing. and it fucks.

[newjenns]

sometimes i randomly remember that hbo is rebooting harry potter (WITH TEN SEASONS) and my mind just goes “????”