(no subject)

[tinyjo]

Have you felt that some of your favourite children's books have been ill-served by film adaptations? Well, lslaw has...

In response, I offer a modest proposal (no children need be consumed): We can not make people accept that the original is better than the homogenized, 'Pottered-up' version; we can not make children like the book better than the film. We can provide the option.

If you feel strongly about this, as I do, then:

1. Get thee to Amazon, or better yet to your friendly local bookseller.

2. Buy a copy of The Dark Is Rising, and any other book that you feel has been ill-served in a recent or forthcoming film version. Try to avoid tie-in editions.

3. In September, take these books to your friendly local junior or secondary school and present them as a gift to be place in school or class libraries.

4. Forward this proposal in any other appropriate journal, community or forum and encourage others to do the same.

Myself I plan to buy a copy of Howls Moving Castle for a start. I haven't seen the Dark is Rising trailer but I have a horrible suspicion that too might be on my list...

Comments

[phlebas.livejournal.com]

It seems a bit unfair to decide a book's been ill-served by a film that hasn't even come out yet - trailers rarely emphasise the right things unless the right things are exploding helicopters. Otherwise a good idea!
(I thought the film of Howl was a rather weak adaptation but not a bad film in its own right)

[lslaw.livejournal.com]

Well, every piece of information that has leaked out has been discouraging, and be it good or bad as a film I don't think it's going to be a good adaptation.

[dyddgu.livejournal.com]

I heard it was going to be set in America/or have American kids :-(

Earthsea and Prydain chronicles for me, though I don't know any schools to give any to.

[lslaw.livejournal.com]

God yes; the kid's accent was like nails on a blackboard in that trailer.

I was going to say that there isn't a film version of Prydain. I think I must have been suppressing. There must be a school nearby; just wander in and hand them over, they won't protest.

[dyddgu.livejournal.com]

Disney did The Black Cauldron, though, didn't they? Complete with mangled pronunciations *sigh*

[lslaw.livejournal.com]

Like I said; suppressing.

[tinyjo.livejournal.com]

Ah well if you buy them I can pass them on to Ruth to give to her school :)

[leora.livejournal.com]

The book and the movie had totally different plots... there was just a vague connection between the two. That doesn't make the movie bad, but it isn't the same story. They're totally different things.

[tinyjo.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what I felt. I ended up liking the movie less than I would have if it had had a different title because I'm very fond of the original story and this was a completely different one with different characters and themes which happened to share names from the original book.

[applez.livejournal.com]

Indian in the Cupboard - pure fun.

[tinyjo.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen that as a film. Was it any good? I was very fond of the book.

[boredinsomniac.livejournal.com]

Terabithia owns this.

[squigglyruth.livejournal.com]

I started to write a comment here, but it was way too long, so I'm putting it in my own journal.