Page to Screen- Film Adaptations

In recent years, the number of people reading for fun has declined- not surprising given the other, less strenuous ways to be entertained available. Instead of going outside to socialise, you can stay indoors and play video games, or chat online; instead of reading? That's what the television is for. There is also the very popular phrase 'I don't need to read the book- I'll just watch the movie'. Well here's a quirky idea- do both! Chances are they'll both be enjoyable, however; the original source material will likely be better.

The Scarlet Letter is a novel written by  Nathaniel Hawthorne about a woman in Boston, Mass. who has an illegitimate child. The film adaptation, which I can only describe as loosely based on the novel, completely changes the events within the story. The ending is the worst culprit; instead of Dimmesdale (the father) confessing his sins before dying suddenly, they somehow manage to ride off into the sunset- and that isn't even mentioning the random 'Indian' attack that takes place in the film- what novel the adaptor was reading I have no idea, but it certainly wasn't The Scarlet Letter.

..................................
Another, lesser, culprit is the string of adaptations we've had of the Harry Potter books. As much as they sell out at the box office, they never fail to tick off the members of the audience who have actually read the books. We, as members of the cinema-going audience, know that there are parts of the books that simply won't translate onto the screen. We know that plot-lines will need to be cut for the purpose of length. What we do not understand is cutting essential points out, when even the addition of one line of speech inserted into an existing scene can remedy that very problem. I'm not even talking about plot-lines that played an important role in that particular 'chapter' of the story; I mean the plot-lines which have an effect on the full picture. For example, the glossing over of Percy Weasley's leaving to work for the Minister of Magic and the subsequent rift this created within his family.

Not all films adapted from books are terrible, in fact a good percentage of them are fairly good, if you have no previous knowledge of their original source material. Lord of the Rings is a decent trilogy, and I must confess I watched the films long before I read the novels. However, the important part of this is- I did read them. For the most fulfilling experience of film adaptations, I recommend taking them with a pinch of salt, and to wait until after the film to read the book. This way, if the movie is half decent, you won't be distracted by what should or shouldn't be included- and if the novel is better, as they generally are, then your experience is only enhanced.


Written badly by Naomi Wong