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Bibliophile Collective Tuesday – Movie Adaptations

March 22, 2022
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If you are like me you have a movie running in your head when you read a book. You can ‘see’ the characters, their surroundings and what is happening. As a writer this is a wonderful tool for my stories. I see everything as I write, getting those images onto the paper is the trick.

So when we watch a movie, sometimes an adaptation of a book or a play we have read or watched, we compare what our vision is or was of the story. Sometimes the director and screen writer get it ‘right’, other times they do not. As you all know I am a Stephen King fan and have watched some of the movies made from his novels. The interpretations can be cringe worthy, such as Shelly Duvall in The Shining. I got angry at her scenes, she did not represent the character at all, she ruined that movie for me. Jack Nicholson, of course, was stupendous in his role, as only Jack can. One movie I watched, and re-watched was The Green Mile, it was expertly portrayed. This is most likely due to Mr. King being on set!

This brings me to several movies I re-watch due to their intriguing plot, my emotional response or the actors characterization. I have a basket of DVD’s that contain many movies, I enjoyed a lot. (This is not all of them though, it would be a very long post!)

The Lake House, which was adapted from Il Mare, a 2006 American fantasy romance drama film written by David Auburn. The movie has a time slip element with the two main characters living years apart but communicating through a mailbox.

Educating Rita, an adaptation of a screenplay by Willy Russell based on his 1980 stage play. I love the two opposing characters in this movie, chalk and cheese as they say. However, as their relationship grows there is a metamorphosis.

Shirley Valentine, this is another Willy Russell screenplay adaptations based on his 1986 one-character play. For many women this is the ultimate ‘escape’ movie. Who hasn’t dreamed of living on the ocean?

Ladies in Lavender, another screen play adaptation, this time based on a 1908 short story by William J. Locke. Superb acting by Dame’s Judi Dench and Maggie Smith bring this delightful story to life. There is heart ache, lost love, new passions and secrets. And, for me, the coastline is memories of home.

Julie & Julia, the film is the first major motion picture based on a blog. Giving yourself a deadline or a ‘monumental’ task can have its ups and downs as is plainly obvious in this movie.

Calendar Girls, based on a true story of eleven members of a women’s institute group raising money for a cancer charity with a nude calendar.

Which movies do you enjoy over and over? Are they adaptations?

Wordsmith’s Collective Thursday – Who would play your novel’s character in a movie?

June 3, 2021
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As writers and authors, we all daydream of the day our novel is made into a movie. The thrill of seeing our story come to life on the big screen (or even a smaller one!) is something we all crave at one point or another. When we are writing our stories, we get images of our characters in our heads, sometimes it is actors we already know or we create an inspiration board from photos found on the internet.

Forgetting for the moment the practicalities of actually getting the actor you want – who are your chosen ones? Who is on your wish list?

I am sharing a couple here and would be interested to know if you ‘saw’ them the same way I do, when you read the books.

For the role of Evan and Kate in Life in Slake Patch, I would choose Alex Pettyfer and Rose Leslie. They are similar to the promo shot I had created. Link: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07JG1GPP4/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i5

For Guillem and Juliana in The Rython Kingdom, I imagine Taylor Kinney and Jordana Brewster. He is older but still vital and she is mysterious. Link: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B06ZYP7HWB/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i8

Who do you see in your novel’s movie? I would love to know, leave comment below.

Who Would You Chose To Play Your Novel’s Protagonist…?

October 17, 2014
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There are many classic novels we remember from childhood or young adulthood, one of these for me is Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee. The BBC (UK’s broadcasting company) are making a series of dramas, which will bring to life many classics, including Cider with Rosie, The Go-Between and Lady Chatterley’s Lover.

CiderWithRosie

 

http://www.kidderminstershuttle.co.uk/leisure/national/11533900.Cider_With_Rosie_role_for_Morton/

I can still see in my mind’s eye how I envisioned the characters in these books. Some imaginary characters are so instilled and real that to have an actor play them can be disappointing. Obviously, some chosen actors are so perfect there is no problem alas this is not always the case. We all know some are chosen for their book office popularity rather than their resemblance to a particular character. Daniel Radcliffe will always be Harry Potter for generations of people (not good for his future career of course but we watched him grow up on the screen). We cannot contemplate anyone else as Harry or indeed any of his faithful companions or enemies.To be so immersed in a character is excellent for the reader but also a tribute to the author for creating such a realistic personality. As you can see from Stephen’s quote further down this post Pennywise from It was ‘perfect’ – I still fear clowns to this day!

Which actor was ‘perfect’ and which was ‘awful’ for your favorite book’s movie or TV adaptation?

For me The Shining movie, adapted from Stephen King’s novel, was completely ruined by Shelley Duvall, she was not believable in any part of the movie, however, Jack Nicholson was magnificent.

Shiningnovel

Do you have an actor in mind for your own novel(s)? Who are they playing and why did you chose them?

Quotes:

“When people talk about the stuff of mine that’s frightened them onscreen, they’re apt to mention Pennywise the Clown first.” – IT, Stephen King

“I may be the first writer in America to have a piece of writing make its way to the screen whole and entire. And, when I saw the film for the first time, I was astonished that the characters of Jack and Ennis came surging into my mind again.” – Brokeback Mountain- Annie Proulx

 

FunDay

Today’s prompt – Describe your novel’s character and match them with a real actor.

Dour Can Be Good…

August 14, 2013
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Dour – definition: sullen, gloomy, severe : stern

One of the more enjoyable parts of creating a story is the creation of the characters that populate it. Apart from the main protagonist and antagonist, there is a wealth of supporting ‘actors’, who bring the story alive. Character traits are great instruments to build these bit players into the minds of our readers. Two well known ‘gloomy’ persona’s are from the Harry Potter novels and movies.

character-development

Alan Rickman played Severus Snape. He is the ultimate flawed, tragic or anti-hero character. The Snape persona has considerable complexity. We can all remember his coldly sarcastic and controlled exterior, making him disagreeable to say the least. However, during the story’s progression, clues to Snape’s real nature are glimpsed. He conceals deep emotions and anguish. His back story only disclosed at the end of Harry’s journey. (Image: Harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki)

Emma Thompson played Sybill Trelawney. A delightfully shabby, slight woman resembling some sort of insect, with huge thick glasses, which magnified her eyes. She was always draped in a large spangled shawl and wore gaudy bangles and rings. Her misty voice and sudden loud declarations of doom were predictions of the future – some of which came true. (Image: Harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki)

Who is your favorite ‘gloomy persona?

A favorite of mine is Wednesday Addams. A pale, dark-haired, grim-looking little girl, who is fascinated with death and the macabre. Seldom smiling and raising spiders as a hobby she is also a ballerina, of all things! Her favorite toy is a  Marie Antoinette doll, which her brother insists on guillotining. Wednesday also paints pictures; one of which was a tree with human heads hanging in it and writes poetry, dedicating one to her favorite pet spider, Homer. She is totally unfazed with people around her and quite happy to deliberately scare and freak them out – this is trait is the one I love best. She is secure in who she is, even if that’s strange.

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