Movie Adaptations.

Today I am grateful for movie adaptations.

I've been recently thinking about great books that are brought to life through film. and while I would almost always say the book is still better (almost, I'm looking at you Gone With The Wind) I can't imagine not liking a movie that was based off a book I loved.

Lets start off with The Hunger Games because it just came out into the theater. Was it as good as the book? No. but really, it would take more than just movie magic and certainly more than a PG-13 rating to be so. Does that mean it was a bad movie? No way. In fact it was a great movie. There were so many things that I loved seeing played out before my eyes. Katniss volunteering. Peeta's interview. even though they changed somethings around, I still find myself thinking "I can't wait for the next one!"

It definately made me fall in so much more in love with Peeta.

continuing on...The Davinci Code and Angels and Demons. I love Robert Langdon. He's one of my FAVORITE fictional characters. and I enjoyed both movies very much. The storylines in each novel were intensely complicated. there was so much information coming at you all the time. I applaud anyone for taking on the project of these movies. Sure, somethings were left out or changed. But I think these movies would have been four hours each otherwise. which is usually the case with most movie adaptations. I think they did a great job bringing it to life. and I love that Tom Hanks was cast to play the part of Robert. It's actually very rare when I read a book to picture the actor who portrays that character in the movie as the character when I'm reading. did you follow that? anybody? The point is, by the time I watch the story play out on the big screen I already have what a character looks like in my mind. sometimes the actor or actress is pretty spot on. sometimes it's way off (hello Joe Morelli in One For The Money), but it never changes how I picture the character when I read. But when I read The Davinci Code, you can bet your ass I'm picturing Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon.

I hate to even admit this, but I saw the early Harry Potter movies before I actually read the books. Ok, well I read part of The Chamber of Secrets but not enough to really get what was going on. and I loved the movies so much that I read the books. and LOVED them. and now I actually love the books way more than the movies. The movies leave so much out, change things that to me seem crucial, and add in moments that never happened in the stories. and I'm pretty much okay with that. because short of the real Harry Potter showing up and saying "hey, come follow me around Hogwarts" these movies are the closest any of us are ever going to get to seeing this beautiful story come alive. and I'm grateful to have grown up with the books and the movies.

There are movies out there that I absolutely love that are based on books. some I'm ashamed to say that I've never read. but I know I need to based on the movie alone. Can you say Shawshank Redemption? One of the greatest movies of all time. I've heard that the book can be a little slow moving but I have a hard time believing I wouldn't love it. just because I already love the characters so much. and moving on with The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I haven't read it yet. and honestly, if I didn't love the movies so much I don't think I would ever really want to. But I just know there has to be more to the story. little details that I bet run through the novels but aren't anywhere in the movies. I want to know those things. so one day I will read them. and ok I'm sure I'll picture Aragorn as Viggo Mortensen. but come on, wouldn't you?

Sometimes it does happen. Movies that other people think are completely amazing, you find yourself disappointed with because it just didn't live up to the book. Suddenly you're a social outcast because everytime someone goes on and on about how amazing The Green Mile was you're the first to say "The book was better." But I would rather be able to watch a movie based off a favorite book and judge how well the directors and the actors did then to never even be given the option. Could you imagine never seeing a favorite book played out on the big screen? ever? I mean we all know that Twilight certainly wasn't going to be winning any Oscars anytime soon but it doesn't stop me from squealing like a 15 old girl whenever I watch it. even the bad movie adaptations make me grateful because at least they were made.

There are books I own and love that I know will never be made into movies. One of my favorite series of all time will most likely never be put to film. and if they did they would butcher it. they would leave things out. skip over so much detail and history. totally change things. and absolutely piss me off. But you know what? I would be the first person in line to buy tickets. and I would love it. because I love the story.

Thanks for reading!
Lana

ps. I know I didn't mention Pride and Prejudice. which is, of course, my favorite book. Why? because I still can't choose between this...

or this.