Books v. Movie adaptation or Movies better than the books
By Alex Ness
February 14, 2022
BOOKS AND MOVIES
Starship Troopers was written by Robert Heinlein as a means of creating a work that placed the action off the planet Earth, showed the training and mindset of a trooper, and utilized propaganda to show how a soldier in his narrative would come to find themselves a part of the group effort to fight. The maker of the movie had not even completed reading the book when he chose to make his movie. His presentation of the story led many to not understand how it was more than an action film, but one of transformation of the lead character from being willing to fight, but young, foolish and questioning, to that of a person fighting. An example of how Heinlein wasn't writing about himself, despite being a graduate of Annapolis, who went to war, was his use of the recruit/soldier's recognition that newly graduated officers should never lead soldiers into combat. He had gone to war with his own ship following graduation. Was he suggesting that he was wrong? No, he was saying what his character would say.
More than extolling the book, the movies have their own charm. However the movies were devoid of knowing how propaganda fashioned the public and led soldiers into agreeing with the cause. It is possible to view the movies with no knowledge of the underlaying concept, that you enter the military as almost children, but by the end of the time you are in the military, you have become an adult.
On the Beach was written by Nevil Shute as a work that would define how the aftermath of nuclear war could be as deadly as the war itself. I've heard people say the movie wasn't very exciting, just a bunch of people's lives and seemed kind of like a soap opera. I could easily understand if someone said the movie was really depressing, it was. But, you know, it was not about the war, it was about how people in the world presented would metamorphose from living normal lives, to being aware that the world would die, and all human life would be extinguished. So I think in this case people who had not read the book would go into it as an action film, or a sort of moralistic commentary. In this movie, however, the moralization comes in season many innocents who will die, and seeing their lives in the coming finality of extinction, by our own hands.
I liked the books of Lord of the Rings and the movies were good. But I noticed that people who hadn't read the books liked the second of the three films, whereas almost everyone I know preferred film one and film three. I think what happened isn't the fault of the people who didn't read the books, but a natural occurrence, where the portions edited out of the film made it move more smoothly, whatever the relevance of those portions in the books. Helm's Deep in the books was a last stand, a people alone against the dark tides and despite this, when other people call out in need, they respond. Knowing, that they wouldn't want happen to others, what happened with them. In the movie the elves send troops to help. It reduced, significantly, the power of how the riders of Rohan helped others.
Briefly, The Shining was a work that most people I know who watched it, had read it as well. And while Stephen King said he wasn't happy with Stanley Kubrick's adaptation, I don't find many people who disliked either. They might have said there are many difference between the book and movie, but I've never met someone who was aggrieved by the changes.
A final example of this, is the book by Richard Matheson, I AM LEGEND. Most people I knew who had reported seeing any of the three movies adapting the book, had read the book. The Last Man on Earth, The Omega Man, and I am Legend all tried to tell their version of the adaptation of the book. Most people I know who had issues had issues with the changes, but also, those changes weren't in the better interest of story telling. There is an odd group regarding this intellectual property, books or movies. The people didn't see what happened as a commentary about survival, or a reminder of the consequences of biological warfare or nuclear warfare. They saw it as an action film with no deeper meaning. No one could have read the story and think the book and movies were telling an action packed adventure.
Any time I write about people and how they respond, I get messages saying I should get off the backs of others who just want to enjoy the movies or books. I think they should do that. But I also think people should perhaps think more, dig deeper, and enjoy for the reasons they are good.
LOVE
I don't have much to say about Valentine's Day, but I absolutely understand the healing power of love, and the horrendous damage being without love, or being unloved. I am grateful for those in my life who loved me, and for those in my life who showed me how to love. That includes my beautiful redheaded wife, my cats, my son, my cousins, siblings, and more. Thank you for being in my life. Happy Valentine's day. Shown above are some great love oriented media.
About Getting Reviews from Me
First off, I can be found on Facebook, Twitter or through email at Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. I no longer have a post box, although I regret that. It was a crushing defeat to no longer have a p.o. box, when I came to realize I was getting so little product it made no sense to pay for the privilege to not receive mail at both my home and at the post office. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.
MY LINKS:
My Poetry AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com
Published Work AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com/2007/01/My-Work.html
Amazon Page Amazon.com/author/AlexNess
Cthulhu Horror CthulhuDarkness.Blogspot.Com
Atlantis & Lost Worlds AlexNessLostWorlds.Blogspot.Com
I have an email list for my blog AlexNessPoetry.Blogspot.Com If you are interested please send me an email asking to join the list. Send an email toAlexanderness63@gmail.com to join the list. I promise never to sell the list or share it.
All works and art remain the property of the owners/creators and nothing more than fair use is asserted.
No comments:
Post a Comment