Let’s talk about on screen adaptations. Whenever the rights of a popular novel are bought by production companies, fans are filled with equal parts glee and dread. I’ve seen and felt both, especially the latter. I often wonder what the author really feels, and if money weren’t an issue would they still want to have their novel come to life on the big screen? There are so many horror stories of the rights to a book series being bought only to then later be completely flipped inside out with little to no homage to the original material. Alternatively, there are so many series that I would absolutely adore to see on film, even though I know other fans might not share that sentiment.
So what then truly makes a great book to film adaptation? It sounds like there’s one key element to make everyone happy—and that is to stay true to the plot as best as can be. When creating motion pictures out of written word, there is plenty of room for error but also for a wonderful rendition of the text. I’m a very visual person who tends to make up images in my head like that of a movie trailer when I get really invested in a story, so naturally I have been eager for some sagas to be retold cinematically. Yet even the most popular ones, like Game of Thrones, Big Little Lies, Twilight, and Harry Potter amongst hundreds more, have all faced backlash from critics because of how the film production strays from the text. It is rare that production teams who change the plot are praised for doing so, although on occasion it does occur if the changes remain true to the overall theme and motives of the characters.
One of my favorite things about film adaptions is the music and fashion that comes along with it. People often don’t think of these two subjects at first, but I’ve found overtime that the atmosphere when shooting cinema can easily make or break a scene. From the minute details like lightning or the filters used when rolling to the bigger notions such as action and intent, every detail has to be weighed against the original script to honor the author and the fanbase that already exists. When creating these movies, production teams are lucky that they will already have a guaranteed large audience. Vice versa, authors will also get a new wave of readers based on the marketing of the film leading up to the premiere.
There are few books that I love which have recently been bought by production companies for future adaptations, and while I am excited I cannot ignore the lurking dread. However, there are some film renditions of series that most people loathed and which I found to be quite appealing. Overall, it truly depends on how much the studio wants to do right by the original content.
Anthology of V. 