Mon. | Dec. 21 – Book to Movie or TV Show Favorites – what did you love or hate this year; did you both watch the movie and read the book; which was better
In the spring, I reread one of my favorite books, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke, in anticipation of the television miniseries version. I was SO excited from the moment I first heard about it. I loved my reread and collected the episodes on my DVR so that I could watch the miniseries as slowly or quickly as I wanted. Then I started watching it and couldn't even pay attention to the first hour. Quickly, things that were changed started getting on my nerves. Finally, after maybe one and a half episodes ... I quit watching it and deleted it all from my DVR. Crazy right?! I think that I shouldn't have reread the book. I should have watched the show and then reread the book again next year or something. It is just such a beautifully crafted story that any changes in it were intolerable to me.
Was there a film/television adaptation this year that you loved or hated? Did you watch the Jonathan Strange miniseries? I'm still deciding whether I want to give the Shadowhunters television show a chance next month. It makes me nervous. But the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies movie looks kind of awesome!
Mostly sticking with the books,
K
I just reread JS&MN and was reminded how much I love it too. I hadn't watched the series though I was intrigued by the idea, but if I do, now I am forewarned! I'm a little bit interested just to see what they did with it but I wouldn't expect it to fulfill my hopes for an adaptation. To be fair, I don't think you could adapt that book without turning it into something else. It's so very literary.
ReplyDeleteI read and then watched Anna Karenina this year (the most recent film version), which was gorgeous and inventive filmmaking but a total distortion of the book. I also re-watched the Gwyneth Paltrow version of Emma: good actors, terrible script.
I definitely had high expectations because of how long it was in the works.
DeleteI almost prefer sometimes if they use the book as a source but then take a lot of obvious liberties and make it into something different. It's easier to put that away as a different thing!
I love the book, and I loved the BBC adaptation. (In fact, we've just decided to do a Jonathan Strange rewatch between Christmas and New Year.) I thought they did an excellent job conveying the feel of the book in a different medium. (And I'm normally super picky and dislike most TV/film adaptations.) I find it so interesting how these things will always strike people so differently.
ReplyDeleteThe feel was there. It was the characters that I had a problem with. It really hit me during the war scenes. I so loved the dynamic between Wellington and Strange and that was horribly mangled. I just couldn't go on. ;)
DeleteThat's fascinating to me. Granted, I'd only read the book once before watching the mini-series, so I didn't know it nearly as well as you, but I adored the series and can't wait to show it to Jason (once I can get him to read the book!). I'm sorry it didn't work for you.
ReplyDeleteIt really was not a good idea to reread it directly before. I should have known better. ;)
DeleteOh dear, well, I still haven't watched this miniseries even though I have said I want to -- I love the book so so much that I'm afraid no adaptation could ever compare for me. I'll still try it, someday, probably, but I will try to regulate my expectations.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely go into it not expecting to see your favorite story come to life ...
DeleteI read JS&MN in January and absolutely adored it, but when I started the miniseries I was really underwhelmed. I guess filmmakers could never live up to the version that's in my imagination.
ReplyDeleteWhew. So happy that someone else is with me on this. I was starting to feel bad that I didn't enjoy it like I thought I should!
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