By the Book: No changes
Keep it close, some artistic license
Maintain the theme, but change alot.
The only thing the movie and book have in common is the title
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The "I Robot" thread got me thinking (hardly ever the case). When books are made into movies, should the director stick closly to the source material, making changes only when necessary, e.g. Peter Jackson with "Lord of the Rings", or drastically change the character and themes like Paul Verhoeven with "Starship Troopers"? I figure this will make for some interesting conversation.
tmutant
Founder of the Evil Gamemasters Support Group. No, Really.
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Somethings just can't make the transition to the screen. But, if you are going to make a movie from a book, then don't make changes to the fundemental story.
Starship Troopers is a good example, the book is about the coming of age and the horrors of war. The movie was a complete re-work and it lost it's grittyness, and therefore the impact it was trying to put across.
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I'd say as close to the book as possible. I hate when they add characters or "correct" certain characters so they are more PC. If the story doesn't require it then it should stay within the context the book was written in.
"The misery of being exploited by capitalists is nothing compared to the misery of not being exploited at all."
-Joan Robinson, economist
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Basically, it's the roll of the dice.
Trying to translate the book nearly word for word, and something like Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World would make for a documentary movie than entertainment.
Just as with the original Starship Troopers (although there is a buzz in Hollywood getting louder about a sequel), the film producer gambled on making the movie less about character and more about action.
There is no one right way. It's up to the production crew to find the right formula that will appeal to the mainstream audience willing to shell $8-$12 books per showing.
Anyhoo, just some random thoughts...
"My philosophy is 'you don't need me to tell you how to play -- I'll just provide some rules and ideas to use and get out of your way.'"
-- Monte Cook
"Min/Maxing and munchkinism aren't problems with the game: they're problems with the players."
-- excerpt from Guardians of Order's Role-Playing Game Manifesto
A GENERATION KIKAIDA fan
DISCLAIMER: I Am Not A Lawyer
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There's no right answer to this question. It all depends on the book being filmed and the resources available to the film makers.
+<<<<<
Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight. Psalm 144:1
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I don't have a problem with minor alterations, let's face it, in some novels there would be a few things either too impratical or implausible to do on screen, but if you're going to make a film from a book, the director/screenwriter should try and stick to the book as much as possible.
Okay, they'll still cut a lot, even a small book would take up a lot of screen time, but if someone likes an idea they found in a book, they should stick to the book.
Just my £0.00.5's worth.
Sundowner
Sundowner
"Sure, it will probably explode. But at least I won't be in it, on it, or near it."
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Just a ha'penny?Originally posted by Sundowner
Just my £0.00.5's worth.Are you trying to cheat me out of a ha'penny's worth of thoughts?
Sorry, just a little Monday morning fun.
Davy Jones
"Frightened? My dear, you are looking at a man who has laughed in the face of death, sneered at doom, and chuckled at catastrophe! I was petrified."
-- The Wizard of Oz
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I have to say I'm in the "change only what is necessary to translate the story to the screen" camp.
//rant mode on//
If you want to do a story with different themes, characters, and ideas, just write it yourself, and put your own title and name on it.
//rant mode off//
That feels better.
tmutant
Founder of the Evil Gamemasters Support Group. No, Really.
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