Mack around the middle of May I asked y’all your opinons on the Harry Potter series of books. I got a decent number of responses and decided to spend the funds.
I’m happy to say that in the seven weeks since I opened my first one, I have enjoyed reading the first four books and started the fifth one yesterday. That said, I had seen the films before reading the books in the case of the first four. Starting this fifth one without having seen the theatrical release has caused me some reservations about turning the first page.
The reservations are thus: I worry about being disappointed by anything coming to the big screen. One of the things I’ve always disliked about people turning books into movies is that shredding of the original material, and these stories are no exception.
All of the questions I had left in me from watching the movies were, of course, answered by the books, and I know that I would have been disappointed if I had read the books before plunking my ass down in the theater.
Which is why, at this time were are going to continue my little tradition of cursing the names of the screenwriters who mangle books when they turn them into feature films (I could care less if the author OK’d the chopping, they should have never had to been asked).
Granted, the Rowling is no Joyce or Chaucer, but frankly I can’t stand either of those two writers. The series is fun to read, so long as you don’t mind a bit of mockery from other adults.
In the case of the first four movies, one individual has been responsible for putting the original stories through, what I like to call “The Screenwriter’s Abattoir”, this man is Steven Kloves. Mr. Kloves, may your children see what you’ve done to these stories, and give you only ugly ties for as birthday gifts for the rest of your life as a punishment.
The fifth movie is being adapted by one Michael Goldenberg. Let us hope he does a bit better.
There, now that that is over with, off I go for a haircut and then it be bunk time.
Well, now I can place a name to an action.
To be honest, I don’t think kloves has done a bad job. But there’s only so much of the book you can put in a two-and-a-half hour movie. And studio execs don’t want 3 hour movies anymore, since it means less showings, which mean less people buy tickets per day. Also, long movies may make some people consider being patient and waiting for the DVD instead of sitting 5 hours in a theatre.
I have to respectufully disagree, D.
He left out details on BOTH the escapes from Azkerban, which had me sctratching my head through both movies. Not only that, but he left out why everyone thought Black was after Potter.
He then left out the entire last chapter of Goblet, which will leave some scratching their heads throughout the next film, unless the replacement screenwriter somehow insters it into the beginning.
Length of the flick is a decent reason to leave stuff out, but not items that are necessary to the plot.
But, I can still hope for a good Order movie.