Monday, July 13, 2009

Books as Movies: Taking it to a New Level


In a previous post I wrote about books as movies. This weekend I took that to a new level. I went with Neal to see a live performance of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. That happens to be one of his favorite stories. He has read the book by Ian Fleming twice; he’s seen the movie a minimum of 25 times (the title song was the first he ever attempted to sing once he started hearing); and he’s seen the live stage version. Now, I’m wondering more than what books others liked as movies, or which they would like to see as a movie. I’m wondering why people want to experience the same story in so many different ways in the first place.

I think for Neal, it’s a simple matter of loving the story and not being able to get enough of it. I thought about it, and for me, it seems to be based on a desire to test human abilities. I want to see what people can do with a story. I want to know if someone can make Katniss in The Hunger Games look like a girl on fire. I want to see how close a car can come to looking like it’s flying on stage. When I read Fight Club long after seeing the movie, I wanted to see for myself how the author managed to keep the reader in the dark about the reality of the two main characters’ identities. Those are just a few examples, but the more I think about it, the more I’m sure that for me, the reason to experience the same thing in many different ways is because I’m curious about human capabilities, not because I can’t get enough of a story. How about you?

5 comments:

  1. For me, it's both reasons... if I enjoyed the book, I'm often curious about the movie. One, because the story intrigues me - two, because I'd like to see how others have intrepreted it - and three, because as active as my imagination is, I LOVE seeing stories come to life in the movies or on stage.

    THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE is a good example - I liked the book (though I did have some logic-related issues with it), and I'm curious about the film, especially how Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana have interpreted the characters.

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  2. I just check THE TIME TRAVELERS WIFE out at the library to read during our upcoming camping trip. I hope it's not too far fetched. I like time travel stories. I think physicists should be the next vampires by the way...

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  3. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was one of my favorites as a kid. I still love it. I was just listening to the soundtrack last week and can't help singing along, especially to "Truly Scrumptious," "I've Got you Two," and of course "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." How was the stage show? Where did you see it?

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  4. The stage show was really good. We saw it in Orange County, Ca. Not Broadway or anything, but still a nice place. We were moved to the 6th row, center section because they didn't have the assistive listening devices charged after I had talked to the house manager about that same problem when we saw Grease there. So while I don't appreciate their lack of attention to the ADA, I do appreciate that Neal ws able to see the show from so close up! Now we'll be spoiled and unable to accept "regular" seats again ;)

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