From the Screen to the Page
We’ve all heard the phrase, “the book was so much better than the movie.”
Yeah, alright, but the saying has grown virtually meaningless with its repetition. I hate clichés. You hate clichés. They are boring and overused; however, many ring with truth. I love a good movie, of course, but I sometimes imagine what it would be like to write an incredible book, have the rights adapted to the screen and my pages virtually forgotten in the chaos and fame of actors, stardom, and visual glamor. With these thoughts in mind, I have put together a handful of great books that have become overshadowed by their cinematic counterparts. There is no possible way to transform hundreds of pages of deeply thought out prose into an hour-and-a-half film. But maybe that’s what you want. Personally, I have tried reading Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings books, and have failed every time. In this situation I am grateful to the director for transferring the brilliant story onto the big screen. This is all to say I am not hating on movies in any way.
Stephen King’s The Shining — This book sits on my top five favorite book list. King is a brilliant author with many creative and haunting stories. There is so much complexity that goes into the details of what “shining” actually is, which can be missed in the movie. Danny, the young child of Mr. and Mrs. Torrence, can see visions that no one else can. We walk through each of their experiences in the Overlook Hotel in a shifting first-person view. King masters the ability of writing from the point of view of a child, a man losing his mind, and a frightened but loyal wife. Slowly we dive into the abnormalities of the revered hotel including ghosts in bedrooms, haunting twins, and a shifting maze. Needless to say, this book is definitely worth the read.
Walter Tevis’ The Queen’s Gambit — Maybe it was my own ignorance, but when this came out as a Netflix series starring Anya Taylor-Joy, I had no idea there was a book. I watched it years ago and only recently decided to give it a try. This is not just a story about chess. We walk with Beth Harmon through her struggle with addiction, alcoholism, and losing those she loves. Tevis creates an alluring story where pills can seem like the safest option. There is no better way to walk in someone else’s shoes and attempt to experience another life than through their words, fictional or not. With every decision, we root for her, are disappointed, proud, and for the first time in my life, I found myself on the edge of my seat over a game of chess.
Diana Wynne Jones’ Howl’s Moving Castle — I have to admit, I was a little surprised when I saw the animated movie adaptation, and it created a great distinction between the book and movie for me. Howl is an outrageously selfish wizard, and it creates a much larger character arc throughout the book than was presented in the movie. The main character, Sophie, cursed by an evil witch to be an old woman when she was young, is written in the third person, and we feel, think, and see her thought process. Her struggle and desperation is illustrated in a way the movie can not translate. When reading the book, your imagination creates what the moving castle might actually look like instead of it being drawn for you, which is part of the awe and enchantment of the novel.
Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women — This story has been made into so many movies I can’t even keep track. I can’t say I would have read it if not for my mother suggesting it when I was younger. If you love Jo, Amy, Beth, and Meg from the movies, reading their stories on paper is even more emotional and ties you to their souls. Amy is a deeply insecure artist, Jo wants to be a boy so she can unabashedly participate in activities “not fit for women,” Meg wishes to be pampered, and Beth. Oh, Beth. She just wants to play the piano. The story follows each of their maturations. We see them act selfishly, selflessly, get hurt, find love, and become brilliant women. Not only is it a compelling coming-of-age novel, but also a romance novel, and a feminist novel as well.
I hope this blog inspires you to give one of these, or any book from a movie adaptation, a try.
Strike Out.
Writer: Rebecca Morgan
Copy Editor: Sarah Singleton
