February 1, 2007 • Print This Post
Did anybody watch Angels Fall on Lifetime Monday night? They’re doing four Nora Roberts stories for the next few Mondays.
I thought it was a really good adaptation. I’ve worked in film and it’s a committee project. The last movie I worked on had 19 versions of the script. Everyone puts in their two cents worth and I always find it amazing that the director somehow meshes it into a story that works.
I’m amazed at how they can distill a book of hundreds of pages into two hours with commercials.
I’m glad more books are being made into television movies and feature films. I love the medium. But I have to admit, for me, nothing comes close to the long, drawn out, nail-biting suspense of page turning.
Because as effective as those collage-like fast edits are, they don’t have that slow, gut wrenching suspense that the written word creates. It’s a different kind of experience. One that speeds you through the story, not giving you time to breathe except during the commercials. Then before you know it, you’re watching Will and Grace.
(Could anybody read those credits at the end? They went by so fast, that I had to look up the actors on the internet.)
The camera can collapse action or flashback into a few seconds, while we slowly world build word after word, page after page.
Two different media, two different ways of expressing the same thing. Is one better than the other, or is it apples and oranges?
I’d just finished listening to Angels Fall on audio books, just for the flow of the language, something that you miss in the shorter, visual version. And yet it did capture the essence of the story. And there was some wonderful scenery.
But I’m still undecided. What do you think? Is a picture worth a thousand words?
Posted by Gemma Bruce @ 6:00 am • Filed under: Gemma Bruce
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I saw it and was impressed that it captured the book. However I prefer the book, because your imagination is involved. You can linger on a moment in a book while once it scene flashes on TV, that’s it.
I also watched the movie and enjoyed it. Must admit I haven’t read the book though. I thought the scenery was great, wonder where they shot it? I’m looking forward to the next movie on Monday night.
I watched the movie, but I have not read the book yet. I actually went to a booksigning and have the autographed book to read in my TBR pile. I am looking forward to watching Montana Sky on Monday night. Since I have read that book I will be in a better position to comment of the adaptation of the book into a movie. I would much rather read a book than watch a movie. I love to let my imagination run wild while reading a book and then watching the movie so that I can compare how it was adapted. Go Colts on Sunday!!!!:lol::lol::lol:
I have read so much about this movie on the different blogs, and am sad to say that I couldn’t watch it because it was not offerred here in Canada. I would have loved to have watched it. I think that Montana Sky will be a great one to see, I have read the book and so enjoyed it. I enjoy reading opposed to the movies though because when you read it you can let your imagination take you there. But it is great that they are making movies of the books.
In a perfect world movie adapations of books would be just as good. But for me I have watched way to many movies that dont capture the book. I like watching the movies but if I have read the story before I cant watch them. I get to aggrivated and yell at the screen. lol If I see the movie first I can then go and read the book but it spoils the ending because you know what will happen.
My favorite book turned movie is The Notebook. I love both equally.
I can tell we’re all book lover’s here. I used to yell a lot at the screen, now I usually just turn off something I don’t like.
I haven’t read Montana Sky and I was going to run out and get a copy before next week, but I think I’ll try an experiment and see the television production first and then read the book. See if it makes a difference to me which comes first.
I also get frustrated with TV/Movie adaptations of books, so I try to avoid them. Nothing matches the imagination - the way I as the reader interpret the scene and see it in my head.
I taped Angel Falls and am waiting until the slow-tv Saturday night to watch it.