Book to Movie Review

Book to Movie

This is going to be a challenge for me.

I have VIEWS on making movies from books.

These views are not usually charitable. 

In fact, I have been known to get quite passionate in my defense of a beloved story that has been massacred by the movie industry.  The only way I'll consent to reading/watching both interpretations is if I watch the movie first and then enjoy how much better the book is, afterward.  If I read a book beforehand and then watch the movie, I'm vocally (some would say, irrationally) angry at all the changes.

Don't get me wrong, I know there are some reason for changes.  Unless you have a constant voice-over narration, you have to figure out how to get all of the backstory and character thoughts depicted in images.  There have to be changes for format.  However, too often the only characteristics the movie has in common with the book is the title and, perhaps, character names.

But what if you didn't know the movie was based off a book?  What if it was a movie you'd seen dozens of times as a kid and adult and loved? What if you fell in love with the music in the movie? What if, after all these years, you actually read part of the credits to realize there was a book?!

Bedknobs and Broomsticks (by Disney)--I'm looking at you!

Or should I say,

Bed-knob and Broomstick

(singular)

by Mary Norton

Read by Anna Hassey

I was aware, going in, that this was not going to be a one-for-one translation.  I mean, (cough) Mary Poppins... enough said. (If you haven't read the book series by P.L. Travers, give it a go and you'll see what I mean)

I can see where they got there but the road map has been folded, re-folded, crumpled, sprayed with sea water, torn a bit, burnt and snubbed out, and flattened back out again. True, the character names are the same.  There is a witch--not wicked and not a rich witch, a bed knob, and a bed.  And a love interest named Emelius.  That's pretty much where the similarities end. 

	Book	Movie
·         Set in English Countryside	X	X
·         Visit London	X	X
·         Get arrested	X
·         Time Travel	X
·         Jazzy songs		X
·         Island of Naboombu		X
·         Island cannibals	X
·         Love story	X	X

Turns out, I liked them both and was able to appreciate the individuality of each.  I'd like to think of them as cousins that get to see each other at holidays.  Related but not all that closely.

What about you? Do you have a favorite book to movie matchup?  Or one that you are violently opposed to?  Let me know and I'll check it out!