Challenges
The Books-to-Movie Challenge for June is How To Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell and is the first animated film for our challenge. Published in February 2010 by Little, Brown Books for Readers it is first book in the How to Train Your Dragon series. How to Train Your Dragon follows the story of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, a struggling viking as he learns to become a viking.
You can read an excerpt here.
The film was released in 2010 with the voice talents of Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson and America Ferrera.
Some things to consider when reading:
How closely does the film follow the novel?
Do you think the artwork in the novel translates to the artwork in the film?
So pull up a book, a bucket of popcorn, and let the fun begin!
The Books-to-Movie Challenge for April is Beastly by Alex Flinn, originally released in October 2008. A modern retelling of the classic fairytale Beauty and the Beast, Beastly takes place in current New York City. The novel uses modern technology to allow the main character, Kyle Kingsley, to connect with the outside world after his self-imposed seclusion without leaving his apartment.
I love this book, the fresh take on the classic story is so well done. You can read my original review here.
The movie stars Alex Pettyfer as Kyle Kingsley (recently rumored to be in Mortal Instruments, and starring in I Am Number Four). Vanessa Hudgens (of High School Musical) stars as Lindy, the love interest, and Neil Patrick Harris stars as Kyle’s tutor Will. *SQUEE!!* (Yep, I did just scream like a little girl over Neil Patrick Harris.)
Some things to keep in mind as you read and watch the movie:
How do you like the changes they made to Kyle’s character, having him scarred instead of hairy?
It appears from the featurette that Kyle goes to public school, what do you think of this departure from the novel? Does it help or hurt the feeling isolation that Kyle experiences in the novel?
Do the actors/actresses fit the characters from the novel? If not, who do you think could do better?
Overall thoughts and impressions?
I am very excited of this challenge so pull up a book, a bucket of popcorn, and let the fun begin!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GPHkLbJH7Y
I’m a little late with the report but life has been a little crazy lately, that being said let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Remember that we are discussing the 2005 film adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It has been some time since I watched the movie and I had forgotten how blown away I was by the film but watching it again brought it all back.
First, I love Georgie Henley as Lucy (I also love her as young Jane in the 2006 Jane Eyre adaption). I think she does a great job of showing Lucy’s enthusiasm and innocence without being super annoying. Also, her confidence in herself and her feelings were great and showed through, especially when she is convincing the others that they have to help Mr. Tumnus after he is captured by the White Witch. I think the reason Lucy is the first to enter Narnia is because she is the most likely to believe what is happening to her, a willingness to suspend disbelief. Remember, it only after they have been admonished by the Professor that Peter and Susan are able to get into Narnia through the Wardrobe.
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hat did you think of the movie’s portrayal of Aslan? The first time I watched the movie I was a little disappointed in the voice of the lion (for some reason I always heard James Earl Jones in my head with his deep gravely voice but admit I would just keep hearing “Luke, I am your father” if he was the voice of Aslan) but I have since grown to really like Liam Neeson as the voice of Aslan. I think my favorite line of the books as well as the movie is “He’s not a tame lion.” I was disappointed that the first time we meet Aslan in the movie is when he comes out of the tent instead of being danced around by the fawns and dryads, like the book has the first meeting between the children and Aslan. I think the change did change the feeling of the Christian overtones because (I think) for most individuals waiting for the return of Christ, we would be celebrating in song and dance if He was with us again. However, having him come out of the tent did build up the tension and kept more of the feeling that he was apart from the rest of Narnia, separate but watching over them.
Initially I was disappointed in Tilda Swinton as the White Whitch, for some reason I had the phrase “terrible in her beauty” in my head in connection with the witch, I’m not sure if that is the book or just something rambling around in my brain but I didn’t feel like she did justice to the phrase to begin with. However, by the time we got the big battle and we see her all decked out in her warrior garb with the lion skull shaped helmet being pulled by the polar bears, I was convinced that she was perfect for the part (and I totally loved her double sword battle action).
My favorite scene of the movie is the Battle of Beruna, if there is one thing that Holleywood gets right it is the epic battle. There is something about seeing two large armies running towards each other, screaming their battle cries, that just sends chills up my spine and this film version did it right. My imagination never seems to do epic battles justice, when the horses are running and the griffins are flying above with Peter leading the charge on his pure white unicorn, something magical seems to be happening.
I have to admit I have been pleasantly surprised by how Hollywood has kept the Christian overtones in all the of the films. Granted, the Christian themes are a large part of the story but I didn’t feel like they were down played at all. I am glad they were able to include the strong theme of family, and how not matter what happens you work hard to make sure that you are all together. I love all three films, but what do you think?
Finally, I love the music in all three films (This is Home by Switchfoot on Prince Caspian is one of my all time favorite songs) so I thought I would leave you with this great song by Imogean Heap.
Since February is such a short month and we are starting off a little late and since no one posted a comment I have decided we are going to go back and look at the novel and movie that started the The Chronicles of Narnia movie series.
The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of books that was originally published in 1950 but set in 1940 during WWII in England. The series has seven books and there has been some debate regarding the reading order. The original reading order of my first set of books, which I received as gift when I was eight, is (1) The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, (2) Prince Caspian, (3) Voyage of the Dawn Treader, (4) The Horse and His Boy, (5) The Magician’s Nephew, (6) The Silver Chair and (7) The Last Battle. If you purchase the novels now the reading order is (1) The Magician’s Nephew, (2) The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, (3) The Horse and His Boy, (4) Prince Caspian, (5) Voyage of the Dawn Treader, (6) The Silver Chair and (7) The Last Battle. The books have been translated into more than 47 languages and it has been considered one of the best 100 novels from 1923 to 2005 by Time magazine.
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe follows the adventures of the Pevensie children who have been evacuated from London because of the bombing of that city by the Germans. The novel has been adapted for television three times, for live theater once in 1984 and in 2002 a musical adaptation was performed by the Philippines’ Christian-based “Trumpets Playshop”. The adaptation we are looking at is the 2005 big screen version starring Georgie Henley, Skander Keynes, William Moseley and Anna Popplewell with Liam Neeson as Aslan .
Some things to consider while reading and watching:
What is the effect of Lewis’s depiction of Aslan as a lion? Does it adequately express the nuances of Christ’s character?
Why is Lucy, the youngest child, the first to enter Narnia, and Edmund, the next youngest, the second to enter? Is this a coincidence, or is Lewis making a point about the ability of younger children to be more open-minded?
What do you think of the film adaptation? Do you agree with what was changed? Do you disagree?
We will be discussing all of this on February 28th. So pull up a book, a bucket of popcorn, and let the fun begin!
