From novel to screen

I was in the middle of another blog post, when I stumbled across a film, based on a book that I absolutely loved. I was very excited (as I always am) to watch the characters I imagined in a certain way, come alive on screen.

Whenever the characters of this type of film are being introduced, I almost always want to say, “hang on, I know these people.” Not in the real sense of course, but in the I’ve-heard-so-much-about-you kind-of way. And this is something I particularly enjoy, until the Hollywood screen writer and director start to change things. Though this is something I enjoy for a very different reason: It gives me a chance to yell at the screen.

How dare they change the plot or the characters or the ending?

I guess they’re allowed.

I may love it or hate it, but I’ll probably still watch it, for the same reason we do anything in life – it might be fabulous. And I’ll cry just as much as I did at the end of the book, if not more so.

So why do these novelists agree to transfer their books to screen? After all, there are no guarantees that the film equivalents would have the same impact as their books.

I can only guess the answer.

It might be fabulous.

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