Amph Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer (Now discussing: Midnight Sun partially leaked)

Unfortunately, once the author sells the rights to make the movie, she doesn't have any control over it. Fortunately, it seems that the producer wants it to stay the same as the book, so we'll be getting that.

 

Yeah. See "Ella Enchanted" for an example of what happens when that occurs.

We're lucky that the producers and the director wants it to be as close as possible, but film and novels are two very different animals. First, everyone has different pre-conceived images of how the characters appear, so of course not all the characters will look like people imagined. I think fans usually are okay with that and get over it (though I seem to remember a lot of outrage when Robert Pattinson was first cast as Edward ). Then, as for adapting the novel to film, there's certain things that work really well on page but don't on film. So they have to cut and twist things. Not every book is going to make an excellent film. For example, the way Prince Caspian is written: in its original form, I think it would have made a terrible film. I liked the adjustments the directors, writers and producers made and even though it varied quite a bit from the book, it still felt like Narnia and turned into an excellent film.

I think it's much more important to get the right atmosphere for the fandom than to get every single little detail right. It's important, yes, to get the story at least semi-accurate (with Ella Enchanted, they barely did that at all), but every single detail, no. Artistic license, anyone? For example, look at PoA -- it cut a ton of stuff from JKR's book, but it still felt like Harry Potter and I think it's the strongest of all the HP films. It's an excellent adaption.

Another example that pops into my mind is LotR -- there's so much stuff in the novels that they HAD to cut some things and they turned into excellent adaptions. Like with PC, the novels as themselves would have made fairly poor films if they left every single detail in.

While I'm on a roll, another thing that comes to mind is "Sleepy Hollow" -- for anyone whose read the original short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (Washington Irving), the film is nothing like it at all, but contains elements of the short story and the characters and, to put it simply, the atmosphere of the entire film is surreal and terrifying, just like the short story. That makes it an excellent adaption. Does it follow the story line of Irving's story? Well... no, barely. Is it still a good film and worthy of the line "inspired by Washington Irving's 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow'"? Absolutely.

So, because I think I'm done randomly blabbing for now ( ), I think it's much more important to get the atmosphere of Meyer's book correct than just what the plot is or what the characters look like. And from what I've seen so far, I think they've got the atmosphere spot on, which makes me one happy fan.

 

Don't even get me started. Perfect example of how a perfectly enjoyable book was royally screwed up. You'll noticed that the author hasn't sold rights (as far as I know) to any of her other books to make into films.

Lord of the Rings was a really good example. Very classic, loved-by-everyone trilogy. They cut some stuff out, changed Faramir, added more Arwen stuff, etc. Still an amazing trilogy that everyone, including non-SFF fans, adores.

I don't expect Twilight to be like LOTR (because LOTR was moviemaking at its best; few things will come close) but done right, it could be great.

 

LOTR was an extremely good movie making book, if you know what I mean. It had everything a movie needed, plus more. I've only read the first in that trilogy, but from that I can tell that the book and movie(s) are insanely similar.

I don't expect that to be like Twilight. I expect Twilight to be in the right atmosphere (as said above) and the characters to be correct personality wise.

That makes me a VERY happy fangirl!!!

MJR

 

Well, what LOTR has besides a great story (once found by master screenwriters Jackson, Boyens, and Walsh) is a very passionate fan base. Over the last half century, its readers grew to love the trilogy like no other book series, ever, IMO. That includes Peter Jackson. So when he waned to make a LOTR film, he most certainly didn't want to half-ass it.

As obsessed and addicted as the Twilight fans are, I don't think the director or most of the crew (and cast, even) share that same passion.

edit: and, of course, when I talk about "great story", I mean for a movie. Obviously, as a book, all of LOTR is a great story.

 

I love the Lord of the Rings novels. I love the movie The Fellowship of the Ring. I've been able to sit through the movie versions of The Two Towers and Return of the King twice each, and the second viewing was worse than the first. "Adore" is pretty much the exact opposite of how I feel about the second and third movies. On the other hand, I'm of the opinion that the first three Harry Potter movies far exceed the books, while the fourth and fifth stories were better books. I prefer the movie of Interview with the Vampire to the book, I prefer the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe as a movie and I prefer Prince Caspian as a book. V for Vendetta had a better ending as a book, but the story otherwise flowed better as a movie and I prefer the movie overall.

I'll give Twilight the same chance I give any book-to-movie. If they make changes and the changes work or don't detract, I'll enjoy it. If they leave things as is that don't work, I'll be disapointed. And if they change things that don't need changing and replace them with something worse, then I'll be extremely disapointed (that was the failing of LotR - change is fine, as long as it works).

 

I think that anyone of us will be disappointed with one thing or another in the movie. Even if the movie was 'perfect' by whose definition would that be? We all have a different way of seeing Twilight in our minds and different things that we like and dislike that it is impossible to please everyone.

MJR

 

*jumps into conversation*

You are so right MJR! Anytime I've read a book before seeing a movie, I try to remind myself that you can get more detail into a book and that sometimes you just can't film the same things you can write.

The teaser looks good (and one of my favorite lines is in it, so that makes me happy) so I'm hopeful that it will turn out well!

 

What is you're favorite line? Just curious.

MJR

 

Was it the seventeen one? The trailers were cool - and they gave me good hopes that it'll be similar to the book.

 

Same here. I have these really high hopes now...and that means that it won't be as good.

MJR

 

I'm not worried about the movie, only because Stephanie has been so involved with every aspect of the transition. And the fact that the director read the original screenplay and was disgusted with everything they had changed that she had them re-write it and work it so it was as close to the book as possible.

~PK~

 

Well, when you put it like that...

 

There are bound to be a few scenes that will differ from the book.
I wonder how they'll manage Edward when he and Bella are outside in the meadow? With all the twinkling and glittering.
I hope it won't seem too ridiculous, I guess.

 

Nat guessed correctly, its the seventeen quote. I don't know why but that really stood out to me in the book, I just love it for some reason! If it gets cut (as things that are in the trailer often do) I'm going to be upset!


I wonder how they are going to make him sparkle as well, Ceillean. That is what I'm most worried about in the movie.

 

I imagine that they'll just shine a lot of light on him, basically the kind of effects used to make people look angelic in movies.

 

I hope they make it look real. Well as real as sparkling people get. But if they mess it up I will be very mad. That scene was one of my favorites.

 

Body glitter ftw.

 

Eh, body glitter!

I think they'll do something like what Raven says and make him look "angelic" -- well, hey, that works since doesn't Bella describe him as angelic a few (maybe more than a few) times?

 

The Barnes and Noble store I work at is having an awesome party Friday! I expect 500-600 people easy. It's going to be alot of fun. I'm just not sure what I'm gonna wear eyt, probably somekind of black vamp-flunky kinda clothes.

 

Yeah, the Borders near me is having a party. I'd consider going, but I don't know who I'd go with

Also, courtesy of Ish: Meyer has said that Bella and Edward are getting married, and near the beginning of the book.

 

Well, that's just crushing for us pro-Jacob fans.

I'm in Quebec when it comes out, so I won't be going to any parties because I don't feel like driving an hour down the hill to Montreal and getting lost in the roundabouts while trying to find a bookstore.

 

I'm going to be at a swim meet all weekend, so I don't get to go to any parties either. So I'm going to go to a pre-realese party at the library on Thursday.

There's always an alternate.

MJR

 

Tonight's the night!! I can't wait. Leaving here around 5:30ish.

~PK~

 

Even if I wanted to go, I can't (staying with my unt; really unfair to come home at 2 AM) s let us know how it is