Teens Can Write Too Blog Chain: Book-To-Movie Adaptations

What are your thoughts on book-to-movie adaptations? Would you one day want your book made into a movie, or probably not?”

When I was younger, I use to get really excited about my favorite books being turned into movies. I loved books, I loved movies, what better way to bring together two glorious things?

Unfortunately, as I got older, I got a lot more nitpicky towards adaptations. I was a Twilight fan when I was fourteen and forever pressed that some of the characters didn't look like how I pictured them (looking at you Kristen Stewart). My expectations were too high and, yes, I was that annoying person at the premiere of the fifth Harry Potter film going, "That wasn't in the book!" 

I've calmed down a bit now. I don't care if all the scenes are in the movie or if the actors match up with my dream version, but I have developed a new standard at which I grade book-to-movie adaptations: Was the movie good without the book? You're probably thinking, "Duh, of course a movie has to be good on it's own!" but I feel like that's not taken into account enough. 

A lot of people who do go to see book-movies are people who've read the books, understandably. They have some nostalgia and backstory that they can slide in so that the film makes sense, even if it really doesn't.

Most recent example of this I could think of? Divergent.

Now before you Divergent lovers come at me with your pitchforks, let me explain. When I went into the movie, I had the mindset of, "Don't think about the book (or your hatred of Tris) and just focus on the movie. Don't get your hopes up high." I've found that I can enjoy things more if I've already had a low expectation beforehand.

But as I sat there for two hours, I thought, "Does this movie even make to people who haven't read the book?"

To me it didn't. Based on what was shown in the movie, it doesn't make sense that Tris cares so much about her friends (who were never there), what Al did (who dafuq is he), why she was all over Four's junk (such romance), how she suddenly became the #1 badass (much training), and the ludicrous ending of sudden plot (hello plot where did you come from?). 

To be blunt, it was a shitty movie. I know a lot of people liked it, but I can't help but wonder if those same people would have enjoyed it without the book, because the book fills in a lot of unexplained things in the movie that allow you to look past the fact that it's not actually good. 

Book-to-movie adaptations are great, but the movie should actually be able to stand on it's own as a movie, because it's a different medium. Too many adaptations simply rely on fan power to fill in plot holes the size of the grand canyons and terrible writing/directing. If an audience of people who didn't read the book walked away, going, "What?" it wasn't a good film.

Other bad adaptations? The seventh Harry Potter film (one and two), Eragon (this is probably the worst), and Beautiful Creatures (just, wut).

Now, the second part of the question: would I want my book to be turned into a movie one day?

The answer is: hell yeah, but I'd rather an anime movie directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Mostly because of my love for anime and Hayao Miyazaki, but also because I generally feel like the things I write would look better in anime form than regular movie form.

But since that's unlikely to happen, I guess a movie wouldn't be too terrible. I would want to get in on the production of it though, just for the experience and maybe to help out with any questions. I think the author, paired with amazing scriptwriters and directors, would be able to keep the true essence of the book in movie form without it including every single little detail.

You're probably done with my babble, so go check out what other teen writers have to say!