Thursday, April 13, 2006
Tuck Everlasting
I picked Tuck Everlasting off the bargain table at the local DVD store. A lovely film, and an even more lovely book. An elegaic rural sort of story that the Americans do so well. (Dr Zachary Smith as the bad guy offers a nice frisson.) For me, almost always, the book is better than a film, though. A book leaves more room for my imagination, more room for me to make it my story. An exception was Whale Rider. Reputedly the book was written in three weeks in New York hotel room, and the film smoothed out the rough spots in the plot. James and the Giant Peach is apparently another exception to my rule but though I've seen and enjoyed the film many times I've never read the book. Roald Dahl's plots are odd though - to the adult taste, as the books work so well for children.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I've been discussing children's books to their filmed counterparts on my blog recently. The general consensus is that Dahl has almost never been done as well as the book. I was a big fan of the "Danny, Champion of the World" adaptation with Jeremy Irons but some people love your beloved "James and the Giant Peach". I highly recommend that you read the book if you get the chance. Fine frolicksome affair, that.
I'll look out for Danny, Champion of the World. I've seen James and the Giant Peach on video so often - it was my son Dan's favourite video around 3 - that it's become the definitive version in my mind and I hesitate to interfere with that with another version.
Post a Comment