Still On The Trail Of Book Versus Film

If I ask you "Do you like my perfume?", and you answer "I prefer Provence in France"; however much the aroma of Lavender from Provence the perfume contains, our conversation is unquestionably absurd. That being so, then why are people always saying "I prefer the book." when they have gone to see a movie based on it? Or the other way round.

Cinema and literature are 2 different arts. Although they could become complementary, there's no comparison the experience of reading a book and going to the cinema. A novel has it's own tempo, scenes and smells. You 'see' and experience with your mind and imagination. The magic resides on how your mind processes the words and convert them into living beings, scenes and colours by each reader, therefore the pictures that form in you mind are not necessarily the same as those I have in mine.

A film require less compromise. The scenes and faces are imposed, we all see with our eyes the same everything, even though we might interpret the story differently. It also needs artistic skills to attract audience, to manipulate the sensations served up to them, all condensed to about 2 hours covering centuries and however complicated the story.

A book could be a companion for months, while a film is a session for a Sunday afternoon. One is solitary and the other in a group of friends or strangers. You can enjoy a book in pajamas cozily tucked up in bed; while a film is an outing with pizza perhaps afterwards. Two media belonging to two different worlds.

Another thing is, a film should be, more or less, truthful to the novel, allowing for artistic privileges. But it's not fair to compare a book with a film based on it to say whether it's good or not so good as the book. As the 2 things are just that, 2 different things. What is important is: the book should be good as a book, and the film is good as a good film should be.

Tags:film,book

Current Mood: Artistic

Michelin's Edition On Economic Meals

When many restaurants here in Spain are lowering prices these days due to the ongoing crisis, still making havoc for the majority of people in every section, forcing them to tighten their purse strings, even the 'official' gourmet Bible Michelin had published their 1st edition, years ago, their new guide with the subtitled: 'Buena mesas a menos de €35' (Good food for less than €35), aimed specially at guiding carriers of the most discerned stomachs appreciating only the best food, but now having to watch the spending in time of world economic crises. In Spain, the crisis now is worse than before.

Even though many people might not consider €35 for a restaurant meal exactly economical, but those who are usually guided by Michelin would no doubt appreciate this effort on the part of those restaurants which, at better times, usually charged that much for the starter alone, or the dessert.

This guide listed 400 restaurants in Spain and Portugal, selected by their own inspectors and food critics of Michelin. No competition for the other restaurants I had mentioned in my earlier Blog, but then the customers in these other establishments can't boast afterwards they had been to such and such a place, following the Michelin Guide.

Tags:1stedition,Michelin

Current Mood: Blah

Biker Versus Becky

A biker stops at a garage in a small Kent village to see whether they can quickly repair a problem he’s having with his bike. When he learns that they won’t be able to fix it for a few hours, he tells them that he lives nearby and he’ll pick it up later in the afternoon. On his walk home he stops by the farm shop and buys a goose and two chickens. He then goes into the hardware store and buys a bucket and an anvil. As he leaves the store, struggling with his purchases, he sees 65 year old Becky wandering around in a daze and crying.

"What’s the matter lady?" he asks.

Becky looks up and sees this handsome tattooed hunk of a man smiling at her in a friendly way. She immediately stops crying. "I’m lost," replies Becky, quickly composing herself. "I’ve only just moved into this village and today, for the first time, I’ve walked here to do some shopping. But I can’t remember how to get back to my house and I don’t know what to do."

"Where do you live?" he asks.
"179 Bush Avenue," replies Becky.
The biker says, "You’re in luck lady. As I live quite near Bush Avenue, I’ll be glad to escort you to your new home. But I won’t be able to walk very fast as I’m having difficulty holding my shopping, as you can see."

"So why don’t you put the anvil inside the bucket, carry the goose in your left hand, carry the bucket plus anvil in your right hand, and hold one of the chickens under each arm?" suggests Becky.

"That’s a good idea, lady, thank you," he says, doing as she suggested. Then he starts to escort Becky home. She can’t believe that she is being accompanied by such a good looking man.

A few minutes into their walk, he says to her, "Let’s take a short cut down this alley, lady. It will save 5 minutes of our time."

On hearing this, Becky says, "Hold on a minute. I’m a lonely widow with no husband to help defend me. How do I know that when we’re in the alley you won’t grab me, hold me up against the wall, pull up my skirt, and ravish me?"

The biker laughs out loud. "Jesus, lady, I’m carrying a bucket, an anvil, two chickens, and a goose. How on earth do you think I could hold you up against the wall and ravish you?"

Becky quickly replies, "So put the goose on the ground, place the bucket over him and put the anvil on top of the bucket. I’ll hold the two chickens."

Tags:Becky,biker

Current Mood: Amused

Once Again, For You Steveomedic - Re. Book Versus Film

Seven years ago, I posted a Blog 'Book Versus Film'. I am not going to post that Blog again, just his comments and my reply to my dear friend Steveomedic ... below:

Titled - My Reply To S. re. 'Book vs. Film'

It appeared that my recent Blog titled 'Book Versus Film', had started the 2 of us, Steveomedic and me, both thinking quite a lot on this topic, especially about what makes a certain book so very special. The following passage was part of Steve's last comment on that Blog. I found it so interesting his point of view, together with his earlier ones on the same page, that I thought it would be good for me to reply to him here, as it might be too long for the comment section, but most of all, it's interesting perhaps to other book lovers who might stumble across here and give their views as well.

Steve: "There was this novel called "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy. I loved it so much that while in the middle of taking in its flavor, I decided I didn't want it to end. So I stretched out the experience by reading only several pages, like, every other day. Portions of this story evoked strong emotions, and this is when I realized how others can effect our lives in such strange ways. Although Mr. Conroy and I will never meet, his writings opened the door for me to realize that there are experiences outside my orbit that have such substance, making continued exploration of my world a requirement.

It was one of the very few times where I didn't want this relationship to end, and when it did, I was depressed for a short time there after. When I became aware of the book being made into a film version, I felt that actually seeing what I read would bring this great satisfaction.

Robert Duvall was to star in the film version, and such a fine actor would surely bring substance to the story. But sadly, this is when I realized that the vision of others can't be a substitute for the rekindling of experiences. What a disappointment."

Me: To like a book, or not, is a bit like falling in love. It's impossible to explain. If you like it a lot, the rational explanation or analysis comes afterwards ... sometimes not even then, or at all. You feel the same tickle, the same euphoria, like electricity lightly passing through your whole being. The dazzling quality of the story seduces and drags you along, and you don't care where. Anywhere; just don't let it stop. The quality is in the originality. You feel, and you are sure, that you have never read anything like it. Once started, you don't have the option to stop; you don't want it to stop. Much like love huh, Steve?

To adapt it later as a film, it's the obligation of the script writer to read the whole book thoroughly then work closely with the author. Edit he must, to transform much of the text into visual scenarios, but not to alter the all important essence of the original work. I guess this transformation also partly consists of other factors like commercial value, budget, time scale, star quality, what to keep and what to omit, etc etc. In other words, a thousand unavoidable variations impossible not to change the book version in some degree. How much of that degree also depends on the audience's own education level and personal interest in the subject matter, as well as his or her valuation and appreciation of the 2 forms of art, book versus film.

Back to you Steve, your turn ...

Tags:film,book

Current Mood: Artistic

A Mixed Bag Of Logic

Woman's Logic

Charles was getting annoyed and shouted upstairs to his wife, " Hurry up or we'll be late."
"Oh, be quiet," replied his wife. "Haven't I been telling you for the last hour that I'll be ready in a minute?"

Irish Logic

An Irishman had no idea his wife was having an affair, so he was mad with grief when coming home early one day he surprised her and her lover in the act.

He grabbed a pistol and pointed it at his own head, which made his wife burst out laughing.

"What do you think you're laughing at," he cried, "you're next."

Boaster Logic

An English man, an Irishman and a Scotsman are sitting in a pub full of people. The Englishman says, "The pubs in England are the best. You can buy one drink and get a second one free". Everyone in the pub agreed and gave a big cheer.

The Scotsman says,"Yeah. That's quite good but in Scotland you can buy one drink and get another 2 for free." Again, the crowd in the pub gave a big cheer.

The Irish man says "Your two pubs are good, but they are not as good as the ones in Ireland. In Ireland you can buy one pint, get another 3 for free and then get taken into the back-room for a shag"

The English says "WOW! Did that happen to you?" and the Irishman replies "No, but it happened to my sister."

Tag:Logic

• Current Mood: Amused