2) Johnnv Got H-is Ggu by D. Trunbo. 3) Black ... 2) Second and third rate literature nakes a better filn than first rate ...... Johnny Got His Gun (videorecording).
THE UNIVERSITYOF CHICAGO
The Adaptation o f Literature to Filn: A Comparison o f One to the Other.
A THESIS/PAPERSUBMITTEDTO
THE FACULTYOF THE GRADUATETIBRARY SCHOOL IN CANDIDACYFOR THE DEGREEOF MASTEROF ARTS
BY Janes P. Snith (ADVISOR: Betsy Hearne; Written
CHICAGO,ILLINOIS AUGUST1988
for
LIBSCI 400)
Contents: I. Introduction and background I{hy adapt literature to filn? To advance the reading of literature; and to give filn sone class. II. Theory on the perception of filn inages. Retained inage; literary tropes; visual tropes; zoetrope. I ) linguistic film analysis 2) Literary filn analysis 3) Sign systen filn analysis 4) Sort through the resulting confusion; recognize and accept the differences of the nedia III. History of conparison of filns fron books. Two views: 1) pro-book 2) pro-filn IV. What happens to literature when it takes the forn of filn? V. Sonetimes adaptation works: Five exanples of good films fron I iterature: 1) The Treasure of the Sierra Madre by B. Traven and J. Huston 2) Johnnv Got H-is Ggu by D. Trunbo 3) Black Stallion by W. Farley and Zoetrope Co. 4) Wher.e the Wild*Things Are by M. Sendak and Weston Woods 5) Snow White by W. Disney and Faerie Tale Theatre Sonetines adaptation fails: Exanples of bad filns from good books: 1) A book filmed six tines: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn positive and negative reviews 2) Where the Wild Things Are by the BBC 3) Bible by J. Huston VII. Theory for these failures and successes: 1) Author of book writes screen adaptation or gives other input 2) Second and third rate literature nakes a better filn than first rate I iterature. VIII. How does it feel to sell your book-child to the book-rapist filnnakers? An article on the results of questionnaire to authors of books which have been adapted. Ken Kesey quotes, and rebuttal. IX. FiIn adaptations of literature continues: new Pecos "B1II. X. Sunnary and conclusion Books and film each have their neritsr &nd the media are not freely interchangeable. One nust view each adaptation on itts own nerits. The point is: Film is film and literature is literature. - and film However, if your goal is to further the cause of literature adaptation encourages reading! then filn should be used to further that end.
The noving picture for
approximately
ninety
is a story years.
century film.
Filn
Irron the beginning'
film
responsibilities "
trivialities.
Sinyard
legacy
said
in lifur-ing_lrlerelUl'e,
of the 19th century
was recognized as a revolutionary the methods of literary
the new nedia were proposed:
tedious
nediun which has been in existence
novel
of story
art.
itself."
telling,
reporting
tll
nediun which would predictions
Sone lofty
was to free the "novelist
Filn
the
is the 20th
in a very real sense is a form of literature
serve to change forever for
Neil
"The
Afl--sf--Ssrg-en lklat)tation:
telling
fron the
observations,
and
L21
The adaptation
of literature
the comnercial novie theater.
to film
began soon after
lrlaking filns
the introduction
is a practice
based on literature
which has a history
nearly
itself
nakers saw the novel as a source of raw material.
because filn
as long as the existence
of
of the nedium of filn In
t3l
Francet in the year 1899, George Melies presented & seven minute film adaptation
of the fairy
famous "Trip
tale
Cinderella.
to the Moon" on the science fiction
the United States'
in 1903, theatrical
old in 1903 when Edwin S. Porter
I
Later,
Sinyard, NeiI.
Irtelies was to base his more works of Jules Vern. t41
novie exhibition
was just
produced a twelve minute filn
FilminH Literature,
the Art
seven years
adaptation
of Screen Adaptation.
York: $t. Martin's Press, 1986. Pg. vii. 2
rbid.
3 Bluestone, George. Nsvelslllte-Idu. 1957. Pg. vII. 4 Boyun, Joy Gould. Qqq!.Ie ExposUf@. A m e r i c a nL i b r a r y , 1 9 8 5 . P g . 3 .
In
Bartinrore: Johns Hopkins Press, New York: New
of
.Unsle--Ierds-eebia. t51 A wide range of uses beyond mere entertainnent filns
based on literature.
reading
of literature,
one's goals are to pronote literature
If
and one recognizes
necessary to get people reading to filn
would certainly
Adaptation of literature order
to supply
"motion pictures
t?l
"borrow a bit
of the (original)
Iiterary
And adapting
and evaluation
Because adaptation
filn with
classics
has been t6l
a nuch-needed source of plots
and
novel to the screen also
workts quality
and stature."
t81
in
serves to
The
to the original
based on literature
for
as long as
process.
Regardless of the notive source naterial,
for
the adaptation
In 1988 lihs_pefCgled-Bpger Roger*Bsbhit
of literature
with a needed "blood transfusion"
the classic
of filns
and the
to the masses."
works upon which they are based has been a practice
the adaptation
filns
then the adaptation
of the literary
characters."
conparison
literature,
supplies
for
the need to use whatever methods are
serve your purpose.
as an "introduction
justified
have been pronoted
the novie,
based on literature
filn's
heavy dependence upon literature
of literature
Rabbit
to film
continues
the book by Gary Wolf,
by Touchstone Pictures.
day:
became l{ho Franed
Estinates
vary by year of production
to this
for
fron
of the percentage of thirty
percent
to
5 Kauffnann, Stanley, and Bruce Henstell (ed.). A8erica*nFilm Criticism. flaq__t_he"Begi:nings Lo Citiaeg Kane:. Beviews of SiEnificant FiIns at the, Tine NewYork: tiveright, 19'12. Pg. 4. Ihev*jirgl lpgeg[ed. 6 Miller' Gabriel. ScrqeninE the Novel. Rediscovered Anerica.n_Fiction In h-In. NewYork: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1980. Pg. 95. 7 W e i n b e r g , H e r m a nG . . " N o v e l I n t o F i l n r " L i t e r a t u r e / F i l m Q u a t e r l y . Spring 1973. Pg. 99. 8 Boyun, Joy Gould. Double Exposure: Fiction American Library, 1985. Pg. 4.
Into [i-!n.
New Vork: New
t:2,
well
percent.
over fifty In order
with
to better
an exanination
project
of novenent.
principal
than the duration
of novement. was printed
the principle It
consisted
were a series viewed through
of vertical the slots,
Of the nany theories point:
linguistics,
Linguistic involves
of a circular for
exposure, the retina 1/t0
lantern"
of
of a second longer
device of the 1800's to produce the illusion
of vision
strip
of paper on the inside a horse and jockey.
instance,
cut into
of paper.
the strip
of which There
When rotated
and
the horse appeared to gallop. of film
analysis,
sign systen,
analysis
of filn
are worthy of note at this
conparison.
assunes a linguistic
The linguistic
as there are language "tropes"
three
and Iiterary
the conparison of the linguistic
nature of literature.
defined
of,
is based on
tgl
of persistence
slots
nove; they only
After
approximately
contact.
pictures
individual
inage."
toy or "nagic
a visual
really
one should begin
The novenent a viewer perceives
known as "retained
of the actual
A "zoetropel'was which utilized
Itlovies dontt
the inage of a picture
the eye retains
process,
the adaptation
of the nediun.
an illusion
an optical
understand
nodel for
nature of fitn
school of film
there are visuar
film
to the linguistic
study proposes that
"tropes."
t10l
by Funk and Wagnalls in the New Conprehensive International
st_t,hs Eggligh*lsnguege as:
and
"Trope (n. ) 1 The figurative
A trope
just is
Dictionary
use of a word.
Z
I Ross, Harris. Filn as Literature, Literature as Filn: an Introduction to eUd'B_i&,fi_Sgr-aBbX-_aL_f-ilgj-g&Igtisnship t_o titerature. New york: Greenwood Press, 198?. Pg. 14. 10 Bluestone, 0eorge. 1957. Ps. 22-3,
Novels Into Filn.
Baltinore:
Johns Hopkins Press,
Loosely and less properly'
a figure
speech in gener&l."
of speech; figurative
t11l It tropes
would then follow through
film
achieves a social
to produce cinenatic
nakers use editing
the use of -irp-nfs--sen!reg!.
in lbe*Plonot.er, Chell'
that
triunph
"When Alec
For exanple:
by dancing with
the filur cuts to a shot of greasy seusage frying
nakers arso use Baxqlle]-€d,illng "A wife,
exanple: willing
lover.
advances to his secretary. " The sign system of filn
shows an office
scarcely
be distinguished
The stimuli physical
11
interpretation
conceptual
For
with a
where the husband is naking
assunes there
is a "difference
feelings,
concepts,
images evoked by verbal
stinuli
can
in the end from those evoked by nonverbal stinuli.
spatial
characteristics
ensemble which is consciousness."
into
images of things,
and become conponents of
[14]
is the statenent: feelings
NeruqMal--Diqt_i_onary NewJersey: Publishers International
12 Bluestone, George. N o v e l s I n t o F i l n . 1957. Pg.25. 13 rbid. Ps.22.
"Word
symbols must be
and concepts through the process of
Funk and Wagnalls.
Lngtieh_languege. 1346.
14 Ibid.
[12]
t lf1
Key to the sign systen theory translated
is
' whether they be the signs of language or the sense data of the
wor1d, lose their
the total
tropes.
is seen flirting
between kinds of images--between images of things, words--we nay observe that
It
dingy Kitchen."
to produce cinematic
to make her husband jealous,
The next edit
the Countess of
in a skillet.
the next day and...mother is preparing his meal in their "Film
Guinness,
Baltimore:
of the Press, 1982.
Pg.
Johns Hopkins Press,
thought.
l{here the moving picture
Ianguage must be filtered
cones to us directly
through
through
the screen of conceptual
perception,
apprehension."
t151 The literary
sehool of filn
between the two nedia. "conparison
of filn "A
statement: the addition
Calvin
literary
"nost
of filn
"The
[16] warna:
"There
as a sign systen.
as 1915 filn
are better
kaleidoscopic
adaptation
ways of stocking
junble
nust be qualified
of unrelated
amusementor instruction
"Filn
is linear,
a
The Use of Language Based
examples of applying
In analyzing
linguistics
and
to consider
analogies between sign
of the analogies." net with
resistance
fron
the mind than by flashing infornation.
which nerely
with
"nost of the time."
these nodels can lead to a failure
systens one nust not become prisoner As early
by adding:
that
For an exanple, the
of the tine. " And the statenent:
nodels suggest that
the conplexity
of cliches."
in "The Film Metaphor Metaphor;
Studyr"
difference
leads to the criticism
a novel is narrativer"
nust also be qualified
Pryluck
Models in Filn
is full
is narrative,
of:
recognizes little
This over sinplification
and literature
filn
novel is linear"
interpretation
Sluts
gone educators: before
the eye a
There is danger in any form of the nind."
[17]
Gerald Peary expressed the opposing view in the Classic
the Upules when he wrote:
"According to this view, the filn
rock botton, as a sub-art,
a plaything for idiot
Anerican
Novel and
nedium began at
savant wizards and tinker
toy
15 lbid. Pg. 23. 16 Pryluck, Calvin. "Filn Metaphor lletaphor: The Use of Language-Based Models in Filn Study," Literature Filn Quarterlv, 3t2, S p r i n g 1 9 7 5 . P g . 1 2 3 . 17 Hitchcock, Alfred M.. The EnEIish Journal.
"The
Relation
of the Picture
(4) 1el5. Pe. 298.
Play to Literature,"
technologists,
zoetrope to kinetoscope."
and always has been a nore conplicated people concede. " novel and film
represent
other as ballet out that for
Peary reninds
a pudding. "'
still
"
'is
"The end products
said:
Literature,
noticed
a "necessity
to denonstrate
by instantly
expressing a preference
He found "alnost
unbelievably
reactionary
widely persist
and filn
fron the linguistic
"The
attitudes
across the whole education spectrum."
is visual,
is adapted to filn?
changes are inevitable
mediun to the visual
canera makes space pliable. enabled it
mediun.
camer& does not see things
over
[21J is
the noment one switches
"Even immobilized,
effects."
as the eye does.
print
Because the novel
The canera can nove, and it's
to achieve unprecedented visual
for
his or
to the media which
nobility
the has
l22l
lens of the canera replaces the eye of the observerr"
(but)..the
With the mind, the eye is able to
18 Peary, Gerald, and Roger Skatzkin (ed.). New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing llSlfies. Ibid.
fron each
than is the recipe
credentials
linguistic
of
And "Margaret Kennedy points
t19l
no more a work of literature
What happens to a novel when it
19
nediun than most
genres, as different
aesthetic
is
t2O1
Sinyard in Filming
filn.
different
Bluestone
is fron architectur....."
screen writing
her cultural
and nulti-layered
us that
addst "Film
Peary further
[181
.0 Co, t977.
*!he Pg. 2.
Pg. 4,
20 Bluestone, George. 1957. Pg. 35.
NqY*ejs Inlp-Eilm.
Baltimore:
Johns Hopkins Press,
2 1 S i n y a r d , N e i I . F i I n i n E L i t e r a t u r e , t h e A r t o f $Srp-gn.ldaptation. York: St. Martin's Press, 1986. Pg. 99. 22 Bluestone, George. 1957. P9.15.
-!{Brelglpt*q__filU.
Baltinore:
Johns Hopkins Press,
points
select
of interest
The basic first
the camera wourd soullessly
ideas and vision
of the filnr are contained
the scope of the novel has to be reduced.
can not fit
into
ninety
ninutes
of film,
the inclusion
of a clear-cut
beginning,
in ideological
content
Third, is
mother becones a single
need for
the filn
addition
of sone sort of a "qualitative
to at least
benefits "There
is the addition
niddle,
introduced,
Alex's
editing
once said:
and end.
in order to reflect
Slalliqn'
response theory."
experiences,
and controlled based."
...Viewers by a prior
are
And usually current
it
is a
trends,
a
For example, in the EIeSk_
parent in the film.
equal the quality
Finally,
the
of the book suggests the
judgenent."
I2bl to as
A personts response to a book is based on "past
personal associations,
preconceptions.
the
of melodrana;
One should also keep in mind what Boyum in Double Exposure refers "Reader
But
I24l
which happens to the novel
happy ending which is added. shift
director,
But -e]LefybedJ can rewrite."
The second thing
in the novel.
Five hundred pages of novel
Sometines this
Robert Senglaubr a very wise filn
very few writers.
[29]
The experience of reading most
novels is longer than viewing nost filns. story.
record,"
culturar
biases and aesthetic
response to a gliven filn response to the literary
He found "biases that..,often
was so frequently work on which that
skewed perception
and interfered
preceded filn
was
with
23 rbid. 24 Sinyard, Neil. York: St. Martin's
FilninE Literature, the Art Press, 1986. Pg. 134.
25 Peary, Gerald, and Roger Skatzkin (ed,). UoU11jCC.New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing
of Screen Adaptation.
New
Ql,assic Anerican Novel and the Co, 1977. pg. ?-8.
appreciation. " Sinyard'
t26l
in Filning go for
are the ones that text...use(ing)
Literature, the spirit
rather
the canera to interpret
screen and hope to present
hin entirely
public knewhin...."
naterial. fact'
I try
"I
don't
I feel
than the letter
seek to interpret,
for
illustrate
any one character
as the novelist
of the the tale."
from page to
created
him or as the
with John Huston, Film Quarterly,
to be as faithful
the fascination
screen adaptations
t28l
In Gideon Bachmannts interview 1965, Huston said:
"great
and not sinply
"you cannot transpose
[27] orne reflects,
novelist's
suggested that
to put my own stanp on the
to the original the original
FaIl
naterial
as I can....In
nakes me want to nake it
into
film. " Censorship is another factor "Moral
to consider when the process of literature
adaptation
is analyzed.
content. "
[29] Censorship consists
control
Production Code of 1934 (and others),
has continually
of the Catholic
altered
filnic
Legion of Decency, the
and an "Unwritten
Code" of
self-censorship. There is also a forn of nonetary control. true
that
"the American filn
In a large part
because it
began as a gadget and ended as a billion
26 Boyun, Joy Gould. Double Exposure: Fiction Into FiIn. A m e r i c a nL i b r a r y , 1 9 8 5 . P g . x i .
29 Ibid.
Pg. 36.
L0
Baltinore:
dollar
NewYork: New
27 Sinyard, Neil. Filning_[.!!ere!ur_e.-_thq_A1!__st_SgresnldgB!A!ia[. York: St. Martin's Press, 1986. Pg. x. 28 Bluestone, George. Novels Ints*Film. 1957. Ps. 23,
is
New
Johns Hopkins Press,
a
investment."
Producers seek to linit
on film
production
even larger insufficient
But conpared with
has shown that
film
econonic backs are against -Warner Brothers,
have to be sold to make
that
rules
the decision
production
production
studios
in their
is a need with
expenses involved.
in filn
the waII.
invested
there
literature,
receipts
the anounts of noney involved history
the capital
audience due to the greater box office
an appeal to a
by insuring
investnent
adaptation.
noney.
investnent
sale to return
Books need a large production.
to this
the risk
Irlany thousands of novie tickets
broad audience base. a return
in a filn
Large anounts of money are invested
t30]
of
process. Because of that
only take risks
will
an
is a fear
So it
is no surprise
it
for
film
when their
For exanple:
on the verge of bankruptcy,
released the first
"talkie"
the Jagr_*rgirrEgr. -The Suprene Court ruling forced filn
studios
with competition television
to divest
theater
their
in the early
30 rbid.
Pg. 6.
31 rbid.
Pg. 38
This decision
of connercial
conbined
broadcast
1950's spurred the wide-screen and the stereoscopic
classics
and seni-classics
as source naterial
to the Legion of Decency's canpaign against
in the 1940's and 50's.
How have filned
of trade
restraint
t3tl
-The use of literary be traced directly
holdings.
introduction
by the successful
(3-D) innovations.
filns
in the 1950's regarding
adaptations
3 2 B l o c k , Maxine. "Filns Feb. 1936. Pg. 394.
vulgarity
could in
t32l been used in the past to justify
their
Adapted Fron Published Worksr" Wilson Bulletin.
11
existence
and further
the needs of education
Maxine Block suggested' reader interest
and literary
in 1936, using publicity
with exhibits
filns
history,
costumes, and biography of the period."
which nay be used with
In 1975 Arbuthnot difficulty
is that
children
if
wrote
the filn
a story,
technique
where a fifth
tells
the play of their grade teacher
of dranatic
the books and other
and Sutherland
which restricts
generated by filns
of material...stills
selected
appreciation?
in Children
material
set is
own imagination. "
shows the first
half
their
She has the children
own ending. Then she restarts
filn.
t33l
Here film
retell
the projector
is used to interest
"The
induced in a
of an ..haunting"
the story
and finishes
a class
such as
They relate
"exquisite...beautiful..brilliant...colorful...superlative. and stops the projector.
monents in
and Books:
a nental
to "reap
in other
film,
and provide showing the
areas, nyths and
Iegends. On the other end of the filn Beverly
Cleary who reports,
to read because they can't children
"I
application
to literary
have met nany teachers
inagine
dontt
is
like
For
nedia may be an introduction
t34l "When
Boyunr in Double Exposure, said:
33 Arbuthnot, May Hill and Zena Sutherland. I I . : S c o t t F o r e s n a na n d C o . , 1 9 ' 1 2 . P g . 1 5 2 . 34 Roback, Diane. 26, 1986. Pg. 34.
who say kids
what is happening in the story.
who are unaccustoned to reading...other
to the world of reading."
education spectrun
"Tuning in Children's
t2
filn
is nade of a novel it
Children
and Books.
Books," Fublishers
tends
Glenview,
l{eek.!y.
Sept.
to encourage reading, lf-tSrAtUfe,
rather
wrote that
thoughtful
attenpt
audience. "
[36]
than discourage."
adapting
films
to nake classic
fron
"nobody
loves adaptation,
Not literary
not cinematic
enough in that
pictures,
Sometimes the adaptation discussion
nore accessible
found "biases
by the literary
[3?]
enough in that has its
it
Ihe _T-feqCUIe ofjtre_€:.e.ffa"l{edfe
gold.
for
Early
The following
is a novel
written
in the story,
your character
was before...."
the old and wise character
says:
entirely. t38l
and fascinating,
"Gold is a very devilish When you have it
your soul
It
is an adventure
Sinyard,
Neil.
fron his
Filming
Literature.
37 Bo;run, Joy Gould. DSlblg_ExBq@, A m e r i c a nL i b r a r y , 1 9 8 5 . P g . i x .
story lust
The N,IJiues
" Howard (played
by Walter
sort of thing.., is no longer
35 Boyum, Joy Gould. DpLbIe_EJBgSUIe.i*EiSlig!_tUle__8ilm. Anerican Library, 1985. Pg. 15. 36
literature.
it
changes
the same as
Gold prospecting is hard and dangerous work.
York: St. Martin's Press, 1986. Pg. vii.
is a
in 1935 by B. Traven
Vaf_Le_t_y found lfe-"acufe to be "Lean and brilliant."
Huston in the filn)
it
in words."
and a nan's loss of humanity resulting
pronounced Treasure to be "Trenchant
And that
which have been adapted fron
and then adapted to the screen by J. Huston in 1949. about the wages of sin,
to a large
proceeds through
origins
process works successfully.
of exanples of good filns
and
and preconceptions
establishnent."
it
in Eiluiag_
was a "sincere
literature
literature
But Boyun, again in DpUble_Expglfg, brought to bear on filn
And sinyard
[35]
This
New York: New
the Art e f Sgre_e-u*&dap_telj sg .
New York: New
38 Traven, 8.. The Treasure gl_-the $i.e.rfe_!Afug. Madison: University of W i s c o n s i nP r e s s , 1 9 7 9 . P g . 5 0 . 13
is Dobbs' third
experience with backbreaking work in the story.
a magic nunber in folk
tales,
and Curtain,
on the older
nust rely
And three
The two younger nen in this
t39l
nan, Howard, for
story,
guidance into
is
Dobbs
and out of
the wildern€sso Dobbs (played by Humphrey Bogart his hunanitv
[40]
and crawling,
; it
is a progressive
with a laugh like
hunanness in various
in the filn)
allows
destruction.
a "bark."
[41]
lff
gold fever
to destroy
He is shown squatting, three men lose their
apparent ways in the book, but Dobbst loss
is the nost
obvious in the novie. Towards the end of the story, leaves hin for dead. state.
It
Dobbs has fully
is night,
cold.
He finds
which carry
the leader of the bandits,
boots and burros;
water and drinks.
He throws some but he is
on his belly,
The reflected
is shown confronting
and he is replaced by it.
he suffers
or reptilian
up around his shoulders, reptile-like
and
the literal
image
Dobbs' reflection.
Dobbs is murdered for
loss of his head.
are caught and executed by the mounted police.
Shortly
Ibid.
his
thereafter
The hat of El Jefe
39 Miller' Gabriel. Sc_reening the Novel, Rediscovered Anerican Fiction Eifg. NewYork: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1980. Pg. 93. 40
as
the gold.
a pool of muddy, brackish
Dobbs meets his alter-ego
the bandits
a blanket
And he is cold.
The next day he is shown crawling,
he leads the burros
of El Jefe'
pulls
but only wounds, Curtain
regressed to the aninal,
he is by a campfire.
more wood on the fire, still
Dobbs shoots,
in
Pg. 97.
41 lbid. Pg. 96 (and) Peary, Gerald, and Boger Shatzkin (ed, ). The ltloder-n t-he*Jsvies. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing, 1978. AlUefj.reg*Nsv_e_l_atd" Pg. 59
14
is shown blowing past their
graves.
these nen, Dobbs and El Jefe, have lost "John
their
Huston simplifies
plot. within
handle in film, Differences
evil.
John Huston's
IrtiIler
it
his adaptation
prospectors
three
"Philosophical
writes:
and Huston...naturally
heads;
around the action
in lfgasUrg
seem less
than in the novel.
digressions
avoids them."
and
in t43l
are difficult
to
[44]
between the novel and the movie include:
the book, the characters
of the men are more of a mixture
the men's personalities
the book the nen save each other's
only Dobbs is saved. -In
their
cuts back on the philosophical
themselves and nore with each other
In the film -In
the novel,
lore while building
Regarding lteggutg,
-In
gold have lost
both of
lives.
nessages and Indian
conflict
greed for
in their
inagery here is that
Huston tones down B. Traven's cynicism in The Treasure of the Sierra
Med-f-e." I42l
adventure
The parallel
the book it
of good and
have been sinplified. lives
This nakes Dobbs seen aII
nunerous tines.
In the filn
the more sinister.
is Curtain
who wants to divided
is Curtain
who talks
up the gold.
In the novie
is Dobbs. -In
the book it
about "dames."
In the film
it
is
Dobbs. -In
the book the bandit
EI Jefe is not present when Dobbs is nurdered.
the movie the leader of the bandits
is encountered three
(again,
the
42 Sinyard, Neil. Filming L-j!era_trge-_ltre-$t__s_f gsres!_Adeple!_iqu. York: St. Martin's Press, 1986. Pg. xii. 43 rbid. 44 MiIler, Gabriel. [gee4ing_the_NSy€1,_j.edi€seys@ F i I u . N e wY o r k : F r e d e r i c k U n g a r P u b l i s h i n g C o . , 1 9 8 0 . P g . 9 9 .
15
New
In
occurrence of the nagical'
fairy
tale
nunber) times,
the final
to nachete
tine
Dobbs' head fron Dobbs' shoulders. -In
the book there are references
novie [45] The last bandits escape.
:
The men had considered opening a movie house with
thoughts of Dobbs involve was presented in a novie,
how, if
shot of the windblown,
of a cactus. nen.
final
in the gold.
their
confrontation
with the
could have him magically
t46l off
word in the book, to act as their
synbolic
his
the director
-The book ends with Howard riding final
which are not present
to filns
torn,
The symbolism is that
to the Indian's
doctor.
"home,"
actually
The novie ends with
the
a
and enpty gold sack ceught on the spines here lies
all
that
renains of the folly
of
t4l1 Upon the release of the film
N_e_jljlqfk*I_iseswrote: small place in this
"To
picture,
in 1949, BosLey Crowther, reviewer
for
the honor of Mr. Huston's integrityr...wonen which is just
one nore re&son why it
the have
is good."
t48l However the book contains the fiIn.
"The
an incredible
fenale
nost honorable and distinguished
role
which is absent fron
dona Catalina
Maria de
45 Peary, Gerald, and Roger Shatzkin (ed. ). lbg_Ugdem_Anerican Novel an{ New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing, 19?8. Pg. 62. -the__UB111eg. 46 Ibid. Pg. 60. 47 47) "The NewYork Tines Film Reviews, 1913-1968." NewYork: Tlr_e_[e_w Yqrk Tines, V. 6, 1970. Pg. 100. 48 Traven, 8.. The Treasure of the Sierle_Medrc. Madison: University of WisconsinPress, 1979. Pg. 186.
16
Rodriguez."
were not ready for filn
adaptation
first
It
a tough talkingt
of the filn
overlooks
Men are the central
But that
initial
several
-The name of the wilderness
tines
nountain
-When Cody is killed
life's
So the
characters.
Upon
are no women
aEsessnent is not accurate. of nen.
This
is the Sierra
Madre, Spanish for
tt
the "wonb" of "nother earth."
orchard,
wonan.
throughout the filn:
-When Dobbs is caught in a nine cave-in
wife.
there
the symbolic role wonen play as civilizers
symbolisn presents itself
ttnother.
liberated
would a.ppear that
it
of any consequence.
the Anerican cinena patrons of 1949
smart thinking
became a MAN'S story.
exanination
characters
a good guess that
It's
t49l
"real
treasure."
the prospectors
by bandits'
to the conflict
read a letter
her husband that
between an agrarian
from his
he has already
This could also be interpreted
-Before they leave the nine site ttwoundsrtt
he is caught in
in time to harvest the apples in their
And she reninds t51]
appears that
t50l
She wishes for his safe return an Eve analogy.
it
society
as a reference
and a nomadic, gathering
the prospectors
found
society.
nust close the nountain's
or wonb.
John Huston uses the canera to illustrate the characters.
Once gold is discovered,
shots" to include all
three protagonists
and reinforce
the interaction
Huston uses a series in the frane.
of "three
The center position
49 Millerr Gabriel. ScreeninA the Novel, Rediscovered Auerican Fiction EilU. NewYork: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1980. Pg. 105 50 Ibid. Pg. 111. 51 Ibid. Pg. 110.
I7
of
in
reflects instancer Cody.
position
Dobbs takes the niddle
Dobbs crouches,
Howard and Curtain. guard the secret
with
It
is
dangling
yet
it
greed for
richer,
story
the synbolic
wiser.
the author,
autobiographical. As a result filning felt
a paradox.
Cody to
of the group
Dobbs in favor
In a final
Indian
child.
of
exanple, Curtain
prospectors
their
heads,
an interesting
Madre.
the Indians,
side-bar
Travents literary
lines
appear in part
about protecting hinself
Walter Huston, John Huston's father,
his
and Curtain
to the adaptation
works involve
death.
onets self;
and
to be
identities true
none the
t53l
in the course of discovering
The author Traven had several
of Treasure he presented
have struggled
They survive,
Codyts orchard and wife.
presents
These story
he was a fanatic
The quest has been a
Howard goes "houe" with
the loss of self journey.
a sick
The two renaining
gold and have not lost
of The Treasure of the Sierra and discovery;
to care for
presents
goes "hone" presunably to the late B. Traven,
of the frane.
between
when he accepts custody of the old mants gold.
is a success.
but plenty
the newcomer
posture,
sides with
For
[52]
he proposes killing
the new man. When Curtain
position
The ending of this
with
that
Dobbs again is placed in the center
takes the center
with
Howard noves to the center
Howard nust leave the canp in order
failurer
in a confrontation
posture
in this
actions.
hands in an aninal-like
of the gold nine.
when he opposes killing nurderr
is to doninate the group's
which of the men's will
in his
identity.
lifetine. During the
to Huston as "Hal Croves. " Croves was unsuitable
for
the role
of
52 Peary, Gerald, and Roger Shatzkin (ed.). The Modern Anerican Novel and Movies. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing, 1978. Pg. 60. lhe 53 Ibid. Pg. 55
18
Howard as it later
had been described
receive
an Acadeny Award for
John Huston had extensive directorr
Ue&ec_e_Falsgn ('41),
his
('75),
novels
and a host of others.
three stories
to the screen as for
in these stories
adapting
Moby Dick ('56),
Treasure
they are quest novels,
involve
the figurative
The Night
loses control
of his self,
The
compares to Moby exclusively "Ioss
and literal
or loss of the goal of the quest.
headr" or loss of life, character
adapting
filn.
Reflections in a Golden Eye ('67),
Dick and Man Who Would be Kine in that AII
in this
He was responsible
The Bible ('66),
]el[i-D€
nen.
Walter Huston was to
t54l
The Bed Badse_el_Ceuls€e ('51)r
of the IEUana ('64),
involving
role
experience
and producer.
screen writer
Ue[-fbe-lto-ulL
in the novel.
of
The central
and as a result,
Ioses
his life. It
is the author's
contribution
make Treasuqe a success.
"I,
Croves, cane and visited
asked me questions about certain way. t
He agreed.
screenwriter, was drafted great
details.
He was even applauding,
Another successful
process which helped
to the adaptation
adaptation,
I said,
John Huston and he
'Here, present
is .IgbUnV_-GS!_Ei€__8Uby Dalton
world war and never cane back.
this
tGreat ideas, Mr. Croves. t"
owinEl to the author's
when he was twenty years old.
it
Trunbo.In
work as director the story,
He narched off
He left
behind his
t501
to fight sweetheart
and
Joe Bonhan in the Kareen,
5 4 M i l l e r , Gabriel. ScreeninA the Novel. Rediscovered Anerican Fiction iB (and) Stone, F i I n . N e wYork: Frederick Ungar Fublishing Co., 1980. Pg. 88. Judy.
The M y s t e r y o f B . T r a v e n .
Los Altos,
Calif.:
W. Kaufnann, L977. Pg.
73. "CC Studios: Children's Books on Video Cone Out Of the 55 Rotenberg, Lesli. Woodsr" Publishers lteekly. Nov. 1985. Pg. 37. 19
his nother and his sisters. Now he lies from nenory.
terribly He drifts
unconsciousness.
wounded in a hospital
bed and tries
between consciousness
and pain-killer
He thinks
of his body and his
and dreans and hallucinates.
life.
The author
to weave the past and the present whole.
There is not nuch left
gone too.
Great parts
only a gapingr
nouth; nothing
left
of his
prison
of him.
Both his
face are nissing:
He takes
uses strean
life.
but the progress
He lies
nith
a perceptive
And even that
where his
of nedical
person narrative.
alone,
face once was.
science
in silence
He wants out.
oneself
It
struggles,
and white
Differences
doesn't involves
as wounded as Joe isl
There is
in dealing
of his
and in darkness.
Brilliantly,
Using Morse code he taps his is "against
pull
in the
He wants to get outside
regulations.
and noving anti-war just
the rest
pitiful
"
novel written
your heart strings,
struggling,
and he
it
in a grabs
the reader deeply and passionately. rocking,
with
and tapping
One
when Joe
and taps.
In the novie, black
nurse.
enotional,
hold and yanks on them. It
rocks,
Both legs are
enabled hin to be a prisoner
is denied him, it
This is an effective,
finds
from
His eyes, ears, nose and
His sentence is tife;
and he waits,
is not worth living.
makes contact
first
inventory
of consciousness
arns are gone.
the sunshine and be in the conpany of people again.
request.
induced
to go back to the twenty year old wonan he loved.
his broken body has becone.
Such a life
reality
a whole nan, a nan who is now far
war wounds enabled hin to live,
unnatural
feel
into
oozing hole renains
He would have died' horrible
effectively
to sort
color
with
is used to indicate
blue toner
indicates
which scenes are flashback the present
between the book and the movie include:
20
reality.
while
-Introductory rearranged
martial
so that
band nusic
the night
he spends with
-His dad wraps his own fishing treasured,
instead
-Johnny's perceptive
of sending it to "kill
request
pole,
Kareen is
The adaptation
first.
the only thing
his
father
really
away to be wrapped.
ne" is added, as is the attenpt
by the
and stupidity." a powerful
is still
story
out-of-control
situation:
the difference
between dreans and wakefulness.
connunicate,
adaptation
is the story
holds up rather
well
adaptation
crawlsr"
said Variety.
Young Alecr
fron
wounded; not knowing
He has lost totally
literature
the ability
to
dependent upon others
of tine.
and release as a filn
returning
saves the stallion.
In the weeks that
bond. When they are rescued,
for
of all
to his uncle,
Alec's
as he proves the superiority
27
...novie
is shipwrecked.
life.
the castaways forn
they go hone to New York state.
tine.
tale
received nixed reviews
in the world saves the boy's follow,
by l{alter
in 1941, this
in 1979. "Horse gallops
a big race between Alec's
thoroughbreds
Written
However, it
fron an overseas visit
stallion
involves
is the Black Stallion,
of a boy and a horse.
The nost nagnificent
hundredfold
in a war, temibly
in solitude;
to the test
upon its
the story
of a young nan caught in an
or his euthanasia.
Another great It
in the &rny,
and nust now exist
his existence
fastest
sequence is
between the "Padre" and the M.D. is also added: a synbolic
between "faith
Farley.
The flashback
nurse to do so.
-The conflict conflict
is added.
The boy a strong
The cliuax
of
mystery horse and two of the faith
of his
and hard work are repaid "Black. "
a
Alec finds
hinself
he is on a ship; sinks.
in a situation
this
totally
ship founders in a storn,
survival.
The boy repays this
continuing
to care for
debt by feeding
the horse upon their
There is an obvious juxtaposition The boy is young, small,
dangerousr powerful, uncontrollable. for
fast,
no papers.
He is the biggest,
because of his unknown lineage
faith
that
It
starts
during
beautyr
out slow,
and excitenent.
variations.
At first
necessary riding
The Black has
one around,
but
to race against
his
to be worthy of all
his
audience.
the
father
to an awesone
This is a story of involvenent
Especially
of the book follows
is safe at hone. divides
chapter.
builds
interested
with nuch action, in this
story.
in a story
thirteenth
such as
year,
and
ages.
In the movier Alec's
father
father
and the anticipation
the age of AIec, those in their
The novie adaptation
Alec's
and wildest
There are nany levels
of horses of all
book his
but he is
different
in the clouds.
he would not be allowed
the race in the final
would be children
lovers
is wild,
and direction
Alec feels
and the Black proves hinself
has appeal to a large
this
The stallion
the boy had in hin.
The story clinax
tean.
in a world of his own, flying
and
between the boy and the
the control
and fastest,
and
as his neans of
The horse is in his prine,
an unbeatable
He is
Fate intervenes
by rightning,
to civilization.
powerless.
and nearly
Bad enough
the Black on the island
return
The boy is able to provide
the horse:
peers.
is struck
of abilities
and sexual.
the two of them to forn
control.
and provides the black stallion
Providence intervenes
horse.
beyond his
father
the original
is lost
A touching
point
with
several
in the shipwreck.
slight
In the
in the screen play
is when
his winnings with his son fron a shipboard poker game,
seens self-centered
22
and a bit
greedy.
He gets all
the
gold and watches and jewels. to go with
and a story his
love for
special knife
his
And Alec gets a knife,
the figure.
son.
This story,
Other differences
story
that
denonstrates
and the pocket
the figurine,
elements in the legacy this
provide the boy with the ability
-Anthony'
is the fatherts
of a horse,
is about young Alexander the Great and a
The story
steed, one capable of flight.
are inportant
father
leaves his son.
They
to survive.
from the book include:
the junknan is Black in the novie,
This is an updating of an ethnic -In
It
a figurine
minority
the movie Alec has a beautiful,
but Italian
with a racial svelte
in the book.
minority.
nom (played by Terri
Garr),
in
the book she is described as heavy. This is another updating of the story: inclusion
of a single
parent,
who happens to be attractive.
*There is no Joe Russo, newspaper reporter, reporter
becones a radio
The nediun of filn horse in notion; figures
against
hooves and feet.
horses'
screams duringl battle
rhythnic
*
*
with
of excitenent
breathing
as only the nedium of film
children's
addition
of the wildness of the Black.
race, with the labored,
the back-lit
on the ocean, the sky; the underwater shots of
serve to increase the level
"Quality
of the island;
The audio is the nost inportant
his
The newsreel
and audio to the work: the beauty of the
beauty and isolation
the sun playing
as he runs'
excitenent
in the movie.
Another update to the 1970's.
adds visual
adds to the perception breathing
reporter.
the natural
the
to the story.
It
The sounds of his the snake and the other
in the filn.
of the Black,
The climatic
adds to the
can.
*
programing is hard to cone byr"
23
Ellen
Klavan said in
an 1986 publisher's
Weeklv [b6]
on the bottom of the purehasing not publish
literature.
Morton Schindel children's
parents
that
because "preschool-age
ladder."
Children
Do not adapt it.
All
of Weston Woods Studios
books into
for over thirty
, in part
award winning short
yea,rs.
is done by adults
has been turning
films
for
encourage children
An exanple of a children's
picture
for
Do
children.
award winning
the institutional
to read.
are
literature.
He hopes teachers and librarians
t5Z1
videocassettes
do not write
children
narket
will
convince
IEBI
book which has been well
adapted to the
screen is Where the Wild Thines Arq, by Maurice Sendak, and adapted by Weston Woods.
Wbere-the wild
of the picture
book genre.
concern among critics
that
wildness.
However, it
children:
eating,
rebellion,
repentance,
illustrations
ThinAs Are is now generally Initially
nisbehavior,
basic universal
loss of control,
as a nasterpiece
upon the book's release,
the book glorified
contains
recognized
wildness,
and forgiveness.
there was sone
rebellion,
and
elenents of appeal to dreaning,
punishnent,
sailing,
The sparse words and the lush
work together.
In the book these concepts are conveyed by the size of the illustrations on the pager the use of the colors crosshatching within
or texturization.
large white borders.
of the borders
blue and yelrow,
and the use of
The book begins with As Max loses control
upon the illustrations
shrinks
snall
illustrations
to his wildness,
to nonexistence.
the control
When Max
56 Klavan, Ellen. "Tuning In Children's Booksr" publishers l{eekly. 1986. Pg. 28. 57 Roback, Diane. 1986. Pg. 28.
Sept.
"Tuning in Children's Booksr" Publishers Weekly. Sept.
"CC Studios: 58 Rotenberg, tesli. Children's Books on Video Cone Out Of the W o o d s , "P u b l i s h e r s W e e k l y . N o v . l g g b . p g . g b ,
z4
arrives
in the land of the Wild Things,
the illustrations
borders of white no longer serve to control The color illusion
blue is used to signify
When Max returns ragesr"
the drean-state. color
ninute
is also at its
of the illustrations
called
"the
it
small on the screen with
in the book' fantasy,
fill
crosshatching
and fun.
to the original
and color-wash
short enough to keep the attention
adaptation
large borders,
and disconcordant
charn of the original
in
books." The
and as Max loses
are used to represent
of the adaptation
acceptable,
As
dreans,
natches the book,
It
adaptation
as the illustrations &s & result
of the story
is
The sound is as wild, in the book are.
of following
the character
This and
book,
Maurice sendak, in The washinEton Post Book world of JuIy 10, 1988 [60]
59 rbid. 60
Sendak, Maurice.
"Walt
U"et*j;rgt on* lss-t* la-ok* [eet .
is
of a child.
which accompanies this
is highly
picture
work in every detail:
presented in a manner which conplements the story. out-of-control
rumpus
nore of the screen and the borders shrink.
Even the length
The sound track
the "wild
while
Mount Everest of childrents
illustrations
the illustrations
becones blue.
and animator of Where the Wild Things
is faithful
start
a drean
peak.
[59] The adaptation
control
As i{ax sails,
is produced by Weston Woods, and copyrighted
animation
Academy Award winning director
A3-gr Gene Deitch'
on the page.
the illustrations
to hi And at the peak of the wildness,
the crosshatching
The six 1973.
the predoninate
in itself,
the page. The
fill
Disney's Triumph: The Art of Pinocchio," July 10, 1988. Pg. 10.
25
wrote that
the production
of Pinqcchio was "Disney's
"a work of extraordinary
the Disney filnsr"
nonunent to an age of craft
skill,
beauty and nystery,"
in America. "
and quality
the Wizard of Oz and Pinocchio "are superior
"the best of
triumphr"
Sendak feels
to the classics
that
that
and "a both
inspired
then. tt Before Disney adapted Pinocchio, As related
Duerfg". It
by Grinn,
he adapted $now white
Snow White is a fairy
is a very scary and gruesone story.
wicked stepnother nurder,
and insanity.
patterns
traditional
The story
and "unpromising heroine."
cannibalisn
including
tale
It
The story
cinematically production filn'
as Birth
characters. cheap short
captivating.
of a Nation.t'
to detail
It
What is
In this
was found by Frank S.
it
that
as inportant
nakes Walt Disneyts
full-Iength
aninated feature
is obvious in the illustrations
cuts were used, such as "ganging"
an individual
developed a "nultiplane" stood eighteen
feet
personality.
animation canera stand. tall,
illusion
enhance a feeling
This resulted
It
The wicked stepmother (aptly
in an
of reality.
The Snow l{hi*te nade by the Faerie Tale Theatre group is not
26
No
and enabled them to
of the frame.
vein of Grimn or Disney.
No
of the Snow White character.
animate the background and foreground of depth, which help further
of the
the movenent of the groups.
drawn-over photographs are used in the production
cost thousands of dollars,
magic elements and
is a classic,
first
Each of the seven dwarfs exhibits
The Disney studio
of envy, pride,
to be "Sheer fantasy,
of the Filn
of Snow White so good?
great attention
the archetypal
is a story
also contains
inportance.
the nunbers seven and three.
Directort
gay and altogether
delightful'
of great
contains
The Snow White nade by the Walt Disney studios Nugent in the N-I.Tines
and the seven
in the classic
played by Vanessa
Redgrave) is vain, beautiful,
frightening,
trusting,
nontraditional Instead
innocent,
conclusion
left
in any treflective
stepnother's
total
be a strange
alnost
reflections
general
the
that
had been arranged through
the stepmother can no longer
This could be interpreted
story"
as a sign of
punishment for vanity.
and a fitting twistl
since vanpires
see
I find
it
to
cannot see their
in nirrors.
the original that.
But frankly,
child.
ne confused.
surface.
"vanpire
Here is obviously
with
and subnissive
"nagic"
insanity
Snow White is a
and insane.
of dancing to death in red hot shoes, it
the use of sone nonspecific herself
homicidal,
story
an attenpt
to make it
What I find
by the adaptor
nore suitable
unacceptable
is the tendency of the actors
towards the end of Snow White, the canera and arches his
to react
Tale Theatre adaptations to the canera.
in
For instance, Price)
looks at
eyebrows; he does what is known as a "reaction." It
of
I have no problen
(played by Vincent
the nirror
and out of place.
is out of character
children.
for
in Faerie
to tone down the violence
should not have survived
It
the editing
roon. If
for
every great
each good adaptation
adaptation
there
there
are ten bad ones.
novel The Adventures of Huckleberry than any other 1920 Variety
book.
But the results
In 1929 Variety
Paramount-Artcraft, Paranount
"a thrill." production,
Finn has been adapted to filn have been far
Guide by Nash agreed it
In 1931 Variety
27
nore times
to be an
In
"acceptable
produced by
thought Huckleberry
nuch";
was "a good version. "
Anerican
from satisfactory.
pronounced Hucklebemy Finn,
had "captured
then for
Mark Twaints classic
found Huck and Tom , a Paranount release,
visualization."
another
are ten good adaptations,
Finnr
and the Ms!ign_!is!u-fe*
In 1939 Varietv
thought
Huckleberry
the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production
Finn'
Huck, w&s "a fairly
close
adaptation";
The Adventures of Huckleberry "nonotonous
and dull";
self-conscious"; account. " fanily
there
felt
What is the problem
"terrible.
it:
four
nerit....Better in adapting
camp meeting"
or the "royal
Also a factor
in the failure
the screenplay. novel,
Finallyr
It
versions
stick
and it
to be a "spritety "drive Finn would
and Nashts Motion
was Peary who suggested
of Hucklebemy
Finn,
library
we
to Twain." [61] of Hucklebemy_I.inn
to
the book has the dubious distinction
and society
The Hayes office
"
the Adventures
being the nost banned book in Anerican Twain shows towards religion
considered
according to Variety;
one must consider that
successfully.
was "artificial
it
release of Huckleberry
have been at least
found in none sufficient
First
In 1960 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer produced
yet the t{qtlgn*ffgtuf€-Guide
advocates up the wall"
"though
filn?
ygflefu
Guide agreedr pronouncing
Piqture that
while
Guide by Nash
Finn which was found by the N.Y.Times to be
In 1974 the United Artist
film
and the Motion Picture
to be "the best to date. "
pronounced it
with Mickey Rooney as
history.
nakes this
The lack of respect
a difficult
would not allow any reference
nonesuch" in the adaptations is the unavailability
of
film
to adapt
to the "revival
done in the 1930's.
of the author to assist
the Adventureg of Hucklebemy
in
Finn is a very long
nore than 360 pages.
For an exanple of bad children's have to look farther IhiffC_Afgt in 1983.
then the forty
produced by the British There are certain,
linited,
picture ninute
book adaptation, "fantasy
Broadcasting inspired
61 Peary, Gerald, and Roger Skatzkin (ed. ). [o'11i_eS. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing
28
opera" Where the Wild
Corporation parts
one does not
and copyrighted
to the opera.
The
Classic Auetican Novel and the Co, I977. Pg. 8.
netanorphosis
place are successful
"live
passages from the book. dialog
of the textr
it
action"
There is a level children.
action
of difficult
eat you up!" but it
conceptual
video adaptation
has been converted to an operatic
of violence
Max brandishes
in the book, it
style.
follows
the
Max, true
to
is presented as:
"I'lIl
behead three toy soldiersl By far
Wild Thing's
another unfortunately
inappropriate violence
I find
this
for children.
indicate
violent
the most condemning departure
for young a fork A
this
unique to
and unblinkingly
wooden sword to cut off
little
fantasy opera adaptation
The operatic
to ne that
deviation
from the book occurs
Instead of gesturing
submission, he uses his
head!
in a story
does not appear in the book. Max proceeds to
when Max subdues the Wild Things. them into
inappropriate
to the "eat you up" concept which follows.
is appropriate
adaptation.
totally
a wooden sword. Though Max chases a dog with
sword, wooden or otherwise,
staring
live
to the Wild Thing's
yyyooouuu uuuppp! "
eeeaaattt
this
transformations
Though this
work, says "I'II
the initial
journey
of Max's room and Max's sailboat
style,
to be totally
the length,
is an adaptation
a
and the level
of a children's
of
book neant
for adults. Another unsuccessful the Bible. put the first
adaptation
Begarding this five
chapters
of the Canadian Filn spectacular of all
adaptation
time. . . , '"
fron
Iiterature
Weinberg wrote:
(of the Bible)
Institute
62 Weinberg, Hernan G.. April 1973. Pg. 99.
of film
has rightly
was John Huston's
"...Huston's
attempt to
on the screen, which Peter Morris called'perhaps
the worst
t62l
"Novel
Into Filn,"
29
literature
/ FiIm Quaterly,
1.t2,
When Hollywood tackled very well into
by then.
second or third-rate
novels,
however, it
could do
As exanples Weinberg cites
T. Dixon's
The Klansna!,
a,-Nst*ion, and the successful T*e_B_i_f!_L*ef"
adaptation
of Gone with
made the
Wind. t63l James Messinger was curious adapted felt authors
adapted to film
"Yes,
consulted and Jacked-off."
"Ken Kesey was the sole voter to an original
permitting
suggested long ago that
article
acceptable
as director
or screenplay writer. rights
adaptations
until
Beverly Cleary has done.
the right
Ken Kesey
Messinger also reports filn
nakers to adhere
t65l by noting
that
"George Bernard Shaw
writers
to make the filn
Here Messinger has made a valid
successful,
adaptation
In response to the
out you signed something long ago
the answer nay be for
[66]
to as nany
process?",
t64l
of forcing
finding
to be raped. "'
your child
own work. "
in favor
work.,.'Like
Messinger concluded his
63
as he could find.
"Were you consulted during the adaptation
responded:
of their
of books which had been
He sent a questionnaire
about the adaptations.
of literature
question
closely
about how authors
have had the author Another option of script
point.
Most of the
of the novel
would be to hold off
approval
version
involved selling
is granted the author,
t6Z1
rbid.
64 Messinger, James R. "I Think I Liked the Book Better: Nineteen Novelists Look at the Film Version of Their Workr" Literature / Filn Ouaterly. VI t2, Spring 1978. Pg. 132.
65 Ibid. Ps. 131. 66 Ibid. Pg. 134. 6 7 K l a v a n , E l l e n . " T u n i n g I n C h i l d r e n ' s B o o k s , " Publr*cbsrc__[ee]Iy. Sept. 1986. Pg. 31. 30
asi
In conclusion, history.
filn
adaptations
of literature
They appear to have a valid
pronotion
of the literature
Iiterature
function:
because the pro-book
the aesthetic
upon which they are based.
has not ceased just
to filn
have a long and valuable
factions
theories
do not hold up to close
of storytelling the luxury
scrutiny.
the luxury
Filn
must fit
a written
"children,
And that
"sharing
criticism
differences.
to elaborately into
a tighter
appeal.
--
filn
technologies,
to
A novel has
describe
scenes and
tinefrane. does.
Considerations
really
Nor are they nutually
narrative
Hendrik Sliekers that
distinct
and Myth Making said:
(book and filn)
are not antithetical. things
or
A novel
A book can of economics
to the nediun of filn.
McConnell in Storytelling storytelling
or literary
an audience as filn
of a nore specialized
are nore important
disapproved,
One nust conpare the two methods
of being able to take the tine
does not have to appeal to as large afford
of
There are many exanples where these
while keeping in mind their
develop characterization.
and
disapprove.
process.
of the adaptation
Adaptation
because the authors
One must avoid the attempt to apply linguistics evaluation
extention
(video)
Literature
and childrents
a book through
the visual
of preserving
interchangeable,
cannot, and vise versa."
in "Children's
"These two methods of --
stories
A filn
can do
t68l
in the Video Fornat"
books are a natural nedia pronotes
t69l
says
combination."
reading, "
68 Mc0onnell, Frank. $torytellinE and Mythnaking: Inares Fron Filn and NewYork: Oxford University Press, 1979. Pg. 4 I,jlerelure. 69 Sliekersr Hendrik. "Children's Literature In the Video Formatr" Illinois l,ibrari_es 67. June 1985, Pg. 497. 31
Rabbit Ears Enterprisesr
which publishes Story Book Classics, has
announcedthey are producing a video adaptation of the children's BiII
for Showtine Cable TV Conpany featuring Robin Willians
story Pecog -
as narrator.
Meryl
Streep is to narrate three adaptations, anong them The Tale of Peter &abbit. But beware. It says later
in the article
great a hit with adults as with their will
find difficult
to accomplish.
that this wiII be "potentially
children,"
than a re-creation of nultiple-leveled
is also possible to extend literature If
of the children's
merits or lack of nerit.
literature
into unacceptable filn,
of literature,
whatever nethods are necessary to get people reading. can be a powerful
tool
rather
It
is
but i t
throuelh filn.
onets goal is to promote the reading
literature
story,
interest.
Each adaptation should be judged on it's too possible to adapt excellent
a feat I feel Rabbit Ears
I suspect that this nay anount to "playing
to the carera" by the actors to the detrinent
all
as
to help achieve that
32
then one should use
Film adaptation end.
of
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38
