Dorin and Kendyl discuss the children’s book by Judith Viorst along side the film and are extremely pleased with how well the themes are portrayed on screen and how the additions take them one step further. There might be a little rant about the word “Fommy” and the road-safeness of the vehicle, but overall they give it a thumbs up!
See what the Adaptation staff have been reading and watching in the month of October!
I recently started watching a 2004 BBC show called Hustle, which is about a group of con artists in London, and each episode features a new and intricate sting. It’s fascinating, and you definitely have to pay close attention to what’s happening if you don’t want to miss anything. If you like the Ocean’s movies, you’ll love this show, too. It pits the characters in that awesome gray area where they’re criminals, but you root for them anyway. This is helped along by the fact that they usually target the rich, mighty and corrupt, so it’s satisfying to see the mark fall.
-Jess
Gotham is a great twist on the classic Batman story. Following Detective James Gordan as he begins his career in the Gotham PD, he is put on the case of the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne where he first meets Bruce and they form a friendship that acts as an origin story of sorts for Batman. Along the way, Gordon also comes up against the crime rings currently plaguing the city as well as future Batman villians like Selina Kyle and Oswald Cobblepot. We are so used to the super villains that are slightly outlandish characters (though we love those characters) and now we get to see a real Gotham with real corruption issues. I am thoroughly enjoying it!
-Dorin
I’ve been reading through the Fables comics published by Vertigo. This comic series features a slew of characters from fairy tales and fables who were forced to flee their homeland after being attacked by the mysterious villain, the Adversary. They take cover in New York City and form a clandestine community called Fabletown, where they live side-by-side with us normal, mundane people. The story arcs in this series are imaginative and diverse, including anything from murder mysteries to animal rebellions to prophecies–all involving fairy-tale characters who are perhaps not as familiar as we would expect.
-Jenn
I watched From Dusk Til Dawn: The Series on Netflix, which is an extension of the film and comic franchise. It follows the Gecko brothers as they elude Texas Ranger Freddie Gonzalez and the FBI, commandeer an RV owned by the Fuller family and end up at a strip club full of vampires, where they have to fight for their lives- say it with me now- till dawn. That satisfied both my horror and hot guy quotas for the month (Wilmer Valderama = baby daddy, HOLLA).
-Sarah
The only piece of non-Adaptation-related media that I’ve consumed this month was Horns by Joe Hill, which I reviewed for River Ram Press. So I’m going to be a little lame this month and just link you to that review here. But be sure to stick around the Adaptation blog because next week I’ll be reviewing the film counter-part to the novel starring Daniel Radcliffe.
-Kendyl
That’s it for us this month, but be sure to leave your own recommendations in the comments!
Kendyl wrote a review on Joe Hill’s Horns for River Ram Press and next week, after the film starring Daniel Radcliffe comes out on October 31st, she will be reviewing the movie here on Adaptation!
Horns by Joe Hill
A Book Review by Kendyl Bryant
In preparation for the new film starring Daniel Radcliffe and to properly get into the Halloween mood, this month I read Horns by Joe Hill. I’m not into outright horror and thankfully Radcliffe has a habit of choosing the kind of scary films based on books that I do enjoy (e.g. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill). Horns is actually less of a horror novel, and more of a dark fantasy. A really, really dark fantasy. To the point where I had trouble getting through some parts, but also frustratingly needed to keep going so I could find out what was going on.
Horns begins with Ig Parrish waking up from a drunken night he can’t remember to find a pair of horns sprouting from his skull. After a visit to the doctor’s office and a few very off-putting…
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Along with a special guest from Maze Runner Chat, our hosts talk about the film adaptation of James Dashner’s The Maze Runner. The scary Grievers, the emphasis on Gally and the loss and gain of certain themes are just a few of the great discussions to be had, as well as who the hell was responsible for supervising those creatures?
Also, check out our episode on the novel here! And the next novel, The Scorch Trials here!
After seeing the film adaptation of Gone Girl, our hosts discuss how Gillian Flynn brought her novel to the screen. While many things were stunningly accurate, there were still a few bits that our hosts missed, and other bits that felt even more intense than the book.
Also, be sure to check out our episode on the novel!
Kendyl and Dorin have a million great things to say about the film The Boxtrolls as well as the book it is based on, Here Be Monsters! by Alan Snow. The two pull out some fairly intricate metaphors from the stories and for once, don’t lament that the book and movie are very different.
The hosts have some things to say about the roller-coaster that is Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, complete with some serious character discussion, questioning of Nick’s decisions and trying to figure out if anyone actually had the capacity for human emotion.
EDIT: Check out our episode on the film!
It’s time again for the Adaptation staff to tell you what they have been enjoying in the month of September!
A fascinating sci-fi series about a streetwise girl (Sarah) who witnesses a woman commit suicide– a woman who happens to look just like her. So to escape issues in her own life, she takes the identity of her lookalike (Beth) and becomes embroiled in a situation she never saw coming. Turns out, there aren’t just two of them who could be twins–there a several across the world, genetic clones created in a secret experiment twenty years ago. And someone is systematically killing them off. The true highlight in this series is the actress who plays all the clones, Tatiana Maslany. She acts so well in the different personas, you forget it’s the same person!
-Jess
My mother was adamant that I binge watch the first season, so that I could watch up to date episodes of the second as it airs. She was right to do so. I wasn’t sure at first how I was going to feel about it, but I’m hooked. Ichobod Crane faced the headless horseman in the American Revolution, where both were slain. He then wakes up in a cave in present day, only to find that the Horseman has as well. So he teams up with a local policewoman whose Sheriff and friend, has just been beheaded by said horseman. As they solve these supernatural crimes, they come to realize that there is much more to them and to who the horseman really is and why he has returned. It seems that their fates had been entwined over two centuries ago. The second season just began Monday, September 22 at 9pm on Fox, and now that I have to wait a week between each episode, it’s frustrating because I just want to keep watching!
-Dorin
I recently finished reading the first two books- Falling Kingdoms, and Rebel Spring. The third book, Gathering Darkness, is supposed to come out December 9. These books rotate narration between characters from the three adjoining kingdoms of Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia, as well as giving the point of view of the Watchers–the mysterious, immortal beings who–you guessed it–watch over everything that occurs. As with many books of this genre, this series is based around an ancient prophecy regarding a reborn sorceress and powerful items known as the Kindred which, when combined, could determine the fate of all three kingdoms. With such power up for grabs, all three nations get pulled into the conflict in different degrees, leading to tragedies and alliances on every side. While I (obviously) have yet to read the third book, the first two books are excellent. They are well written, and the story is absolutely fascinating. I can’t wait to read the third!
-Jenn
Remember that movie from 2003 with Nick Cannon? Love Don’t Cost a Thing? THIS is the original. High school nerd Ronald, played by a young Patrick Dempsey, works hard all summer to save up to buy a $1,000 telescope, but at the last second, his plans change. What he really wants is to be one of the popular kids and in an effort to do so, he offers cheerleader Cindy the money in exchange for a month of pretending to be his girlfriend. Unfortunately for Cindy, she has gotten herself in a bit of a jam and the money would fix it, so she agrees. But in order for Cindy to be seen with Ronald, he’s going to have to make some changes. And he does. By the time the month comes to an end, Ronald has adopted not only new clothes and mannerisms, but a new arrogant attitude. Maybe by now this story seems familiar, even over-done, but this film is so sweet, quirky and adorable that it is worth every minute (and I’m not just talking about Dempsey, who is priceless in this role).
-Kendyl
That’s it for us this month, but be sure to leave your own recommendations in the comments!
Back to discuss another Pemberley Digital creation, the hosts get in depth about Emma Approved, a modern day interpretation of Jane Austen’s Emma. What translated well, what was shaky and who do we find ourselves loving even more? Have a listen and find out!
Don’t forget to listen to our discussion of Jane Austen’s Emma here!
In honor of last month’s premiere of Frankenstein MD, a web series adaptation by PBS Digital and Pemberley Digital, this month I decided to read Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel for the first time. I’ve seen the film, of course, and some other adaptations of the story such as Frankenweenie (2012) and I, Frankenstein (2014) but I had it on good authority that the novel is quite different to the tale that we all know.
The premise remains the same – Victor Frankenstein, obsessed with the science of life, builds an oversized, humanoid being that he brings to life. However, the way that the story unfolds after the creation of the “monster” is a bit of a departure. Shelley’s Frankenstein is disgusted with what he has done as soon as the monster comes to life therefore abandoning the being and…
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The hosts discuss James Dashner’s The Maze Runner, speculating more about the rest of the series than the upcoming film. They wonder at the society created in the Glade, the bravery of the runners and how bad the world must have gotten to justify the Maze as a solution.
Check out our episode on the film here! And on the next book, The Scorch Trials, here!
After being extremely apprehensive about the film adaptation of Lois Lowry’s The Giver, the hosts are surprised to find that despite popular opinion, they rather liked it. They discuss the focus on emotional depth and the gorgeous visuals as pros for this film, but as usual, can’t help but pick out the differences that go on their “con” list.
Be sure to check out our episode on the novel here.
In this special celebratory episode, a few of our hosts get together to discuss how the podcast got started, how they each got involved and which episodes they look back on with fondness!
Adaptation Podcast 