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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Another in a long line of young adult dystopian tales has hit the big screen. The Maze Runner based on the novel by James Dashner came out a few weeks ago and I finally got the chance to see the film. Though I have never read the books, I have heard good things from those that have.
I have to admit, I am rarely unprepared to compare a book and movie adaptation. I usually devour the books and then eagerly (or sometimes dreadingly) wait to see the story brought to life outside my head. It was interesting to go into this film not having any idea what to expect. In a way, I was just like the boys in the film. I was thrust into the world of the Glade just as every boy there was, with no knowledge of how it came to be, or why they were there.
The story begins to unfold as Thomas, played by Dylan O’Brien, is introduced to this new society; a few dozen ragged boys that have created this community in the middle of the maze. There is a certain and very important social and economic order to things in the Glade. Each person plays his part from Alby and Newt, the two-man leadership, to the boys who plant the food and repair the buildings. Though, the most respected of the group are the Runners. Runners enter the maze each day and map the entire thing, looking for a way out.
At night, the maze closes its walls and shifts, becoming home to the monsters that live within. The Grievers, a sort of freaky part spider, part scorpion, part alien, part robot thing that terrorizes anyone unlucky enough to be caught in the maze after the walls close. Thomas is warned away from the maze the moment he is informed about it. There are strict rules that he must obey. The only people allowed to enter the maze are Runners. No one survives a night in the maze.
Seemingly predictably, Thomas becomes the first to survive a night inside its walls; even killing a Griever.
Shortly after, the introduction of a girl, Theresa, into the Glade throws the order off balance and challenges everything the boys have built. One of the enforcers, Gally, who has been against Thomas the entire time, has more animosity than ever when the girl seems to recognize Thomas. This plot point could have caused much more trouble, however Theresa’s character gets demoted to sidekick status and you lose getting to know someone that could be a great character. She even brought a cure for the sickness that comes from being stung by a Griever. This cure also restores the takers memory. But, she was more of a mini side plot than anything major. Almost inconsequential.
The plot thickens when a piece of the Griever shows Thomas and the main runner Minho the way out of the maze. This causes a major consequence in the Glade. The people that have trapped the boys in the maze open the gates and let Grievers into their home where they decimate anything in their paths. Many boys are killed, including the leader, Alby. This leads Thomas to stab himself with Griever poison so he can take the cure and remember.
What he remembers is not exactly surprising. He worked for the people that put all the boys in the maze. So did Theresa. He leads a group of boys through the maze and, though they are attacked and almost killed, they make it out. Come to find completely blown apart lab with a message from the head of the program dead and a message waiting for them. The world is gone; they are the last hope for humanity. They are whisked away by armed militants who promise to keep them safe.
Though, they throw us a twist at the very end. The masterminds are not dead, and they have tricked the kids into thinking they are safe. Instead they are on their way to their next test to see if they can save everyone. Duh DUH DUH!
All in all, the movie was not bad. The characters were likeable enough. Though, I might be a bit on the bias side since I absolutely adore Dylan O’Brien. Any other Teen Wolf fans in the house? He plays passion, directness and curiosity perfectly. And he was absolutely brilliant in this movie. The dynamics between all the boys almost reminds me of Lord of the Flies, minus the whole killing the weak kid part.
The decision to leave this movie open ended was a bold move on the part of the director. It implies that he really does believe that all the books are going to be made into movies. I have no doubt that the next one will indeed grace the silver screen at some point in the near future. But, for the love of god, please leave the spider, scorpion, alien, robots out of it. Yikes!
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!
There have been many disastrous (Life on Mars, Coupling, etc) and some surprising (Three’s Company, Sanford and Son, etc) US remakes of UK television. The most recent is one without a verdict, called Gracepoint – a US remake of Broadchurch, a BBC show that only aired over a year ago.
American television is not unfamiliar with the suave leading man or stylish lady who turns out to be an adorable Brittan putting on a great American accent (like Sonya Walger as Sally in the US version of Coupling). Here, however, we have a British actor, David Tennant, reprising his role as the outside detective who is hired in the position that the leading lady was promised. I put it that way because in Broadchurch his name is DI Alec Hardy and in Gracepoint he is Detective Emmett Carver, but essentially it is the same role.
I love David Tennant and was an avid watcher of Broadchurch when it aired in the UK, so when I heard they were making an American version called Gracepoint, I was non-too happy. But when David Tennant signed on to reprise his role, but with an American accent, I was curious. I have heard David Tennant do an American accent before, when he played Peter Vincent in the 2011 remake of Fright Night, but somehow his accent in this is a bit weird. I’m not sure if it is just because I have become accustom to his delicious Scottish accent, if he has more lines or more consecutive lines in this show vs. Fright Night, or if he is putting on a special twist to his accent because of the character. It’s not bad or overly jarring, but sometimes it’s a bit nasally.
So far, only two episodes have aired, but it is holding true to the original. The differences are minimal, the family whom the murdered boy belonged to is a Hispanic mix rather than the straight up English white, but that just plays up the melting pot that is America. Other than that it is just the cast, obviously, but there is definitely something to be said about it.
We have not yet gotten to know all the American characters well enough yet to speculate the overall casting, but some of the ones we have make me cock my head in question. Anna Gunn plays the lead opposite David Tennant, Detective Ellie Miller, the American version of the character of the same name played by Olivia Colman. It might just be biased opinion, but the first episode Anna’s portrayal was just more annoying than I remembered Olivia’s. There is a particular scene at the beginning where Ellie returns to work after a vacation, only to be told that the promotion she was promised has been given to another. She proceeds to run into the bathroom and calls her husband to vent. This happens the same in both version of the story, but Olivia’s portrayal of that moment was one of betrayal, frustration and anger and Anna’s was whinny and defeatist.
I felt a bit offended by it, honestly, as it looked like she was playing the victim and was going into a stereotypical “womanly” hysteria. This only amplified the line later, when she reaches the body and her new partner and she has to explain to him that she is a detective and not a bystander trying to get close, and he says “Really?” like she couldn’t be a detective. I believe the line is in both version because DI Alec/Detective Emmett are both a bit arrogant and are not used to small town detectives or politics. But the American one just seemed to strike the wrong chords.
I thought it was odd as well, that they hired a British actress for the owner of the Hotel/B&B. Do not get me wrong, I love Sarah-Jane Potts, but they hired her to play a Brittan, which is a weird offset to David Tennant playing an American. It’s not a good or a bad thing, just a question of – why?
The sad thing is that, even though I am born and raised American, brought up with American TV, I recognized more of the British actors in Broadchurch than I do with the American ones in Gracepoint. I do not know if that biases my opinion or not, but what does kind of bias me, is this:
In a world that is connected by technology, where things like Hulu plus can give you shows from all over the world, past and present, and there are cable channels dedicated to bringing in ‘foreign’ shows, like BBC America… Why did they feel it necessary to remake this show?
I had the good fortune of being in the UK while Broadchurch aired, but my parents easily watched it on BBC America. The same goes for things like Downton Abbey. Americans have to wait a little while for it to air on PBS, but it still airs in the United States. Neither of which have been bombing in the ratings and in need of a re-do or reboot.
So, if a show is this new, and so well done to begin with, it begs the question – why bother remaking it? To put an American spin on it? Would an English small town be that different from small town America?
Now, I will not claim to be unbiased when it comes to American remakes of ‘foreign’ TV or movies – in fact the track record of some of my favorite movies or shows getting redone for America has been a piss poor one and so I am generally against it. If you want to watch Godzilla – see the original Japanese, Pulse – the Japanese, Life on Mars – the British, Coupling – the British, Gracepoint – watch Broadchurch.
Still, this remake is shaping to be a decent one, with generally the same tension and who-dun-it feel. There is also the promise of a different ending, which means that although so far the secrets are the same, the murderer might be different. I have come to realize that sometimes it is said to get the views, so the mini-series end might disappoint me, but hopefully I will be enjoying the ride as much as I did with Broadchurch. Where this will fall in the spectrum of remakes, is still to be decided.
My predictions for it, if they actually change the killer, would either be:
Rev. Paul Cotes – because in Gracepoint, he seems a lot shadier than in Broadchurch, and I mean, Kevin Rankin is no Arthur Darvill
or Mark Solano’s business partner – whose name was Nigel in Broadchurch, but they have changed the name and I don’t think we have been formally introduced to him just yet.
The killer, once revealed in Broadchurch, was a fabulous shock – so although it would be a failure on their part, it wouldn’t be the worst to have that again in Gracepoint… but then again, at that point you might as well just watch Broadchurch.
I guess my point is that everyone who hasn’t seen it should watch Broadchurch!
Have you been watching Gracepoint? What do you think so far?
Is there any reason that you are watching is instead of Broadchurch (if that’s the case)?
Let me know in the comments!
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!
For those of you who missed it, you can get the first articles of this blog series by visiting:
Pretty Little – Young Adult – Liars (pt 1)
Pretty Little Liars – Decisions that Make a Story (pt 2)
These are the girls that drive Pretty Little Liars.
It is a rare series where the cast is dominated by women and not only that, but women who make decisions. Together they provide a great platform for young girls to admire. Allison, Emily, Aria, Spencer, Hannah and Mona come from different social circles, with different interests and, besides the fact that each of them are being tormented by A, they are dealing with real life situations that are also being experienced by their viewers. Divorced parents, Dad in the military, coming out as LBGT, mental health issues, being interested in hobbies that might be seen as less popular, being bullied, trying to stay on top of studies, family pressures, boys (just…. boys) and the difficulties in discovering your place in the world – or at least your place in high school. This is the short list of what they go through and you can already begin to see why these women could be assets to female viewers. Nearly everything they face is relatable and the way they handle these issues is admirable. They are not afraid to make mistakes, they learn to stand up for themselves and their friends and they are not afraid to cry when things get hard.
After catching up with the whole series, it becomes clear to me that PLL should NOT be considered a silly, guilty pleasure for girls to watch in secret with their best gal-pals (though there is nothing wrong with that).
Now, I understand that what I am about to say has the potential to cause heated debates and quick judgements on my personal character. I do understand that the mature content (aka: sex) might not be suitable for young girls, that no one should be encouraged to keep secrets from their parents or siblings EVER (especially if it deals with alcohol, drugs and/or bullies) and that perhaps high school girls might idolize the more conceited aspects of this show more than the message of the girl’s decisions, HOWEVER… and here’s the big ‘argument-starting’ statement:
There is a lot of real, genuine value / life-lessons that all young women could gain from watching Pretty Little Liars.
These girls stay beside their friends to help them in their weakest moments. Both Spencer and Hannah get mixed into battles with substance abuse, and rather than turn their attentions away, their friends support them in the struggle to sober up. While Spencer and Hannah know they are in trouble during these unrelated occasions, they deny how dangerous the situations really are, but their friends do not shrug off the problem and, in reality, end up saving their lives. The message here is simple, and if you see someone in trouble, make sure to get them the support they need if your help isn’t enough. It doesn’t matter if you will be unpopular for a moment when it comes to saving a friend’s life.
We also watch them go through the steps of first love. When Emily comes out to her mom she is met with heartbreak at her mom’s bold disapproval. The girls support Emily in her decision to be honest and encourage her to be herself, and love who she loves. To them, it is that simple. Emily is able to take strength from their honest support, knowing that she has them to rely on even if her mom is un-supportive. She takes that to heart and chooses to always be completely true to herself, no matter how challenging the battle may become. In this bravery, she finds herself a partner where they equally empower and challenge each other to be better, to be more honest and to never lose their edge.
Hannah goes from being a quiet shy girl to finding her confidence with the support to grow alongside her friends. While she is a gorgeous girl, it is evident that the boys she dates are more in love with her feisty personality than her unhelpful talent to create the perfect outfit. Her boyfriend, Caleb, supports Hannah in her direct approach to problem solving and independent nature that allows her to learn from her own mistakes. It is his love for who she is as a woman that allows them to become one of the most healthy relationships represented on TV (… if not a bit too mature for their teenage-years). The point really is, that they support each other, trust each other and are able to live independent lives as a couple that understand the value of communication. Caleb takes the time to discover who Hannah is as a woman, and knows when Hannah will want his help and when she needs her space. He appreciates her value as an important person in his life. Hannah, is able to approach Caleb without fear when she senses there’s something bothering him, or when she knows that something in their relationship needs to be discussed. She, in her honesty, has built a relationship in which to have faith.
Beyond the exciting romances, I even have a positive opinion on one of the main vanities in the series, aka – fashion: There is a sub-plot to the series where Hannah realizes that perhaps her outfits might have more power over her personality than they should, and she steps away into a series of new and unique styles. It values importance of self-discovery as a growing individual, and that the clothing ‘brand’ becomes a thing of minimal value when it comes to a person’s true substance. Beyond Hannah, we see each of these ladies dressed down to their sweats / messy buns (see Aria and Spencer below), and still show confidence as if they are still wearing their signature trendy, teenage fashions. Hardly ever do you hear their partners speak just of their beauty, rather they are much more entranced by their zest, and are not afraid to admit that the girl’s personalities are where their attraction truly lies!
In all honesty, I could continue in length on why I think young girls should be encouraged to watch Pretty Little Liars, with the understanding that is is fiction so it must be taken with a grain of salt. If I reflect on my personal high school years, I can see how a show like this would have benefited me in many ways. Not only would I have understood the butterflies in my tummy when I saw a crush (act cool and breathe), but the confidence that could have been gained by simply associating with their age-appropriate fashions, and the open minded behavior of all the lead characters. It would have been an early lesson that not everyone will like you and finding friends who accept your faults is something to be truly valued.
While I would never trade the life lessons I gained from Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings and The Golden Compass, having a story to follow such PLL, where the sub-plots are more relatable to a 15 year old girl would have been a great addition to my ‘most-loved’ collection. Let me tell you first hand that it’s not easy to emulate Arwen, the elven princess, during puberty, or Hermione when you’re not a brilliant student.
However, to understand Hannah’s self-conscious behavior as a need to be liked, beside Aria’s ability to get lost in a book? Now, that would have been something I could have related too! To follow these characters though the series as they find their confidence and become independent women is an incredible value to a young girl – that is what I am so keen for you readers to see and rejoice for.
And it’s equally fun to watch!
I do understand that perhaps this article will cause you judge me, or see me in a new way, but I think that is one of the main points to this piece. I really like watching Pretty Little Liars and I enjoy following it every week. I am unafraid to admit that I see exceptional benefits to this story from the sub-plots to the character development. It might not be the Shakespeare of of today, but that should not negate that values do exist here. Argue against me, make your notes on why you think this is a silly show for girls, but you might just help me prove my point. Think twice before you announce your judgments of PLL to ensure that all sexists remarks are removed, and then let me see how strongly you can argue against me. I truly believe that if this show can give young girls an early message of empowerment and a true message that friendship should be valued like the rare treasure it really is, then why not encourage them to enjoy watching this series?
So, tell me readers, what do you think of Pretty Little Liars?
(And yes, Hannah is my favorite character).
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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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 