[First Published: October 27, 2021]
Cinema and literature have had a long unending relationship with each other ever since the business of filmmaking started. Literature has always been one of the primary inspirations for motion pictures since both books and films represent the art of storytelling. On that note, I thought it would be prudent to make a wish for change in something we have grown too accustomed to as a society in these fields. It is a simple wish. One which, if adopted properly, would alleviate millions of book readers’ problems when they enter movie theaters to see an adaptation.
A longing for better book-to-film conversions is all we want.
The starkest example of poor adaptation for me is the 2010 Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief film. Based on the first installment of the incredible, five-book series by Rick Riordan, this staggering departure from the source material left me both angry and disappointed. Ultimately, I left the theater during the film’s premiere, about an hour into the screening.
I was not alone because, like most dedicated fans of any series, I could not stand for the disrespect to the subject matter in question. Riordan’s modernized approach to Greek mythology, which he created for his son, captivated millions worldwide. I was not immune to such an idea. I spent countless hours in my room reading through the books multiple times during middle school. As a fan of fiction, history, and fantasy, it perfectly combined my interests into one beautifully written series.
The books, characters, and settings were as resonant with me as Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings (the greatest book or film series ever created). Therefore, after receiving the news that the first book in the series, The Lightning Thief, was being turned into a movie, I was incredibly excited at the prospect but also filled with a sense of worry and dread about the potential mistreatment of my teenage treasure trove of mythological reimagination.
As a super fan, any deviation from the text can be detrimental to the viewing experience. Fans of failed film adaptations such as Eragon, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and A Wrinkle in Time can strongly relate to this sentiment. While it is understandable, some areas of the novel must be cut from the final edit of the film due to a number of things, including but not limited to budget, time, and feasibility. Yet, it remains a complete mystery to me why so many in Hollywood either refuse, ignore or are entirely unaware of this pitfall in adaptations. The greatly criticized and failed Percy Jackson adaptations significantly changed several main characters’ core characteristics and features and altered key plot points. It also created an unfollowable timeline for its most devoted fanbase.
These irreversible mistakes were largely avoided from other adaptations like The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner series, which stayed (mostly) true to its subjects’ core themes and plot points into its transition for the silver screen.
One of the most significant advantages of a book being made into a film is seeing the characters come alive and give our imaginations a sense of reality. It can be difficult to imagine and picture the characters or situations when reading a book, but a film helps make it more possible through visual representations. Another reason for adapting books into movies is to find and appeal to a wider audience. When it comes to reading books, it is not a hobby that everyone has.
In fact, many people cannot or do not read, but they do enjoy watching films. Books are more detailed, and thus a lot of people find it easy to relate to the emotions of a character in the book compared to a fast-paced film. Although the film itself could be a well-made movie, when you compare it to the book, many details go missing. More simply put, many film adaptations do not justify the depth that most books offer.
The creative liberties a director takes with a movie sometimes do not go over well with audiences because they expect the film to showcase exactly what is in the book. Likewise, while reading books, people imagine the characters in their own way, and not every time a filmmaker’s casting proves apt for the audience’s imaginative needs. Such adaptations with a loose script, unmatched characters, and irrelevant storytelling methods are not accepted by the audience. They prefer good books to be left alone and not made into films.
In the end, we should not be forced to worry whether great books are adequately adapted for movies or television, nor should we rest on the fact that a few productions have been as good if not better than their original materials. Instead, we should demand that original material be treated for what it is, worthy of adapting for larger audiences while also maintaining why it is worth doing so in the first place.