The way a book is translated into film is fascinating to me. So much goes into the process, and sometimes, despite all the work that goes into the movie, it does poorly. Unfortunately, there have been several times that I have been greatly disappointed with the film and its unfaithfulness to a much-beloved book. While taking creative licenses or changing things is sometimes necessary, some have entirely disregarded the source material, leading to disappointed, angry fans. Because of this, I often feel nervous before watching one of these films, dreading the agitation and disappointment I've felt so many times. With all that being said, sometimes movies, when done right, can add more depth and more of an immersive rich experience to a story. For this post, I will talk about some critical elements that go into adapting a novel into a film.
Adapting a book into film: Remaining true to the plot
This is the most common issue that I've heard debated. Many of these films that are unfaithful to the book seem to throw the plot out the window. But interestingly enough this is one of the most important ways a film producer can remain faithful to the book! This can be achieved by keeping the same order of events, keeping key plot points, core elements, and themes, and presenting the characters correctly (what they look like, how they act, etc.).
Another way directors can stay true to the book is through collaboration with the author. I believe the "Harry Potter" movies turned out so well because J.K. Rowling was a part of the process. Though sometimes it is necessary to condense and simplify a plot, I have seen this done while remaining faithful to the story's core. Ultimately, staying true to the plot of a book while adapting it into a movie requires a balance between honoring the source material and embracing the unique possibilities of cinematography.
Visual Storytelling/Cinematography
Another thing that adds depth and richness to the experience of a story is the cinematography. Seeing the world we imagined in our heads can be an exciting experience. Sometimes it's not always what we imagined; sometimes, it's even better. Funnily enough, though, when I saw "Where the Crawdads Sing," I was shocked to find that much of what I had imagined was what I saw on the screen (I read the book before I knew they were making a movie). That added a new excitement and emotion to what I had felt while reading the book.
Visual symbolism and visual storytelling is another crucial element of these movies; in "Where the Crawdads Sing," again, we see multiple symbols throughout the movie that was present in the book. The marsh represents beauty and isolation, the feather- represents hope, freedom, and resilience, and the butterfly represents transformation, beauty, and freedom. We see these things conveyed throughout the movie. An example of this happens at the beginning of the film. Just as we read in the novel, the movie starts with finding Chase Andrew's body. Something we, as the audience, see through visual storytelling is the unstableness of the fire tower. We get an overhead shot of two police officers climbing up the tower, and as they do, the tower sways from side-to-side showing how unstable and dangerous it is, which opens many possibilities and clues to what might have happened. Lastly, after this, we see the feather, the symbol of hope, freedom, and resilience, floating through the air, leading us to Kya to begin telling her story.
The Film Score
The final topic I want to discuss is the film score. This is a way that movies can add more depth to a novel. Music is, in and of itself, a character all on its own. One of the most excellent examples is from the movie "Jaws." John Williams, who created the infamous "Jaws" theme song, wanted to create something that sounded like a shark was approaching. Though very simple to play, he constructed something that could evoke fear and a sense of impending danger in the audience, something we all universally know as the sound of a shark approaching. This is just one example of music used in film to evoke emotion.
Specifically talking about novel to film adaptation, one soundtrack I find brilliant is from the movie "Atonement." In this movie, Dario Marianelli and others created a soundtrack that cleverly brought depth to the story. If you haven't read "Atonement" by Ian McEwan, I will explain to provide context...
McEwan's "Atonement" explores the concept of truth and lies, forgiveness, and tragedy. The basis of the story is that Briony, who is thirteen years old at the start of the novel, is a writer. She lives in her head and has a wild imagination (which aids her writing). We see through her point of view the events that we also see from the other characters' points of view. She constructs a false narrative in her head about what is happening instead of finding out the truth. Early in the novel, she witnesses something tragic and falsely accuses Robbie, who she knows was not responsible but believes he should still be punished for other reasons.
The film score provides richness through this story by using the typewriter. It is used as an instrument as the main character is a writer, and the entire story is centered around a lie and what it did to the victims; the typewriter is a crucial piece in the music score. The most notable scene where we get to see and hear this happens when she tells her lie. When the detective is interviewing her, we hear the typewriter as soon as she starts fabricating her story about Robbie. That was such a clever element to add to the film.
Conclusion
In closing, the novel-film adaptation process can be complex in many ways. While some movies have disappointed fans by disregarding the source material, there are also instances where films successfully capture the depth and richness of the story and, dare I say, add to it. Remaining faithful to the plot, preserving key elements, and collaborating with the author can help maintain the book's essence in the adaptation. Visual storytelling and cinematography play a vital role in bringing the imagined world to life and adding an immersive experience for the audience. Through visual symbolism, filmmakers can convey deeper meanings and evoke emotions tied to the story's themes. Lastly, the film score can significantly enhance the narrative by evoking emotions in theaudience. Considering all of these elements can aid in creating a movie that remains faithful to the book.
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Questions
What is a movie that disappointed you, made you angry, etc?
In your opinion, what movie did the book justice?
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