OBS Contributor Gigi has a few thoughts on the disgruntled musing circulating over the differences in films renditions and the books by which they are inspired.
We see it all the time: Narnia, Spiderwick Chronicles, Twilight, True Blood, Vampire Diaries…. all of these titles were once books before they were turned into films or program series. It is nothing new to take a great story on paper and make it into a celluloid success. But recently there has been a near-tangible outcry from book fans over the inaccuracy in the retelling of their beloved tales.
My question, however, is why the outcry? Surely literary fans can understand that perception is individually relative and not every thing that can be “real” in books can translate to the screen. Liberties and license are just that when some one takes the time to apply their impressions and imaginings to a beloved tale.
Not everything we read can be translated as we want it to be. If directors and producers tried to appease every fan, none of these films or programs would ever see the light of day. Not everyone can be right, but we can all accept the gifted visions of those who apply their talents to these stories as singular perspectives and be thankful they took the time to do so at all. That would be the polite thing to do, wouldn’t it?
Is it really so difficult to be gracious? Must we pick apart the inconsistencies we see or imagine rather than simply enjoy the gift for what it is: a point of view? Why can’t we simply be fans of each medium for what they are instead of tearing one apart in comparison to the other? Is it really so hard to be happy with what we get when we could, really, have nothing at all?
Let’s accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative shall we?
Do you feel that fans are too judgmental towards directors, screen writers and producers over the translations of books to film? Do you think there is too much of a negative response these alterations and not enough of a positive acceptance for the mere effort of translating, itself? Tell us your thoughts!
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