The Desolation of Smaug, (the second installment of Peter Jackson's three-part interpretation of The Hobbit) opened in theaters
yesterday. Despite my love of all things Tolkien, I was not among those who
lined up to see it. Oh, I’m sure I’ll see it at some point over the next few
weeks, and I’ll probably end up complaining bitterly about the interminable
action sequences, the scenes that have been cut out or the extra characters that
have been thrown in (all for no good reason, IMO) just as I did after viewing the
previous film. But I’m not rushing out the door to see it—no matter how many
Orlando Blooms are in it. To be honest, I’m much more excited about a movie
that’s releasing next Friday: Saving Mr. Banks.
For those who don’t know, Saving Mr. Banks tells the story
of PL Travers, Walt Disney and the making of Mary Poppins. As a writer, I can
sympathize with PL Travers and her reluctance to allow her books to be made
into a movie and I’m curious to see what it took to convince her and, even more
importantly, what she thought of the finished product.
I find Mary Poppins to be a very curious film. The
characters and events on the screen bear little resemblance to the characters and
events in the books. That, in itself isn’t strange, of course. Most movies
stray pretty far from the books they’re based on. But what makes it so special
(at least to me) is that the two Mary Poppinses while clearly not the same,
still manage to coexist quite happily in my head. They’re two completely different
interpretations that somehow complement each other. Together they are, in fact, practically perfect in every way.
The thing is, however, I don’t know why that’s the case. It bugs me. I can’t really think
of any other movie/book combination that I can say that about. I suspect it has something to do with the fact
that the movie stayed true to the spirit of the books—kind of the reverse of the
travesty that is Disney’s 1996 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
In any case, I’m hoping Saving Mr. Banks will shed some
light on the reasons. And, who knows, maybe I’ll take away some new insights that will allow me to better appreciate The Desolation of Smaug.
What movies do you find to be successful interpretations of
the books you’ve loved?
*****
PG
Forte inhabits a world only slightly less strange than the ones she creates.
Filled with serendipity, coincidence, love at first sight and dreams come
true…it also bears an uncanny resemblance to Berkeley, California. Learn more at www.PGForte.com
Now I'm very intrigued to watch this movie. I know what you mean about having two "versions" coexist peacefully. I feel this way about Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman, which was made into a movie that's much lighter and happier than the book. They both have the same general plot, but the mood is so different, my brain doesn't even group them together. I like both, though. :) Great post!
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