Adaptations Book to Film: Example Two - LOTR

Before I start this post, I just want to say that Lord of the Rings is my favourite adaptation from a book (series) into a film (series). I think it is one of the best adaptations that has ever been made. 

In regards to what they did to The Hobbit (J.R.R Tolkien, 1937) we aren't going to talk about that.

Lord of the Rings Trilogy

J.R.R Tolkien wrote the trilogy and Peter Jackson adapted the books into the phenomenal film series.

   

Left: Books of the LOTR (J. R. R. Tolkien), Right: Films of the LOTR (Peter Jackson)

Adapting:

Top Left to Right: Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellan), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), Boromir (Sean Bean) Bottom Left to Right: Samwise Gamgee (Sean Austin), Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), Meriadoc Brandybuck (Dominic Monaghan), Peregrin Took (Billy Boyd), Gimli (John Rhys-Davies)

I have only ever watched the EXTENDED editions of these films as LOTR is one of my favourite trilogy of books and films. I believe I have watched the films over twenty times at least I watch it at least once or twice a year.

Jackson's adaptation keeps pretty much close to Tolkiens story apart from a few deviations.

Fellowship of the Ring:

These are a few of the deviations:

• Arwen's role is much larger in the film. She also has a lot more power in the film controlling the water against the ringwraiths - which Elrond and Gandalf do in the books.

• Boromir has a larger role. His final stand was also shown on screen. 

• Boromir and the ring - his desire for the ring is more obvious in the films. Galadriel and Gandalf both warn Frodo about Boromir wanting to take the ring from him.

• The Uruk-Hai are the ones chasing the Fellowship in the first film, instead of the orcs. In the film, they named the Uruk-Hai that killed Boromir, Lurtz. 

• The Council of Elrond - In the film, the focus just on the ring, rather than the history of it. Also, Gimli tries to destroy the ring with his axe.

The Two Towers:

These are a few of the deviations:

• In the books, Theoden is weakened by the words of Wormtongue. However, in the film, he is possessed by Saruman. 

• In the books, Aragorn's revival after almost dying on the way to Helms Deep doesn't feature Arwen. However, in the film, Arwen's vision is what revives Aragorn. The screenwriters put this in to make their love story more distinguished. 

• Gandalf's final stand with the Balrog is in the film. 

• Frodo's encounter with Shelob - Doesn't happen in this film, but instead in the next. This is to do with timings with other parts of the story - E.G. Rohan arriving at Isengard. 

Return of the King:

These are a few of the deviations:

• In the books, Gandalf didn't fear the Witch-King and the Witch-King didn't break his staff. In the films, Gandalf was afraid and the Witch-King broke his staff.

• In the film, the Army of the Dead has a bigger role. 

• In the books, the beginning of the siege of Minas Tirith didn't begin with Denethor losing his mind and telling the people to run for their lives and Gandalf knocking him out and railing the forces. However, this happens in the film and makes sense, with the events with Faramir being almost burnt alive by his father, thinking he was dead.

Adapting from a Real Life Event: Part TWO - Red Tails (Anthony Hemingway, 2012)

The film of Red Tails is based on the Tuskegee Airman during the Second World War. Tuskegee Airman in the US Military were African-American pilots and aviators. They painted the tails of their planes RED to be identified easily. Their group were then given the name "Red Tails".

Most importantly, the film depicts the exploits of the Tuskegee Airman. The film isn't particularly accurate.

Like in Pearl Harbor (Michael Bay, 2001) there is an added love interest, which I thought wasn't necessary to the plot and was put in there to have some sort of romance involved, maybe to attract a wider audience?

Adaptations Book to Film: Example One - HP: Ginny's character in the films V.S. the books

Harry Potter

Now, I know what you're thinking. One post on just one character from seven books and adapted into eight films. Yes, this is really happening.

I have read all seven books and have watched all eight films enough times to be a major fan-girl of the series.

The reason I am concentrating on just the character of Ginny is because of the way she was adapted from the books. The supporting character of Ginevra Molly Weasley known as Ginny deserves to be concentrated on.

Bonnie Wright who portrayed her in all eight films, did her best job with what she had.

Top: Films 1-4, Bottom: Films 5-8

The character of GINNY:

       

Left: Fan Art of Ginny from the books, Right: Bonnie Wright from Films (I believe it's from Order of the Phoenix)

As someone who read the books before watching the films, what upset me most about the films was GINNY! In the books, Ginny Weasley, the younger sister of Harry's best friend, Ron and Harry's love interest, was such an interesting character and so Sassy! However, in the film, the character of Ginny was so boring and had no substance. The fact that she was basically silent throughout the films, annoyed me throughout.

Where was the character development in the film?

Quidditch 

Book

 Fan Art of Ginny playing Quidditch
Film


Taken from the film (Half-Blood Prince)

Ginny after the Second Wizarding War becomes a professional Quidditch player. However, throughout the films, she is barely seen doing anything to do with the sport apart from for about two minutes, if that, in Half-Blood Prince (2009). Taking out this essential part of Ginny's character development in the films. More was mentioned in the film with her brother, Ron, about quidditch.

Harry and Ginny's relationship in the film

• How did Harry and Ginny get together?
• There was more life to Harry and Cho's kiss in Order of the Phoenix (2007) than any of Harry and Ginny's kisses. 
• The breakup after Dumbledor's funeral wasn't included, why?
• Not really any reaction when Voldemort said Harry was dead. 
• Harry looks for Ginny on the marauder's map, however, this wasn't included in the film. Why?
• The epilogue, Ginny had no lines... Taking her usual place as the silent mute character in these films.
• Just WHY? WHY? WHY? Her relationship with Harry might have not been in the films, we wouldn't have noticed any difference.

Chamber of Secrets (2002)

Deathly Hallows, Pt. 1 (2010)

Academic Sources: TWO = Into the Woods (John Yorke)

I decided it would be suitable to re-read this particular academic book to help me with my Writer's Group.

I have decided to have a look through and find some appropriate quotes which I could possibly use in my critical reflection.

QUOTES:

“All stories have a premise – “What if…?’” (2013:13)

“Stories are built from acts; acts are built from scenes and scenes are built from even smaller units called beats” (2013: 78)

“Dialogue plays an essential part in the creation of a character’s façade” (2013:150)

Adapting from a Real Life Event: Part ONE - Band of Brothers (HBO, 2001)

I read Ambrose's book a long time before I watched the HBO series and also read Beyond Band of Brothers (Dick Winters, 2006). Apart from being one of my favourite series of all time, this series brought to life the story of these men and what they went through during the war. 

At the beginning of each episode, we see the surviving members of Easy Company telling us information relevant to each of the ten episodes. 

Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose

Below I am going to briefly summarise what each episode is about.

Episode One

This episode was the opening to the mini-series. It showed all the training of the Paratroopers and their problems with their CO, Captain Sobel. It also introduces all the characters and helps us as the audience to understand the connection between these men.

Episode Two

This episode is all about the D-Day landings and the men jumping out of the planes and beginning their journey. For this episode, we follow Dick Winters, who is seen as the main character of the mini-series.

Episode Three

In this episode, we mainly follow Pvt. Albert Blithe and his journey during the battle for Carentan. This episode focuses on the fear of war and death as well as bravery.

Episode Four

This episode is the first of the second part of the war of Easy Company. They have returned from France and have been given Replacements for the men they have lost. Many of the original members are nervous about the green recruits and Bull Randleman takes a few under his wing. It is also the Market Garden Episode and shows the defeat of the Allies in Holland here.

Episode Five

This episode was directed by Tom Hanks! This episode follows Dick Winters again, however, this time there was voice overs and it was a retelling of events that made Dick Winters no longer the CO of Easy Company but the leader of Second Battalion. This episode is all about Dick Winters' bravery and exceptional leadership.

Episode Six

This episode follows Eugene "Doc Roe" Roe, one of Easy Company's medics. It is also the beginning of the Belgium part of the battle going through the Ardennes Forest. This episode focuses a lot on the hardship in the Ardennes with the cold, lack of food and clothing and also the building tensions of being away from home. It also shows with a female nurse in Bastogne, the civilian casualties and how the war affected all involved, not just the soldiers.

 

Episode Seven

Episode seven continues on in the Ardennes. It cleverly follows First Sergeant Carwood Lipton with his voice over. This episode is all about leadership and lack of, the leadership being from Lipton and Spiers and the lack of leadership from their CO. This episode highlights the lack of faith in leadership and the rising tensions in the company. It also happens to be the episode where we lose a lot of the main characters, some to death - Muck and Penkala, some to wounds - Guarnere and Toye and others to mental health - Compton. I think this episode called "The Breaking Point" is probably the best in the series.

Episode Eight

This episode follows Pvt David Webster, a returning soldier who was wounded in Holland. He missed out on Bastogne and the Ardennes and at the start is treating as a replacement rather than an original member of Easy Company. This episode highlights that the war is coming to an end and some soldiers are still trying to make something of themselves, such as newly Lt. Jones (Played by Tom Hanks' son).

Episode Nine 

This episode is probably the hardest to watch. It is about the war ending and giving the men some hope about going home soon. however, in the episode, Perconte and some others on a patrol find a concentration camp and discover what the Germans have been doing to the Jews and outcasts of society. This horrifies Liebgott the most as he is a Jew and this affects us as a viewer too.

Episode Ten

This episode is the final one of the mini-series. This episode is voiced by Dick Winters once again and is about the war being over but not over for the men. The men who had enough points were allowed to go home, however, the majority of the company didn't have enough points. A few different men were wounded - Sgt. Grant, or killed - Janovec. It ends with the company playing a game of Baseball and Winters telling us what they all did after the war. It also shows us some of the surviving men telling some stories at the end, saying who's who.

Careers:

The show made a lot of people's careers, including:

• Simon Pegg
• Tom Hardy
• Michael Fassbender

   

Adapting from a Real Life Event: Explaination

I have chosen to rewatch some films and TV series that are adapted from real events, specifically war films. 

I have a lot of Military, Police and Public Services in my family and War Films and TV have been something I have been interested in since I was a child. 

I have chosen these films and TV because of my connection to them, but I have also chosen them to do with the time period they're from, e.g. WWII, Vietnam, Modern Day, trying to pick from a range. I have chosen to do six in total, doing one per week for the next six weeks (to the end of November).

The Films and TV Shows I have decided to discuss:

WWII:

• Band of Brothers (HBO, 2001) - Watch and Write Blog: 21st October 2019

Donnie Wahlberg portraying Sgt./First Sgt./2nd Lt. Clifford Carwood Lipton in Band of Brothers

• Red Tails (Anthony Hemingway, 2012) - Watch and Write Blog: 28th October 2019

Nate Parker as Captain Martin "Easy" Julian in Red Tails.

Vietnam:

• We Were Soldiers (Randall Wallace, 2002) - Watch and Write Blog: 4th November 2019

Mel Gibson as Lt. Col. Hal Moore in We Were Soldiers.

Modern Day:

• Black Hawk Down (Ridley Scott, 2001) - Watch and Write Blog: 11th November 2019

Josh Hartnett as Sgt. Matt Eversman in Black Hawk Down.

• The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow, 2008) - Watch and Write Blog: 18th November 2019

Anthony Mackie (Sgt. J. T. Sanborn) and Jeremy Renner (Sgt. 1st Class William James) in The Hurt Locker.

• 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (Michael Bay, 2016) - Watch and Write Blog: 25th November 2019

John Krasinski as John Silva in 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.

Lecture 21/10/19: Pre-Production

9am Lecture with Tim

Pre-Production: What should be done by today

• Locations - Chosen!
• Casting - Started!

Pre-Production to continue

• Planning 
• Storyboarding
• Script Development
• Lighting Plan
• Set Designs
• Costume
• Makeup
• Design

Pre-Production to get on with

• Cinematography
• Production Draft - Complete!
• 1st AD's - Start Scheduling 
• Shooting script
• Technical Recce - organised by the 1st AD, all crew to go.
• Production Meeting after Technical Recce
• Read through

Adaptations Book to Film: Explanation

I have chosen to rewatch some films and TV series that are adapted from books.

I have chosen these films and TV because they're ones I loved from when I was a child and ones I have opinions about their adaptations.

I have chosen to do six in total, doing one per week for the next six weeks (to the end of November).

The Films and TV Shows I have decided to discuss:

• Harry Potter (Warner Bros, 2001-2011) - Watch and Write Blog: 22nd October 2019

Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Chris Columbus, 2002)

• Lord of the Rings (Peter Jackson, 2001-2003) - Watch and Write Blog: 30th October 2019

Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) in Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Peter Jackson, 2003)

• Jane Austen Adaptations - Watch and Write Blog: 7th November 2019

Emma (Romola Garai), Mr. Knightley (Jonny Lee Miller) in Emma (BBC, 2009)

• Jurassic Park (Steven Spielberg, 1993) - Watch and Write Blog: 13th November 2019

Tim Murphy (Joseph Mazzello) in Jurassic Park (Steven Spielberg, 1993)

• Game of Thrones (HBO, 2011-2019) - Watch and Write Blog: 22nd November 2019

Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) in Game of Thrones (HBO, 2011-2019)

• Sherlock Holmes Adaptations - Watch and Write Blog: 29th November 2019

Dr. Joan Watson (Lucy Liu), Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) in Elementary (CBS, 2012-2019)