March 23, 2012

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games movie opens today and most people I know are super excited about it.  You might be one of them.  As much as I love the books (I’ve read them 5-6 times), I’m not super excited for the movie.

I’m one of those people who LOVES books.  I love the story, the character development and the little details and thought processes that get lost in translation when a movie is made.  In the movie making process they have destroyed some of my favorite books.  They changed Percy Jackson and The Lightening Thief.  They messed with Harry Potter.  They RUINED C.S. Lewis.  RUINED IT.   Seriously, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader DID NOT need to be changed.  What was with the swords and the green mist?  One does not need to mess with Narnia, it is perfect the way it is. 

So I guess you can say I’m a bit of a purist.  I like my books they way they are written.  Otherwise why would they be so popular?  So while I will see The Hunger Games, I’m nervous about how they changed it.  Just from the previews you can tell that Madge has been removed.  I know she’s a minor character but…it’s a change.  Changes to the books make me sad.  Guess it’s just something I have to live with!

Are you excited about The Hunger Games movie?

Does it bother you when movie change the book?

14 comments:

  1. Samantha JankowskiMarch 23, 2012 at 8:00 AM

    YES. and yes. I already bought tickets for a showing tonight. I'm super excited. While I hate Hollywood renditions, I find that as long as I can follow along and it's not too far off from the book, then I'm happy. I hate, though, when the movie completely destroys my love for a book.

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  2. I have read the books twice. I am looking forward to the movie. My husband started reading the book and didn't care for it. He commented that it may be difficult to make a movie from this book since it so much of what Katniss is thinking. I hadnt thought of that. Sometimes the movies will ruin booms for me. I have established the world in my imagination and the movie writes over my vision. I can never go back. Sometimes it is better. I prefer the Harry Potter movies over the books. Also, the Lord of the Rings. Can we say Tom Bombadil? But, I agree Dawn Treader was ruined.

    So many books in the young adult genre are written like a movie that it isn't surprising the most popular go to the big screen. Most YA books irritate me for that reason, but the Hunger Games was unique and made me care about the characters. That is why I liked it.

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  3. So far I have heard it stays true to the book :)

    I guess it depends on the movie for me and what they have said about it. Like if a movie comes out and says, "You know, we based this on this book but it is going to be a little different..."  Then I am okay with certain things being different.  But at the same time I like when they keep it the same. 

    I do like when they make movies out of books because then I get to see the people I loved come alive but it sucks when they get it really wrong.

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  4. I love books. I love movies. I used to compare the movies to the books I've read and get disappointed. I've now changed my thinking to appreciating the differences. I take the stories the movies are for just that -- a new story. That's why it is "based on the book..." because they aren't regurgitating the book. That's not to say that I approve of their creative choices, especially if they change or leave out a part of the book I loved, but I recognize they at least had that freedom.

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  5. I loved the Hunger Games series! I'm going to see the movie, but mostly out of curiosity as to how similar/different it would be to the book. I totally agree, no one should mess with Narnia. Voyage of the Dawn Treader was just awful, I was so disappointed. We listen to the books on CD as I drive the kids to school and there is nothing better than imagining Narnia and all of it's wonderful characters for yourself. I hope the Hunger Games movie isn't too much of a disappointment!

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  6. I am in agreement on the fact that movies mess up the stories....
     I however am not one of the ones excited over this movie... Have not read it.

     I have seen the trailers etc...and it looks like one to watch, but, only when it comes out on DVD.  Movies, like so much else, are just expensive these days. 
     Tara

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  7. I totally agree with you! I adore the books but somehow feel like the movie will be lacking (especially because many of the characters don't "measure up" to how I pictured them in my head). I'd rather read and use my imagination than go to the movies, anyway. And I agree about CS Lewis, a lot of his themes and morals and very much lost in a movie translation.

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  8. I hope you enjoyed it! I find that when a movie is so completely different from the book, every time I watch it have to read the book after:)

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  9. That's true. I do like when they say it's based on something but will be different. I've been hearing it's stays true to the book too, so I'm looking forward to it a little more:)

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  10. I think I just enjoy the books more than the movies:) I've only seen most of the movies I have cause of DH and his love of them!

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  11. We are huge Narnia fans here and I'm glad they stopped at three:) DH is hoping they'll do The Silver Chair!

    So far I've heard the Hunger Games movie stays pretty true to the book. I'm hoping that's true!

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  12. I agree that movies are so expensive! We tend to go to the drive through for the double feature. We don't see very many movie in the theatre though. I like to be able to pause to go potty!

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  13. I also don't always like who they cast for the characters. Oh well! And I wonder how much of the changing of C.S. Lewis was to get rid of some the themes an morals...

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  14. For what it's worth, the movie was great!   Collins helped write the screenplay, so of course the minor bits that were cut out of the movie were approved by the writer.  I am going to see it again with my husband sometime soon.

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