Movies based off of books...

So, my friend made an interesting comment the other day on my blog. I can see her side definitely, but I decided I needed to at least describe why I like to see movies based off of books.

I always think it is intriguing when people go to a movie that is based off of a book and try to compare it to the book. When I go see a movie I base it on itself. Did I like it? Did it flow well? Did I like the characters? Did I like the storyline? Did it leave me feeling somewhat good or was I disappointed?

When I went to see the new "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" I knew it would be unfair to compare it to the old version.

The old version is a classic...still is, and I knew that while the new one might be good, it wouldn't even come close to the old one...it didn't, but basing it on it's own merits, it was still a good movie. I thought it was funny, a bit weird, but then Tim Burton's movies always are a bit on the odd side. What I really thought was interesting was when I read the book, and Tim Burton's was closer to being accurate than the original movie!

I know lots of people who have been disappointed when they go see a Harry Potter film and are just shocked and sometimes outraged at all the things that got left out. In my mind, I look at it and am amazed at how they can alter the storyline of a 500+ page book to fit a 2 hour timeframe and make sense. I think they do an awesome job.

Anne of Green Gables is a movie that I absolutely love and could watch over and over (I blame my sister for this...:) and yet, it is not a completely accurate rendition of the book. And yes, it completely floored me when I found out that the actress who plays Diana Barry has BLOND hair in real life!

So, now we get to Twilight the movie. I can't really defend the movie YET, since I haven't seen it, but so far it seems to be good. It took me a moment to get used to the idea of Edward being played by the actor who played Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter since I had always seen Edward with dark hair (even though in the book it says over and over that his hair is bronze..yes, I know this...). That being said, I think what I am looking forward to the most isn't how much it is like the book, but how well the writers and director make the story into a movie.

So, we shall see!