Pride and Prejudice Adaptation Paper

The Novel 

Jane Austen’s acclaimed novel Pride and Prejudice initially published in 1813 is an complex and in-depth examination of the rural upper-class society in 18th century England. While I use the world upper-class a clear distinction must be made as Austen distinctly writes about the landed gentry, that is to say Gentlemen with inheritable estates, and not about the Aristocracy—those who wold titles, in other words the Nobility. The events of Pride and Prejudice, therefore, primarily take place within the confines of an intimate rural community and reflect the unique concerns of its individuals. As a result, the residents of Longbourn and it’s surrounding community all function according to their own rules of propriety —rules which outsiders like Mr. Darcy and the Bingley’s have to accommodate to (or not in Mr. Darcy’s case). In Pride and Prejudice Austen closely dissects the social landscape of these intimate communities, but she also parallels the reader’s experience through the evolving relationship between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. Indeed, the world of Pride and Prejudice is one that is heavily reliant on the written word, and many times it is only through this medium that the difference between fiction and reality can be discerned by both the reader and character, but I shall speak more of that later.

In modern day, Pride and Prejudice is often misinterpreted as a romantic love story between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. This sentiment is no doubt fed by the popularity of the romantic in modern culture but also by virtue of the main concern in Austen’s novel—marriage. Marriage in Austen’s world, however, does not function the same as does marriage in society today. Far from being an expression of love, for the characters of Pride and Prejudice marriage is primarily a financial bargaining chip and a tool for upwards social mobility. In fact, Austen goes through considerable lengths to demonstrate the perils of an unwise marriage based on fleeting passions rather than sense. This is, of course, exemplified in the disastrous marriage between Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet, and again, in the marriage between Lydia and Mr. Wickham.

Her father captivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good humour, which youth and beauty generally give, had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind, had very early in their marriage put an end to any real affection for her (p. 180).

As Austen demonstrates, an unwise marriage can either make or break an individual and for a family like the Bennet’s whose estate is inherited solely through the male line, a good marriage is absolutely necessary. Mrs. Bennet’s obsession with marriage while undoubtedly comical is tempered by the underlying, and very real, possibility of destitution in the case of Mr. Bennet’s death. A child of an dysfunctional marriage bereft of respect, Elizabeth cannot bring herself to accept someone she does not respect and indeed when she eventually decides to accept Mr. Darcy’s addresses it is this sentiment that she expresses rather than romantic love.

She respected, she esteemed, she was grateful to him, she felt a real interest in his welfare; and she only wanted to know how far she wished that welfare to depend upon herself (p. 201).

Thus, Elizabeth’s marriage to Darcy is much more about finances and respect than it is about romantic affection. Wealth also plays an incredibly important role in this society specially in relation to an individual’s marriageability for it can work against you (like the Bennet’s) or in your favor (like the Bingleys’). Indeed, it is Bingley’s wealth which essentially makes him an eligible match for the impoverished but genteel Bennet’s (and it is equally interesting that the woman he chooses to give his affections to is the daughter of a landed gentleman and of the highest local rank). The Bingleys’ wealth, after all, is in fact derived from trade, a fact that Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst choose to forget (instead focusing on their good connections) even as their social difference is felt by those of higher social standing such as Mr. Darcy who is often as condescending to Miss Bingley as he is to the local residents. Austen, however, never lets us forget how much each person is worth and the consequences of rank is felt in Miss Bingley’s desperation for the purchase of an estate. The community of Longbourn, is therefore, one that is intimately concerned with individual monetary worth and social status and while Mr. Darcy at first evidences disdain at what he deems vulgar behavior, it is only through his interaction with Elizabeth Bennet that he is able to recognize his own lack of propriety.

The Film

Gurinder Chadha’s (2004) innovative film adaptation “Bride and Prejudice” is a colorful romp that mixes stylistic techniques of Bollywood, Hollywood, and British film traditions and places Jane Austen’s classic tale in a modern setting. Despite the fact that the film has received many negative reviews there is still much to be lauded in Chadha’s “Bride and Prejudice.” Perhaps one of the strongest points of Gurinder Chadha’s film is in its presentation of womanhood, embodied in Lalita and her sisters, which work to dispel the traditional submissive/passive image that is found in both Eastern and Western film.

In her article “Brides Against Prejudices: New Representations of Race and Gender Relationships in Gurinder Chadha’s Transnational Film ‘Bride and Prejudice’ (2004)” author Elena Oliete points out the prominence of the female roles in Chadha’s film even over the characteristically popular male lead.

“In opposition to Bollywood movies, in Bride and Prejudice female characters that have a preponderant role. Whereas Martin Henderson’s performance of the hero, Mr Darcy, loses the tremendous appeal Colin Firth granted to him in the popular 1995 BBC version of the novel, the heroine, Lalita (Aishwarya Rai) recovers the original force of Austen’s Lizzy had in the novel.”

Oliete’s point is incredibly accurate as Lalita, perhaps more so than her sisters, continuously defies both the traditional Bollywood stereotype of women as the submissive wife/mother and Western stereotypes about Indian women. Chadha constructs Lalita as an independent, outspoken woman with her own ideals and furthermore sets her up as the apparent heir to her father’s business as depicted by the scenes that show her riding around the farms and crunching numbers at the table. In no other point in the movie is the female sensibility more apparent than in the musical number “No Life Without Wife” for it is here amidst the stereotypical portrayal of marriage (working man and stay at home wife) that Lalita voices her own expectations and desires regarding relationships and marriage.

As a director, Chadha is also successful at challenging Western stereotypes regarding the East. Indeed, Darcy’s reasoning and attitude often voices common western attitudes towards foreign countries in both the economic and social realms, and it is during these times that Lalita acts as the foil to Darcy’s western prejudices opening up the door to a different perspective. As Cheryl Wilson states in her article “Bride and Prejudice: A Bollywood Comedy of Manners”:

“Bride & Prejudice is a multinational, multi-cultural crowd-pleaser that touches on American imperialism, the way the west looks at India and what people regard as backward or progressive. In a populist, entertaining movie the drama is questioning the audience’s Eurocentric attitude”

Most of the interactions between Lalita and Darcy happen in this sphere of cultural exchange that essentially end with both parties realizing (and discarding) their own prejudices of culture. Lalita’s impression of Darcy is negatively affected from the start first by his curt refusal to dance with her but secondly, and perhaps more importantly, by his callous dismissal of the local accommodations despite having the best room. As the conversation progresses Darcy eventually states “That there is nothing wrong with having standards” to which Lalita replies ” No, as long as you don’t impose them on others.” From this point on Lalita’s impression of Darcy is decidedly negative and colored by her own prejudices at what she perceives as implicit American Imperialism. It is in this multi-cultural sphere that Chadha excels in portraying, and essentially diffusing (at least in film), cultural stereotypes.

The Adaptation

In previous sections I mentioned that Jane Austen’s novel parallels the experience of the reader reading the novel primarily through the developing relationship between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. Indeed, throughout the novel characters frequently refer back to previous conversations or events so that the very structure of the novel encourages revision. It is no coincidence then that Elizabeth Bennet’s understanding of Mr. Darcy’s character happens through the means of a letter which she continuously re-reads. It is in this section that Austen peels away the fiction to reveal the truth of Mr. Darcy’s nature for both Elizabeth and the reader forcing both to revise and re-imagine previous scenes. It is notable as well that Elizabeth’s first reading of Darcy’s letter is read with prejudice and it is only through her second perusal that the truth becomes available. This aspect of Austen’s work is one that is not only difficult to adapt, but one that is completely removed from Chadha’s modern adaptation. Despite this however, Chadha does use her own sort inter-textuality within the film but that effort is, nevertheless, often confusing and lacking as author Christine Geraghty points out:

Fears that this mix might confuse the audience can be seen in the publicity for the film which tried to stabilize its genre. The cinema trailer ended with the reassurance that the film was indeed that Hollywood staple, a romantic comedy, a generic labelling reinforced by the tag line which declared ‘Bollywood meets Hollywood…. And it’s a perfect match’, a description which ignored the film’s British qualities. The varied elements do not work in a uniform way. Different aspects of the story are underpinned or amended in different ways by this layering of references.

Another key aspect that makes modern-setting adaptations of Pride and Prejudice difficult is the importance of conversation and social interaction that is present in Pride and Prejudice. In Longbourn Austen’s characters are severely limited in their interactions with the opposite sex as they must follow the rules of propriety, in addition social interaction and events are a prominent part of daily life. Indeed, in Longbourn and its surrounding communities characters are often socially engaged with their neighbors whether it be through daily visits or through lavish balls and dinner parties. As a result, misconceptions and fictions (read:gossip) are specially easy to spread and very hard to eradicate. This is primarily because, as in the case between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet, propriety and civility must always be maintained and one did not simply ask difficult questions. In addition to this, the interactions between male and female were limited already to certain events such as balls and formal visits which usually involved many people. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet’s relationship, therefore, develops slowly in this fractured way. This sensibility is a difficult one to transpose into a modern setting as social norms have drastically changed. The traditional Indian heritage of Chadha’s film attempts to approximate this sensibility as there seems to be an underlying (though definitely not as strict) social code of propriety. Furthermore, in Chadha’s film she does incorporate a scene where Darcy, Balraj and his sister visit the Bakshi’s which is awkward for everyone involved (except perhaps Maya). This awkwardness however adds a touch of humor to the film as it evokes the common, and dreaded, modern situation of meeting your significant other’s parents. In what Chadha does excel in however, is in casually and naturally representing the sexual tension otherwise removed from the film (there’s not even a kiss!)  that occur in Austen’s novel through the mediums of balls and soirees. In Chadha’s version this is expertly transposed in the various  traditional Indian gatherings which function in the same way as Austen’s balls. It is during these dances that the characters are able to feel the romantic tension and interact with each other.

Lastly, as I’ve discussed at length above, Marriage is an integral part of life in Longbourn society. It is a tool that is employed by women and men alike for upward social mobility or financial gain. For the Bennets, as discussed, Marriage is absolutely essential to their survival, without it the Bennet girls and their mother run the chance of becoming homeless and destitute should Mr. Bennet die. As the world of the Bennet’s holds little opportunity for the self-sufficiency of women, Mrs. Bennet and her daughters’ are put in a precarious predicament. In contrast, modern society holds entirely different views of marriage and though in her film Chadha uses Indian cultural norms in order to add importance and cultural relevance to the idea of marriage, it nevertheless falls flat and does not contain the same social significance as an integral part of the storyline. Indeed, while marriage is ultimately a central aspect of the novel, it is not so in Chadha’s film despite Mrs. Bakshi’s constant preoccupation with it. While there is social pressure put on the girls to marry, it is presented as more of an old-fashioned preoccupation, evidenced by the Bakshi sisters’ unenthused reactions every time their mother brings the topic up. Other than the traditional social norms there is no sense of urgency that the girls must marry. Lahki’s escape with Wickham too is changed to fit modern sensibilities, for unlike the Bennet sisters who would be ruined by association if Lydia’s situation became known, Lahki’s situation does not carry the same social significance. Instead, Lahki’s situation provides a glimpse into a more modern concern —that of internet predators luring the young into dangerous sexual encounters. This is reinforced within the film by Lahki’s and Wickham’s email correspondence which she hides from her family and by Wickham’s shady actions towards Lahki. In essence, Bride and Prejudice might not be a by-the-book rendition, and in fact, in order to fit the modern setting there were many aspects which had to be re-arranged, nevertheless Chadha does convey the overall spirit of Austen’s work while at the same time making her own socio-economic and cultural critiques on modern society.

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Primary Source:

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2004. Print.

Secondary Sources:

Oliete, Elena. “Brides Against Prejudices: New Representations Of Race And Gender Relationships In Gurinder Chadha’s Transnational Film ‘Bride And Prejudice’ (2004).” International Journal Of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences 5.5 (2010): 135-141. Web.
<http://web.b.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=fd56a13a-4c4a-4b8a-90a1-fb78691d33a9%40sessionmgr198&vid=1&hid=124&gt;

Wilson, Cheryl A. “Bride And Prejudice: A Bollywood Comedy Of Manners.” Literature Film Quarterly 34.4 (2006): 323-331. Web.
<http://web.b.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=0fa96a3b-1717-42b3-803d-faf95d8d0a5a%40sessionmgr112&vid=1&hid=124&gt;

Geraghty, Christine. “Jane Austen Meets Gurinder Chadha.” South Asian Popular Culture 4.2 (2006): 163-168. Web.
<http://web.b.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=30327001-9d2f-4645-8eda-ad3bc0623f7c%40sessionmgr113&vid=1&hid=124&gt;

Zack Snyder’s “Watchmen” (2009)

The Comics

Watchmen is a comic book serial written by author Alan Moore and illustrated by artist Dave Gibbons. Famed for his distaste of Hollywood, Alan Moore’s comics series Watchmen presents not only a structured format that is difficult to transpose into film but also a wide range of characters that are superheroes but at the same time incredibly, and often critically, flawed.  In general, the comic book series is set in the world of 1985—a world that though somewhat familiar is still nonetheless different from other “superhero” worlds of the comicsphere. Unlike the super-human, powerful, and impeccably virtuous heroes of other popular series, the cast of characters of Watchmen are by comparison almost too villainous and entirely human (only one of them has actual superpowers). Indeed, Moore’s characters undergo extensive emotional conflict over the violence of their actions —a strange mixture of regret, longing and abhorrence which leads to varying degrees of personal contradictions. The enigmatic character of Rorschach’s, for example, follows a very decisive personal code and yet despite his seeming obsession with eradicating evil he dismisses The Comedian’s attempted rape of Silk Spectre as a “moral lapse.” Thus, the world of Watchmen is one that is inherently morally ambiguous and often hard to understand which makes the comic series standout from other comics in the genre where good and evil are obviously outlined.

The Film

Zack Snyder’s 2009 film “Watchmen” is an ambitious 162 minute endeavor. Reflective of the dark, gritty tone of the comics, Snyder’s film is primarily colored in dark lighting and subdued tones. In perhaps one of the most interesting moments of the film, Snyder replicates key moments in history represented by iconic photographs that are undoubtedly familiar to the audience and tweaks them to fit into the world of Watchmen. The effect of this is that the audience is at once reminded that they are watching a movie that is set in an alternate, though familiar, reality. The fact that the events of the film happen in a familiar setting rather than an imaginary one reinforce the humanity and flaws of the characters. Thus, the audience views the cast of characters primarily as regular people with real human problems rather than crime-fighting super-humans that exist apart from everyone else.

The Adaptation

While it is true that Zack Snyder’s film stays true to certain parts of the Alan Moore’s comic, much of the intricate development of the comic series is either blatantly left out or bastardized. Snyder’s film adaptation places a heightened emphasis on violence, with multiple depictions of the cast of characters enjoying, even reveling, in their use of it—gone however is the characters deep emotional conflict, and even abhorrence, of the role of violence in their line work and it’s inevitable toll.  This sensibility, and the unique role that intertextuality plays, is evident in the comics rendition of the dinner scene between Laurie and Dan where Laurie criticizes and condemns her life as a masked vigilante but even as she is praising the Keene act that forced them to retire her expression (and Dan’s!) in the next panel are distinctly regretful. This scene is immediately followed by their reminiscence of Rorschach eventual murder of the pervert that had been following them around. The unique staging of this interaction thus displays the character’s emotional distress—regret at a life they left behind and perhaps even some longing, but also a recognition of the violence that the job entails. This interaction goes completely different in the film, where Laurie and Dan show no uncomfortableness or remorse over Rorschach’s excessive violence and are much less reluctant to return to the violent life of vigilantes.

Criticism

In “Inna Final Analysis: Why Watchmen Doesn’tQuite Work (and Why It Does)” Author Josh Wimmer analyses the mixed sentiment regarding Zack Snyder’s movie Watchmen. Snyder’s film, Wimmer asserts, is faithful to the source material but this does not make it a successful adaptation of the comic series. In the article Wimmer points out the distinct ways in which this film fails due to the nature of the comic book series citing Rorschach’s voice over entries in the film as silly and out of place in the film whereas they seem to occur naturally in the comics.

In “Lonely Blue Boys” film critic Stuart Klawans hilariously gives him impression on three films including Watchmen. Mimicking Rorschach’s diary entry narration, Klawans hilariously ( and sarcastically) details his accidental detour into the wrong movie (Duplicity) when he was supposed to be watching Watchmen, a detour that nevertheless is paralleled and examined in relation to Watchmen. In the article Klawans points out the how Snyder (renamed The Doubler)  has recycled pop artifacts in a movie that is essentially comprised of “laborious flashbacks and repetitive sequences” and how films such as Watchmen are not innovative or unique anymore.

In “Watchmen, The Movie—Filming the Unfilmable” author Erika Szabo talks about the problems with the film adaptation of Watchmen deeming it humiliating. Szabo points out that Moore’s Watchmen cannot be dismissed as simply another superhero comic as the work was revolutionary in deconstructing and penetrating the superhero pathos, mythos and ethos. Furthermore, Szabo notes how the linear nature of the cinematic reproduction presents ” a hollowed out shell of the original, deprived of density and soul.”

Critical Analysis

Zack Snyder’s film adaptation of Watchmen is too ambitious in it’s attempt to stay faithful to the source material with the result that in the end the movie is too long and the emotional distress of the protagonists gets lost in translation. As a result the film loses one of the most important critiques of the comics and much of the emotional sympathy for its characters. Indeed, the characters in Moore’s comics are incredibly human and flawed and as such are a direct opposition, and critique, of the impeccable morality of popular comic book heroes (or at least the way that they have been portrayed by hollywood). Snyder’s characters however lack humanity for though they still have flaws they have been enhanced and embossed to fit hollywood sensibilities. Moore’s characters are human, but Snyder’s characters display super human abilities/strength that immediately separates them from the rest of humanity. As mentioned above, Snyder’s characters are also much more inclined, joyous even, to use deadly force against others, a sensibility that is clearly absent in the comics. Thus, Snyder’s film is inevitably a part of the Hollywood tradition complete with excessive violence, flashy gadgets (even though the film is set in the 1980s) and hyper-sexualized characters.

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Primary Source: 

Moore, Alan, and Dave Gibbons. Watchmen. New York: DC Comics, 1987. Print.

Secondary Sources:

Wimmer, Josh. “Inna Final Analysis: Why Watchmen Doesn’t Quite Work (and Why It Does).” Io9. 15 Mar. 2009. Web. <http://io9.com/5170165/inna-final-analysis-why-watchmen-doesnt-quite-work-and-why-it-does&gt;.

Szabo, Erika. “Watchmen the Movie – Filming the Unfilmable | DestroyTheCyborg!” DestroyTheCyborg. 19 Aug. 2008. Web.
<http://www.destroythecyb.org/watchmen-the-movie-filming-the-unfilmable-529.htm&gt;.

Klawans, Stuart. “Lonely Blue Boys.” Nation 288.15 (2009): 34-36. The Nation Archive. Web. 11 July 2015.<http://web.b.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=65ff55b1-3295-4acd-a3a0-385c868f22d2%40sessionmgr113&vid=1&hid=124&gt;

Wes Anderson’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (2009)

The Book

Boggis, and Bunce and Bean
One fat, one short, one lean
These horrible crooks
So different in looks
Were nonetheless equally mean!

Published in 1970, Fantastic Mr. Fox is famed author Roald Dahl’s third book for children. In it, the clever anthropomorphic paternal figure of Mr. Fox engages in a battle of survival against the bumbling —and yet incredibly destructive—Farmers’ Boggis, Bunce and Bean. In the classic format of children’s fables, Fantastic Mr. Fox, features not only the classic struggle between man and beast but also the common archetype of villains versus hero. For indeed, despite their lack of intelligence and overall ineffectiveness, Boggis, Bunce, and Bean are distinctly villainous —that is to say they have no redeeming qualities, and are generally disliked even by human children (always a bad sign in children’s tales). In contrast, the character of Mr. Fox is not only clever but also a hardworking member of a family unit—his thievery is, after all, for the survival of his family and more importantly he never takes more than what he needs. Roald Dahl’s story, however, despite it’s usage of common tropes is not an “ordinary” children’s tale in that not only is there an extreme lack of the extraordinary (apart from the talking animals) but also there is a certain gruesome quality to the story.

The Film

Wes Anderson’s 2009 film “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is a wonderful animated rendition of the classic children’s tale. Animated using the stop-motion technique, the film resounds with the nostalgic. The warm coloring of the film, which takes place largely in early morning or twilight , is largely reminiscent of warm firelight and evokes a sort of homey nostalgia. Another notable feature of the film that is enhanced by the use of stop-motion technique is in the presentation of the complicated dual nature of the main characters who are both characteristically human (as in they wear clothes and have “human” concerns) and animal at the same time. The stop motion technique reinforces this duality by its portrayal of the characters who seem to exist somewhere between the real and the fantastic.

The Adaptation

Wes Anderson’s film adaptation of “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is quite different from Roald Dahl’s original literary work while at the same time retaining the overall spirit of the book. In the film, Anderson tweaks the story to reflect the added concerns of family in a different way that is found in the book. Indeed, while in the tale Mr. Fox’s family life seems to a certain degree congruous —his wife is an active part of Mr. Fox’s larcenist activities— Anderson’s film is ripe with marital conflict and daddy-issues which ultimately get resolved by the end of the film. Still, Anderson’s film adaptation is considered faithful to the overall spirit of the book considering that for the most part the events transpire in the same fashion than in the book, and some dialogue is even added in (including that infuriatingly catchy song about the farmers).  As in the book, Mr. Fox is still painted as a hero despite his many flaws (because nobody—especially not modern audiences—likes a perfect hero) and by the end of the film these “flaws” are rectified and lessons are learned. The farmers too, perhaps more so than in the book, retain their villainous and destructive character throughout the entirety of the film.

Criticism

In “Fantastic Mr. Fox—Review” author Sukhdev Sandhu points out the visually enjoyable quality of Anderson’s film, naming it “not only a return to form, but a bold, and for the most part highly successful leap into relatively uncharted waters.”  Furthermore, Sandhu also points out the “malaise” that is found in the inter-character interactions, especially those surrounding family-life, and notes that this is typical of Wes Anderson films. Nevertheless, Sandhu asserts, despite the fact that Anderson’s previous films lacked substance, Fantastic Mr. Fox is not among them.

In “Fidelity, Felicity, and Playing Around in Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox” author Adrienne Kertzer examines some of the difficulties of adapting literary works into film, as well as some of the subtle implications that are found in Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox. Kertzer notes the distinct disadvantage of film adaptations of popular books stating that most film adaptations will be considered —by virtue of their popularity and literary fan-base—inferior to novel by audiences who do not/ can not recognize the intricacies of film making. On the other hand, books that have been made into films (such as Fantastic Mr. Fox)  have started to include film stills, photos and advertisements on the book cover further complicating the matter. Kertzer also delves into the vastly overlooked implications of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Fox which is treated completely different in Wes Anderson’s film than in Dahl’s book.

In “Fantastic Mr. Fox” author Scott Tobias examines the detailed work that Wes Anderson did on Fantastic Mr. Fox. Despite being an animated film, Tobias mentions, Anderson wrote the script at Dahl’s Gipsy House and had sound production recorded on an actual farm, all of which according to Tobias provide the film with it’s home-made charm. Furthermore, Tobias points out the similarities (and possible reference) to Wes Anderson’s own childhood and adolescence that are present in the interactions of the Fox Family.

Critical Analysis

As we have seen through this class, cinematographic techniques are an important aspect in the creation of any film. Much like literary devices, cinematographic techniques enable Filmmakers to express the subtle and sophisticated nuances of their films. The use of rotoscoping technique in A Scanner Darkly, for example, infused the film with added meaning of the strange world of drug abuse. Likewise, the use of stop-motion animation in Wes Anderson’s film adaptation of  “Fantastic Mr. Fox”  excels in evoking the homey and nostalgic quality of Dahl’s work that fans both old and new alike can undoubtedly enjoy. In the era of CGI animation, Anderson’s use of stop-motion animation immediately makes the film stand out from countless other children’s movies. Furthermore, the use of this technique is in-keeping with Dahl’s aesthetic which depicted common settings and characters rather than fantastical elements. Thus, in Anderson’s case as in Linklater’s the use of different animation techniques both evoke the spirit and subtle nuances of the original literary work.

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Primary Source:

Dahl, Roald. Fantastic Mr. Fox. New York: Knopf, 1970. Print.

Secondary Sources:

Adrienne Kertzer. “Fidelity, Felicity, and Playing Around in Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox.” Children’s Literature Association Quarterly 36.1 (2011): 4-24. Project MUSE. Web. 9 Jul. 2015.
<http://literature.proquest.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/pageImage.do?ftnum=2337123541&fmt=page&area=abell&journalid=08850429&articleid=R04669439&pubdate=2011&queryid=2872895642984&gt;.

Tobias, Scott. “Fantastic Mr. Fox.” The Dissolve. N.p., 17 Feb. 2014. Web.
<https://thedissolve.com/reviews/570-fantastic-mr-fox/&gt;.

Sandhu, Sukhdev. “Fantastic Mr Fox, Review.” The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 31 Dec. 2014. Web. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/6408554/Fantastic-Mr-Fox-review.html&gt;.

Alfonso Cuaron’s Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

The Novel 

Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban is the third installment of queen famed author J.K. Rowling’s world famous Harry Potter Series. Originally published in 1999, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban follows Harry’s third year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As all those who have read the books know, Prisoner of Azkaban marks the first real descent into the dark and dangerous side of magical world that up to this point had only been briefly alluded to. Indeed, unlike previous books where Harry Potter is still, for the most part, unaware of the evils of the magical world and the very corporeal danger that comes with it, Prisoner of Azkaban sheds some of Harry’s childlike innocence about magic (and life!) as he steps into the world of young adulthood. Unlike the younger, more passive child from previous novels, Teenage Harry is moody, full of sass and when angered accidentally turns people into human balloons. Unlike most teenagers however, Harry is perpetually besieged by entities and people who want to kill him throwing a wrench in Harry’s plan for a normal school year (SPOILER: He never achieves this—poor guy just can’t get a break). Harry Potter’s budding understanding of the more complicated nature of life is complimented by the arrival of Dementors—hideous creatures of the magical world that cannot be easily tamed (like fluffy) or killed (like the basilisk). Thus, it is in this novel that Harry Potter starts to fully become aware of the dangers that surround him both in the human world (where he is neglected and abused by his relations) and in the magical world (where he is in constant danger).

The Film

Alfonso Cuaron’s film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban contains gritty & dark lighting which are in direct contrast to the more warm lighting of previous films Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone & Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Indeed, unlike the warm sunny coloring of previous films, Cuaron’s film is primarily populated with a constant grey tone with intermittent bursts of brilliant white light (recall the opening scene of Harry’s bedroom). Furthermore, Cuaron’s film also pays considerable attention to the emotional range of it’s characters populating the film scenes with close-up shots of Harry Potter as he undergoes multiple emotional struggles. Silence, is also expertly used in the film to convey deep distress in scenes such as: The revelation of Buckbeak’s fate by Hagrid at the riverside and during Buckbeak’s beheading. In essence, Alfonso Cuaron’s is much more interested in the emotional rather than the fantastical aspects of J.K Rowling’s magical world and it is these aspects which he elevates and promotes in his film.

The Adaptation

As mentioned above, J.K Rowling’s third installment of the Harry Potter series deals at length with the darker nature of magic and the trials of growing up in a less-than-perfect environment. Alfonso Cuaron’s film portrays these nuances in the interaction of the Dursley’s and Aunt Marge where not only is he being treated as a servant, but is also forced to listen to slurs about his parentage as if he wasn’t there (which understandably causes him to blow up and lose control of his magic). Furthermore, time in Cuaron’s film is particularly important as much of the novel revolves around finding the right timing whether it be through magical or non-magical means. As a result Cuaron’s film is populated by multiple and prominent depictions of clocks and other cinematographic effects that depict the passage of time such as the melting of frozen fauna.  Magic is also approached in a more natural rather than fantastical way to the effect that magic rather than existing as it’s own fantastical, but separate entity, is instead a part of the world. As a result magic, rather than bright bursts and flourishes is instead depicted as subtle and elegant —two prime example of this are Harry’s brilliant Patronus and the disappearing bottle/ self-writing quill, etc that are found in the Leaky cauldron. Thus, despite the fact that multiple aspects of the books are left out (I will always mourn the lack of Peeves) Cuaron’s film still remains incredibly faithful to the overall spirit of J.K Rowling’s novel.

Bonus: Professor Flitwick’s Student choir singing (with Toads!) “double double toil and trouble” was magnificent and great at foreshadowing despite the fact that this does not happen in the books.

Criticism and Online Resources

Pottermore this interactive site while undoubtedly marketed for younger audiences nonetheless has gained popularity among the more mature fans of Harry Potter because not only does it feature a Sorting quiz designed by J.K Rowling herself (because we’re all secretly still waiting for that letter from Hogwarts) but also, and perhaps more importantly, because it contains additional history from J.K Rowling herself about the magical world that either didn’t make it into the novels or that explain relevant information. In the section from Prisoner of Azkaban for example, J.K Rowling explains the legal and social treatment of Werewolves in the Wizarding World as well as providing information about the nature of the Werewolves. Dementors and depression are also examined.

In “ Reading Harry Potter Reduces Prejudice, Makes You Less Likely To Discriminate Against Minorities” author Lecia Bushak examines a study that was published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology that tested a group of individuals of different ages and found that individuals that identified with the main protagonists of the novels were less likely to discriminate and be prejudiced against minority groups. 

In “A Wizard Comes of Age” author Patricia Thomson describes and deconstructs the extensive work that went on in Alfonso Cuaron’s cinematic rendition of The Prisoner of Azkaban. In the article Thomson relates Cuaron’s vision for Prisoner of Azkaban to be more natural —and yes dark—than previous films which contained a “storybook feel”. As a result, Cuaron’s film reflects the introduction of the cast to the turbulent world of adolescence.

Critical Analysis 

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a dark film, especially when compared to the more jubilant and warm tones of previous Harry Potter films this darkness, however, is not distracting or unnecessary. Instead, the dark tone of the film excels in portraying the underlying sense of paranoia and fear of the magical world at the possible return of The Dark Lord. Cuaron’s film is an excellent visual reminder of the rise of the ultimate evil—Voldemort. The Prisoner of Azkaban can only be described, as ominous as despite the fact that Voldemort does not feature in the film, his presence is nevertheless felt in the surroundings of Harry Potter’s world. Since Prisoner of Azkaban takes place a mere year before the actual rise of Voldemort in corporeal form which marks the start of a new war, the tone and pacing of the film are incredibly poignant. Furthermore, the dark nature of the film reinforces Harry and his friend’s departure from the joyful innocence of  youth to that of the turbulence of adolescence that will be unquestionably marked by the start of a new war in which the protagonist will play an active role. The loss of the “warmth” of previous films thus depicts the loss of innocence of the main character who will have to grow up far beyond their years in order to survive what is to come.

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Primary Source: 

Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. London: Bloomsbury Children’s, 1999. Print.

Secondary Sources:

“Pottermore: A Unique Online Harry Potter Experience from J.K. Rowling.” Pottermore. 31 July 2011. Web.
<https://www.pottermore.com/en-us/&gt;

Thomson, Patricia. “A Wizard Comes Of Age.” American Cinematographer 85.6 (2004): 32-43. Web. 7 July 2015.
<http://web.b.ebscohost.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/ehost/detail/detail?sid=5a1445c8-11cf-4307-9be4-1f6984ed1c83%40sessionmgr113&vid=3&hid=124&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aft&AN=505086909&gt;

Bushak, Lecia. “Reading Harry Potter May Make You Less Prejudice Against Minorities.” Medical Daily. 30 July 2014. Web.
<http://www.medicaldaily.com/reading-harry-potter-reduces-prejudice-makes-you-less-likely-discriminate-against-minorities-295814&gt;.

Richard Linklater’s “A Scanner Darkly” (2006)

The Novel

Philip K Dick’s novel A Scanner Darkly is a poignant, and often terrifying, exploration of drug abuse and identity in a world that is constantly surveilled. The world of A Scanner Darkly is one that is besieged by rampant consumerism of the deadly, and aptly named, narcotic Substance D —sometimes called the Slow Death. As a result the story follows a cast of characters who are all involved in one way or the other in the use or distribution of the drug. Distinctly non-critical Dick’s novel shows the consequences of long-term drug abuse without censure. Dick achieves it by starting the novel at a point where everyone is already addicted (or on their way there) without delving too much into the individual backstories or motivation. In short, Bob Arctor and his pals are merely people who have been given “too much of a good thing” rather than tragic heroes—with the possible exception of Bob Arctor/Bruce. In this constantly shifting narration where perception is often blurred and hazy, Dick explores the issues surrounding the loss of individual identity and expression not only to the use of narcotics, but also to the ever-present surveillance of government facilities.

The Film 

Like the novel, Richard Linklater’s film “A Scanner Darkly” revolves around the distribution and abuse of Substance D—the new 100% addictive drug that has invaded and enslaved a great portion of the population of the United States. The film primarily follows the Bob Arctor’s neurological decline as he becomes more and more addicted to Substance D ultimately leaving him little more than a vegetable. Bob Arctor, played by Keanu Reeves, is in fact a NARC working for the authorities to track the distribution of Substance D that ultimately results in “Fred” (Arctor’s alias ) being assigned to spy on himself—or rather Bob Arctor. Arctor, already on the downward spiral of addiction, then begins to become increasingly disassociated from reality and his own identity that is further aggravated by the continued use of Substance D necessary to maintain his incognito status among his druggie friends  and his “task” of watching surveillance videos of himself. To reinforce this point Linklater spends considerable effort in showcasing Bob Arctor/Fred/Bruce’s descent into neurological impairment and loss of identity by the shifting perspectives from Bob Arctor’s persona among his friends to Fred inside (and outside) his “scramble suit) and finally to the irrevocably damaged Bruce.

The Adaptation

Robert Linklater’s film “A Scanner Darkly” is considered a faithful —or at the very least a close adaptation —of Philip K Dick’s novel by the same name and while this is undoubtedly true there are nevertheless some artistic elements that render it inferior to the novel. Firstly, as many critics have pointed out, the film entirely omits Dick’s exploration of Religion within the world of Scanner Darkly, which given the nature of the title, seems like a drastic thematic oversight. Still, this might be forgiven as with all film adaptations it is impossible to include every thematic nuance that is found in their literary counterparts. No, the more serious transgression seems to be in the dialogue of the film which tries to mirror —but ultimately fails—at portraying the humor that is found in the novel. Instead, we get long winded, fast, and pointless narcotic-induced jabbering that far from creating a comedic space that is found in the novels are instead ultimately unappealing and lackluster. Despite this however, the film does deliver marvelously in the depiction of the higher themes of the novel, primarily that of the loss of identity and blurring of reality.

Criticism

In this blog post author Zettel engages in a critical analysis of the depiction and role of consciousness in Linklater’s film adaptation of “A Scanner Darkly.” Linklater’s film, the author portends, is an exploration of the “limits of consciousness and the relationship of drugs to this process.” Zettel develops his argument through the philosophical and scientific approach to the understanding (or perhaps definition) of consciousness and identity. The author also touches upon many of the themes of the novel and the way that they were represented by Linklater in the film.

In this blog post the author delves into the real-life experience and information that was gathered by Philip K Dick for the novel. The author deconstructs Dick’s own experiences, both personal and objective, as a crucial component to the development and creation of his emotive novel. Dick’s use of his own experiences in the sci-fi genre is very rare and innovative, and it is this perspective and exploration of psychosis neuropsychology in the wake of drug abuse that make his novel so incredibly poignant.

In this blog post the author delves into an solid analysis of Linklater’s film. One of the key features of the film that the author mentions is the way in which Linklater depicts Bob Arctor’s disintegrating consciousness that ” becomes a structure of subjectivity as well — so that the protagonist is not simply (justifiably) paranoid or adrift or trapped, but himself becomes a kind of black hole into which all substance, and all contradiction, implodes and disappears.”  The author also includes the social relevance of the history of drug use in the actors cast by Linklater. Furthermore, the author also delves into the role of Rotoscoping in the film as a form of depicting “hyper-realism.”

Critical Analysis

A Scanner Darkly, both in film and in it’s literary counterpart, deals at length with issues of the loss of identity, consciousness, and reality. As such, the use of the interpolated rotoscope technique is perhaps the most successful in capturing this aspect of the novel and translating into film. Rather than detracting, the use of the interpolated rotoscope, allows the audience to really delve and experience the distortion of reality and loss of identity that is present in the film. The beginning of the film, for example, depicts Charle’s Freck’s violent torment at the hands of numerous bugs but because of the animated quality of the scene the audience has no way of discerning whether this is a “real” occurrence, or a dream sequence, and thus it is only until later that the audience realizes that it is all a hallucination. The use of interpolated rotoscope thus blurs the distinction of reality and surreality that coincidentally is also experienced by the characters of the film itself. Furthermore, in a film that is incredibly concerned about the loss of identity the rotoscoping technique also mirrors the confused multi-faceted identities that are held by its characters. The audience, for example, is able to recognize Keanu Reeves in the role Bob Arctor/Fred/Bruce while at the same time being aware that it is an animated depiction of the actor. Thus in this way, the films use of interpolated rotoscope reflects in the audience the struggle and confusion of identity felt by Bob Arctor.

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Primary Source:

Dick, Philip K. A Scanner Darkly. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1977. Print.

Secondary Sources:

Zettel. “A Scanner Darkly – Review and Analysis by Zettel – WriteWords.org.uk.” 10 Sept. 2006. Web. <http://www.writewords.org.uk/archive/15561.asp&gt;.

“Neuropsychology and Psychosis in ‘A Scanner Darkly'” Mind Hacks. 14 Aug. 2006. Web. <http://mindhacks.com/2006/08/14/neuropsychology-and-psychosis-in-a-scanner-darkly/&gt;.

“A Scanner Darkly.” The Pinocchio Theory. 16 July 2006. Web.
<http://www.shaviro.com/Blog/?p=507&gt;.

The Coen Brother’s No Country for Old Men (2007)

The Novel

The plot of Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men revolves around the cat-and-mouse game that is played between it’s three principal characters—Sheriff Bell, Anton Chigurh, and Llewelyn Moss. The narration of the novel itself often switches from the perspective of different characters and is often quite descriptive about the surrounding landscape. Indeed, the descriptive voice of the novel does not limit itself to the physical landscape of West Texas but also lends itself to the deep, existential (and perhaps moral?) dilemmas of it’s characters. This is most prominent in the narrative voice of Sheriff Bells that interposes itself throughout the novel primarily through a series of italicized monologues that exhibit Bell’s internalized agony and distress over issues of morality in the advent of modern society. The moral dilemma of the novel is thus primarily presented through the internal perspective of characters such as Bells and in his own psychotic way, even Chigurh. McCarthy’s novel is in this way primarily concerned with its philosophical issues that occur in tandem with the highly visual action of the plot, to the effect that in the end —despite the violence and gore—McCarthy involves the reader with it’s moral distress but ultimately, like it’s characters, refuses to take responsibility.

The Film

Like the novel, Joel and Ethan Cohen’s film No Country for Old Men does justice to the visual beauty of the West Texas landscape by including a myriad of beautiful shots of the arid, and wild, terrain of the landscape. The inclusion of the scenery is not only used for it’s aesthetic value however, indeed the wide shots of the landscape increase the sense of suspense and danger by it’s size alone. It is almost impossible not to feel one’s own mortality when encountered with such a wide space where there is undoubtedly very little chance of rescue or escape—a fact that the film makes quite clear when depicting both the violence and resulting carnage of the drug deal gone wrong that occurs off screen and also during Llewelyn Moss’s escape from the drug dealers. Thus it is in this amoral landscape that the films own preoccupation with morality is developed.

The Adaptation

Cormac McCarthy’s writing style is quite visual and dynamic and as a result the Coen Brother’s film adaptation of No Country for Old Men runs quite smoothly and faithfully. Indeed, some of the action in the film ( like the gruesome murder of the police official at the beginning of the film) occurs almost perfectly to what was described in the book. Nevertheless, for a novel that is quite heavily concerned on the moral and philosophical themes, the film adaptation seems lacking in comparison. Perhaps one of the primary reasons for this is the fact that most Sheriff Bell’s monologues —where he debates just this issue— have been cut out of the film, or perhaps it is the fact that despite the stellar acting the film spends most of it’s effort in showcasing the action (read: violence) of the novel rather than developing it’s more sophisticated concerns. Chigurh’s conversation with Carla Jean, for example, is drastically cut of all the crucial information regarding Chirgurh’s motivation and philosophy (though in exchange we do get a valiant Carla Jean refusing to play Chigurh’s game). Thus, while the film is successful at reproducing the events of the novel and as such can be called a faithful adaptation it is nevertheless lacking in its deliverance of the higher philosophical concerns of the novel.

Criticism

In this blog post, the author develops a sophisticated analysis of the religious themes found in the Coen’s film.  The Failed Theodicy of No Country for Old Men, the author portends, ultimately “helps virtue stand all the more clearly” as despite the struggles of Sheriff Bells and Carla Jean the audience is lead to agree that they are virtuous people. Presumably if the links between virtue and happiness can be guaranteed then this “virtue” is self-serving (because people will only engage in virtuous behavior for the reward) and therefore not “virtue” at all. In this sense, the world of No Country for Old Men, while violent and dangerous, is ultimately the only world where true virtue can exist because there is no guarantee that virtue will lead to happiness.

In this blog post, the author Richard Beck provides an analysis of the cinematic quality and techniques of No Country for Old Men. The author also delves into the themes of the film and the relevance of the title to the film. The comment section of the post also offers interesting dialogue between different members.

In “No Country for Old Men: Why The Coen Brothers’ Masterpiece Disappoints” author Dana Stevens provides a scathing review of the Coen Brother’s film. Stevens asserts that No Country for Old Men is a spectacular cinematographic film, as many of the Coen Brothers’ films are, but that in the end it holds no affecting power over the audience.

Critical Analysis

The world of No Country for Old Men both in McCarthy’s novel and in the Coen Brothers’ film adaptation, is one where it is difficult to define the philosophical stance of the author or filmmaker as the case might be. A character such as Anton Chigurh, for example,  is undoubtedly a force of evil but at the same time he does have some sense of principles that he believes in—and follows—almost fervently. Is he a nihilist? or just a psychopath? This is a question that neither the film, nor the novel seems to fully answer (though given the extent of his destruction I would personally agree that he is a psychopath). Likewise, Sheriff Bells is set up to be the moral compass of the story, the lone virtuous character, and yet this is the same guy that gives up on the world and his own values and who makes off-hand racial remarks that deem Mexicans unworthy of being eaten even by Coyotes. The Coen Brother’s film, perhaps more so than the novel, thus remains morally ambiguous and uncertain as it’s character refusing to fully take a stance on one side or the other.

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Primary Source:

McCarthy, Cormac. No Country for Old Men. New York: Knopf, 2005. Print.

Secondary Source:

Beck, Richard. “Experimental Theology.” : Theodicy and No Country for Old Men.  Web. <http://experimentaltheology.blogspot.com/2010/10/theodicy-and-no-country-for-old-men.html&gt;.

“Full Frontal: No Country For Old Men: A Somewhat Complete Analysis.” 13 Mar. 2008. Web. <http://toomanycupcakes.blogspot.com/2008/03/no-country-for-old-men-somewhat.html&gt;.

Stevens, Dana. “No Country for Old Men Is a Disappointing Masterpiece.” 8 Nov. 2007. Web. <http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/movies/2007/11/no_country_for_old_men.html&gt;.

Shari Berman & Robert Pulcini’s “American Splendor” (2003)

The Comics:

American Splendor is a series of autobiographical comic books written by Harvey Pekar. In it, Pekar showcases scenes from his daily life, often including his acquaintances or people he has met, that deal with everyday issues that are narrated from Pekar’s unique perspective. Taciturn and dour, Harvey Pekar’s autobiographical stories distinguish themselves from mainstream comic books by focusing on the more mundane aspects of life rather than the sensationalized fiction that is often encountered in comics. Unlike other comics, American Splendor features no fictionalized action scenes or characters and instead consists mainly of it’s titular character simply talking to the audience while standing in a blank frame, or otherwise involved with a cast of characters taken from Pekar’s daily life. Harvey Pekar’s comics are for this reason distinctly different from the mainstream tradition—and even the mainstream consumers—of comic books.

The Film

Shari Berman & Robert Pulcini’s 2003 film “American Splendor” functions, in large part, as a dramatized biography of Harvey Pekar’s life though some aspects are definitely fictionalized. Nevertheless, “American Splendor” remains quite faithful to the source material often taking most of the scenes directly from the comic books. The film itself is as non-conforming as it’s infamous subject, often switching from dramatized action to a documentary-style interview to a comic-strip like sequence complete with speech bubbles and frames. Harvey Pekar himself is also presented in three mediums—Harvey Pekar the character played by Paul Giamatti, Harvey Pekar the man himself, and Harvey Pekar the comic book strip hero. Furthermore, Harvey Pekar himself does the narration for several key points in the film. Thus, the film through these unconventional mediums  demonstrates its blatant self-awareness that reinforces the spirit of the comics.

The Adaptation

Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff—Harvey Pekar, American Splendor (2003)

As was mentioned above, the film is quite faithful to it’s source with most of the scenes taken directly from the comic book series of American Splendor. Furthermore, the inclusion of the three different aspects of Harry Pekar—The Actor, The Man, and The Comic book Hero functions really well in capturing the significance of the comic books in Harvey Pekar’s life as the medium through which he is able to leave his legacy behind and exist beyond the limitations of the real world.  Like the comic books, the film adaptation portrays life at it’s most ordinary and compelling—there are no glamorized locations (most of the movie is shot in Cleveland), there is no glorification of Harvey Pekar’s living conditions (he is an unrepentant slob!), nor is there any dramatized romanticism about his relationship with wife Joyce Brabner. Indeed, in the theatrical skit shown on the film where his relationship with Brabner is portrayed as somewhat romantic, Joyce Brabner played by Hope Davis displays an upset and annoyed reaction when coming back from watching the play. Berman &Pulcini’s film, in essence, glorifies the mundane complexities of ordinary life and captures the spirit of Harvey Pekar’s iconic American Splendor.

Criticism 

In American Splendor: The DVD Shelf Movie Review, Host David Rose talks about the film adaptation of American Splendor. Rose begins the video with factual background about Harvey Pekar interposing it with related sequences of the film and comic books thereby demonstrating how faithful and accurate Pulcini’s American Splendor really is. Furthermore, he does include analysis of critical aspects within the film as well as revealing some of the neat nuances that were included in the DVD.

In “Removing the Experience: Simulacrum as an Autobiographical Act in American Splendor” author Jason Sperb analyses the emotional motivations of Harvey Pekar as depicted in the film American Splendor. Sperb notes how Harvey Pekar unique position as an author of a biographical comic book with himself as the hero is the focus of an interesting emotional debate, a debate that is portrayed in the film by the inclusion of comic book Harry Pekar, the real Harry Pekar, and Paul Giamatti playing Harvey Pekar. By the end of the film, Sperb notes, the audience as well as the “real” Harvey Pekar must accept the reality that Harvey Pekar as a character will exist even after the mortal Pekar has died.

In “Pekar Experience” author Peter Rainer critically reviews the Berman & Pulcini’s film as invigorating and oddly poignant. As Rainer points out ” the combination of the dramatic, the documentary, and the animated in American Splendor mimics the ins and outs of Pekars peekaboo world.” Furthermore, Rainer points out that the Berman & Pulcini embrace the postmodern ideal that “pop culture has fragmented our sense of self” and it is due to this reason that as an audience Harvey Pekar’s life is so relatable.

“Probably more of us than would care to admit it see ourselves as a pastiche of comic-book hero, suffering martyr, and zhlub.

Critical Analysis

American Splendor, both in it’s cinematic adaptation and in its original comic book format, seek to elevate the mundane and bring it to the foreground. This celebration of the ordinary has become in modern times increasingly more available and sought-after than in previous generations. Take for example, social media apps such as Twitter and Facebook which run (and are famous for) representing the daily lives as demonstrated (written? thought? said?) by it’s users. Popular television also demonstrates this same trend with TV shows that showcase the “reality” of different lifestyles and people. Thus, popular culture demands and thrives on “the ordinary”. Harvey Pekar’s honest voice in American Splendor is perhaps one of the aspects that draw people to his comics because so many people can relate to his experience and in this day and age of technological advancement communication has become increasingly important and available to the masses. In essence, American Splendor is a prime example, perhaps the first example, of the idea of being able to see yourself reflected in the media.

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Primary Source:

Pekar, Harvey. “American Splendor and More American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar Paperback – July 29, 2003.” A9780345468307: Amazon.com: Books.  Web.
<http://www.amazon.com/American-Splendor-More-Times-Harvey/dp/0345468309#reader_0345468309&gt;.

Secondary Sources:

Rose, David. “AMERICAN SPLENDOR: The DVD Shelf Movie Reviews.” YouTube. YouTube, 14 Nov. 2011. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whEHi32srlU&gt;.

Sperb, Jason. “Removing the Experience: Simulacrum as an Autobiographical Act in American Splendor.” Biography 29.1 (2006): 123-39. Web.
<http://muse.jhu.edu.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/journals/biography/v029/29.1sperb.html&gt;.

Rainer, Peter. “Pekar Experience.” NYMag.com. Web.
<http://nymag.com/nymetro/movies/reviews/n_9082/&gt;.

Spike Jonze’s “Adaptation” (2002)

The Novel

The Orchid Thief is a non-fiction novel written by The New Yorker’s Susan Orlean. In it, Orlean beautifully narrates her time with John Laroche, a florida horticulturalist, notorious for his involvement in a court case regarding his poaching of rare orchids from Fakahatchee Strand State preserve with the help of three Seminole men. In the novel Orlean delves into Laroche’s unconventional lifestyle and motivation, still despite it’s notorious subject, The Orchid Thief is at it’s core a novel about the nature and effect of passions and obsessions in life.

The Film

Jonze’s film is a dizzying, often confusing, foray into the writing process of screenwriter Charlie Kauffman played by Nicholas Cage in the film, and his struggle to adapt Susan Orlean’s novel The Orchid Thief into a film. The film itself often shifts without warning from idealized notions and “real” life with the result that “reality” is then warped and confounded. This can be seen in the amorous scenes where Charlie Kauffman envisions various sexual encounters with different women which leads the audience to believe (at first) that they are real with the next scene after that showing Charlie Kauffman alone in his bed taking care of business on his own. The interposing of the story of John Laroche and Susan Orlean also disconcerts the viewer as they happen in tandem with Charlie Kauffman’s struggle to write so the viewer is never quite sure if this is part of the finished movie, a flashback, or merely the imaginings of Charlie Kauffman. The way that Adaptation is structured visually models the often non-liner narrative of the novel.

The Adaptation  

Like the novel, the Jonze’s film revolves around the passions and obsessions of it’s characters. Charlie Kauffman’s passion is writing and it is this passion that eventually leads him to obsess over creating a perfect, and faithful film adaptation that will do the film justice. Likewise, Susan Orlean’s arc centers around her quest to find something that she is passionate about and it is this fervent desire that leads her to become more and more entrenched and obsessed with John Laroche’s story whom she believes embodies everything that is not: Namely, that he thrives off of passion (though some could call his behavior more obsessive rather than passionate). The effects of these passions and obsessions can be seen in the neurotic, anxious behavior of Charlie Kauffman and in the quiet desperation of Susan Orlean as she interviews and gets to know John Laroche.

Criticism 

In this video essay Luke Gernert analyses the some of the work of Director Spike Jonze and his cinematographic decisions. Gernert analyses the way in which Jonze directs music videos, commercials, and feature length films and how he warps reality and even uses the audience expectations in order to produce a poignant message in his work.

In “The Implicit Soul of Charlie Kauffman’s Adaptation” Author David L Smith portends that “Adaptation” is essentially a study into life and what it means to be human. Smith talks at lenght about the process of writing and the struggle to define the events of life into words and then again into film. A process that is embodied in the character of Charlie Kauffman as he struggles to write about a book that is considered unadaptable to film. Smith portends that the film is “about disappointment”, the inability to portray life through writing, but also elevates real life as the driving force in this quest for “purity.”

In an interview with Spike Jonze and Charlie Kauffman, both director and writer talk about the difficulties in creating the film version of adaptation Kauffman also talks at length about his own struggle to adapt the Orchid Thief and how this lead him to write himself into the script, fully expecting to be turned down, but was instead pleasantly surprised. Kauffman also mentions that though he modeled Charlie Kauffman’s insecurities on his own experience, the mannerism of the film character are not his own.

Critical Analysis 

One of the central motifs surrounding Spike Jonze’s and Charlie Kauffman’s “Adaptation” is the pursuit of passion. Both Charlie Kauffman and Susan Orlean are completely involved not only in the pursuit of passions but in the expression of passion. Charlie Kauffman’s dedication to his writing and Susan Orlean’s dedication first to understanding John Laroche and then to understanding herself and finding her own passion is a prime example of their drive experience and document true passion. In a sense, both Kauffman and Orlean struggle with documenting life at its most in writing. Curiously, this trait is also shared by Tristram Shandy who, in the novel, also tries to create a faithful rendition to his own life. Thus, “Adaptation” is a film that explores the creative aspect of life and the difficulties that arise from trying to render these moments into words (or film), and also an exploration of the way that different individuals respond to and search for motivation and passion.

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Primary Source

Orlean, Susan. The Orchid Thief. New York: Random House, 1998. Web.

Secondary Sources

Gernert, Luke. “Spike Jonze: A Video Essay.” YouTube. YouTube,Web.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LGhI6cjrVg&gt;.

Smith, David L. “The Implicit Soul of Charlie Kaufman’s Adaptation” Philosophy and Literature (Baltimore, MD) (30:2) [Oct 2006] , p.424-435. Web.
<http://literature.proquest.com.proxy-um.researchport.umd.edu/searchFulltext.do?id=R03947619&divLevel=0&queryId=2870137515711&trailId=14D8644AE2C&area=mla&forward=critref_ft&gt;

Murray, Rebecca, and Fred Topel. “Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman Interview – Adaptation.” About.com Hollywood Movies. Web.
<http://movies.about.com/library/weekly/aaadaptationintb.htm&gt;.

Brandon Sanderson’s ‘Mistborn’ Film Treatment

Concept

In the city of LUTHADEL, no one is safe. Creatures and high-born nobles stalk the streets at night, concealed by heavy mists. During the day death and brutality hold court over the skaa, slaves under the regime of the LORD RULER, a living God. In a land where life means very little, especially for a skaa, a young girl struggles to survive and free herself from the prison of want and misery that surrounds her. When KELSIER, the fabled survivor of the pits of Hathsin shows up and personally recruits her into his crew promising her a vast wealth in exchange for her aid in a job VIN sees her chance to escape. KELSIER introduces VIN to the world of allomancy, a rare genetic trait fueled by the ingestion of metals that enhances the senses to super-natural heights—a trait that has been passed down to VIN by her unknown noble father. KELSIER recruits VIN as a spy, her job: To infiltrate the nobility gather information. A dangerous task even without the attentions of the young ELEND VENTURE. In order to survive VIN must learn to keep her real self hidden and avoid detection for if she is caught it would certainly mean death.Together, KELSIER and VIN along with a crew of top-notch Mistings, plot to energize the skaa rebellion and assassinate the LORD RULER. Soon, VIN starts to realize that not all is what it seems, after all, how can one man kill a God?

Main Characters

VIN: a 16-year-old SKAA street urchin. She has lived her whole life on the streets, running from place to place and joining different thieving crews in order to survive with her abusive older brother REEN. Despite his death, REEN is still an influential presence in VIN’s life and for better or worse is the voice inside her head constantly keeping her on her toes. At first half-starved and scrawny, VIN eventually starts to fill-out and blossom after joining KELSIER’s crew. She displays several symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder most likely due to the constant abuse and stress of life on the street. She is nevertheless a survivor, always suspicious of her surroundings and prone to save her own life rather than risk it for someone else. As REEN taught her she believes everyone will eventually betray her. VIN is the daughter of a SKAA woman and the HIGH PRELAN and has inherited her father’s Allomatic abilities. She is a mistborn —able to burn all 10 Allomatic metals— a rare genetic trait that is supposed to exist only in the nobility. Due to her upbringing VIN remains largely unaware of her abilities, it is only when she joins KELSIER that she starts to train in Allomancy.

KELSIER: Handsome, blonde, and charismatic. KELSIER, like VIN is a skaa mistborn though it is unclear who his noble lineage comes from. KELSIER holds a deep, seething, hatred for the nobility having no qualms about killing them indiscriminately. He is the mastermind behind the plan to bring down the LORD RULER and energize the Skaa rebellion. Even though he is a skaa, he is not poor and usually dresses in a nobleman’s suit. His arms are scarred from his time in the Pits of Hathsin, the other skaa look up to him as a savior.

THE LORD RULER: Centuries old, the LORD RULER is the living God of the world. He is seen only rarely but when he is he wears the appearance of a young and handsome youth. He is a powerful Allomancer and reputably immortal. He controls both the nobles and the skaa.

ELEND VENTURE: Elend is the son of Lord Venture, heir to one of the Great Houses of LUTHADEL. Bookish and be-speckled, ELEND spends most of his time reading books on philosophy and discussing politics with other young prominent members of the Great Houses. He believes that the system of LUTHADEL is flawed and wants to change it but he does not know how. He is curious about the Skaa, believing them equals rather than inherently inferior but he has no way to test this theory since he has no contact with the Skaa. Because of his high status he is tolerated by the noblemen but not necessarily liked.

Themes

LUTHADEL society is vastly unequal with the majority of the wealth being owned by the LORD RULER and by the nobles, in contrast the Skaa live in slums and abject poverty. The nobles have been raised on the idea that the skaa are inferior and “different” from them and as such deserve their social status. For this reason the skaa are treated as non-beings, and nobles not only exploit them in the plantations but also display a lack of respect for skaa life. By law, the nobles can murder, beat, and rape any skaa without social repercussion. Though there is no physical difference between the skaa and the nobility, allomancy runs exclusively in the noble blood lines. It is legal for a nobleman to take a skaa woman as a bed-fellow but he must immediately kill her afterwards in order to prevent the incident of a mixed child. Despite this, there are many skaa mistings—people who can only use one or two of the 10 allomatic metals — which is evidence of a dalliance between a noble and a skaa somewhere down the line. These people are usually rooted out by a specialized taskforce, called the inquisitors, and killed. Thus, the society in LUTHADEL is one of deep racism and prejudice to the extent that the nobility can show up at mass skaa executions (and indeed they must for it is a law that everyone, skaa and noble alike, attend these public executions) and instead of being horrified and disgusted they lounge and socialize with each other. Not all the nobility is inherently evil but there is great ignorance and socialized insensitivity towards the skaa. The skaa-nobles social dilemma fosters a great discussion about racism and privilege that can be applied in the modern world.

Location*
(See Appendix A for some samples of apperance)

LUTHADEL is a city of ash and mist. By day, a giant red sun provides a wan light in a constantly grey sky. Ash falls down like snow, coating the buildings, the streets, and flora with layer upon layer of grey ash. Walls have turned black from soot and grime. The inhospitable climate has erased all vestige of green pasture and flowers, and instead the few surviving flora have leaves of brown or grey. Due to the powers granted to allomancers by the use of metals, the most common building materials are wood and stone. Grand, often ancient, palaces made of marble or alabaster and stately mansions border the city of LUTHADEL. These great keeps are grand and luxurious, closely resembling ancient medieval castles, while

Sharp and rugged mountains compose most of the landscape surrounding LUTHADEL. The path outside of the city is jagged and rough with sparse vegetation save a handful of resilient plants and brown bushes. It is not uncommon to run into the bones of a dead animal or person outside the city. The floor is made of rock rather than dirt with small crevices and cracks. Some of these crevices lead to vast unground caves.

Action Scene: KELSIER faces off against the LORD RULER

 A rivulet of spilled blood flows freely down the cobbled street, mixing with the ash that falls steadily from the sky, it’s path stopped by a sandaled foot. KELSIER stands in the middle of the square, exhausted and wounded, hovering over the body of the dead inquisitor, bloody axe clutched tightly in his hand. There is absolute silence despite the size of the crowd. Slowly, a low humming starts from somewhere, swiftly catching fire through the ranks until the whole crowd of skaa are involved in the chanting rhythm. In the middle of the crowd KELSIER begins to smile, stumbling back slightly against an opened cage. Suddenly, cries interrupt the chant and KELSIER turns watching as an enormous black carriage bulldozes through part of the crowd, running over several skaa in the process. The skaa upfront scurry to the sides to make a path for the imposing carriage but do not leave the square. The carriage stops and the LORD RULER steps out, dressed all in black, an embodiment of power. KELSIER straightens, clutching his ax tightly as the LORD RULER advances toward him. With his free hand, KELSIER reaches into the pouch of his hand and draws out a vial filled with a clear liquid. In one swift motion he uncorks the top and downs the liquid, throwing it to the side when he is done before dashing forward at the LORD RULER with enhanced strength. KELSIER swings at the LORD RULER , moving unnaturally fast but the LORD RULER calmly swats his attacks away with a hand. KELSIER stumbles and attacks this time his axe connects, lodging deep in the chest of the LORD RULER. It is a mortal blow. Everything is still. Somewhere a baby cries. In one swift, but calm, motion the LORD RULER rips the axe from his body, letting it drop to the floor as he advances towards KELSIER. He grabs a discarded spear from the floor …

Dialogue: ELEND AND VIN talk about the ‘Lord’s Right’

ELEND: Valette? What are you doing here? What is this about?
VIN: Have you ever slept with a Skaa woman?
ELEND: Who told you this?
VIN: HAVE YOU?!
ELEND: Valette, listen sit down first. Let me explain—
VIN: It’s true isn’t it? He was right! You’re all monsters!
ELEND: I—It happened when I was thirteen. My father thought it was time I became “a man” I didn’t even know they were going to kill her afterwards, Valette. Honestly, I didn’t!
VIN: And how many after? How many women have you murdered ELEND VENTURE?
ELEND: None! Never again, Valette! Not after I found out what had happened the first time!
VIN: You expect me to believe you?

Pitch

Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn contains elements that will appeal to a wide-rage of people when developed. As a high-caliber fantasy series, Mistborn will undoubtedly draw in Brandon Sanderson’s loyal following. Furthermore, the plot of the novel is highly innovative and sophisticated, involving themes of mental illness, racisms, and privilege which is sure to leave the audience thinking. The plot of the story is also highly active and is sure to appeal to audiences that enjoyed other fantasy films such as The Lord of The Rings. Lastly, Mistborn has the capacity to benefit from the current popularity of fantasy films without repeating the same themes and plot structure of other films of the same nature which makes it an ideal financial venture.

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Primary Source:
Sanderson, Brandon. Mistborn: The Final Empire. New York, NY: Tor, 2006. Print.

Appendix A

Example of landscape

Example of street view

Example of Interior ballroom of the Keeps

(All pictures retrieved using google search)

Steven Daldry’s The Hours (2002)

The Novel

Michael Cunningham’s novel The Hours is an acclaimed and introspective exploration of the life of women in three different decades of the 20th century. The novel follows Virginia Woolf, Laura Brown, and Clarissa Vaughn as they go about their affairs throughout the course of a single day. Cunningham’s novel is an a literary homage to Virginia Woolf’s timeless novel Mrs. Dalloway and it is from this perspective (stream-of-consciousness ) that Cunningham develops his own story. As such the narrative tone of the novel can sometimes seem frenetic as it jumps from perspective to perspective and elegant descriptions of otherwise insignificant details. In the larger context of mental illness, however, the narrative structure of the novel mirrors that of the chaotic inner workings of its characters battling with mental instability.

The Film 

Steven Daldry’s vision of the novel is exquisitely constructed through the use of the cinematographic techniques and the incredible acting prowess of it’s lead characters. The film opens with the suicide of Virginia Woolf played by Nicole Kidman and it is in the incredible physicality of Kidman’s acting—from the almost imperceptible shake of her hand as she writes her farewell letter shot in a close-up shot to her hurried and twitchy escape through the garden—that the film’s sensitivity of mental illness is portrayed. Furthermore, the film spends considerable effort in shooting the emotional response of the characters as evidenced by the close-up and mid-shots arranged throughout the film that focus on a characters particular emotional response. Daldry’s film explores the intimate details of life and what it means to be “alive” not only through it’s depictions of mental illness, but also through the perspective of the “carers” and the way in which life of the characters unfolds before the screen. Virginia Woolf’s incarceration in her home is mirrored by Laura Brown’s incarceration into her role of wife and mother and again in Clarissa Vaughn’s self-imposed imprisonment to the memories of her past—cinematically imposed by Clarissa’s grimy & dark ascent to Richard’s apartment.

The Adaptation

As is the case with many film adaptations there is always something lost when a movie is transposed into a film. In this particular case, the minute details of the novel such as Clarrisa Vaughn’s introspective observation of the simplicity of her indiscriminate love in the novel is not present in the film. In exchange we get Meryl Streep’s confident sauntering into the flower shop and the gentle cupping of her hands around a bouquet of flowers. Nevertheless, the film does a great job at following the stream-of-consciousness format of the novel by consistently and effortlessly jumping from the life of one woman to another. Daldry also does a great job at portraying the underlying tie between these three women, namely their love for Mrs. Dalloway (or writing Mrs. Dalloway in Virginia Woolf’s case) by visually repeating dialogue or actions in the different life of the women. Ultimately the result is that the film, like the novel, flows onwards from point to point, perspective to perspective in a structure that reflects the chaotic yet poignant beauty  of the life of it’s characters.

Criticism

In “Virginia Woolf, My Mother and Me” Michael Cunningham writes about the process of creating The Hours and the difficulties that came with attempting to write a homage to the genius of Virginia Woolf. Cunningham writes about his first experience reading Mrs. Dalloway and the way that it influenced him as a reader and later a writer. He also writes about how his mother’s experience as a homemaker helped create the character of Laura Brown and how her perfectionist attitude in turn helped him sketch out a vision of Virginia Woolf.

In “My Novel, the Movie: My Baby Reborn; ‘The Hours’ Brought Elation, But Also Doubt” Michael Cunningham talks about the process of casting and the way in which the actors bring to life the written nuances of the film. Cunningham writes about the difficulties at conceptualizing a certain actor as a character from the perspective of an author but also points out how the physical aspect of acting, and the small nuances of each actor, bring to life his characters in a way that could not be replicated in print.

In an interview with The Guardian’s theater Critic Michael Billington director Steven Daldry talks about the process of creating and adapting Michael Cunningham’s novel into film. Steven Daldry talks about the inception of the film, the process of filmmaking and ultimately the way in which the film is received and the different perspective and opinions from the public that arise even when they were not purposefully put there by the creators of the film.

Critical Analysis 

Steven Daldry’s emotionally arousing film touches upon many difficult notions about life, love and death. Despite the fact that the film depicts suicide and mental illness The Hours  is ultimately a film about life. As in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, the film elevates the otherwise ordinary lives of these three women and demonstrates how they are anything but. Thus, it through this dialogue of frustration, grief and love that a portrait of life is created and while the film has been criticized for its focus on death, this kind of criticism seems short-sighted. Rather than a hopeless and morbid portrayal, Daldry’s film focuses on the internal struggle of all it’s characters to live a life of their own choice, whether that includes choosing to end it before it is completely taken away by infirmity or by choosing a new life even when at the costs of hurting others.

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Primary Source:

Cunningham, Michael. The Hours. New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1998. Web.

Secondary Sources:

Cunningham, Michael. “Virginia Woolf, My Mother and Me.” The Guardian.  3 June 2011. Web. <http://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/jun/04/virginia-woolf-the-hours-michael-cunningham.&gt;.

Cunningham, Michael. “My Novel, the Movie: My Baby Reborn; ‘The Hours’ Brought Elation, But Also Doubt.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 18 Jan. 2003. Web.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/19/movies/my-novel-the-movie-my-baby-reborn-the-hours-brought-elation-but-also-doubt.html?pagewanted=1&gt;.

Billington, Michael. “Interview with Steven Daldry.” The Guardian. 12 Feb. 2003. Web. <http://www.theguardian.com/film/2003/feb/12/oscars2003.oscars&gt;.