Personally, I find myself split at times, as to whether or not I like books based upon a movie. When I read a book, a very clear picture forms in my mind as to how the story should look, so seeing an actor who looks like the stand-in that I've created in my head results in a dissonance that can be tough to get over. Likewise, I also hate how parts of the plot invariably end up getting cut because there's not enough time, or because it doesn't translate into film well. However, there is one movie based upon a book that I am looking forward to: The Hunger Games. Based on Suzanne Collins' young adult novel, the Hunger Games is set in a post-modern dystopia in which young tributes compete to the death on live television, evoking the Greek myth of the minotaur. If this sounds a little dark, well, it is.
As you can see from the trailer, the movie looks fairly intense. And while the books might be written for a young adult audience, there will no doubt be a level of violence with which some parents of younger readers are not going to be comfortable. However, I think this movie will still do fine, box-office wise, due to the fact that there seems to be less stigma associated with adults reading young adult fiction, so there will be plenty of twenty-somethings and up waiting in line at midnight the day this opens. With current young adult fiction, the themes are often just as mature as those found in "adult" fiction, with allowances made for the book's length or pacing. It can be nice to pick up a YA novel and blow through it in an afternoon or two, when you are just looking to escape for a while. And if you are looking to escape for a bit, with finals fast approaching, feel free to stop by the library here at Coe and check out the Hunger Games. Because really, it's almost always best to the read the book before you see the movie.
-Katelyn, Head of Reference
No comments:
Post a Comment