Film And Literature

[Maljackson]

Hi All.

A segment of my course relates to film and literature and what interesting links they have or may not have.

I was just wondering as i know there alot of clever people on this board if they know of any sites or know themselves any interesting info or theory on the history of these two mammoth entertainers.

Many thanks.

[subterranean]

Hi, maybe you can check out some books like, Vision and Textuality by Stephen Melville and Bill Readings or Rethinking the Novel/Film Debate by Kamilla Elliott. Maybe this site (http://starlight2000.tripod.com/mediaburn.net/id8.html) can help also.

[OedipusReD]

these are pretty mammoth as you say, especially with such a general request
anything specific you were looking at? i'm taking a film/lit course right now too

[Mark F.]

Although they're two different narrative devices both mediums are largely used to tell stories. Even documentaries and news flashes tell stories. I'd concentrate at least a part of my work on the difference between the way you can use words and images and on the different effects used in both arts (editing & symbolism/syntax & meatphor).

Think about Truffaut's films as they're are intimately linked to litterature, about film adaptations of novels and short stories and also compare screenwriting and literary writing.

[Maljackson]

oedipus red thats great.

Im at the beginning of my course and were looking at the links between lit and film historically.

But if u can provide me your e mail we maybe able to help eachother in the future?

that would be great.

By the way do you or any other user know any great book to film adaptations that i would be able to analyse with real depth in terms of comparing the lit with the movie?

many thanks

[blp]

There's a rule of thumb that bad books make great films. Possibly Hitchcock said this.

You could look at books that have been adapted more than once. Patricia Highsmith's 'The Talented Mr Ripley' has been made under that title quite recently and also as 'Plein Soleil' in the sixties. Another book of hers, presumably titled 'Ripley's Game' has also been made as 'Ripley's Game' recently, but also in the seventies or eighties as 'The American Friend' by Wim Wenders.

Or you could try to keep things simple by doing fairy tale adaptations such as Disney's 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'. Probably wouldn't stay simple for long, especially if you got into Angela Carter's fairy tale work, adapted for the screen as 'The Company of Wolves' (a riff on Little Red Riding Hood).

Really, the possibilities are endless.

[subterranean]

Fight Club maybe?!



By the way do you or any other user know any great book to film adaptations that i would be able to analyse with real depth in terms of comparing the lit with the movie?

many thanks

[OedipusReD]

i was thinking of doing fight club for my essay, lol
BUT, on the list of potential discussions she put Sin City
in this case its almost a bad idea because the film and the "book" are close that the movie is considered the most faithful adaptation on screen
as for good comparisons Mal, man there are so many
i'll PM you

[subterranean]

Well, I also enjoy sin city :thumbs_up

[blp]

You could try talking about books that are particularly difficult to adapt such as 'Naked Lunch'.

[MiSaNtHrOpE]

Try checking out Donnie Darko. It is FILLED with symbolism and themes that are perfect for an Englih class. Be aware that there is a lot of taboo language in it. Donnie Darko isnt based on a book, either.

Does a movie have to be based on a book to be considered "literary?"

[Wendigo_49]

By the way do you or any other user know any great book to film adaptations that i would be able to analyse with real depth in terms of comparing the lit with the movie?

I think Sense and Sensibility was nominated for an oscar for best picture and is considered a classic of literature. My favorite adaptation though is 2001: A Space Odyssey in which I perfer the film to the novel.

[MiSaNtHrOpE]

I think A Clockwork Orange would work. Although much of the events in the book are cut out, Kubrick does an excellent job of getting Burgess's point across.

[subterranean]

Maybe The Shinning (King's version)...

[el01ks]

Film is a type of literature, there are so many things to look at if you want to study it properly, not just contrasting it with a novel if it was based on it. There is, possibly, more texture too it - look at lighting, use of colour, soundtracks. Choices of actors, the way its directed (is it one long story, do they use flashbacks, is it disjointed to make a point etc). If it's a film based on a text that can be more interesting - play vs film version of romeo and juliet etc.

[Koa]

damn i had some essays and stuff about it as I have done part of an exam on that (specifically on Tom Jones book/movie and Barry Lyndon book/movie), but I lent those notes and I don't remember which books we used... If I get my notes back soon I'll let you know...

Anyway any Kubrick movie would do, most of them are taken from books (if not all of them) and I remember that his website was quite interesting in those terms... and I also foun a whole site on 2001: Space Odissey... Just google them :)

Also the recent Chocolate Factory movie was to me very interesting compared to the book, but I guess you'd need to watch it a few times and browse it around, which is not easy with a movie still out in cinemas (well wait, I guess in the USA or wherever you are it was out a while ago, not 2 weeks ago like here...) and there's also the old movie... ok the book is a kids book but it's brilliant and as I said the adaptations can be very interesting.

[subterranean]

I totally forgot about this movie...I wonder whether it still on theather...


Also the recent Chocolate Factory movie was to me very interesting compared to the book, but I guess you'd need to watch it a few times and browse it around, which is not easy with a movie still out in cinemas (well wait, I guess in the USA or wherever you are it was out a while ago, not 2 weeks ago like here...) and there's also the old movie... ok the book is a kids book but it's brilliant and as I said the adaptations can be very interesting.