On adapting children’s books: replication vs. recreation

June 24, 2009


Found a great article on The Bygone Bureau by Tim Lehman regarding the remaking of two of my favorite children’s books: Where the Wild Things Are (trailer) and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (trailer).

From the article:

Turning a 40-page book, half-filled with pictures, into a feature-length movie is daunting, and judging by recent attempts, fraught with failure. (The Cat in the Hat, The Polar Express, and Curious George immediately come to mind, though I have admittedly not seen a one of them.) Matt Kirby identified the main pitfall of the process when he wrote, “Picture books are an art form altogether different from other types of literature. For me, they are an alchemy of story, poetry, and image, almost impressionistic works.”

I tend to agree with every point of the article. While I understand the difficulty in adapting books this short, there has to be a certain level of consistency.

In this case, both books take a different approach to adaptation – Wild Things’ trailer is steeped in the same imagery and soul that made the book such a beautiful exercise in imagination, while Cloudy’s trailer shows a ham-fisted attempt at recreating The Incredibles, only this time with food.

(I’ve already made it known which one I’m most excited for.)

What made Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs so iconic – and cemented its legacy as, hands down, my favorite children’s book of all time – was the art. The hand drawn illustrations, looking more like a Wall Street Journal staff picture than the typical children’s art, showed great detail in documenting something so implausible, yet so creative.

It’s a wonderful article for those who love both books, highlighting how one film replicates the feeling of the book, while the other recreates it.

Tags: Books, Literature, Movies |

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Peter F’n Frampton

April 2, 2009


[ ROB GORDON walks up to a bar. From the entrance he can hear MARIE DE SALLE singing “Baby I Love Your Way.”]

ROB: [Pauses, incredulously] “Is that Peter fucking Frampton?!”

Far be it from me to comment on boring local news – I’ll leave that to the dude who runs SD Watch – but Kerrie pointed out that the Sioux Empire Fair will be featuring Alice Cooper, Big and Rich and some cowboy rapper. All acts that I’m sure will sell out.

Oh. And Peter Frampton.

Which gives the two of us ample reason to live out one of the best lines in movie history. Or, at least, one of the best lines in High Fidelity.

That’s all. I’ll end the Hornby/Cusack lovefest now.

(P.S. My favorite line of the article: “The fair said it still is negotiating for a hot rock act.”

I can’t wait to see who THAT’S going to be. What, is Hoobastank still around?

Oh, god. They are.)

Tags: Movies, Music, Sioux Falls |

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Where the Wild Things Are

March 25, 2009


Over the past year or so, a lot of back and forth has surfaced about the film adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are. It’s being made, it’s not being made, it’s got Spike Jonez and Dave Eggers, it’s too weird for kids, it’s too weird for adults, it’s too weird, it’s not going to be made, etc.

And then this poster was released.

And then the trailer was released. (Click to see it. Seriously. I couldn’t embed it, but you need to stop right now and watch it.)

The idea of this film being as awesome as the trailer, as creative and brilliant as we could have ever wished for, nearly brings a tear to my eye.

And I’m not being hyperbolic.

Tags: Books, Movies |

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Who ya gonna call?

December 5, 2008


ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod!!!

This might be the last game I ever buy for PS2.

(And yes. That IS Bill Murray. omgomgomgomgomgomgomg.)

Tags: Movies, Television |

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On inclusion

July 28, 2008


Michel Gondry’s Be Kind Rewind is clever, integrating a series of movies into a movie. It’s the story of sweding. It’s got Mos Def and Jack Black. It’s not brilliant - it has it’s flaws. It’s exactly what you’d think it would be – creative, fun, at times subtle, completely off kilter.

And to me, it was touching.

The word doesn’t seem to fit. Touching? In a movie starring Jack Black? In a movie about re-recording video tapes because they’ve all been magnetized by some idiot in a junkyard?

Yes. Touching.

Be Kind Rewind’s premise is that an entire video store of VHS tapes has been ruined. Erased. And in order to keep the business afloat, a couple of guys take a camera and start remaking the movies. In order to fool the customers, they think.

What happens, though, is that people enjoy the remakes for what they are. They become very popular. They see the power of what they’re doing, and they start offering their customers a part in the process.

This is where it gets touching. This is where the true story is. The heart of the film isn’t a group of zany antics and goofy spoofs. Be Kind Rewind is about inclusion, about being a part of the scene. About not settling for what the biggest entities give you – about carving out your own little niche.

It’s what strikes all of those who strive to be creative, who embrace an art form and want to make it theirs. They want to be part of the fun. They don’t just want to watch movies –they want to be in them. To see them as real. To influence the direction, to cater to themselves and people like them.

It’s what has led to the blossoming of user-generated content. Blogs allow those of us who love reading the published word to become published. Just as video cameras allowed us to make our own films, just as affordable cameras allowed us to become photographers.

Because at one point, it was impossible to be part of the scene without extraordinary talent, without the right connections and knowledge and schooling and tools. Over time, the line between production and audience has blurred. To the detriment of the art, I’m sure some would say. To the benefit of everyone involved, I’d argue.

In the end, we all want to be included. We have the urge to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. It’s a desire that wrenches our guts, that leaves us wanting, grasping for a place. Most of us would gladly do it without much credit, without much notice.

We’d know. That for one moment, we could touch the silver screen. For one moment, we could smell the chemicals from the dark room, the dust from the printing press, the sounds of the editing room. We could make our mark, be noticed, leave a legacy, leave anything.

That’s community. Everyone involved. At once. In harmony. Included in the process. Amazed by the product.

Tags: Blogging, Movies, On... |

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Baptised by neon

June 30, 2008


Take an old paint store.

Fill it with movies. Lots of movies. Thousands of movies.

No, no. Not in any order. Just put them anywhere. Organize them by genre, but that’s it.

Vaguely update the sign. Sure, keep those neon paint cans. Reorganize some of the letters to spell “Fun.” Wait, no “F?” Go ahead and cut that “R” into shape. There you go. Perfect.

Fill the window with large plants. Make the floor layout like a maze. Hire only the dirtiest looking people. Use the upstairs for porn. No, not the softcore stuff you can get on Cinemax – we’re talking the real thing. Go ahead. Put it all upstairs. While you’re at it, advertise a 365-day-a-year adult movie sale. After all, you need to keep the product fresh.

Did I mention having the movies in no order whatsoever? That’s important.

Perfect. Welcome to Video Mania. Or, to be specific, Video Mania Store 4 – The Fun Store.

But don’t stick around too long. It’s the only Video Mania remaining. And it’s closing.

Located right on Minnesota, The Fun Store was the most visible of Video Mania’s four stores and, for as long as I can remember, it’s most successful. It was one of the first video stores in the area to feature DVDs (hence, their claim as the city’s DVD Store) and when DVD rentals dipped, they became one of the only real Internet cafes in town.

Aside from this, they are best known for being a scary, sketchy chain of businesses. Video Mania was famous for not caring much about looking good. The most common fixture is duct-taped carpet. It’s staff could be more “escaped convict” than “friendly smile.” It’s where you went for a cheap movie. It’s where you went when your Blockbuster card had late fees.

And though the store was filthy, the staff unresponsive and the films unorganized, and though they’ve tried renting inflatable animals, video cameras and Internet access long after the industry was viable, Video Mania is still legendary. Legendary in the same way an old, failing bar with a cantankerous bartender is legendary, or a mangy cat with too many years. In a way that requires patience, that demands back story, that looks for a special kind of insider knowledge.

Legendary in its rundown nature. Legendary because it was here first, and because there are memories housed within its failing frame.

As a kid, I lived just blocks from Video Mania. And, as an avid Nintendo junkie, I was in love with the store for its revolutionary ideas.

Like 33-MARIO, the local phone number to see what new video game titles had arrived. (The recordings, always done by the store owner, Harlan, frequently referred to Ms. Pac-Man as “M.S. Pac-Man.”)

Or the Hourly-Arcade, a line of video game systems set up like an arcade, with hourly rates – a smorgasbord of choices, a way to keep us kids out of our parents hair.

Video Mania was the first place that bought and sold used video games in Sioux Falls. It was an early adopter of live, webcams, regardless of their relevance. It filled its walls with unclassifiable films and games; the kind that you couldn’t find anywhere else. Its selection was wildly varied, spanning the entire length of recorded film. Old, new, it all melded together, making each visit a certifiable treasure hunt, with only an old, very basic computer available to aid you in your search. It was dirty, and mean, and gross. But it was fun. And it was mine.

One by one, each Video Mania location has closed, their doors barred by a new breed of video store – one that catered to the clean, to the easy, to those who only wanted to watch new movies and had little time for searching or, in most cases, true aesthetics – and a new wave of online DVD delivery. In addition, the owner’s frequent troubles with newspaper vending machines has led to numerous fines and a heightened state of agitation. The lease on the second-to-last store was not renewed, and continued pressure has forced Harlan out.

Regardless of the reasons, Video Mania, now with just one location remaining, seemingly on life support for years, is having its plug pulled. Dutch Auctions have begun, with the stock being sold off to the first people to find the right value.

My dream? To go down during its last days and see if those neon letters are still for sale. The letters that broadcast the business’s frugality, their inattention to detail, their rock-bottom nature. That “F,” lovingly crafted from an “R,” the first letter in a grand promise – that inside those doors, through those plants, around the documentary section and into the back, would be a world of fun.

My fear, though, is that the building will be torn down, ground into rubble and forgotten. Another chapter in Sioux Falls local business torn away from the bindings, like so many others before.

With the “FUN” left to rust. With all of its filthy charms left to die.

Video Mania, Store 4
The Minnesota Avenue Video Mania Store (via Video Mania home page).

Tags: Movies, Sioux Falls |

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The (Oscar) Week at Misc. Asst.

February 24, 2008


A few movie themed entries popped up over at Misc. Asst. over the past two weeks. Check them out.

2/13

Top 10 Movies of All Time - Dave
A week early in support of the writers strike.

2/25

Inaccurate Vernacular: Top 10 Foreign Language Films - John
IV’s back (finally!) with the top ten films in languages I never bothered to learn.

Tags: Misc. Asst., Movies, The Top... |

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