Language: English
Actors: Javier Bardem, Benjamin Bratt, Giovanna Mezzogiorno & Fernanda Montenegro
Director: Mike Newell
Cinematography: Affonso Beato
Based on a book by Nobel winner Gabriel García Márquez, At the end of the movie we get all the usual questions we have when a screenplay is adapted from a famed book.
1. Has the director done justice to the amazing book ?
2. Has he overtly tampered the original to get to his screenplay ?
3. Is it good when people make movies out of great books ?
4. What would have been Gabriel García Márquez’s reaction when he saw this movie first ?
5. Will this movie make the people who have not read the book run to the bookstore to get their copy ?
And we know the answers well. Never before have we been satisfied in unanimity with any movie that has been adapted from a book. If that were an overstatement, then I would sweeten it by adding “Most of the times”, if that would satisfy you !!
The same is the case of this movie. Unfortunately I still can’t say 100% that the movie didn’t do justice to the great book. Because I’m only halfway into the book. But till where ever my bookmark has gone, I’m only semi-satisfied.
As any movie, this one has its plus points. In my opinion almost all the actors are fantastic in their roles. Javier Bardem & Fernanda Montenegro (who plays Tránsito Ariza) are just fantastic, not to take away the credit from the other actors. The visuals are pleasing, one should definitely credit Affonso Beato who has manned the camera in this movie. The music is fantastic, it is pretty unfortunate that we know Shakira only for a “Waka Waka”. This movie is one example that there is a musician called Shakira who’s beyond just one anthem.
Overall I personally liked the film although I would have expected that I would love it.
Now, let us continue with our debate on the merits of making a film out of a great book.
PS: Legend has it that Gabriel García Márquez said "Bravo" at the end of the screening of the (unreleased) movie
my opinion - It is very DIFFICULT to replicate a book... especially page by page. It is physically very demanding. Movies can never be better than the book. They can be more popular than the book(eg. Godfather, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Bridges of Madison county) ... but never be better!
ReplyDelete@Sajan: Can't agree more !! As I had mentioned earlier... Translating words into pictures is always difficult... And yes we do have aberrations like the ones you have mentioned... But books do have their own flavour which can't be shown on screen...
ReplyDeleteraja, this is my personal opinion! no offense to anyone! I HAVEN'T SEEN THIS MOVIE! (in fact i don't want to! i already have faces, places from the book i don't want to tarnish them!) gabo must've been joking or either he just commended the fact that someone even tried to do this sort of a thing! tolkeins 3 books got 3 movies. gabos one book might take a million movies!
ReplyDelete@CRN: I'm with you... Book to screen is a tough transition... Some succeed, many fail... this is one of them
ReplyDelete