Chronicles of a death foretold (1981)

Paperback

Language: English (Originally Spanish)

Author: Gabriel García Márquez

Translator: Gregory Rabassa

Orignally written in Spanish as Crónica de una muerte anunciada. It is a murder mystery that chronicles the last day of Santiago Nasser, a ranch owner. Almost everyone in the village knows Santiago Nasser is going to be murdered and the reasons surrounding it.

The story starts on a busy day with Nasser waking up from a dream of walking through a grove of timber trees, waiting for the bishop who is to visit his village and the Vicario brothers waiting to kill him. The story isn’t linear, meaning it doesn’t follow an order.

The narrative follows Santiago, it moves on to the marriage of Angela Vicario, the wedding celebrations, Angela’s bride discovering that she is not a virgin and sending her back, the Vicario twins blaming Santiago for defiling their sister and finally murdering him. While the reader gets a clear idea as to why the Vicario twins want Santiago murdered, what we don’t get is whether Santiago really defiled Angela.

The most impressive thing about this work is the way Márquez sketches his characters. Especially the key ones like Santiago, Bayardo, Angela, her family and more importantly her brothers. This novel is replete with symbolism and supernatural stuff.

Never a dull moment in this novel with superbly chiseled characters and a powerful narrative.

A straight SuperRead.

PS: This novel was also adapted as a Spanish language feature film with the same title in 1987 directed by Francesco Rosi

Love in the time of Cholera (2007)

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