From: L. Brown / M. Regenold <miclarry>
Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2007 17:07:58 -0600

Philip Pullman's mystery, The Ruby in the Smoke, aired last spring in Iowa, and I was eager to watch it. But what a disappointment. If I hadn't been familiar with the story already, I'm not sure I could have followed the movie version because it was so convoluted.

The filmmakers also made changes to some characters, like making Jim older
(and more of a peer to Sally) and changing the race of the twins from white to black, which didn't seem to add anything to the story--especially since the twins' race didn't seem to be an issue, and surely in 1872 London it would have been.

This series is very political, but the film version seemed to downplay that and focus more on the mystery.

However, I have great hopes for the film of Pullman's The Golden Compass.

I was a little worried by the trailer for Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia because it looked like they'd turn the story into a fantasy. But I heard Paterson speak about it (I think at Vermont College), and she was pleased, so I went to see it with my husband. He enjoyed it so much that he read the novel afterward. I thought filmmakers did a great job with that one.

Michele Regenold novelist in training and soon-to-be Vermont College alumna
Received on Fri 09 Nov 2007 05:07:58 PM CST