CCBC-Net Archives
[CCBC-Net] Critiquing films based on children's books
- Contemporary messages sorted: [ by date ] [ by subject ] [ by author ]
From: Jeffrey Canton <jeffrey_canton>
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:18:32 -0700 (PDT)
As a part of my course on social and cultural constructions of childhood, I'm planning a "book into film" assignment and wondered since there are a good number of you who use films in your courses if if anyone has any suggestions for a good essay on writing a film critique that they currently use.
Jeffrey Canton
Jeffrey Canton 54 Fenwick Avenue Toronto, ON M4K 3H3 416-469-8290
--- On Thu, 8/13/09, James Elliott <libraryjim at embarqmail.com> wrote:
> From: James Elliott <libraryjim at embarqmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] Picture books to movies
> To: "Susan Kusel" <Skusel at arlingtonva.us>
> Cc: "Subscribers of ccbc-net" <ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu>
> Received: Thursday, August 13, 2009, 7:39 PM
> Susan,
>
> I disliked the Live action "Grinch" immensely -- especially
> as a more worldly-wise friend pointed out that it started
> out with a 'spouse swap' key exchange party (the scene where
> they go into a party at the beginning and put their house
> keys in a jar -- according to my friend, the wives would
> then pick out a key and go home with who -- or rather Who --
> ever belonged to that key! not at all kid-friendly. Of
> course it went right over my head, too).? But they put
> way too much other garbage into that movie.
>
> I also avoided "Cat in the Hat" as well, simply because the
> ads looked pathetic.
>
> "Jumanji" worked ok, In fact, I rather liked that one. I
> only saw parts of 'Zathura', it didn't hold my interest at
> all.
>
> I still love the movie version of "Mary Poppins", even
> though it's not like the book.? I've heard that "Nanny
> McPhee" is closer to the vision of Mary Poppins, at least at
> the first, but since it's based on her own book series, I
> can't say. I liked it, too, and didn't expect to.
>
> "Doctor Doolittle" -- I liked the Rex Harrison version, but
> not the Eddie Murphy versions. IMO, he strayed too far from
> the source material.
>
> "Series of Unfortunate Events" I actually had hoped they
> would have made more of these, and thought they kept the
> ambiance of the books very well, even though they rearranged
> the sequence of the books.
>
> Jim Elliott
> North Georgia
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Susan Kusel <Skusel at arlingtonva.us>
> Subject: [CCBC-Net] Picture books to movies
>
> Something I haven't seen addressed in this discussion yet
> is adaptations
> of picture books. I think these movies are the ones I dread
> the most
> simply because of logistics.
>
>
>
> Obviously, if you take a 32 page picture book and turn it
> into a 90
> minute movie, you're going to have to add an enormous
> amount of
> material. Particularly with a book like Where the Wild
> Things Are, which
> has fairly sparse text to begin with. I used to work in
> children's
> theater, and this was an issue there too, because many
> picture books
> have been adapted for the stage. I think some work better
> than
> others.... but really, it all depends on the skill of the
> adapter, and
> if they truly understand the vision behind the original
> book.
>
>
>
> For example, I didn't think the extra material in Jim
> Carrey's How the
> Grinch Stole Christmas really worked. I'm curious to see
> what will
> happen with Where the Wild Things Are... I've got my
> fingers crossed.
>
>
>
> For me, the Weston Woods adaptations work perfectly because
> they stay
> completely true to the original material. I'm not sure if
> feature films
> are as good a medium for picture books, but maybe that's
> just me.
>
>
>
> -Susan
>
>
>
>
>
> Susan Kusel
>
> Youth Services Librarian
>
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at lists.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://lists.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
>
__________________________________________________________________ Ask a question on any topic and get answers from real people. Go to Yahoo! Answers and share what you know at http://ca.answers.yahoo.com
Received on Thu 13 Aug 2009 10:18:32 AM CDT
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:18:32 -0700 (PDT)
As a part of my course on social and cultural constructions of childhood, I'm planning a "book into film" assignment and wondered since there are a good number of you who use films in your courses if if anyone has any suggestions for a good essay on writing a film critique that they currently use.
Jeffrey Canton
Jeffrey Canton 54 Fenwick Avenue Toronto, ON M4K 3H3 416-469-8290
--- On Thu, 8/13/09, James Elliott <libraryjim at embarqmail.com> wrote:
> From: James Elliott <libraryjim at embarqmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] Picture books to movies
> To: "Susan Kusel" <Skusel at arlingtonva.us>
> Cc: "Subscribers of ccbc-net" <ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu>
> Received: Thursday, August 13, 2009, 7:39 PM
> Susan,
>
> I disliked the Live action "Grinch" immensely -- especially
> as a more worldly-wise friend pointed out that it started
> out with a 'spouse swap' key exchange party (the scene where
> they go into a party at the beginning and put their house
> keys in a jar -- according to my friend, the wives would
> then pick out a key and go home with who -- or rather Who --
> ever belonged to that key! not at all kid-friendly. Of
> course it went right over my head, too).? But they put
> way too much other garbage into that movie.
>
> I also avoided "Cat in the Hat" as well, simply because the
> ads looked pathetic.
>
> "Jumanji" worked ok, In fact, I rather liked that one. I
> only saw parts of 'Zathura', it didn't hold my interest at
> all.
>
> I still love the movie version of "Mary Poppins", even
> though it's not like the book.? I've heard that "Nanny
> McPhee" is closer to the vision of Mary Poppins, at least at
> the first, but since it's based on her own book series, I
> can't say. I liked it, too, and didn't expect to.
>
> "Doctor Doolittle" -- I liked the Rex Harrison version, but
> not the Eddie Murphy versions. IMO, he strayed too far from
> the source material.
>
> "Series of Unfortunate Events" I actually had hoped they
> would have made more of these, and thought they kept the
> ambiance of the books very well, even though they rearranged
> the sequence of the books.
>
> Jim Elliott
> North Georgia
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Susan Kusel <Skusel at arlingtonva.us>
> Subject: [CCBC-Net] Picture books to movies
>
> Something I haven't seen addressed in this discussion yet
> is adaptations
> of picture books. I think these movies are the ones I dread
> the most
> simply because of logistics.
>
>
>
> Obviously, if you take a 32 page picture book and turn it
> into a 90
> minute movie, you're going to have to add an enormous
> amount of
> material. Particularly with a book like Where the Wild
> Things Are, which
> has fairly sparse text to begin with. I used to work in
> children's
> theater, and this was an issue there too, because many
> picture books
> have been adapted for the stage. I think some work better
> than
> others.... but really, it all depends on the skill of the
> adapter, and
> if they truly understand the vision behind the original
> book.
>
>
>
> For example, I didn't think the extra material in Jim
> Carrey's How the
> Grinch Stole Christmas really worked. I'm curious to see
> what will
> happen with Where the Wild Things Are... I've got my
> fingers crossed.
>
>
>
> For me, the Weston Woods adaptations work perfectly because
> they stay
> completely true to the original material. I'm not sure if
> feature films
> are as good a medium for picture books, but maybe that's
> just me.
>
>
>
> -Susan
>
>
>
>
>
> Susan Kusel
>
> Youth Services Librarian
>
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at lists.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://lists.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
>
__________________________________________________________________ Ask a question on any topic and get answers from real people. Go to Yahoo! Answers and share what you know at http://ca.answers.yahoo.com
Received on Thu 13 Aug 2009 10:18:32 AM CDT
