Earthsea
What makes a good book? And do good books make good movies?
These issues have always arisen from movie adaptations of famous works of literature. Classical works have always translated well into film, since they cater to a specific audience and are usually done more in the spirit of artistic and creative exercise than commercial venture. In the Fantasy genre, the Lord of the Rings translated very well on the big screen. It's almost the same case with the screen adaptation of the Harry Potter series. They were done with taste, credence and a certain amount of respect for the orginal version of the book they were trying to capitalize on. Now, the Earthsea Cycle to me is an exceptional feat in the genre, and it belongs up there right beside LOTR. For those who haven't read the Cycle yet, let me just describe it as a book written by Ursula Le Guin, where wizards and dragons, sorceresses and princes are caught in a cycle of searching and finding.
The story starts with young Ged in the Prequel Wizard of Earthsea. It is followed by the books entitled The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore, Tehanu, Dragonfly (a novelette) and the Other Wind. The first time I read Wizard of Earthsea, I was breathless. It had such a consistency and it had so much --- depth --- It was a marvel. I loved the idea of owning and accepting the darkness within -- it being the only way for you to truly conquer and destroy it. The priestess Tenar in The Tombs of Atuan was the epitome of innocence and strength, to my perception. It's one heck of a powerful story.
Now, Hallmark did a tv-movie adaptation which they entitled Earthsea. You won't believe how long I've waited for it to show on the Hallmark Channel. I scanned the tv guide practically everyday just so to make sure I would not miss it. Today, you can imagine my ecstacy to find out I can watch both Part 1 and 2 this very night. I knew there was a bit of controversy regarding the adaptation. It seems Ms. Le Guin has disowned the screen version. Something about it disagreed with her. That only made me more curious to watch it. Oh, that i wish I never did.
I have never watched a book-based film that had been as atrocious. I read somewhere that Hallmark Channel director Mr. Lieberman admitted the story was loosely based on the novels, and they took certain liberties to "movie-fy" the plot. I think, it was so loose, it was absolutely wretched. Why call it Earthsea at all if you aren't going to follow the logic and the sequence of the story? They took two separate books that's supposed to have stories that took place one after the other, wove half-baked tales to make them appear as if they were contiguous and inserted so many inconsistencies enough to render them illogical. The two main characters, young Ged and young Tenar even kisses each other at the movie end... something that never happened in the first two books. Tenar was already a widow and in her mid-life years when she and Ged decided to allow Fate to take over and they took each other as companions and lovers. And the acting wasn't topnotch.
I watched the film with the expectation to see my well-loved book come to life but ended up being sorely disappointed. That adaptation is a violation to the book. I don't think I can emphasize that enough.
Please, do read the Earthsea cycle. But don't watch the TV-Movie. Wait for the big screen adaptation where it may actually be about the book.
These issues have always arisen from movie adaptations of famous works of literature. Classical works have always translated well into film, since they cater to a specific audience and are usually done more in the spirit of artistic and creative exercise than commercial venture. In the Fantasy genre, the Lord of the Rings translated very well on the big screen. It's almost the same case with the screen adaptation of the Harry Potter series. They were done with taste, credence and a certain amount of respect for the orginal version of the book they were trying to capitalize on. Now, the Earthsea Cycle to me is an exceptional feat in the genre, and it belongs up there right beside LOTR. For those who haven't read the Cycle yet, let me just describe it as a book written by Ursula Le Guin, where wizards and dragons, sorceresses and princes are caught in a cycle of searching and finding.
The story starts with young Ged in the Prequel Wizard of Earthsea. It is followed by the books entitled The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore, Tehanu, Dragonfly (a novelette) and the Other Wind. The first time I read Wizard of Earthsea, I was breathless. It had such a consistency and it had so much --- depth --- It was a marvel. I loved the idea of owning and accepting the darkness within -- it being the only way for you to truly conquer and destroy it. The priestess Tenar in The Tombs of Atuan was the epitome of innocence and strength, to my perception. It's one heck of a powerful story.
Now, Hallmark did a tv-movie adaptation which they entitled Earthsea. You won't believe how long I've waited for it to show on the Hallmark Channel. I scanned the tv guide practically everyday just so to make sure I would not miss it. Today, you can imagine my ecstacy to find out I can watch both Part 1 and 2 this very night. I knew there was a bit of controversy regarding the adaptation. It seems Ms. Le Guin has disowned the screen version. Something about it disagreed with her. That only made me more curious to watch it. Oh, that i wish I never did.
I have never watched a book-based film that had been as atrocious. I read somewhere that Hallmark Channel director Mr. Lieberman admitted the story was loosely based on the novels, and they took certain liberties to "movie-fy" the plot. I think, it was so loose, it was absolutely wretched. Why call it Earthsea at all if you aren't going to follow the logic and the sequence of the story? They took two separate books that's supposed to have stories that took place one after the other, wove half-baked tales to make them appear as if they were contiguous and inserted so many inconsistencies enough to render them illogical. The two main characters, young Ged and young Tenar even kisses each other at the movie end... something that never happened in the first two books. Tenar was already a widow and in her mid-life years when she and Ged decided to allow Fate to take over and they took each other as companions and lovers. And the acting wasn't topnotch.
I watched the film with the expectation to see my well-loved book come to life but ended up being sorely disappointed. That adaptation is a violation to the book. I don't think I can emphasize that enough.
Please, do read the Earthsea cycle. But don't watch the TV-Movie. Wait for the big screen adaptation where it may actually be about the book.
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