By the book

It's tricky business making a movie from a novel, and some kids consider their favorites untouchable

March 13, 2007|By Emilie Le Beau, Special to the Tribune

The book was so good, you couldn't put it down. Even though it meant staying up past your bedtime and reading under the covers with a flashlight.

So when a popular book is made into a movie, is it a second serving of a great story? Or is the magic lost in translation?

Olivia G. loved the book "Bridge to Terabithia" and saw the movie the first week it opened. "If you read a book and you love it, and then you find out a movie is going to be made, you're really excited," says Olivia, 13, of Chicago.

But Billy F. wasn't as excited when one of his favorites, "Aragon," was brought to the silver screen. "The screenwriter altered a lot of important things that I enjoyed in the book," says Billy, 12, of Chicago.

Making a book into a movie can be tricky business. A book is usually longer and more complex than a screenplay. The "Harry Potter" books, for example, average around 600 pages. Meanwhile, most screenplays are less than 100 pages, says Kal Alston, a professor at the Institute on Popular Culture at Syracuse University in New York.

Bringing a book to life on the big screen may be challenging, but it's becoming more common. Alston says many publishing houses and movie studios now are owned by the same parent company. "It's so much easier; they don't really have to go outside the family to secure the right" to the book, Alston says.

It's also easier for companies to work together on making a book into a movie. And the risk can pay off. Alston says a popular book such as "Harry Potter" can sell movie tickets, DVDs and movie-related merchandise.

But it doesn't always work. Kids might not like the actors chosen to play beloved characters. Or they might feel the story is best told on the pages of a book, not on a movie screen. "I feel like it is either a make-or-break opportunity," says Jonathan D., 13, of Chicago.

Jonathan has a few favorite books he would hate to see made into a movie. "I feel some are untouchable," he says. "I felt that way about `Inkheart' by Cornelia Funke, and also the book `Travel Team' by Mike Lupica."

Readers and moviegoers have debated which was better, the book or the movie, for almost a century. Hollywood has been bringing books to life since the early days of movies. "Little Women," "The Wizard of Oz" and "Gone With the Wind" all were popular books before they were movies, Alston says.

And now some movies and TV shows are being made into books. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Kim Possible" both have book versions. Alston calls it a "horrible trend."

Another trend is for moviemakers to pick books that appeal to boys so they can attract a larger audience. "Girls will go to movies that are adventure stories, but boys are more reluctant to go to movies written for girls," Alston says.

"The Secret Garden," for example, did not do well at the box office. Alston says the movie poster featured a young girl. Then, "they repackaged it so there wasn't a girl on the poster and the emphasis was on the secret," Alston says.

Some books aimed at girls do make the cinematic leap. "Because of Winn-Dixie" worked because it interested boys and girls. And movies such as "The Princess Diaries" and "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" already had a strong fan base in place.

Billy says he wouldn't be interested in seeing a movie based on a girl's book. "I'm pretty sure my friends agree with me," he says.

But it might not matter whether an adapted screenplay is aimed at boys or girls. Read the book first and the movie won't be a surprise. "It kind of ruins the movie because you do know what is going to happen," Olivia says.

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Many favorite stories have made the leap from book to big screen. This year, several movies will open that are from short stories or novels:

"The Last Mimzy" (March 23, PG): Based on a 1940s short story, this sci-fi thriller follows two children who find strange toys that make them smarter. Mimzy may be a cute stuffed bunny, but she brings a serious warning from the future.

"Nancy Drew" (June 15, PG): This film, from the series that began in the 1930s, is about a crime-solving teen detective.

"The Martian Child" (June 29, PG): Based on a short story, this film centers on an adopted child who claims he is from Mars, and his parents, who believe he may be telling the truth.

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (July 13, not yet rated): Harry and his friends meet secretly and prepare to battle the evil Lord Voldemort. Based on the 5th book in the "Harry Potter" series.

"The Water Horse" (Dec. 7, not yet rated): The story of a young boy, his journey and the creature that hatches from an enchanted egg. Based on the story of the same name.