I LOVE Alfonso Cuarón’s sci-fi action movie Children of Men. I’ve watched maybe six times and every time, the ending always almost brings me to tears. So when I learned it was adapted from P.D. James’ book of the same name, it was a no-brainer deciding what my next book would be.

After finishing the book, it wasn’t difficult to reach to the conclusion that I enjoyed the movie better.

While James’ book gives a more in-depth look at how human infertility and humanity’s slow death march towards extinction affects the sexual dynamic between men and women and almost demented ways humans try to cope with a world without children or a race of dead men walking, I feel the book dedicates WAY too much time describing the failing of human civilization and the Regrets and guilt of Theo Faron. It’s not even until after 2/3 through the book where it feels like the plot and story are properly paced and stuff of consequence actually begin to happen.

The film’s adaptation by, comparison, feels consistent in its pacing and the world building and woe-is-mes of Theo feel more compact a take up less of the audience’s time.

What books do you feel were worse than its film adaptation and why?

  • EternityLeave@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Matilda. Great as a children’s book but the movie is incredible. Trunchbull is iconic. And DeVito as the shitty dad- one of the best performances of his career!

    • josephblade@alien.topBEnglish
      1·
      10 months ago

      Nah I can’t agree with this one. Matilda the film, while enjoyable, messed up the ending.

      In the book the superpowers aren’t just there and once unlocked stay. they are coming out because matilda isn’t allowed to be a smart kid. They express the frustration with being held back by parents and teachers. Once matilda is allowed to be herself, the frustration goes away and she’s just a normal kid. It’s like carry but nicer.

      In the film they chose to have her powers stay which suggests she’s always had these powers so it is much more the usual “person finds out they are exceptional and isn’t life amazing” that fits much closer with the american way of looking at things (success is an attribute people have, rather than an outcome of circumstance) like in a weird way the prosperity gospel preaches. She didn’t make her success happen (through adversity) but rather she had success built in and it just showed up.

      I kind of rant about this sometimes. I still watch the film because it’s well made and I love the actors but I do end up griping about the ending.