Monday, April 21, 2014

TODAY'S NUGGET: Alice in Wonderland (2010) - Never Violate the "Intention of the Book"

[Quick Summary:  Alice revisits Wonderland, and faces off with the Jabberwocky.]

I admit this isn't my favorite book.

However, I did like this script adaption because it was faithful to the "intention of the book" (see William Goldman's advice on adaptions).

A couple of examples:

BOOK: Alice begins the story by stepping through the looking glass. [Intention? She wants adventure.]

SCRIPT: Alice chases a rabbit to escape her surprise engagement party. [Intention?  Also adventure.]

BOOK: Alice wakes up at the end with a revelation. [Intention? She's changed.]

SCRIPT: Alice wakes up and deals with the proposal.  [Intention? She's changed.]

This was pretty eye-opening for me.

Finally, I could put my finger on what bugged me about bad adaptions, and why others were good despite added/subtracted material.

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Never violate the intention of the book.

Alice in Wonderland (2010)
by Linda Woolverton
Based on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

1 comment:

AL said...

Absolutely agree. Best adaptatons carry the spirit of the story if not the letter. Great advice. Thanks!

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