Is it safe to say that there are some books that should never ever be turned into movies or plays or a miniseries? Ever?
I am not referring here to the Lord of the Rings debate, as I have not read the books and thought the movies were okay. My complaint is against all attempts to do anything with any of the Narnia books. If your private Christian school was anything like mine, you were subjected to the PBS monstrosities numerous times during lit. classes. I always wanted to get Lucy some braces.
I worked on a play (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe) a few months back with a director that most of you know and love. Her work is always splendid, always well worth watching, and always seems to get the best out of the kids on stage. That said, this play was wretched. Painful to watch. And I really don't think it was the director's fault. I think those books are such vehicles for the imagination that any visual rendering of them is going to be highly disappointing, and of poor quality to boot.
There are some stories so beautiful that they should be left well enough alone.
Posted by Micah Lewis at March 19, 2003 11:43 AM