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So, the John Carter thread got me thinking about Disney sci fi book adaptations that were poorly marketed, and wouldn't you know it:
For my generation, the book was required reading in school. It was also one of the few genre novels that teachers considered acceptable for book reports. The end result is that a lot of us believed this inoffensive-yet-uninspiring novel was some kind of classic. Now Disney is making a film out of it starring Oprah, and I can only imagine where the Reddit comments are likely to go.
Also, did the book mention warriors? I don't remember this focus on Warriors.
I remember reading this and enjoying it. I don't think it was on UK recommended reading lists, so I must have picked it up due to my general interest in science fiction.
Of course, the Earthsea trilogy is rightly regarded as a classic of children's fantasy fiction, and every single adaptation of it has been at best lacklustre. Even the Studio Ghibli one was a 3/5.
I sort of enjoyed this book when I was around ten. It was pushed on me by a teacher although it was not required reading. (Does The Giver count as a genre novel? That one was required reading.)
As for the trailer, I'd sum it up as "trying way too hard."
Manchu wrote: I sort of enjoyed this book when I was around ten. It was pushed on me by a teacher although it was not required reading. (Does The Giver count as a genre novel? That one was required reading.)
As for the trailer, I'd sum it up as "trying way too hard."
The giver was required after my time, so I read it as an adult. That may have colored (heh) my opinion of it a bit. I think teachers would consider The Giver to be a genre book, just like Wrinkle in Time, but actual science fiction readers would consider it to be ...something else. Faux genre attempted-literature, maybe? Vonnegut is sold in the Fic/Lit section rather than sci fi, and his work is a bit more authentic. Wrinkle and Giver strike me much more like the thirty year old in an Adidas track suit trying to convince the kids today that he's with it, yo. If I may coin a food analogy, they are falafels: crunchy and spicy on the outside, bland and mushy on the inside.
I'm starting to think some ingenious Hollywood execubot has started making film adaptations of all the novels read in our middle school curriculum. There was the Giver a few years back, Fahrenheit 451 is on the way, A Wrinkle in Time now- watch for a 'Night' movie soon to complete the set.
Klawz-Ramming is a subset of citrus fruit?
Gwar- "And everyone wants a bigger Spleen!"
Mercurial wrote:
I admire your aplomb and instate you as Baron of the Seas and Lord Marshall of Privateers.
Orkeosaurus wrote:Star Trek also said we'd have X-Wings by now. We all see how that prediction turned out.
Orkeosaurus, on homophobia, the nature of homosexuality, and the greatness of George Takei.
English doesn't borrow from other languages. It follows them down dark alleyways and mugs them for loose grammar.
Far, far too many. Though this is probably the worst I've ever heard.
I actually associate the book more with Heart's 'These Dreams.' But then I don't recognize the book I read 30+ years ago in this trailer at all.
Plus the color saturation and costuming makes me want to retch.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/01/18 00:41:22
Honestly a Wrinkle in Time is a wrinkle in time itself at this point. I found the entire series boring and heavy handed, not to mention "old fashioned" in terms of writing and story (I guess it is from 62). I'm amazed anyone still suggests the book as reading at this point. There's so much else out there that's just better. At least that's how I felt like 15 odd years ago when I read it. That said I watch the trailers and I'm like "I seriously don't remember this gak from the book" so mabye I'm just remembering wrong? IDK. Either way the trailer reeks of all the things that make me think "big budget production that will be all style and absolutely zero substance" i.e. probably crappy.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/01/18 12:18:58
LordofHats wrote: Honestly a Wrinkle in Time is a wrinkle in time itself at this point. I found the entire series boring and heavy handed, not to mention "old fashioned" in terms of writing and story (I guess it is from 62). I'm amazed anyone still suggests the book as reading at this point. There's so much else out there that's just better. At least that's how I felt like 15 odd years ago when I read it. That said I watch the trailers and I'm like "I seriously don't remember this gak from the book" so mabye I'm just remembering wrong? IDK. Either way the trailer reeks of all the things that make me think "big budget production that will be all style and absolutely zero substance" i.e. probably crappy.
It really was a consequence of the time. In the early eighties, the teachers I had all considered genre fiction to be unworthy for reading, with the exceptions of the Narnia books and Wrinkle. That was it. If you wanted to read something fantastical for a book report, those were your options. The Hobbit, Earthsea, all the rest? Infantile garbage in their eyes. Things have really changed a lot since then.
I don't know if it is required reading any more--I believe the Giver still is--but modern teachers have embrace the Harry Potter "At least they enjoy reading" revolution.
Kilkrazy wrote: We read The Hobbit at prep school in the late 60s.
Also King Solomon's Mines.
Yuo're right though that the key battle is to get children, especially boys, to read anything these days.
Where did you go to school?
Automatically Appended Next Post: In 8th grade we had a field trip to a reading of the Balrog scene in LOTR by George Takei, but the teacher kept referring to LOTR as "that cartoon".
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/01/18 17:39:33
It was a compulsory reading thing for my yr7 (first year high school here, around age 12-13 Our schools tend to go "infants; first 3 years, then primary; next 3 years, then high school; 6 years ). The movie looks like a ... yeah, nah, I'm good. Pass.
The next term we had "Fahrenheit 451" to do. Never HAD to do any of the LOTR books (thankful. I found them in the library on my own and the first one bored me).
I'm OVER 50 (and so far over everyone's BS, too).
Old enough to know better, young enough to not give a ****.
That is not dead which can eternal lie ...
... and yet, with strange aeons, even death may die.
