From Page to Screen: My Top Ten Film Adaptations of Children's Books
Shari Frost
My friend and I went to the movies last month to see The Time Traveler's Wife , the film adaptation of one of our favorite books. I had my fingers crossed. Watching a film adaptation of a favorite book is a big gamble. Can a director possibly match the movie that you've made in your head while you were reading the book? Nine times out of ten, the movie does not measure up to these expectations. Those are not very good odds. Being the eternal optimist, I always hope that the movie that I am waiting to see will be that "one in ten" movie.
Before the movie started, there were previews. The previews included adaptations of the two children's picture books Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Where the Wild Things Are .
Unfortunately, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs seems destined to be a " nine out of ten" movie rather than a "one in ten". Making a full length feature film from a picture book is a tall order. Generally, there is not enough story in the 28 pages of a picture book to fill an entire two-hour feature film. The producers of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs fell into a familiar trap. They took a major idea of the picture book, food raining from the sky, and created another story around it. In the picture book, no one in the fictional town of ChewandSwallow knew why it rained food. In the movie, they decided to explain why it rained food and created a new character - complete with pet monkey, who is responsible for the phenomenon. The trailer presented a story so different from the book that I think the movie should have a completely different title. Maybe when the credits are rolling at the end, there could be a credit for acknowledging the picture book for "inspiring" the movie. I don't think I'll bother to see it - not even on DVD.
The makers of the Where the Wild Things Are movie were quite clever about creating their trailer. They didn't give away too much information, and they offered a peek at the movie's best feature - the wild things. They look fabulous! They absolutely captured Sendak's two-dimensional illustrations and turned them into three-dimensional, walking, talking (well, growling) wonders. The film wild things actually moved the way that I see them move in the "movie in my head." However, there is still the universal problem of filling up two hours. After all, there are only 40 pages of story - mostly told in pictures. In this film adaptation, they handle it by attempting to explain why Max is acting like a wild thing. Apparently, Max's mother is a single mother. She is in a new relationship and Max does not like the new boyfriend. This is a problem for me --- in fact, the same problem that led me above to be so critical of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. I have a longstanding theory about why Max was behaving like a wild thing. He was just feeling a bit exuberant. Anyone who has spent any time with little boys knows that sometimes they just feel a bit exuberant. I am a little worried about the expansion of the story beyond the original book in this movie, too. But unlike Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, the expansion of the story does not seem so radical to me that it destroys the original plot and warrants a completely different title. In addition, the wild things looked so good that I know I will go to see it. I'm already crossing my fingers that it will be a "one in ten" movie, instead of a "nine out of ten". Even if it isn't, I really want to see those wild things have a wild rumpus.
What does it take to make a "one in ten" film adaptation of a children's book? Why do so many filmmakers go wrong? As previously mentioned, one prevalent problem is the decision to try to make a full-length feature film from a picture book. If you want to make a movie from a picture book, it is usually more effective to make a shorter one - 15 to 30 minutes long. Another unforgivable sin is not staying true to the story. Don't change the setting, add characters, or change key ideas of the book. Then there is a variety of other things that a director/screenwriter/producer can do to make a successful film adaption. Let's look at my top ten list of great movies adapted from children's books for more answers.
1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
This movie is on my list mainly because the filmmakers did an amazing job of casting the roles, although there are also other reasons. I love the fact that British actors were cast instead of an American "star du jour." Emma Watson's hair needs to be curlier to be a perfect Hermoine, but everyone else looks exactly the way the J.K. described them in the book. The makers of this movie also did a fantastic job creating those other worldly images like the quidditch match and Diagon Alley. I actually gasped when I first saw the Great Hall.
2. Because of Winn-Dixie
This makes my list for one scene in the movie - Gloria Dump's tree. Kate DiCamillo describes it this way:
There were bottles hanging from just about every branch. There were whiskey bottles and beer bottles and wine bottles all tied on a string . . . (p.94)
There it was on the screen, much bigger and more dramatic than I had ever visualized it. The wind was blowing, causing the bottles to move and clink against each other and sound like wind chimes. It blew the "movie in my head" out of the water. What a moment of movie magic!
3. The Red Balloon
I actually saw the movie before I read the book. I was in second or third grade. The movie didn't have very much dialogue. There was stirring music and fantastic footage of Paris. The dramatic climax was so breathtaking that my class actually applauded. About a year later, I discovered the book in the public library. I was thrilled! I read it over and over again, checking it out whenever it was available.
4. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
I prefer the original movie, starring Gene Wilder. The chocolate river, the Oompa Loompas, Violet turning into a blueberry, the four grandparents in one bed - all such incredible images. Dahl is one of those authors who writes things that you just can't exactly imagine. Then there it is in living color! I don't know why they ever remade this movie.
5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Find the 1966 animated film narrated by Boris Karloff, not that ridiculous live action film starring Jim Carrey. In addition to being true to the story from the book, Karloff's narration is perfect.
6. Holes
The key to the successful adaptation of this book to film was that Louis Sachar (the author) wrote the screenplay. Why don't more children's book authors do this?
7. The Snowman
Raymond Briggs laid out this wordless picture book to look like a storyboard. Some smart movie producer took it just the way it was and added an incredible soundtrack. I have seen a class of 25 wiggly five-year-olds sit stock still, mesmerized by this movie. In the weeks following the viewing, the book is 'read' so many times that the spine has to be reinforced.
8. The Wizard of Oz
This classic movie actually borrows features from several books from Baum's Oz series. I can even forgive the director for changing the silver shoes to 'ruby red slippers.' He had a good reason, namely that this was one of the first movies made in color. The film has stood the test of time and has motivated many children to read all of the Oz books.
9. Corduroy
When I saw this Weston Woods film, I couldn't believe how good it was. The actress they found to play Lisa looks exactly like Freeman's illustration. The teddy bear movements are smooth and natural.
10. Babe
This adaptation of Dick King Smith's book The Sheep Pig is a winner. How did they train the pig to act? How did they make it look like Babe was talking? I probably wouldn't have read this book if it hadn't been made into a movie.
Now that you've found a great film adaptation, you'll want to use it in the classroom. Viewing is a language art that is getting more attention from teachers. You don't have to allocate 120 minutes of your precious instructional time to reap the benefits - use clips. Here is a list of ten tips to get you started:
1. Always, always, always watch the movie in its entirety before showing it to your students. Many teachers have been unpleasantly surprised by what unexpectedly turned up on the screen.
2. Use movies to motivate students to read. (See numbers three and seven on my top ten list.)
3. Use movies to support English language learners' understanding of a book.
4. Use movies to teach elements of literature and story grammar. While character, problem/solution, flashback, and climax might be murky on the page, they can be abundantly clear on the screen.
5. The number one tried and true use is to view a film adaptation of a book read in class and to compare the two versions. Students talk about why filmmakers made changes to the story for the film.
6. Many teachers report that viewing a film together is a wonderful community building activity.
7. Use movies to engage students in story analysis.
8. Use movies to support visualizing. Read aloud a passage from a book. Ask the students to sketch their visualization. Post the sketches and talk about the differences. Show the scene in the movie as an example of another visualization.
9. Use movies to support students' understanding of books set in the past or in a different country.
10. Assign movies as homework.
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