I totally agree with you on the 3D, I almost want to see the film again just to fully appreciate what it added. And I adored Suraj Sharma, what an excellent choice (I hated Marigold Hotel for many reasons, one of which how bad Dev Patel was in it, sadly)
I do think the film redeemed itself when the adult Pi challenges the writer on which story he would prefer, which IIRC the book also challenges us as readers to think about. But too many times, I was frustrated with how determined the film was to have young Pi, and us, believe in God.
But it was a very good choice as first film for 2013 for me. And Ang Lee redeemed himself after what was, for me, the utterly dire Brokeback Mountain, another film of pretty scenery that bored me witless. Only rarely did I feel as if I'd been on that boat with Pi for far too many of the 227 days.
Thanks Katherine. I think you're right about the end too, fair pint.Even as someone who's made the same as Pi, I was frustrated at the manipulation of the story. The only thing that really made me angry was the removal from the story of his evangelically atheist teacher. In the book, Pi was more respectful and accepting of those who choose not to believe The removal of one such character was an example of the film's agenda, I think.
I agree that the 3D was fantastic, and those who haven't read the book would be less likely to be disappointed by the film's creative liberties. I do not think that comparisons are unfair, at least not intrinsically so. Any movie created from an existing work of literature will automatically and rightly be compared to its source material. Acknowledgements must be made for the different media, and no one should expect a movie to be exactly as they perceived the book to be. But since a film adaptation, especially these days, is trading off prior art by using that prior work's reputation to gain viewers, comparisons are inevitable. This can be seen by the frequency with which those involved in producing a film adaptation of a book will make such comparisons themselves.
I totally agree with you on the 3D, I almost want to see the film again just to fully appreciate what it added. And I adored Suraj Sharma, what an excellent choice (I hated Marigold Hotel for many reasons, one of which how bad Dev Patel was in it, sadly)
ReplyDeleteI do think the film redeemed itself when the adult Pi challenges the writer on which story he would prefer, which IIRC the book also challenges us as readers to think about. But too many times, I was frustrated with how determined the film was to have young Pi, and us, believe in God.
But it was a very good choice as first film for 2013 for me. And Ang Lee redeemed himself after what was, for me, the utterly dire Brokeback Mountain, another film of pretty scenery that bored me witless. Only rarely did I feel as if I'd been on that boat with Pi for far too many of the 227 days.
Thanks Katherine. I think you're right about the end too, fair pint.Even as someone who's made the same as Pi, I was frustrated at the manipulation of the story. The only thing that really made me angry was the removal from the story of his evangelically atheist teacher. In the book, Pi was more respectful and accepting of those who choose not to believe The removal of one such character was an example of the film's agenda, I think.
ReplyDeleteBig fan of the book. Comparisons are always unfair of course, but movie was pretty fantastic in its own right, esp. the 3D effects.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the 3D was fantastic, and those who haven't read the book would be less likely to be disappointed by the film's creative liberties. I do not think that comparisons are unfair, at least not intrinsically so. Any movie created from an existing work of literature will automatically and rightly be compared to its source material. Acknowledgements must be made for the different media, and no one should expect a movie to be exactly as they perceived the book to be. But since a film adaptation, especially these days, is trading off prior art by using that prior work's reputation to gain viewers, comparisons are inevitable. This can be seen by the frequency with which those involved in producing a film adaptation of a book will make such comparisons themselves.
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