The big screen

Can books be successfully be portrayed on the big screen?

After this weekends experience I am not so sure. I have just finished reading One Day by David Nicholls,  which I would recommend. I laughed, I cried, I got attached to the characters and even threw it across the room at one point. Having loved the book so much and the film just becoming available on DVD I decided to watch it and, as with so many film adaptations, I was left disappointed and screaming at the screen! I don't know if it is just the style of the story or even because I had read the book but I found my self not connecting with the characters I had come to love so much.

There have been other book to film adaptations that have left me with a similar feeling, some not even keeping to key features of the book; High Fidelity springs to mind here! However some adaptations, like the Harry Potter series and the Twilight franchise manage to capture the essence of the books successfully, even though I still don't understand why Peeves the poltergeist didn't make the films!!

What do you think?? Should I just avoid watching the film versions of the books I read, or chance them and hope that they prolong my enjoyment?

All quiet on the Western front

Apologies for not having written for a few days, I am currently indulging my Twilight passion! I am in the middle marathon session of all the films in preparation for seeing the new Breaking Dawn Part 1 film this week. I can't help but love the films that have been fantastically adapted from such well written books. Stephenie Meyer really knows how to get you invested in the characters. Having read all the books it is equally satisfying to see the relationships develop on screen. You can take the supernatural out of the equation and it would still be a fantastic love story; girls meets boy, gets into trouble, he protects her, they fall head over heels, it all goes a little wrong, she nearly ends up with another, then they work it out and have happily ever after with a few bumps along the way! Who wouldn't want the fairy tale!!! Ok so I'm off to enjoy. In the meantime, don't forget to check out Lee Johnson's exhibition at Marsden Old Hall this week, I can't wait to have a look round and hopefully get some inspiration. Keep a look out on here for any new pieces I share.

Episode 2

Why is it the things you think you will remember from your school days are the things you don't end up remembering at all. I have been trying all day to remember the things that happened at school, all I have come up with are the few teachers that put the time in and were an influence on me, even if I didn't know it at the time!! The friends I spent time with, but for some ridiculous reason or another didn't keep in touch with! The numerous crushes I had, that came to nothing. But mostly I remember the start of my relationship with Paul.
I remember the excited feeling I'd get just before we were due to meet, they way we would sit and talk for hours about not very much at all and the undeniable feeling that this was forever. He was the man I was going to marry! Some people criticise YA novels such as the Twilight series, for the way the idealise fatalistic relationships. The idea that teaching our teenagers that love can be all consuming is not healthy seems to me to be very tunnel visioned. Sometimes it does happen like that, I fell in love with Paul and I knew then that it would be forever. Should I have made more of an effort to keep my connection with friends? May be. Would I change anything in my life? No! I still love my Husband, with all I am, 15 years in and I have two beautiful girls to boot, how can that be seen as unhealthy??