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Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Intentions and Perceptions



Hey All!  It’s March into Literacy Month

So here we are, on the cusp of Springtime; one of the most exciting times of the year when we feel refreshed, engaged and ready to sprinkle the literary world with the magic of our newest best-seller and we (okay, me. I noticed,) notice the oddest trend.

Certainly nobody minds reprints. That’s a term that strikes joy into every writer’s heart; your books have flown right off the shelves and demand necessitates the reprinting of more! A writer’s dream!  However, when the operative word is Remake it’s a bit of heart-stopper. Wait a minute, what’s wrong with the way it was?

Suddenly the glorious warmth of having your book made into a movie is an ice cube stuck in your throat.  Do you quickly sip a cup of hot coffee while frantically searching your documents and memory banks for exactly which rights you retained and desperately hope that this new version of your work doesn’t shoot up and fizzle like a defective Roman candle at a beach party bonfire?

Or do you consider that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?

Sure, there are exceptions. For instance both adaptations of the movie “Tombstone”; based on historical facts and fiction, leave it wide open in terms of perception.  (I was crazy about Val Kilmer as Doc Holladay, though not everyone cares for the character in general)  But between the two vastly different versions of “Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory” which do you suppose better depicts the writer’s intent?  And how in the world can they improve on “Jungle Book”?

Do other examples come to mind?  And in the long run, as long as you (or your heirs) are still making money, does it matter?

Love to hear your thoughts…




2 comments:

  1. I certainly wouldn't want someone to remake my book, but I do see the benefits of remaking those movies into newer versions.

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    Replies
    1. I agree, Chrys. For the purpose of enhancement; adding color to black and white, etc., classics are almost reborn. :-)

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