“The actual feeling of people who make movies is that everybody would be better off if the author was dead. The last thing they need is an author running around bitching and moaning about what they are doing to his art. And I actually sympathize with that. Because they basically have to break it and remake it, they've got to go off on their own.”
As hard as this may be for the author and artist...I believe this is absolutely the truth. I remember on one of Oprah's Book Club gatherings, a reader was talking about how she interpreted a part of the book and what it meant to her, and the author said that "that" (the readers interpretation) wasn't what it meant. I remember being slightly offended by the author's attitude because once you put it out into the world, it's no longer yours. Hard, but if you can see past the "ownership" issue, that is the pure, spiritual, mystical magic of art. That's why art and literature are important and why it stirs our souls. At least, that what I think.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Lori. That's what I love so much about books - that the reader's imagination and interpretation has the potentially to change the story, each and every time it is read. It makes books much more accessible, because people can find the things that they like and that are meaningful to them, and leave the rest.
ReplyDeleteAlthough some authors are not so ready to - as you say - "put it out into the world" for interpretation... Later today I will be posting about an author that refused his entire life for his most popular novel to be adapted to film!
Hmmm, I think most of the time I've like the film better than the book, but I've had "issues" with Janette's Oke's book-to-screen adaptions. Michael Landon did a superb job with the first but the rest were basically terrible.
ReplyDeleteI think I've "learned" to appreciate both (book and film) for different reasons. For example: the cute teen novel Ella Enchanted was adorable but its movie was different and yet, I liked both for differing reasons. =)
Rissi, I have never heard of Janette Oke's work - perhaps the film adaptations could be the focus of another future guest review? :)
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