I haven't rewatched the movie since I read the book because I've been worried about being disappointed. I agree the the book is fantastic, one of the best I've ever read. The main characters take Born to Run as a bit of a theme song and the first time I heard it on the radio after reading it, many months after, I started to well up a bit. Haven't even tried to listen to the song all the way through since. It's definitely a book that stays with you.
Indeed. I enjoyed the movie for what it was able to depict. Again, for the tangent and and spoilage:
For example, the "bad guy" is very interestingly acted in the movie since he never speaks. But it is a bit contrived. In the book he is a "class leader," with his own gang of sycophants, who is simply amoral. I would have like to see that done. Also, the book has a great murder where said character fools someone stalking him to stay in a zone that will become a "no-go."
The movie did depict one of the best stories: "the evil girl" who was molested--basically rented out by her alcoholic mother. The movie depicts her isolation in school very well, I think. As she sort of says, "I was sick of losing."
The book can obviously go deeper into character backgrounds and motivations so as the bodies literally pile up, they are not just names. The movie did the best it could with that. I particularly liked the portrayal of the first kid to start killing people--the fat class outcast who simply assumed everyone would try to kill him!
One can't help but think of Rome. In fact it hits you over the head with it..from the name of the nation, Panem (panem et circenses. Bread and Circuses)
Juvenal is my favorite Roman satirist. I'm sure he would have enjoyed this homage to his own personal hell.
I personally found the original Japanese movie didn't live up to the hype. Partially because the children acted like adults or how adults think children will act, and not actually like children, giving a psychopathic feel to many characters (which could be cool if they were actually mental patients or hardcases sent to the games) Everything outside the game felt convoluted and there only to get us to the real point of the movie, kids killing kids and OMG isn't that shocking and I'm just not impressed or shocked by things that are trying way too hard. While I'm sure Lord of the Flies meets Death race could be done right, I didn't feel like this was it.
Hearing about Hunger games I'm now interested in seeing it as it seems like the Japanese original done better.
I personally found the original Japanese movie didn't live up to the hype. Partially because the children acted like adults or how adults think children will act, . . .
Perhaps I should rewatch it, but those were the thoughts I was having at the time and it quickly pulled me out of the film's world and into trying to fix their story. Of course it could just be me, as I occasionally have similar issues with anime that others enjoy.
You might enjoy the book. Even if you have seen the film. There is one major change I sort of understand:
In the movie the teacher is played by Takeshi Kitano. While he probably would have been able to play a completely amoral asshole that is "the teacher" in the original story--not a spoiler for the book--it would have been a much reduced role. One issue the movie deals in is adults wishing they could be kids or at least respected by them. Kids respect no one really. The stereotypical "sensei" in earlier Japanese movies is a parent. You do what they tell you--which, of course, generates a subtext of wanting to rebel or show-up authority. Mayhaps why anime and some movies have kids make Happy Days seem rational.
You are suppose to conform. Your entire life is directed into getting into "the right" university, duty, blah . . . blah.
Anyways one thing I liked about both the book and movie is they do not try to answer all the questions--such as explain why "the Program" exists other than to quote an official communique that no one believes.
As for the sequel movie? Reminded me of Indiana Jones sequels: enjoyed the action and some of the elements then, at the end, realized I had no desire whatsoever to see it again.
Oh and "Born to Run" sucks as a song as only the Overly Privileged Hypocritical Hack can suck.
I read the series this week (road trip) and I really enjoyed them. I am surprised that so many of my fb friends enjoyed it, though. It seemed to condemn so much of American society.
I thing I liked about The Hunger Game series was the books seemed to capture the horror of the deeds and situation without being overly explicit.
Often descriptions (or depictions) of violence seem to be more like anthems to, rather than condemnations of said violence.
From the geology and the vegetation, it's very, very clear that the movie was actually shot in the mountains of North Carolina or Tennessee; perhaps Virginia, or maybe northwestern Georgia.
omg, it made me homesick.
I bought the books yesterday and zipped through the first one - saw the movie a few hours ago. I was surprised at how true to the book it was. I do think you'll understand a lot more once you read the books. It also explains where "mockingjays" came from.
From the geology and the vegetation, it's very, very clear that the movie was actually shot in the mountains of North Carolina or Tennessee; perhaps Virginia, or maybe northwestern Georgia.
omg, it made me homesick.
I bought the books yesterday and zipped through the first one - saw the movie a few hours ago. I was surprised at how true to the book it was. I do think you'll understand a lot more once you read the books. It also explains where "mockingjays" came from.
The credits near the end said, "filmed in North Carolina."
Just saw it this afternoon. I thought it was a fair interpretation of the book - elided the right parts and kept most of the important themes from the book. I like how they used the hallucinogenic wasp stings to fill in her family's backstory.
I probably should have stuck around to the end of the credits, to see exactly where it was filmed, but the theater was way too crowded for my taste, so I got out ASAP to avoid getting caught in a crush of bodies.
I went ahead and ordered the books from Amazon. Sounds like the first one at least will be a good read.
As an aside, if I recall correctly, in the video near the beginning of the movie, it was said that 13 districts had rebelled against the central government. But it was pretty clear that there were only 12 districts by the time of the movie. So I'm guessing that one district was depopulated and/or nuked during the course of the war, perhaps as a warning to the others? I suppose I'll find out when the books arrive.
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Last edited by The Lone Ranger; 03-26-2012 at 02:55 AM.
I finished Mockingjay over the weekend. I am going to see the movie Friday with a band of peeps from work. After that I don't know what I will do with the time on my hands.
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I am so glad the responses have been mostly positive. I was reluctant to start a thread because sometimes when people are negative about my OP's, I take it personally. hee hee.
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One thing that I really appreciated about this book series is that there was no mention of God. Had there been, there would have been the usual 'how can God be this cruel to humanity, where is the loving God we believe in?' People just play the hand they've been dealt. Very refreshing.
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there are no such things as 'tracker jackers' either. They are killer bees. They are muttations, engineered by the Capital--originally used in combat when the Disctrics rebelled. There are also wolf/human muttations, though I don't remember what they were called. And as It's me pointed out, the mockingjay is a cross between a jabberjay and mocking bird.
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For those who missed it, great hilarity has been had making fun of the many, many, fans who were outraged at the decision to cast black actors for the black kids.
No, really.
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