Page 6 - Compass Publishing

Track 1

Read It or See It?

Since the early days of making movies, writers and directors have attempted to
bring popular and classic novels to the big screen. That tradition continues today.
The movie industry seems to believe that if the story made a great book, it should
make a great movie as well. However, that rarely seems to be the case. More often than
5 not, a great book turns out to be a mediocre movie in the opinion of most viewers.
Perhaps that is because readers of the book have already made their own great ?쐌ovies?? in their heads. Then, when they see the studio?셲 or the director?셲 version of the story, it
does not quite measure up to their expectations.

Over the past one hundred years of film production, there have only been a handful
10 of movies that have fulfilled the ambition of turning the great book into a great movie.

Literary critics as well as movie critics applaud both versions of One Flew over the
Cuckoo?셲 Nest. The classic children?셲 story, The Wizard of Oz, was transformed into a
classic movie musical that parents and children still enjoy today. Lovers of the historical
novel, Gone with the Wind, continue to be swept away by the movie adaptation starring
15 Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh. Science fiction readers as well as movie critics both hail
Stanley Kubrick?셲 film, 2001: A Space Odyssey, which was co-written by Kubrick with the
novel?셲 author Arthur C. Clarke, as a masterpiece.

On the other hand, there have been instances when not-so-great novels have been
transformed into great movies. Mario Puzo?셲 The Godfather was quite popular at the
20 time of its release as a novel, but critics hailed it more for its entertainment value than
for its value as literature. The film adaptation of this popular novel, however, continues
to be listed among the top ten greatest movies of all time. Likewise, the science fiction
short story ?쏡o Androids Dream of Electric Sheep???did not set the science fiction genre
on fire when it came out. The movie version, though, made a much bigger impact in its
25 medium. Today, Blade Runner continues to top critics??lists of great films.

Are there any books that are simply impossible to film? Although film makers
would like to think not, it is a good bet that certain books will never be adapted into
successful films. Books written in unique literary styles such as Ulysses by James Joyce
and The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner have resisted film adaptation to rival
30 the greatness of the books. Film makers will no doubt keep trying, of course. Readers
and viewers will have to be the final judges of whether it is better to read the book or

see the movie.

Reading Time _______ minutes _______ seconds 461 words

1 director: a person who is in charge of making a movie 15 hail: to cheer; to give high approval to
5 mediocre: average; not very good but not so bad 17 masterpiece: an artist?셲 greatest work
10 fulfill: to meet; to fit 23 genre: a category of books or stories
11 literary: related to books or literature 25 medium: a type or way of communication or
11 applaud: to praise; to show approval of
14 adaptation: a form changed to fit a different entertainment

medium

6