World Report: November 8, 2002 Vol. 8 No. 8

From Page to Film

By Kathryn R. Hoffman

Ron Weasley, Stuart Little, Shrek, Jesse Tuck: What do they have in common? All have made the move from the small, printed page to the big, silver screen—and all with a good deal of success!


Director Chris Columbus talks with stars Daniel Radcliffe (right) and Rupert Grint during filming on the set of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Children's books can make blockbuster movies. The film based on J.K. Rowling's first Harry Potter book made more money than any film in 2001. Its sequel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, is expected to work similar box office magic when it swoops into theaters next week.

Harry Potter's success has sent movie producers to their kids' bookshelves in search of the next big hit. Ella Enchanted, Holes, The Cat in the Hat and Lemony Snicket's The Bad Beginning are just a few of the books that will be heading to a theater near you.

Great Expectations
Movie versions of kids' books have been around for a long time. Some favorite family films—The Wizard of Oz and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory—are loved just as much as the books they were based on.

But making movies from beloved books isn't easy. Filmmakers have a hard time living up to the images in readers' minds. "When you read, you translate what the author says into your own personal movie that runs in your head," says Natalie Babbitt, the author of Tuck Everlasting. It can be hard to accept another version.


Wearing the famous hat and amazing makeup, actor Mike Meyers is a close match to the original Cat in the Hat.
Write and Rewrite
Screenwriters don't set out to ruin the work of a great author. Sometimes they are the same person! Louis Sachar not only wrote the bestseller Holes, he penned the screenplay too. Movies are so different from books, he says, "I had to figure out the story all over again."

Pacing is a big issue. Films usually move faster than books and require more action. The book Tuck Everlasting, for example, devotes many pages to an emotional struggle in a character's head. Says Jeffrey Lieber, who wrote the Tuck screenplay: "I kept asking myself, ‘What's the image on the screen?'"

Length is an issue too. When filmmakers tackle a 400-page book, something has to go. While working on the second film, Harry Potter director Chris Columbus realized he had to cut the Death Day Party scene—a ghostly celebration. "I had some heated discussions with my kids," Columbus says. Over their objections, he sacrificed the scene for the good of the movie.

At the other extreme, the creators of Shrek, Jumanji and The Cat and the Hat movies have had to turn short stories into 90 minutes of big-screen action. To do so, they added characters and plot details. The donkey that almost stole the show in Shrek barely existed in the book.

It Takes Teamwork
Authors who have helped turn their books into films are struck by the team effort. "The book is just me alone in my room," says Sachar. Movies draw on the talents of actors, set and costume designers and musicians, among others. They have tools that no writer has. "A safe, faithful telling of the book, I think that's a failure," says Jumanji author Chris Van Allsburg. "You haven't used the magic of filmmaking."

A Few Coming Attractions...

The Polar Express: The movie version of Chris Van Allsburg's beloved book will be chugging into a theater near you around the 2004 holidays. The book is reportedly a favorite of Tom Hanks's, who is set to play the conductor.

The Cat in the Hat: Say, Dr. Seuss fans, did you hear of the plans? The cat from the book gets a Hollywood look. Mike Myers will star. But will this go far? We'll all get to see, in 2003.

The Bad Beginning: Very secret sources say that the first book in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events is headed for the big screen. The others may soon follow. Snicket will likely warn fans to avoid it at all costs.


What's the best way to enjoy a story - read the book first or watch the movie? Vote in our poll!