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Which came first: the Book or the Movie?

It can be hard to tell nowadays. There are movies adapted from books and graphic novels, books “of the movie” (which I don’t really get), and whole series of books developed from a movie.  Then there is fan fiction.  Then there is fan fiction that the fans reject and so it turns into its own crazy phenomenon of mainstream soft porn and will probably eventually become a movie.

Anyhoo…

Clay Morgan posted about a movie supposedly adapted from a really great zombie apocalypse novel called World War Z. I say supposedly because judging by the trailers, it looks like the only thing they brought over from the book was the name.  It wouldn’t be the first time that book rights were purchased simply for the strength of its name recognition. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn’t.

But it got me thinking about movies adapted from books. I started pondering which were my favorites, which were pure disappointments and all the reasons why. I figured that would make a good Query, so I started asking other people: “What’s your favorite movie that was based on a book?”

continue reading…

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Year of Quotes No. 50

12-18

Movie Quote Monday – The Hunger Games

I’ve been on a Hunger Games kick here recently, so I’ve seen it several times in the past few weeks. This scene jumps out at me each time:

President Snow : Hope.
Seneca : Hope?
President Snow : Hope. It is the only thing stronger than fear.

I have strong feelings about hope, a strong belief in the power of hope, and so that small exchange made an impression on me from the first time I saw it in the theater.

If you look at The Hunger Games trilogy, Katniss is considered a representation of hope by both sides. Rebellion leadership uses her as a propaganda tool, a beacon of hope for the masses, an incitement to war.  Snow continues to see her as the embodiment of a hope that needs to be crushed.

But when I look at Katniss, I don’t see hope outright.  I see defiance and will, compassion and love. Determination. I guess what I mean is Katniss doesn’t feel like a particularly hopeful character to me, and she doesn’t seem specifically motivated by hope. In fact, she sometimes operates from a place of despair – the opposite of hope.

And yet her actions incite hope.

Her acts of will unleash something stronger than fear in the hearts of others: the realization that things can change, that there is hope.  If Katniss Everdeen can stand up against the capital, maybe I can too.  

It’s interesting.

So, what do you think? Is hope the only thing stronger than fear?

Items of Interest:

Hope Springs Eternal

Is Hope Important?

the Infinite Monkey speaks: on barriers

Random brilliance from across the blogosphere…

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We say we believe in equal rights and demonstrate this by tearing down barriers for others. Yet we still leave up gates to protect what we believe we earned or deserve and fear others may access or take away.  Sometimes these gates are words. Sometimes they are the policies we support. And sometimes they are even religious beliefs.

 – Trina Bartlett

from:

A Country Road, a Locked Gate and Barriers to Endless Possibilities