Austenland

[osprey_archer]

We watched Austenland! Which is candy-colored goofy fun: I enjoyed it while I was watching it, but it doesn't bear thinking about for too long after, because otherwise you start to wonder things like "but how does Austenland pay this enormous staff, I realize these are expensive vacations but STILL," and also "But maybe Jane should report Mr. Wattlesbrook for attempting to sexually assault her on general principles and not just because Mrs. Wattlesbrook is an ass who has gone out of her way to ruin Jane's vacation."

I cannot remember if that particular plotline was in the book or not. Really the movie made me want to reread the book a lot.

***

At the end of the movie we noticed that Stephanie Meyer produced the movie - yes, Twilight Stephanie Meyer - which honestly seems like the best possible way to use the money one has garnered from one's own immensely successful novel series that was adapted into films. I immediately began to contemplate which books I would fund for movie production if I suddenly came into umpteen million dollars.

Naturally I started thinking about Zilpha Keatley Snyder's books and I'm thinking maybe The Egypt Game: it strikes me as the most likely to be cinematically pleasing (although there's also something to be said in this regard for The Headless Cupid). I love The Changeling, but I think it would be hard to do as a movie, both because of the structure & because the girls are so many different ages... although maybe an animated film?

...the chances that Studio Ghibli will make The Changeling into a film are basically zero, but nonetheless that would be amazing. Can you imagine the Ghibli take on the imaginative sequences in Green Sky? Or if Ghibli did the Green Sky trilogy!

But I digress. Even my wildest dreams do not encompass coming into enough money to fund my own animation studio.

Another book that I think would make a great movie is Caroline B. Cooney's Mummy: a teenage girl steals a mummy from a museum for a senior prank, then has to protect the mummy from her fellow pranksters when they want to rip it open to find the gold wrapped in the linen. It's tense and exciting (the heist part, where Emlyn is in the museum, is delightful) and there's no romance, which honestly I think would be a nice thing in a teen movie for once.

Maybe a Sutcliff novel? I'm thinking Frontier Wolf: it takes place over a relatively short span of time, there's a clear chase sequence, and also it doesn't have one of those "rocks fall, everybody die" endings like many of Sutcliff books.

Comments

[asakiyume]

I would *love* to see a movie adaptation of The Changeling, and yes, Studio Ghibli would do a great job.

Though, I have to say, having watched now two telenovelas featuring characters at various ages, it *can* work to have actors at different ages. With the one we're about to finish, I was really amazed by how much the different actors did look like their older/younger versions. And there's something about the depth that a living actor can give to a portrayal of a character.... on the other hand, all the characters at all the ages would have to be spectacular, which could be hard.

[osprey_archer]

Yes, if they could find the right set of actresses they could make it work - and I think the time period is short enough that the adult characters, at least, could be played by the same actors throughout - but it would be a gamble.

And I do think animation would be particularly suited to the world of Green Sky. In fact, the Green Sky trilogy seems perfectly suited to be a Studio Ghibli production in some ways: you have the enormous trees, and flying, and pacifism, and the two little girls who become the heroes.

[asakiyume]

*totally* agree about Green Sky. That would be a much better animation than live-action, and *yes* to the themes.

[osprey_archer]

I can just imagine how glorious the trees and the shubas would be. And D'ol Falla! I think they would do a beautiful job with D'ol Falla.

[sartorias]

I tried reading the book, and finally abandoned it, becoming disenchanted first when they used titles incorrectly. I like Shannon Hale's other stuff, and this one in theory, but thought the execution was a mess.

I would love to see Changeling in a film!

[osprey_archer]

It would be such a good film! Well, hopefully. I suppose there's always room for filmmakers to mess things up.

[thisbluespirit]

which honestly seems like the best possible way to use the money one has garnered from one's own immensely successful novel series that was adapted into films. I immediately began to contemplate which books I would fund for movie production if I suddenly came into umpteen million dollars.

Ha, yes, it is! Very true. (Although it might be a double-edged sword as everyone else who loved the book would inevitably hate it for some reason or other.)

[osprey_archer]

Psh, but if I were producing I could make sure they adapted it the way I liked it, which is surely the most important thing. At very least I ought to be able to insist they remain more or less true to the book, right?

Actually I have no idea if producing works that way. Maybe producers are not supposed to exercise tyrannical control over their productions.

[thisbluespirit]

Maybe producers are not supposed to exercise tyrannical control over their productions.

Then what would be the point? Tyranny or nothing! ;-)

[sovay]

I cannot remember if that particular plotline was in the book or not. Really the movie made me want to reread the book a lot.

Did you review the book? I'm not familiar with it and the premise sounds bazonkers.

[osprey_archer]

I... possibly? It's long lost in the wilds of the "books" tag if I did; I must not have had the Jane Austen tag yet if/when I wrote about it, because it's not filed there.

[thawrecka]

Stephenie Meyer has actually produced several films by female filmmakers! So whatever my thoughts on her own work, I've always respected that she puts her money where her mouth is when it comes to her feminist principles re film.

[osprey_archer]

I'll have to check out the other things she's produced, then!

I've always thought that in a just world something like 300 would end up in the cultural whipping boy spot that Twilight seems to have fallen into. I mean, sure, Twilight has its faults, but on the other hand (and unlike 300), it does not argue in favor of infanticide on the grounds the deformed babies will grow up to betray us all to the evil effeminate Persians.

[thawrecka]

She's attached to the adaptation of a Lois Duncan novel that's meant to come out this year! Should be pulpy nonsense, so I'm honestly looking forward to it.

I am completely in favour of 300 receiving the same level of mockery as Twilight.

[silverusagi]

I just couldn't take how dumb the dumb blonde was in this movie, lol.

[osprey_archer]

She is pretty ditzy, it's true.

[littlerhymes]

Gosh, The Egypt Game and The Changeling would be so good! The Changeling especially seems perfect for animation.

Hmmm you seem to be implying that the bleak tragedy of The Shining Company would somehow NOT equal commercial success, if it were adapted into a movie? ... I'll fund it anyway!

[osprey_archer]

Have you read The Changeling? All year I've looked in vain for a copy to send to you and - here it sounds like it's made it to Australia already!

Well there are two whole characters who survive The Shining Company, which ought to be enough for anybody, am I right?

And also maybe Conn & Luned run away together before the battle? It's been a while since I've read it so I'm fuzzy on the details. If I'm remembering that right, that would bring it up to FOUR surviving characters which practically screams commercial success!

I like the idea of an animation for that one, too, actually. (Admittedly it's never hard to sell me on an animation - although I do think The Egypt Game would be better live action...) Something that sort of echoes the artistic styles of the time, you know? The way that The Secret of Kells & Song of the Sea call back medieval Irish styles, except Welsh.

[littlerhymes]

...I TOTALLY CONFUSED THE CHANGELING WITH THE FLEDGLING. In short, no, I have not read it lol.

Two characters who survive with horrible trauma can be a happy ending! And there's 2 the characters who never go to war at all, so yes, without any changes whatsoever we already have four (4) not-dead characters so I am counting this as one of her Comedies.

[osprey_archer]

Well, The Fledgling would also be an amazing animation, so. Fly, Georgie, fly!