Game of Thrones - how faithful should a tv show be to the book its based on?

Discussion in 'Media Central' started by Parallaxis, May 30, 2011.

  1. Parallaxis

    Parallaxis Reformed Troll - Mostly

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    Just watched the latest episode.
    Don't like what's coming, don't like it one bit.

    I think it's a much different thing to write off a book character, then to hand a popular actor his walking papers.
  2. 14thDoctor

    14thDoctor Oi

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    You'd prefer they follow the example of Heroes, where they kept around characters who'd outlived their usefulness simply because the actors had become popular?
  3. Zombie

    Zombie dead and loving it

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    It should follow the book as close as possible. If that means someone has to do X then that's what it means.
  4. Parallaxis

    Parallaxis Reformed Troll - Mostly

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    Here's a good example...
    Everyone loves The Shining, Everyone loves Stephen King.

    BUT, most people seem to agree that given the choice they prefer the movie (which differs from the book) over the TV miniseries (which IS faithful to the book).

    So clearly, always going straight by the novel isn't such a good thing.
  5. PGT

    PGT Fuck the fuck off

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    There are two questions: should you stick to the book because you should stick to the book or should you stick to the book because the book is good? Definitely the latter and a fiery discussion on the former.

    But I will say that the notion you don't do something on TV that is in the book because you've cast an interesting actor in a role that goes is... bonkers.
  6. Parallaxis

    Parallaxis Reformed Troll - Mostly

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    Jack Nicholson disagrees.
  7. Black Dove

    Black Dove Mildly Offensive

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    Kubrick's version was painfully slow and boring, and completely missed the point of the novel. Nicholson over-acted and Shelly Duvall was fucking terrible.

    The problem with the mini-series had nothing to do with the fact that it was more faithful to the book. The problem was that it was made for TV on a shit budget with second-rate actors and a shitty director.

    If a faithful version of the shining were made today with a proper budget and a good director, it would kick all kinds of serious ass.
  8. Parallaxis

    Parallaxis Reformed Troll - Mostly

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    the guy from Wings disagrees!
  9. Parallaxis

    Parallaxis Reformed Troll - Mostly

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    oh, and how would a faithful version be faster paced?
    If anything it would be miles slower.
    • Agree Agree x 1
  10. Dayton Kitchens

    Dayton Kitchens Banned

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    Depends on how good the book is to begin with and the difficulty or ease of translating from the written page to the big screen.
  11. shootER

    shootER Insubordinate...and churlish Administrator

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    Mostly, I think the movie/teevee show should follow the books as much as possible. It's why all of the movies based on Tom Clany novels, with the exception of The Hunt For Red October, have sucked (and even that movie had significant changes from the novel).

    I haven't read any of the Game of Thrones books, though, so I'm not as wed to "The book should be followed!" view as I normally would be. That, and I like that particular actor quite a bit. ;)
  12. Talkahuano

    Talkahuano Second Flame Lieutenant

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    From what I normally hear, the worst Harry Potter movie was #4 because it took 90% of the book and threw it away. I've also heard the best HP movie was #7, and it took 90% of the book and kept it. :shrug:

    I'm not a big moviegoer so that's just my :twocents:.
  13. Ash

    Ash how 'bout a kiss?

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    Well there are certain actors that never survive till the credits. Perhaps audiences should be used to such actors biting the dust in their roles, no matter how popular they are.