So when I heard that the book was turning into a movie a couple months ago I was SUPER excited.
Out of curiosity, I decided to Google (ahh the magic known as Google...) to see what the details were and if any trailers were out about it.
And they are. And I'm not happy.
There's something odd that happens when a book is turned into a movie/ tv series. The book loses is magic...that luster that had keeps the readers wanting more and more in the series. It happened with Gossip Girl (and boy was I boiling). In the REAL Gossip Girl (a.k.a the book):
1. Vanessa is bald and is all bad ass punk but deeply lovable
2. Dan is a loser-ish type of guy- not this mega hot hottie who gets Serena from the beginning
3. Jenny H. is a BIG chested little girl who craves to be in the Blair/Serena clique. But later just Serena 'cuz Blair is just plain evil.
...there's so much more wrong with the show than with the books that I can't even explain. It also kinda happened to Twilight as my girl Jaimie touched upon...but I'm not that much of a Twilight head so I don't know.
And now I'm afraid the same thing has happened with Shopaholic...
WHYYYYY!!!! (enter dramatic music...dun dun dunnnnn)
Why must you do this Hollywood!??!!!
They've got it wrong in the plot line:"Rebecca Bloomwood is a sweet and charming New York City girl who has a tiny, little problem that is rapidly turning into a big problem: she’s hopelessly addicted to shopping and drowning in a sea of debt. While Rebecca has dreams of working for a top fashion magazine, she can’t quite get her foot in the door—that is, until she snags a job as an advice columnist for a new financial magazine published by the same company. Overnight, her column becomes hugely popular, turning her into an overnight celebrity. But when her compulsive shopping and growing debt issues threaten to destroy her love life and derail her career, she struggles to keep it all from spiraling out of control…and is ultimately forced to reevaluate what’s really important in life. "
---CinemaBlend.com
According to the trailer, Rebecca Bloomwood (Beckie or Bex as her bff calls her) lives in NYC (not London as the book has it). This I feel is ESSENTIAL to the book. Despite the fact that NYC is a fashion capital, I don't think having it as the setting is a good thing. It's too...obvious. Oohh let's move her to New York because y'know...New York is all fashiony (that was me trying to mock the producer/director of the movie..haha). Clearly if she lives in the fashion mecca (ok maybe not mecca..) it'll be grand and all but I really wanted to hear the movie in that darn British accent! lol Not to mention as the book series continues there's a book called Shopaholic Takes Manhattan where she...visits New York and goes bonkers...DUH!!! SHE'S NOT ORIGINALLY FROM NEW YORK!!!!!
Also, they say she starts to work in a savings magazine, when in the book she really ends up working as an television savings broadcaster- one of those people who goes on those morning TV shows giving money advice. It's not no darn magazine!
AND...they have Suze (whose Becky's bff in the book) with BLACK hair...she's a BLOND in the book!
ANNDDDDD...(last one I swear)...they have Becky all dressed up and whatnot...this ain't Sex and the City people! Becky had a very understated chic wardrobe in the beginning and eventually went on as this expensive dresser as the series continued. I'm clearly not the only one upset, in the forum (yes I'm an uber nerd who reads forums on these things) other people have expressed their anger at the movie.
But seriously...why do they have to change everything? These may be small changes but these are two things that I've noticed just based on the trailer alone. What'll I see when the movie comes out!??!
For those who haven't read the books, here are the FACTS:
1. Becky lives over in the UK not NYC
2. She used to work at a finance mag (something small) but lands THE job she's wanted (and is called for) as a personal shopper (later on in the series).
3. She does fall for a mega rich and wealthy and handsome PR guy (yay PR!!! that's what i'm studying in school lol) named Luke Brandon.
please read the book before going to see this movie lol
But I will give credit where credit is due. Casting Isla Fisher as Beckie is smart as I do love Isla Fisher (umm...hello..who else can play the stage 5 clinger better?? lol) and they do have the whole concept of her shopaholic behavior thing.
The movie is supposed to come out February 13, 2009. I'm kinda apprehensive. That is all for my rant today =)
What do you think? Is it ok for the movie to completely change around the story from a book (any book)? Do you care? Am I just a big baby?
[EDIT as of January 18, 2009] Ok, so I've been informed that the movie is based on BOTH the original Confessions of a Shopaholic as well as the book Shopaholic Takes Manhattan. That makes more sense as to why it's based in New York and not London. And I'm slightly appeased. Slightly.
5 comments:
I agree with all your points except one; Isla Fisher is no Becky Bloomwood. She is the last person I would have casted in the role. Also Hugh Dancy as Luke is all wrong - Luke is tall, dark haired and striking while Hugh is kind of bland. Despite all that I am still going to see it.
And in the movie Suze is DATING Tarquin where in the book Tarquin is her COUSIN! WTF???
I can clear that one up, If you've read all the books you see later Suzie and Tarquin fall in love after Becky shows him how to dress properly, at first they fight it, in the end they check the laws and find out its completely legal to marry their cousins, its all really sweet and weird at the same time, As for the movie, I just watched it after reading the whole series I put off the movie for a while not wanting to be dissapointed. I admit I enjoyed it, it wasn't exactly like the book but no movie ever is, but what i always love about seeing a movie come to the screen is how the charcters come to life. It was good, they could of followed the story better though but I guess they can only make a movie so long.
ah typo! book come to the screen not movie.. "edit"
I think what a lot of people forget is that film and literature are very different -- what works on the page doesn't work on the screen. I loved the books and I loved the movie.
It's like when one band covers another band's song, there will always be changes but that doesn't mean they can't both be lovely.
I also think people do not realize that adaptation doesn't mean "exact replica" which is why people are always disappointed with said adaptations.
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