Pundits claim that there are films and there are movie. Although all movies are eventually transferred to film for viewing, all movies are not films. Confused? Take it up with Roger Ebert. Presumably, the film category denotes more ‘serious’ subject material and approach. The pursuit of more ‘esoteric’ themes and narratives supersede the drive for commercial appeal.
Well, Finding Neverland is wooing the critics and audiences. It’s a film and a good one and more importantly, it’s just good. A dramatized version of the events leading up to the creation and production of the classic tale of Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie this is a home run.
Finding Neverland funny in spots, smart in others, poignant and pointed. The acting is strong on all fronts – Johnny Depp has never been finer. Dressing up the life of a writer is no easy task, but this story does, capturing all the wonder and excitement that inspired J.M. Barrie to explore his friendship with a mother of four boys, one named Peter.
Three things that work for this film:
1) Execution of story – very strong narrative work
2) Acting – excellent and consistent performances from all players
3) Pacing – nary a dull moment
Three Things that need improvement
1) Nothing
Verdict – suitable for nearly all ages, this is a must, must see. Full price theater and DVD.
I own Finding Neverland on DVD, but still haven’t watched it yet. I bought it because I know I’ll like it, strange as it sounds – mostly because the people whose opinions I trust most dearly when it comes to movies told me I would love it. It just sounded like something up my alley. Therefore, I can’t really comment on its greatness, but I will say that I am not surprised that you enjoyed it.
Regarding movies and films, I think the argument will be forever out on that one. But I will say this: it is hard for someone to argue that there is a difference (especially one based on the so-called “quality” of films) between movies and films and not sound like a big snoot. It’s like Margaret Atwood barking about how Oryx & Crake and The Handmaid’s Tale don’t qualify as science ficiton because science fiction is, in her own words, about Martians and teleportation and the like. Splitting hairs is what it mostly amounts to, I think. I suspect she just doesn’t want to be grouped in with the sf writers (or the fans, maybe) seeing as how she is better known as one of dem lit’ry novelists.
I bet you’ll like Finding Neverland, as well.
These days film rights for a book are in every writer’s mind. Even though the odds are 9 out of 10 against a book sold for screen ever gracing a theater, the average film rights sale is much larger than a first timer’s book advance.
Atwood’s comments on which genre a work belongs cut right to the eternal problem for a published writer: once the work is in the wild, it belongs to the wild. That includes all the analysis and opinions. Ultimately, one takes the check or they don’t.
I agree completely. That’s why authors are the last one’s who should try to classify their work. There was a writer who said that in a much of “quoteworthy” way, but I don’t recall who it was. Anyway, it basically amounts to, people will interpret it as they see fit, regardless of what other people call it. I remember an article where David Cronenberg was asked to list some of his favorite horror movies. One movie he mentioned was Taxi Driver. When he was asked why he considered that a horror movie, he simply said, “Because it scared me.”
It’s all in the eye of the beholder, I guess, and I’m pretty cool with that. There’s another quote from Charles L. Grant where he talks about analysis, and says essentially, If my readers read for the story and that’s it, I’m happy, but if they read into it and see stuff (even stuff I never saw there myself), I’m even happier. I dig that, too, because really, whose analysis is right and whose is wrong, and in the end, who really cares as long as you enjoy the book, right?
I’ve never heard of people saying, Oh yes, the story and the writing were utter crap but I was so entranced by the theme! Not likely.
Also, the sweet thing about movie rights and the companies that invariably screw up the film version is exactly what you said: most of them never make it to the screen. Options run out, have to be bought again, run out again, and the writers still get paid. Frankly, I don’t think I’d care if the movies ever got made as long as they were getting optioned. Development Hell, as they call it in Hollywood, is populated by many optioned novels that have been sitting around there for years. On the other hand, even if they did make a movie of one of my books and screwed it up, I don’t think that reflects at all on the book. Almost everyone knows that in nearly every case (not all the time but most of the time) the book is better than the movie.