The Banned Books Club discussion

I'm currently reading Psycho. So far the movie follows the book pretty closely.

A bit of trivia: Once of my favorite quotes is frequently attributed to Stephen King but is actually borrowed from Robert Bloch is this one:

"Despite my ghoulish reputation, I really have the heart of a small boy. I keep it in a jar on my desk."

✿Ivy Roots✿ wrote: "I didn't think Hitchcock did a lot of adaptations.."

A lot of Hitchcock's movies are based on, or at least inspired by previously published works. There is a rumor that he had his staff buy up all of the available copies of Psycho before the premier so that no one would know the ending in advance. The book derives some of its material from the real-life case of Ed Gein, but then so are several other movies, such as Texas Chain Saw Massacre..

Other Hitchcock movies that are based on books include:
Rebecca
The 39 Steps
The Lady Vanishes
Vertigo
The Birds
Strangers on a Train
To Catch A Thief
Marnie
Jamaica Inn
Foreign Correspondent - Personal History
Secret Agent - Ashenden, or The British Agent
Suspicion - Before the Fact
The Wrong Man - The True Story of Christopher Emmanuel Balestrero by Maxwell Anderson
Rear Window - It Had to Be Murder
Lifeboat is based on a story by John Steinbeck
The Trouble with Harry
Young and Innocent - A Shilling for Candles
Dial M for Murder
The Lodger

✿Ivy Roots✿ wrote: "Back then, adaptations were much more true and subtle, and even though they didn't always follow the source material word for word, they were faithful to the overall story. However, adaptations are flimsy nowadays. ."

I'm not sure it's fair to make a blanket statement that things were better in the good ol' days. Studio execs, then and now, are in it more for the money than for art's sake. During the Golden Age actors were bound to studios by contracts and movies scripts were likely to be written or adapted to fit whatever star that studio thought would bring in the most income. Now they seem less star-focused which means their best way of picking a winner is to see what was successful last week. This results in a lot of sequels and bunches of movies with similar themes: super-heroes, paranormal, etc.

Sometimes what makes a great book doesn't make a great movie. When it comes down to it, books and movies are two different mediums and, in some cases, a screenwriter needs to change a story to remain true to the author's intent. I think A Clockwork Orange and The Lord of the Rings are two good examples of this and both are relatively modern.

Tom wrote: "✿Ivy Roots✿ wrote: "Back then, adaptations were much more true and subtle, and even though they didn't always follow the source material word for word, they were faithful to the overall story. Howe..."

I absolutely agree with you! Screenwriters who are in the process of adapting a book into a movie should take it into account that both are two different mediums. Due to this, the screenwriter shouldn't copy everything on a book and reflect it on screen, they should take the story and interpret in a way the author would: still be true in story and heart but differen in content. Another great example of this modern take is Game of Thrones. The screenwriters have already started writing their own scripts that are different from the books because George RR Martin takes too long to write. But you won't even notice it as a watcher because they still keep to the writers intent, the writers soul and heart is still in the TV series even after the books have stopped being a source material.

♕♛Oluchi♛♕ wrote: "Tom wrote: "✿Ivy Roots✿ wrote: "Back then, adaptations were much more true and subtle, and even though they didn't always follow the source material word for word, they were faithful to the overall..."

On an unrelated note: a belated happy birthday.

Tom wrote: "♕♛Oluchi♛♕ wrote: "Tom wrote: "✿Ivy Roots✿ wrote: "Back then, adaptations were much more true and subtle, and even though they didn't always follow the source material word for word, they were fait..."

Thank you so much Tom!! :D

Loretta wrote: "Indeed! Oluchi! Hope your birthday was happy! :)"

It was glorious! Thank you so much Loretta :))

I'm currently reading Mildred Pierce, the one James M. Cain book that I have wanted to read for several years. I just learned that Cain's first book, The Postman Always Rings Twice, belongs in this group as Cain was charged with obscenity in Boston when it was first published.

✿Ivy Roots✿ wrote: "Are you done with Psycho?How was it? "

I am. I did. Here is my review.

I'm reading two books right now and really enjoying both of them. What's interesting is that each book has two very engaging characters that interact great together.
The first book is News of the World a historical novel set in 1870 where widower Captain Jefferson Kidd is engaged to transport 10-year old Johanna back to her family after six years as a captive of the Indians. It's a touching relationship interspersed with humorous dialogue such as "No scalping. He said, It is considered very impolite."
The other book is Carter & Lovecraft, a light horror story (along the lines of the old Night Stalker TV series) in which ex-cop turned private eye Dan Carter mysteriously inherits a bookstore run by Emma Lovecraft, the last living descendant of the famous author. Anyone who knows anything about H.P.L.'s views on race will get a kick out learning that his descendant is black.

Tom wrote: "I'm reading two books right now and really enjoying both of them. What's interesting is that each book has two very engaging characters that interact great together.
The first book is [book:News o..."

I've got "News of the World" sitting here with my library stacks and am really looking forward to starting it soon.

Tom wrote: "I'm reading two books right now and really enjoying both of them. What's interesting is that each book has two very engaging characters that interact great together.
The first book is [book:News o..."

Tom! Those books sound so interesting especially News of the World. I don't usually read historical fiction but when I do, I absolutely love it! Can't wait to check these books out :D

♕♛Oluchi♛♕ wrote: "I don't usually read historical fiction but when I do, I absolutely love it! .."

Makes me wonder why you deprive yourself.

I recently finished an audio recording of Four-Four-Two, an account of two friends who enlisted in the 442nd Regimental Combat team during World War II. This unit, made up almost entirely of Japanese American soldiers, became the most decorated unit in the history of American warfare, earning, among other things, twenty-one Medals of Honor. The unit’s Combat Casualty Rate was an unimaginable 314 percent. It's a good story that does an excellent job of describing the suffering and sacrifice that friends Yuki and Shig endured just to be recognized and respected as Americans.

Here is my review.

Tom wrote: "♕♛Oluchi♛♕ wrote: "I don't usually read historical fiction but when I do, I absolutely love it! .."

Makes me wonder why you deprive yourself."

I don't necessarily deprive myself of them. I do love historical fiction, They just don't tend to be my first pick when I enter a library.

Tom wrote: "
I recently finished an audio recording of Four-Four-Two, an account of two friends who enlisted in the 442nd Regimental Combat team during World W..."

Just read thsi review and left a comment. By the way, have you read The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien?

I believe I have listened to an audio version of it. It gives good insight into what goes on inside a soldier's head.