Books to Different Mediums: Cherry Magic and Tolkien

Books to movies involve many changes. The changes may be due to interpretation. They may be due to visual demands. And they may be due to money. 

For instance, in the Cherry Magic manga series, Kurosawa takes Adachi on a helicopter ride for their first date, which backfires when Adachi feels sick. The anime keeps this scene. 

Yet in the live-action series, Kurosawa takes Adachi to a carnival where Adachi gets sick on one of those awful rides that swing back and forth (I can TOTALLY relate). 

The change between manga/anime and live action works! The helicopter ride in the manga/anime is hilarious and expressive of Kurosawa's romantic nature. But it would have been too much for a live action series--which is impressively day-to-day-ordinary-life in its interpretation--and would likely have cost too much as well.

The Interpreting Tolkien ongoing posts will compare The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien to the franchises by Peter Jackson as well as the radio dramatizations. The purpose is NOT to state how much better one thing is over the other. Although I have preferences, I quite honestly wouldn't give up any version any more than I feel like I have to choose between the Cherry Magics. (I agree with Frasier--see below.)

 

I can, obviously, read what Jackson and Alan Lee and Brian Sibley and others have said about making the movies and radio dramas. But I prefer to look at the differences from a reader's/viewer's perspective. Asking what is possible--WHY changes have to occur; HOW they might be accomplished--can help readers and viewers appreciate what is actually presented.

 

For instance, both Jackson movie franchises open with background information, which comes out in the books further on. I'm a fan of getting background information out of the way first! Otherwise, the movies would have to dive into long flashbacks (which it does on occasion anyway). Personally, I applaud Jackson's choices here.

 

To be continued...