Part II: Hollywood’s Comic Book Conspiracy
Part II: Hollywood’s Comic Book Conspiracy
By: y Zachary Smith, Bakotopia contributor
Description: Tinsel town continues to churn out varying degrees of good to bad adaptations. The second-part in an ongoing series!
Topics: comics, Bakotopia, Bakersfield, comic book conspiracy, Part 2, blog, battle royale, V for Vendetta, A History of Violence, Kill Bill, Ghost World, 300, From Hell, the crow
Posted by zsmith Thu Nov 15, 2007 16:03:39 PST
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0 responses 1 comment Hollywood's Comic Book Conspiracy: Part II
The second entry in the ongoing Bakotopia series...
By Zachary Smith, Bakotopia.com Contributor
As I sit here watching the extended version of “Sin City,” I decided to stick with the Hollywood movie theme of the first, but to discuss “Sin City” would just be redundant. Read it and watch it - “Sin City” is the best of adaptations. In this segment I’ll discuss lesser known works.
“A History of Violence” - written by John Wagner and Vince Locke, is a graphic book and movie. The movie focuses on the repercussions of Tom Stall (played by Viggo Mortensen) - his violent past, how it affects his family and erodes their Americana life, where the comic gives equal time to Tom’s family life and his past that has caught up with him. The movie covers more of the story about Tom’s wife and son, whereas in the comic they are more like background characters. Tom is two different characters in the two works. The movie version is a man with a cruel side that tries to hide it with a new persona. The comic version is a man running from his one act of violence. Both maintain steady occurrences of brutality.
Bits of the movie were edited for the American version since they were deemed inappropriate, but the comic book doesn’t shy away from showing even the worst bits of brutality. Wonder how Carl Fogarty (played by Ed Harris) lost his eye in the movie? Read the book and it will show you. The movie is also sexual, but the comic has no traces of the couple’s sex life. The movie, and director David Cronenberg, find it important to highlight how characters relate to each other intimately. Final comment: They are two different works with a common theme of violence and a similar story focusing on the varying repercussions of these acts of hostility.
“300” - I think I’m the only person I know that didn’t like this movie. But I won’t focus on why I didn’t like it, I’ll just talk about the differences between the two works. The biggest difference is the subplot of the Queen. The Queen in the comic appears in less than 10 panels, about two pages. Her sex life with her husband is nonexistent in the comic, seemingly gratuitous in the movie, and I’m not one to complain about the female form. The subplot of Theron and the Queen is also completely made up for the film. The comic is a streamlined version of the battle and the philosophy behind what the Spartans were fighting for. Once the Spartans leave home in the comic, Sparta is never revisited. Like with “AHofV,” “300” attempts to add a back story to characters who were less important in the comic.
The other difference is the presence of what I could only call monsters in the battle scenes: Giants (beasts with swords for hands) making the Immortals (the Persian fighting force) into deformed men ugly beyond description, thus the reason for wearing masks. Ephialtes was a character in the comic, which is the only explainable presence of a deformed person in the film. Leonidas is also prone to yelling and making ridiculous faces in the movie, he’s much calmer in the book. “THIS IS SPARTA” seems easier to swallow in the comic.
Funny side note: in the comic book, the scene with the Persian emissary showing up in Sparta features all the men walking around in full Spartan glory, if you get my innuendo.
Final comment: I enjoyed the book so much more. It's more streamlined, it feels more violent and more real. Plus Frank Miller did a ton of research for this book, so it’s authentic, maybe not the most accurate, but authentic. The movie gets bogged down by the presence of subplots and slow-motion cinematography that was boring after the first use.
“V for Vendetta” - is by Alan Moore who is very picky about his work and does not feel that it translates well to film. This was the third Moore work brought to film, after “From Hell” and “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.” Being dissatisfied with these two works, Moore wanted his name removed from “V” and all credit went to artist David Lloyd. Since this is a larger graphic novel that has many changes made to it in the film, I will just address the major alterations.
Natalie Portman’s character Evey Hammond doesn’t work for a television station as she does in the film. In the graphic novel she is a 16-year-old prostitute. Evey also takes up the mantle of V at the end of the graphic novel, whereas she merely helps V at the end of the film. Minor characters take more precedence in the graphic novel, because it has more room to do so, such as Stephen Rea’s character, Eric Finch, having a romantic involvement with one of V’s murder victims. V is also an anarchist in the graphic novel, something Moore juxtaposed in his original work with V as an anarchist versus the fascist government. Where as the film adapts the rebellion theme into something that has more political resonance with today’s current issues. Evey’s assumption of V’s role plays heavier into the idea that he was an idea, rather than a person, which the film addresses but shies away from by making Evey merely an accomplice rather than a successor.
Final comment: It’s a visually fun movie, and I actually enjoyed it, but the original book is so much richer, that I would have to say the film is a pale comparison that tries to imitate the themes of the original, while attempting to make the material relevant for the current audience.
“From Hell” - is the story of Jack the Ripper, and, in my opinion, Moore’s most complicated work. It is a graphic novel the size of a small phone book packed with much more sex and violence than the film - so if one plans to read it, be prepared. It is not for the faint of heart. “FH” is Alan Moore’s first original property to be adapted into film. I saw the film a few years before I read the book, and it remains one of my favorite comic book movies, possibly for this reason. “FH” is the largest work that I have mentioned, so once again I will just talk about the differences. The graphic novel is steeped in history, meticulous research, speculation, conspiracy, metaphysics, magic and London. The entire fourth chapter of the book, still one of my single favorite issues of a comic, is an entire lesson on how London has power points that form a pentacle star, which is true. Moore did loads of research for this book, so much so that the graphic novel is one of the few with an annotated section.
The movie loses a lot of the magical and metaphysical element, even though they do make Johnny Depp’s character Inspector Abberline capable of premonition. Depp’s Abberline is actually a composite of two characters: Inspector Frederick George Abberline, a man who worked the case but did not chase the dragon as in the film, and Robert Lees, a man with psychic abilities who claimed to have solved the White Chapel murders. The biggest difference in the two works is focus on the main characters.
In the graphic novel, the man who is Jack the Ripper is revealed in the second chapter, where as in the movie it remains a mystery to be solved by Abberline. The film also strays with the presence of a love story between Abberline and Heather Graham’s character Mary Kelly. In the book they meet at times and are on the cusp of an affair - both are married and Abberline has a child. In the graphic novel nothing serious happens between the two, but as with “AHofV” and “300,” director Albert Hughes decided to spice up minor characters.
Final comment: Like with “V,” differences between the two works are vast. Yet, they function differently because themes and the stories are altered. The film is more of a detective story with a romantic angle, whereas the graphic novel is a meditation on power, religion, magic, metaphysics, murder and God.
Moving on.
“Battle Royale” - is a Japanese manga, film and, originally, novel. The basic premise of the story is that in the unruly not-too-distant future of Japan, children have run amok, and are almost impossible to control. Children who attend school are treated to a horrific game that is reality TV at it’s zenith. Think “Running Man” meets “Lord of the Flies.” The school children are placed on an island and forced to kill each other, with only the winner left standing. All the while the Japanese population watches. The movie is fun, in a way - the same way any splatter or gore flick is. Action happens so fast, and without much address, that it is comical and you don’t feel too much for the characters when they die.
Interesting side note: see a pre-“Kill Bill” Chiaki Kuriyama (Gogo the crazy school girl).
The comic takes a much more in depth look at the characters, while at the same time upping the amount of sex and violence that the movie doesn't have the time to address.
Unlike the rest of the books I have mentioned, which have been single works, “BR” was an ongoing series and it is composed of 15 digest-sized graphic novels.
Final Comment: I enjoy both works for different reasons, sitting around watching BR with friends is just a great time, you will be laughing your ass off. But reading the book is an emotional journey that you take with the characters, and you end up empathizing with them.
“Ghost World” - is a rarity where I enjoyed the movie much more than the book. Daniel Clowes’ graphic novel seems to just wander, like the characters, with no real purpose. I think that’s what Clowes wanted, so I don’t criticize that - I just didn’t enjoy it. The film adds more to the background characters, such as Steve Buscemi’s character (barely appearing in the book) who becomes a love interest for Enid (Thora Birch’s character). I also found the movie to be funnier, and the presence of a pre-everybody-wants-to-do-her Scarlett Johansson is interesting. Final Comment: Not too much to say, the book was short, and so was the movie, differences were there, but too me not important enough to point out.
“Hellboy” - is Mike Mignola’s signature work. The art is dark and moody, and myths used for the stories are researched by Mignola to the point of obsession. I enjoy the book, it’s always a great, quick, fun read. The movie takes that to the next level, making a fun action flick that may stray from the darkness the book is known for visually. But the film still maintains the characters’ lightheartedness and humor. The comic itself is very humorous, despite what some might see as a demonic title. There is a whole short story devoted to how Hellboy becomes lost to the parties of hell because he likes pancakes. There is a visual nod to this in the film, where Ron Pearlman is working out as Hellboy and a mountain of pancakes is rolled in on a tray. The movie also combines elements from many different volumes of the book. The film attempts a synthesis of many of the major themes and plot points in the comic, while ignoring side stories and other characters building material, such as the B.P.R.D. books.
Final comment: I liked “Hellboy.” It was entertaining, full of over-the-top dialogue and had great performances. The books has it’s own type of magic that the film didn’t try to duplicate, but used as the source material.
I have saved my pre- “Sin City” favorite comic book adaptation for last:
“The Crow” - I remember seeing this and being blown away - and being even further shocked that it was based on a comic book. For many years, even after I started reading comics, I did not read “The Crow.” It was out of print for a long time, and something in my heart just made me feel that the comic just could not compare to that movie. This may also come from the fact that it was Brandon Lee's last performance.
Admittedly, death will add a whole different sense of nostalgia to any work, even a good one. Character changes are made to bad guys from the comic to the film. There is no hidden agenda behind the deaths of Eric and Shelly. Like in the film, they’re just a couple of unlucky kids stranded on the side of the road. No arch villain to blame beyond ourselves. The book, with room allowed, is much more prone to self reflection and metaphor and things told through dreams. It is also much easier to see gothic influences with poetry and art reflecting these ideals, and lyrics by The Cure and Joy Division strewn throughout the comic.
There are also character differences within Eric: he uses drugs (most importantly methamphetamines) to increase his abilities when he goes out to kill his attackers. There is no anti-hero walking a line for revenge as in the film - in the comic he will use any means necessary to kill the men who ruined his life.
Final comment: The movie is a classic. It’s quotable, dark, has a great soundtrack and is a great love story.
The book is darker, due probably to James O’Barr’s heavy inks and close association to the material (he created “The Crow” after his girlfriend died in a car accident). It is grittier and more terrifying in some aspects. Yet, at the same time, it is still a beautiful book, especially when you see O’Barr’s painted sections and you feel his emotion pouring off the page.
To quickly address things I have seen but not read.
“Road to Perdition” - with Tom Hanks, is an adaptation of Max Allan Collins’ book of the same name. I enjoyed the film but have no basis for comparison. The only thing I have read is “Lone Wold and Cub,” Japanese manga that the “RTP” graphic novel takes it’s inspiration from. “LWAC” is a much longer and denser work by comparison, and is not for the lazy or stupid. It takes commitment to read, but trust me it is well worth it and is arguably the greatest comic ever created.
I’m just not going to touch superhero movies. I’m not going to comment because I feel these characters have been re-done so many times that any film is just another version. But I will say this: If you want to see “The Punisher” then watch “Man on Fire” - it captured what “The Punisher” should have been.
That’s all for right now. I think I’ll move away from the movie stuff now and concentrate on the actual comics next.
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*Originally printed in Bakotopia Magazine, Issue 15, 11 - 15 - 07
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Thu Nov 15, 2007 16:12:29 PST
Great follow-up article! You need a job in this biz, my friend!! Thanks for the support! - Matt
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