Guest Author - Monica Flink
Is it really possible to make a graphic novel into a good movie? Obviously, there’s been two ends of the spectrum, with Frank Miller’s Sin City on the end that makes fans and newcomers to the genre alike feel elated at a good story and excellent performances, and dregs like Judge Dredd and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen at the other end, which creates fissures in the fandoms, leaving people hating Hollywood and the authors for selling out. No movie is perfect, but what is it that makes a particularly good movie out of a graphic novel?
With the upcoming “Watchmen” looming over the genre, it is easy to see why people are hopeful and skeptical all at once. On one hand, it promises to bring a beloved and well-known, award winning classic graphic novel to the screen as nobody has ever dared before, while on the other, it could also be a major disaster of poor casting of unknown actors and overblown special effects that lose aesthetic charm after the first few frames and exploding buildings. Yet, other Alan Moore works have been received quite well. V For Vendetta was a masterpiece of a film, nearly universally praised. Unfortunately, his From Hell was also condemned by its lack of semblance to the story line.
Does following the book, page by page and scene by scene make the movie that much better? 300, Sin City, and V For Vendetta certainly did that, and they were as wildly successful as the graphic novels that they were based on. Other poorly executed movies, such as Tank Girl, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and the laughable Pathfinder seemed to have lost their way in the shuffle of Hollywood moguls attempting to please everyone and actually doing the exact opposite, to the detriment of the reputations of these good books and their own pockets.
The simple answer is yes. Yes, following the book page by page and scene by scene makes for a better, more successful movie. It also seems that involving the author in the process of creating a movie version of his or her work is a recipe for success. So why do the people who make movies not follow such a simple, proven process? Because everything must always be bigger and better. While the author of the book may know that a huge explosion at one part would have ruined the book, producers and inexperienced directors will look at it as one more thrilling moment for audiences. It’s a state of affairs that may never bring us the perfect movie based on a graphic novel.
Yet, movie makers can keep trying, patrons can keep going, and authors can keep writing and drawing things that inspire the imagination and harrow the soul. It is not simply a matter of what is good and what is bad, but what can keep you entertained and what can leave a lasting impression on your heart. Until the movie comes around as successful as a graphic novel is at that, there will be perpetual imitators out in the world.
