Most people look
forward to Fridays but if you´re a film buff, Fridays are even better because
that´s the day of the week when films are usually released. Browsing through
the newspaper or the Internet to find out what´s on at your local cinema turns
into an exciting moment when you are a real cinemagoer. Sometimes the
excitement comes in the form of a film adaptation as you are really anxious to
discover what your favourite book has become on the big screen. As usual, it is
not easy to please a reader who has turned a written story into a personal experience
thanks to the power of imagination: film adaptations are bound to please but
they area also bound to disappoint readers who find it difficult to recognise
the characters, the plots, the nuances or even the settings that came alive
when those readers opened a book and embarked on a journey devised by the
talent and the creativity of an author. Translating the magical power of the
written words to the big screen has been and will always been one of the great
challenges for film-makers. These days we have the opportunity of watching
another film adaptation: The Girl on the
Train. The film bears the same title as the book written by Paula Hawkings,
an amnesia thriller that became one of the most popular best-sellers last year.
The novel received good reviews thanks to its ingenious twists and the creation
of an unusual but solid character that may not be so likeable at the
beginning of the story. The protagonist
of the story – Rachel – is played by Emily Blunt, an actress who is usually
elegant, witty and chameleonic, features that often characterise talented
actors. Nevertheless, we must bear in mind that the success of a good film
adaptation does not depend only on the cast of actors as there are a number of
elements that also influence the final outcome. But even if all those elements
were perfect, there wouldn´t be any guarantee of a perfect adaptation: no one
knows the perfect formula to make the best film adaptation in the same way as
no one really knows the formula to make a good film.
Have you watched any film
adaptation lately? Had you read the book on which the story of the film was
based? Do you feel that it is necessary to read the book so that you can fully
enjoy the film?
