The Book Thief #bookvsfilmclub reactions

The third #bookvsfilmclub met this week to see The Book Thief, the adaptation based on the Markus Zusak novel set in Germany during World War II and narrated by death. The film stars Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson and Sophie Nélisse.

So what did the club think of the adaptation?

@GroylefinGirl had the following to say:

Death. The sonorous voice of #RogerAllam was perfect, but Death is personal, so see #thebookthief for yourself #bookvsfilmclub

The acting was superb; the love, kindness and bravery contrasting with the increasing brutality of the Nazis. #bookvsfilmclub
g
Happy to say I really enjoyed #thebookthief. A few of the subplots were missing, but the heart of the story remained intact #bookvsfilmclub

@MandaJJennings was in two minds about the adaptation with many positive and some less positive thoughts, tweeting:

yes, the acting was superb. And I'd like to give a special shoutout for the superb Emily Watson, who shone as Rosa.

The Book Thief is the book I'd wish I'd written, and I missed the poetry and twists of magic.

As a film it is extremely good but the book, for me, could not be matched, however this is not a reason not to see the film. It is a beautiful film and you will love it. It will make your heart sing with it's love, warmth and appreciation of books and the power of words. And that, alone, is worth seeing it for.

@Abby_Chandler wasn't as moved, tweeting:

     

The Book Thief - lacked the power of the book and didn't make me cry. But Geoffrey Rush IS Papa. #BookvsFilmClub

@emzfinn had this to say:

The Book Thief was a great film but it definitely lacked the magic that was in the book. The actors played their parts fantastically though.

 

@LouiseReviews tweeted her own review, saying 'The Book Thief isn’t a bad film, it’s not a travesty and I’m sure it will act as a suitable introduction to the Holocaust for younger viewers but it (probably inadvertently) proves the message of the novel. Books are the most powerful force in the world.'

So what did you think of the film?

The Book Thief book vs film

With a book as beloved as Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, an adaptation was always going to be a challenge. The story, narrated by death himself, follows a young girl as she arrives in a small town in Germany to live with her new foster parents – as WW2 looms.

The casting, first of all, is sublime, with Geoffrey Rush in particular on hand to warm and break your heart in equal measure. Hans is an adorable, loving father to Liesel but he is also incredibly brave and compassionate - traits which often lead him into trouble. Rush personifies this duality flawlessly, showing both the softer and more courageous elements to the character. Emily Watson does a brilliant job of showing the really harsh side to mother Rosa along with the caring, big-hearted side not everyone gets to see. She shouts and scowls a lot but there is love there too.

Young Sophie Nélisse shines as Liesel, showing the maturity the role requires, much like Liesel herself. You feel her pain and her joy and her struggle to stay close to people when she has been abandoned by those she holds dearest in the world. Nélisse captures this maturity alongside the innocence of youth and the desperation for human connection – all traits which make Liesel such a compelling character.
 

Though the story is undoubtedly Liesel’s, there is time to look further afield, at Kristallnacht, the climate of fear and supremacy, and the propaganda. Knowing the extent of the atrocities of the Holocaust only makes these scenes all the more tragic and real and there is something so horrifying about seeing it through the eyes not just of Liesel but of her school friends. While some struggle to come to terms with the society in which they live, hiding their true feelings for fear of inviting danger, others relish it and become genuinely terrifying. Perhaps to cope with the 12A certificate, much of the horror itself is left out, with the concentration camps ignored and not much seen of the Jews being marched through the town. The film largely hides away from the atrocities of war, only facing it when it lands on its doorstep – much like the characters themselves.

The overwhelming theme of words and their power is there in the film much like it is in the book, from Liesel’s struggle to learn to read to Max’s thoughts on books and writing. Words are everywhere, from the books Liesel reads with her papa, to the speeches made at rallies. They are powerful and important and hard to ignore. Words are life, Liesel, after all.

The biggest difference between book and film seems to be the general order of things. What is explained early on in the book is left to shock you later in the film. Though much of the story is cut to fit into the film's running time, some elements of it are developed further in the film, leaving certain revelations more obvious for viewers - the relationships between Liesel and Rudy, and Liesel and Ilsa, especially. The cuts, overall, make sense, but the additions add little. There is a sense that things are being spelled out for viewers rather than having things left to find out on their own. One scene in particular simply was not necessary. There was the feeling that it was trying to force the audience to cry – which is ridiculous for a film which already has such emotional subject matter.

The real challenge here was to convert the tone of the novel onto the big screen, to make it joyous, heartbreaking and beautiful all at the same time. Overall, The Book Thief film manages to capture the heartache and humour of the Zusak novel but loses much of the magic and poetic beauty of the original. The narration, the part of the book which gave The Book Thief its magic, is only really there for the opening and closing sequences of the film. Without it, the film lacks that magic that the book manages. It’s possible that the film makers realised they would not be able to match the original in this aspect and so opted to make the focus more on Liesel's story. To be honest, I'm not sure any voice could have made the narrator work as well as it did in the book. Not even Morgan Freeman!

When viewed as an adaptation, there are holes. The overall lack of narration and absence of the beautiful images from the book are sorely missed. However, as a standalone film, it is truly beautiful to watch with a breathtaking cast and stunning shots throughout. Heaven Street really does come to life on the big screen.

I only wonder how much of the emotion I felt was thanks to the film and not thanks to the memories of the book the film triggered.

Film – 3.5/5
Book – 5/5

Did the adaptation work for you? Share your thoughts on either the book or film on Twitter using #bookvsfilmclub and join the debate.

What will Brian Percival do with The Book Thief?

 

It's not often that I am quite this scared - and excited - to see an adaptation. It's partly because I'll be seeing it with the rest of the #bookvsfilmclub but it's basically because I am just genuinely intrigued to see what the director Brian Percival has done with this incredible story.

Casting
The casting looks incredible from the trailers alone. Sophie Nélisse looks like a new Chloe Moretz, capturing the innocence of youth but dealing with the very adult emotions her character is forced to experience. Her foster parents are both incredibly detailed characters and so very integral to the story so it is exciting to see Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson play Mama and Papa.

Perspective
To write a book from the perspective of death is a bold move, to say the least, especially when the book in question takes place in Germany during World War II. Somehow, author Markus Zusak took something so dark and made it something beautiful. It is tragic and heartbreaking but there is joy and hope to be found amid the rubble. According to IMDB, there is a narrator/death to the film but will the beautiful language of the novel remain for the adaptation?

To read my 10/10 review of the book, check out Novelicious. For more information on the book vs film club, email me at filmvsbook@gmail.com.

Here's the trailer to whet your appetite for the film adaptation, out next month:

The King's Speech

In a time of blockbusters, 3D, car chases and stunning dream sequences (see review for Inception! (Review) it makes a welcome change for a film buff like me to see something a little more character-focused. Of course, the Oscar people were all over The King before he'd even made his speech, lavishing high praise on its stellar cast - Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce, Michael Gambon and that hilarious little girl from Outnumbered to name but a few... - but hey we have dibs!!!

Of course, you couldn't get more quintessentially British than having a cast of British celebs acting their stiff upper lips off in a tale about our very own royal family. Factor in that it's about the underdog stuttering prince who we all know becomes the King who leads the British people through the second world war - well if you don't please go and read a history book! - and you've got yourself a film.

Watching the relationship develop between the prince and his vocal coach makes for brilliant viewing especially when the King-to-be tries the different techniques which seem to get ever more comical as the film progresses. And Colin Firth has never been greater than as the stuttering royal, taking the audience along with his awkwardness, making us will him on and feel his pain.

For those of you who, like me, thought Colin would never be better (or more compelling viewing!) than his Mr Darcy back in 1995 (oh that wet shirt...), there's a brilliantly funny reunion in this film when the King meets the wife of his vocal coach, played by Jennifer Ehle (who starred alongside Colin as his Elizabeth Bennet in the TV show) that had me grinning from ear to ear.

I'm sure there will be BAFTAs and Oscars a plenty for this film but for now, just get yourself a cup of tea, put on your finest hat and get yourself down to your local cinema and watch it.

4.5/5
LE xxx