Warm Bodies: Book vs Film

Isaac Marion's Warm Bodies quite consciously does not fit into any neat genre box. It is both dark and fun, romantic and twisted, silly and serious. Yet in Marion's capable hands, the story never feels disjointed and flows just as richly as the blood from those being devoured by the zombies. In so many ways, Marion's tale is filled with brains.

The story follows a chance encounter between zombie 'R' and human Julie. When R goes on a hunger run with some of his fellow zombies, he is instantly drawn to Julie and feels the need to protect, not eat her. What follows is the development of the relationship between the two, as R tries to become more human and Julie realises that the 'dead' are not as dead as she first thought. It pays close attention to the elements of connection and interaction that makes us feel alive.

The book, though often romantic and fun, is set against an immensely dark backdrop where humans have been forced into compounds in order to survive the zombie epidemic that has taken over the world. It raises a lot of questions about the shifting priorities in this dystopian future and the conflict between surviving and really living.

The film adaptation, directed by Jonathan Levine, manages to remain quite faithful to the original text and has two incredible actors playing R (Nicholas Hoult) and Julie (Teresa Palmer). What Hoult manages to capture with such little dialogue is nothing short of miraculous. It is unsurprising then that Palmer's Julie falls for him. Hoult has arguably the most expressive eyes seen on screen for years, conveying so much depth with a shrug or a glance. His inner monologue helps, of course, and keeping his narrative was a genius move on the part of the filmmakers. Palmer, in turn, rises to leading lady with class, bringing the hardened edge to Julie that the role requires as well as the intense vulnerability. She is incredibly brave and daring, as much when facing the zombies as when she faces her terrifyingly rigid father - who just so happens to be the general of her compound.

The combination of peril, action, romance and comedy is there in the film, just as it is in the book. The only real difference to the feel of the story is that it is far more heavily weighted on the romance. This, though, is a forgivable shift as the romance itself is so brilliantly original, it still brings something new to the table. 

Another brilliant element to the novel that has found its way into the film is the author's great use of music. In the novel, when R cannot say what he wants to, he uses music to say it for him, often playing Julie records that reveal his true feelings. In the film, this happens to great effect and is mixed with a sublime soundtrack that blends some classic tunes from recent decades which serve to enhance the nostalgic elements of the story.

Overall, the tone of the book has been softened for cinema audiences. A lot of what made the book so devilishly dark has been glossed over or ignored entirely and the ending is all just a little bit 'nice'. However, the heart of the book remains, thanks to the same careful character focus Levine showed in 50/50 and the beautifully emotive leads.  

While the book has a real crossover feel to it - because it never feels like a young adult novel despite the youth of the two leads - the film does seem to have more of a teen audience in mind. However, the plot is so clever and witty that it will appeal to anyone looking for something a bit new and different. Twilight, this is NOT.

Book - 4.5/5 FOBLES
Film - 4/5 FOBLES

To be in with a chance of winning your own copy of Marion's book, check out the Film vs Book competition.

Win Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion film tie-in edition

THIS COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED.

The film adaptation of Isaac Marion's Warm Bodies arrives in UK cinemas today. To celebrate, here's your chance to win your own copy of the book that started it all...

NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING NICHOLAS HOULT, TERESA PALMER AND JOHN MALKOVICH. IN CINEMAS 8th FEBRUARY.

‘I never thought I could care so passionately for a zombie. Isaac Marion has created the most unexpected romantic lead I’ve ever encountered.’ STEPHENIE MEYER

‘R is the thinking woman’s zombie – though somewhat grey-skinned and monosyllabic, he could be the perfect boyfriend if he could manage to refrain from eating you. This is a wonderful book, elegantly written, touching and fun, as delightful as a mouthful of fresh brains.’ AUDREY NIFFENEGGER

‘A mesmerising evolution of a classic contemporary myth.’ SIMON PEGG

Warm Bodies Synopsis

R is a zombie, with a great record collection, no memories, no pulse and limited vocabulary. But he has dreams. He is different from his fellow Dead.
Julie is human, warm, fierce and very much alive.
When R makes the decision to rescue her from a zombie attack, a switch is flicked and he suddenly finds meaning to his lifeless existence. This has never happened before. This is against all the rules. R begins to have new thoughts and feelings, and together, he and Julie attempt to bring the whole decaying world back from the dead.

Isaac Marion lives in Seattle. He is not married, did not go to college and has not won any prizes. He has, however, written several short stories and novels which he has published online or in limited editions. Warm Bodies began life as a short story called ‘I Am A Zombie Filled With Love’ which was published on his website and promoted with a video trailer on YouTube. Visit his blog at http://burningbuilding.blogspot.com

To be in with a chance of winning a copy of Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion, all you have to do is email filmvsbook@gmail.com with the name of the actor who plays R in the film adaptation. (If you're not sure, check out my interview with Marion here). Don't forget to put "Warm Bodies competition" as the subject heading and please include the city in which you live in your email.

This competition is open to UK residents only and closes at midday GMT Sunday 3rd March.

Interview with Warm Bodies author Isaac Marion

The film adaptation for Isaac Marion's Warm Bodies hits UK cinemas today and stars Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer. I got to ask the book's author a few questions about the zombie romance novel and how it felt having his book turned into a film. Here's what he had to say...

How did the idea for Warm Bodies come about?

Are you asking where thoughts come from? Are we the sum of our experiences, or does identity and creativity come from somewhere outside of us? Pretty heavy stuff for a blog, man...

What made you want to bring romance into a zombie-filled dystopia?

I couldn't write a novel about a zombie just wandering around eating people for 250 pages. He needed to change, to rediscover his humanity and learn how to feel again, and what feeling is more essentially human than love? It's the most powerful emotion we're capable of. It seemed like the perfect catalyst to trigger R's transformation.

Though the setting for the book is dark, you've included plenty of humour and satire - and a little romance too. Was it always a conscious effort of yours to include all these elements together in the one story?

Nah, it just happened. The humor flows naturally from the premise, which is inherently ridiculous. The story is sincere and it takes itself seriously, but it also embraces its absurdity, which leads to jokes.

How did you react when you found out the book was being made into a film?

I probably ran around and punched a lot of walls. (In a good way.)

Have you been involved on the adaptation at all? If so, how?

They consulted me at various steps in the process. I had meetings with the director to discuss his ideas and whatnot. I gave extensive notes on the script, many of which were implemented. I wouldn't call it a collaboration, but they were really respectful toward me as the author.

What do you think about the casting? Did you have anyone in mind when you wrote the book? An idea of who they might be like?

I always kind of pictured Ryan Gosling as R when movie plans were first announced, but Nicholas absolutely nailed the role and I can't imagine anyone doing it better.

I hear you're writing a prequel about R, Julie and Nora. What can you tell us about it?

It's written! It’s called The New Hunger and it’s out now!

Have you seen the film? If so, what did you think of it?

I've seen it three times. I like it a lot. It glosses over some of the heavier elements of the book and takes a bit lighter approach, tonally, but that's always the case with film adaptations and I think it works really well as a movie. It's funny and charming and I'm incredibly excited to see it reaching so many people.

 

What's next once you're finished with these characters? Will you be writing more dystopias or something entirely different?

 I definitely won't be writing anything involving zombies or any other pop-culture fixtures after this. Most of the stuff I write is much weirder and harder to categorize, and I'm looking forward to letting my imagination run wild again and watching people struggle to figure out which box to stuff it into. If I've learned anything from publishing Warm Bodies, it's that people can't just let a book be a book. It has to be a YA book or a paranormal-romance or some other reductive, easily dismissed subcategory. I'm excited to write something that can be judged on its own merits instead of the merits of its assigned genre.

WARM BODIES BY ISAAC MARION IS OUT NOW. Check out my review here.

Book Review: Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

R is a zombie. He hangs out in an abandoned airport with other zombies and, other than the occasional attack on the living so they can feast on their brains, doesn't really do much. he doesn't remember his former life, or even his own name... but he thinks it begins with an R. Along with his fellow zombies, R has no desires, no real passions or feelings - save the compulsion to eat. So when they encounter a bunch of the living and start to devour them, R is taken aback by the need not to eat but to save one of them. 

When the zombies eat brains in this dystopian future, they get a glimpse into the mind of that person. It is this 'transference' of sorts that sees R affected by a strong connection with the young man he is devouring. In a flash, he sees the world as Perry saw it and - for the first time in this new zombie 'life' of his - begins to feel, to think, to see. What he sees first and foremost is Julie - Perry's former girlfriend. As soon as he sees her cowering in the corner amongst all the bloodshed, his only compulsion is to protect her and therein begins this captivating zom-rom-com.

Warm Bodies is a darkly comic take on the zombie apocalypse genre with two incredible central leads - both damaged, both looking to the other to improve themselves. R's inner voice - conflicting and collaborating with that of Perry - is intoxicating and for a book that relies heavily on narrative rather than dialogue, this is essential. It is, rather brilliantly, his story not hers. R has the opening and it is with him that the reader first connects. Warm Bodies is about what happens when this zombie meets a girl - not the other way around.

Though the clever wit and humour work superbly here, this is not a laugh riot. Serious questions are raised about the uncertain future of the human race and how something so overpowering as this can affect people's priorities and beliefs. The characters are able or unable to forgive, thanks to the new world they find themselves in. Many simply strive to stay alive, while others question the meaning of their prolonged existence and some give up hope altogether.

On each page, there is something new and exciting to discover just as R finds himself changing the more time he spends with Julie. The brave original twist Marion has taken on this age-old apocalyptic/zombie genre is a revelation. It manages to be serious and thought-provoking but hilarious, romantic and gorgeous - with brain eating for good measure.

4.5/5 FOBLES

The film adaptation of Warm Bodies, which stars Nicholas Hoult, is out in cinemas in February. It is directed by Jonathan Levine (50/50) and also stars Teresa Palmer and John Malkovich.