Monday, March 16, 2015
Finishing Up w/ Dickens
As you finish the novel, I'd like you to think about how you would turn it into a film. Most film scripts are 80-120 pp. This novel is nearly 900 pp so clearly some abridgement is necessary in order to translate it into a film. I think the word "translate" is particularly useful when we talk about film adaptations. Rather than think about how films are not the same as a novel, I'm more interested in the necessary choices that a director/screenwriter has to make when adapting a film. I think examining adaptations is a useful exercise for fiction writers. Well-done adaptations help us to see what the "main" story is within a narrative, who the most important characters are, and what one way of interpreting the original text might look like (and how we might interpret it differently). Clearly, there is not just one way of interpreting a text, b/c films get remade all the time (there are 10 different versions of David Copperfield). Before we watch George Cukor's 1935 version of the novel (which is the first version), I'd like you to write for a bit about how you would adapt it. If you had to tell this story in two hours, what would you cut? What characters or stories would you remove? What is most important to keep for your version of David Copperfield?
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I think the most crucial plot points should be kept in the film. Mr. Murdstone coming into his life, David getting sent away to school and then his mother dying really set the tone for how the book evolves. David is set to have an interesting life full of many ups and downs,illustrating a good beginning is important. I would also like to see David's relationship with Steerforth represented. I would take away some smaller and less realistic characters like Agnes.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to say who I would remove from the movie because the people that David meet all find their way back into the story, and they influence David in some way. I would probably not include so much of what happened when David was sent away to school by Mr. Murdstone except for meeting Steerforth.
ReplyDeleteI think that emphasis should be put on David's growth throughout the story, starting from when he meets Mr. Murdstone. The beginning of the story when Dickens talks about David's unlucky birth is unnecessary in my opinion...
I would first think of the color pattern to represent the present in color and reflection of the past in black and white. I would probably remove characters such as Mr. Burkis and Peggoty would be a main character in the beginning into his adolescent year but would not get married.I probably would not have included Martha because I think Steethford death would be a big enough climax. I would add a dramatic effect as to when david seen the Murdstones again later in life. Steethford, david would be handsome characters, Uriah would be an scruny looking young boy. I think a classic tale of this movie fits the book.I can see this film full of the most important actions and its easy to take out the characters like Mr.dick because although he adds longevity to the book doesn't create suspense in the movie. Mr.Peggoty and ham will have roles such as agnes Mr. &Ms. Strong.
ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost I believe David Cooperfield was a great a novel. Usually great novels are turned into films but they are never really the same. For example the modern day novel "The Hunger Games". If I had to adapt David Cooperfield into a movie I would definitely keep David because he is the main character, Mr. Murdstone and Mrs. Murdstone because without them both, we wouldn't see the strife David went through as a child. I would also keep Peggoty, Agnes, Dora, Little Em'ly, Betsy, Steerforth, and Uriah.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to turn David Copperfield into a movie I would focus more on the major parts. I would really emphasize David's love interest and hoe he kept having bad luck when it came to finding true love. I would also make David and his mother's relationship more meaningful. His mother tended to allow people control her like a puppet. In my adaptation his mother will put her foot down when necessary and not put men over her child. The one thing I wouldn't change would be Steerforth's role. By him playing both sides, it actually makes the story more interesting and appealing....
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't cut his years at school, but I would shorten it to several small scenes. I wouldn't cut out the Peggotys, but I feel Em'ly should have a less important role. Anything about her after she and David are children would be cut out until she meets Steerforth. Along with the absence of Em'ly, Martha would be cut out as well. It would be difficult to remove or shorten some of the other characters.
ReplyDeleteThere is certainly characters I would get rid of. I would get rid of Uriah. Uriah is a character I wouldn't like in real life. From what I remember he's nothing but two faced. In the novel he is appeared as the villain. He disguise's his evil intentions with good one's to help manipulate David. One character I would keep as a villain is Sterrforth because he is just great. He always seems to have an upper hand on all of the characters. He also abuses David but David is too blind and does not see it. In every story there has to be a ying and a yang. Someone good someone bad..
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I've not read the book, so my version for the screen adaptation of David Copperfield will probably seem to be a little... disjointed.
ReplyDeleteBased off of what was discussed in class:
I would keep all the female characters that David has had a deep interaction with; his mother, Anne, Agnes, Dora etc. Why? Well, the term "love" or "affection" seems to have been thrown around quite a bit whenever we discussed the book. As I see it, David's "love" has had an impact on his life and the story itself. His "love" has given him so many experiences and chances to grow as a person. There have even been times in which he remained stagnant due to a failed love.
What I'm actually trying to say is that the film adaptation should be centered around love, as a whole. That also means Steerforth has a role in the film, as well as Uriah Heep and his mother.
If I was to adapt Charles Dickens' novel, David Copperfield, I would start with David being born, kind of as a flashback. I would then fast forward to his childhood, and the moments he experiences in his childhood. In terms of plot and characters, I would plan to introduce the key villians like Mr. Murdstone and Uriah Heep. I believe having both a protagonist and antagonist serves as a good plot because it can create drama and tension. Also, you can't just have a main character without throwing challenges at them. It makes the story more compelling to the audience. If I were to adapt Dickens' novel, I would also include evidence of the strong bond between David and his mother in order to show some highlights of his life. Of course, there would also be a later scene in which David's mother dies which will heavily impact our young protagonist. I would also capture David's many love interests and his blind love at first sight, which depicts his mother's significance because he needs a female in his life. Overall, if I were to adapt Dickens' novel, I would make the on-screen drama continue and make sure the action compels the audience to want to see what's going to happen next in the film.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to make a movie adaptation of David Copperfield, I would read through the novel and see which parts in story are important should be included in the movie. One example would be when Betsy Trotwood talk to Mr. Murdstone and Miss Murdstone about David because no one was sure whether the Murdstones take David back with or David gets to stay with his aunt.
ReplyDeleteto turn this book into a movie one would have to cut many parts. in doing this, you would have to make sure not to cut the parts filled with either passion, hate, turmoil,suspense or action. you would to make sure to include davids childhood but ,i think, only the parts where his relationship with his mother and peggoty where established,also when Mr. murdstone comes in his life. you have to include when Mr. murdstone beats him the first time a,d then you can skip until his mother dies. also include a bit of emily in this. then you can skip until he gets shipped off to school especially that ride...
ReplyDeleteThe most important characters that I would keep are Steerforth, Agnes, Mr. Murdstone, Mrs. Peggoty, and little Emly. The most important scenes in my version would have to be Mr. Murdstone marrying David's mother, David being sent away, his mother's death, his visit to Mr. Peggoty's, Little Emly running off with Steerforth, his marriages, and his reuinion with aunt Betsey. I would cut out a lot of the secondary characters.
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