I think that short stories make better movies than novels. Case in point: John Huston's The Man Who Would Be King, which I think is well-nigh perfect. Novellas do well also. The longer the work, the more the film becomes a Cliffs Notes version of the original. If filmmakers would realize this, they could help spur interest in shorter fiction, which is often better fiction.
Huston's The Dead is also a fine example. Joyceans can grumble about this and this but I thought it was a wonderfully atmospheric and sensitive adaptation.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, Neil. A wonderful film.
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