Visual arts: Film Adaptation - Essay Example

Visual arts: Film Adaptation Visual arts are as old as the human race. Artists have used various methods to portray events that happen in the society. Since human beings learnt how to write, art and culture have received preservation through writing as well as development of new techniques of presenting the art piece. Trends in visual arts changed when Erich von Stroheim tried an adaptation of the novel Mc Teague to a film in 1924 (Balio 256). Other similar adaptations are evident today in most films. Artists have made successful attempts in adapting novels, short stories, plays and other pieces of artwork to successful film show. This essay will explore a number of adaptations in the following categories, novel, short story, play, graphic novel to film. Frankenstein by Mary Shelly into Frankenstein by James Whale Frankenstein 1931 film is an adaptation of the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelly. The plot of the film created a visual illustration about the thematic concern in the novel. Merry Shelly wrote the novel back in 1818 while James whale introduced the movie in 1931. Critics have argued that Whale used meticulous ideas to create illusion to the audience of the film (Balio 125). It is important to note that the adaptation of the movie used the modern costumes to illustrate various characteristics that were evident in the past. Whale succeeded in producing a creature described in the novel as a monster. The monster created the conflict in the novel as described in the novel. As described in the novel human beings have gone too far to invent creatures or objects that create destruction to the society as opposed to the intended purpose of their creation. The monster destruction creates a climax in the movie as described in the novel (Philips 125). It is evident that at the end of the play the theme of the novel comes out clearly to the viewers. The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald into Gatsby (1974) by Jack Clayton Jack Clayton adapted the novel Great Gatsby to the film Gatsby in 1974. Critics of the Clayton’s work have argued that the used good costumes to create the feelings and the descriptions in the novel. However, they were quick to lament that the novel description of ill-fated love does not appear through the expression presented by the actors. The expressions viewed through the movies are critical to the communication that the audience would interpret. In this sense, the thematic concern presented in the novel should be visible through the action of the movie actors. Clayton used costumes to create the picture described in novel. Other than addressing thematic concern, film adaptation tends to create characters that are relevant to the event in question. The success of the adaption is crucial to the artwork because it manipulate the theme of the film (Philips 136). For instance, romance as a thematic concern does not come out clearly in the characters that play the movie. This attribute does not make the adaption less successful, but also influences the interpretation of the movie. It is noticeable that Clayton successfully brought the past events into present day events by manipulating the costumes and the present culture to suite the previous culture. This aspect is quite common with film adaption. Conflict and climax are critical aspects that Clayton and other film artists tend to create in their artwork. The Killers by Hemmingway into The Killers (1964) by Don Siegel The Killers a movie created by Siegel is a successful adaptation of the Hemingway’s play the killer. Siegel creates a description of the events described in the short story by Hemingway. The use of various characters in the movie to create the real picture as described in the short story is a great credit. The theme of the story intended to influence an individual to develop an informed opinion about the current trends in the society. The same concern is evident in the work portrayed in the movie. The evils in the society and the attempt by corrupt men and women to make their views known to the society are evident through scenes, which are evident in the movie (DiMare 214). As the name of the movie suggest, killers could make way through impossibilities to carry out the crime against the interest of the society. Robbery, which is the theme in the story, is evident in the film through the action of its actors (Johnny, Charlie, Browning, and Sheila) (Philips 256). These actors go into the extreme by betraying and killing in search of the dirty money. Hemingway’s novel gave a description of a dirty world through the actors who proved dangerous against each other. The climax of the film illustrates these powerful, yet painful characteristics of humanity. The robbed money does not lead the robbers to the intended lifestyle; however, it created animosity and egocentrism that leads to their ultimate destruction. The adaptation of these events into episodes, that create the center of conflict as well as driving the film towards the climax, is quite successful in the film. The events described in the story are attributes that are observable in normal daily activities. The crimes and the criminal intent are evident throughout the plot of the film. The play described the characteristics of its characters as egocentric and ready to do anything including killing their friends or betraying them in order to walk a way with the cash. Rash Omit by Ryunosuke Akutagawa into Rashomon (1950) directed by Akira Kurosawa The film Rashomon is an adaptation of two short stories Ras Omit that forms part of the films plot and “In a Grove” that creates the characters of the film. The adaption of the two plays to create a single film (O’Neil 156) is quite remarkable because the characters managed to portray thematic concerns in the two plays. The characters of the play In the Grove perform the part successfully, while the plot of the play illustrated the ideas in the Ras Omit. The nature of events in the film is a marriage of different plot and characters. The success of the adaptation is event through the conflict and the climax of the film, which helps to illustrate the theme of deception in the society. Macbeth by Shakespeare to Throne of Bloods by Akir Kurosawa The film throne of blood is a successful adaption of the Shakespeare Macbeth. The plot of the film used the events described by Shakespeare in his work to illustrate the state of events in the present day Japan. The adaption of the events in these two environments does not only demonstrate the extent to which the artwork could be adaptable to illustrate state of events in another environment, but also identifies universality of events that occur in human life. The conflict in Macbeth led to a fierce battle that is evident in the film. The conflict that led to the battle as described by Shakespeare tends to be the situation in the film. Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand into Cyrano de Bergerac (1990) Jean Paul Rappeneu The adaptation of the play Cyrano de Bergerac to the movie Cyrano de Bergerac has projected an environment described in the play into film action. Critics in visual art believe that illustrations used in the movie create instances of hyperboles beyond the description in the play (O’Neil 241). It is a common trend in many plays or stories to use hyperbole to illustrate or influence the reader to adapt a given picture from the artwork. The length of the film does not really account for time length in the plot; however, it manages to create illusion of time change. The actors in the film manages to create emotions which the author described bin his play. The emotions enable the film viewers to realize instances of change of mood. V for Vendetta by Alan Moore into V for Vendetta by James Mcteique V for Vendetta is a great adaptation in the film industry. The characters described in the in graphic novel have played great role in the production of the film. The political message described in the novel is the central factor that the movie describes. The events in the film do not only illustrate the use of hyperbole in the creative arts, but also the influence of imagery in artwork (Shimpach 425). The images portrayed in the film are part of real pictures observed in the novel. The novel described a satirical society whose malice is beyond human imagination. Politics propagate this malice as observed in the film. The defiance of characters in the novel created conflict of interest. The film capitalizes of this feature to influence the emotion of the viewers as well as making informed opinion about the nature of politics they observe in the society. The novel stresses some remarks by deliberating repeating them in the novel. In the film, the repetition of these events is evident through casts, which interject periodically to remind the viewer about the thematic concern of the film. Batman by Bob Kane into Batman by Tim Burton Tim Burton film Batman is an adaptation of the Bob Kane Batman. The features in the film describe life conditions that might at one point turn to the extreme. The activities described in the graphic novel are evident through successful characterization in the film. The thematic concern of the film is a critical element that the film illustrates through the manipulation of the actors to create conflict and climax in the movie. The movie episodes create suspense leaving the viewers guessing the next event (Shimpach 225). The suspense in graphic novel created the urge for readers to know the next event in the same way light and tonal variation of the actors influences the film viewer’s emotions. The costumes used in the film reflect the description or the picture built by the readers of the novel. However, instances of hyperbole in the leaves viewers pondering between truth and fiction. Superman by Jerry Siegel into Superman by Richard Donner The Superman film is an adaptation of the Superman, a graphic novel written by Jerry Siegel. The events in the movie describe thematic concerns on the novel. The color and light of the film helps in creating the mood of the film. In the novel, Siegel uses illustrative language to influence the moods of the reader. Some critics have argued that the film did not address all the thematic concern in the Superman probably; this might have led to the film Superman II. The actors of the film create hyperbolic moves throughout the activities in relation to fellow actors (DiMare 122). The film does not portray its characters as human characters. Most of the activities of these characters are fictitious or beyond the comprehension of the human behavior. However, human characters successfully manipulate these moves as though it is a real life situation. The culture of the novel is a great concern that the film displays. It is arguable that the change of culture would distort the theme of the movie. Spiderman by Stan Lee and jack Kirby into Spiderman by Sam Rami Spiderman is an adaption of the comic novel Spiderman. The film illustrates thematic concern of the comic novel through comedy of the main staring of the film. The features of the film are fictitious; however, they illustrate the real characteristic of the spider. The costume used in the film by the starring illustrates the ideas of the author of the novel. The novelist had wild ideas of what the world would be when human beings acquire the characteristics of a spider. The extra ordinary events described in the novel are possible before the main actor in the film. The author’s imaginations are quite evident through the actions of the film character, which turns the impossible situations into possible situation (DiMare 213). In conclusion, film adaption has led to the production of various films. The films help the viewers to understand the descriptions given in various novels. However, some details in the films are hyperbolic to the real descriptions in the stories. The trends employed in adapting films from written novels, plays among others have contributed to great understanding of literal work. Many viewers of film observe good relationship between the stories and the adapted films. Work Cited Balio, Tino. The Foreign Film Renaissance on American Screens, 1946-1973. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. 2010. Print. DiMare, C. Philip. Movies in American History: An Encyclopedia. Amsterdam: ABC-CLIO. 2011. Print. O’Neil, Dennis. Batman Unauthorized: Vigilantes, Jokers, and Heroes in Gotham City. Dallas: BenBella Books. 2008. Print. Philips, D. Gene. Out of the Shadows: Expanding the Canon of Classic Film Noir. Maryland: Scarecrow Press. 2011. Print. Shimpach, Shawn. Television in Transition: The Life and Afterlife of the Narrative Action Hero. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. 2010. Print. Sinyard, Neil. Jack Clayton. Manchester: Manchester University Press. 2000. Print. Read More