In my opinion, a good movie adaptation. The first requirement is the director's ability to control the big scene. Like a famous novel, most of the time it is composed of magnificent chapters, intricate plots and characters with deep characters. If you don't have the ability to control, you have to take care of one thing and lose another. Furthermore, he must have a good grasp of the quality of image expression. However, the most important thing is the depth of thought of the adaptor, that is, what kind of spiritual communication he can achieve with the original author.
Back to "The Scarlet Letter".
If it weren't for the fact that I read the book, I don't think I actually have that much patience to watch a gloomy movie that is more than two hours long, which is far away from me and can't understand in many places. However, to be honest, the pace is so fast now that people are pursuing the happiness of fast food. It's also a miracle that I can finish reading this book on the subway to and from get off work. As far as I am concerned, basically I don't enjoy the joy of reading. However, the charm of a famous book is not reflected in how much happiness you can get from reading the book.
Although I prefer movies, I have to admit that movies and books are basically the opposite.
In the novel, Hester Prynne survived under the repression of religion and environment and had to pretend to be strong to fight back. The woman in the movie is strong from beginning to end. That kind of strength is not only reflected in the body but also in the spirit. It can even be said that there are many feminist consciousness sprouting in it. At the end of the film, Hester asks: Why am I staying here? Accepted by them, tamed by them? Then, the woman resolutely wanted to leave. In fact, according to my understanding, since the background of the novel is a repressed and dark age, then it is impossible for women at that time to leave. The film adds to the brilliance of Hester's awakening of independent consciousness, which the original author wanted to express in his heart but was not able to express it due to the limitations of the times and thoughts. So, although the image of Hester is glorious, it is somewhat unrealistic. In those days, if a woman gave birth to this kind of thought, I think it would be the only end of being nailed to the rack of shame.
The movie gave Demi Moore so much drama that I thought it was an inspirational epic for a woman. Hester in the novel thinks she is sinful from beginning to end, but in the movie she holds her head high and never admits that her love is sin.
I prefer movies because the story takes place so long ago and I don't know the background of the story. I'd much rather accept that there were a few sympathetic women in the movie helping Hester, that the priest stepped forward while Hester was training, and, finally, at a time when Hester's life was at stake, he Stand up and say, I love this woman, I am the father of this child, and in the eyes of God I am the father of this child. This has actually subverted the entire personality of Dimmesdale in the original book. In the original book, he is weak, he is cowardly, he is hypocritical, he is cold and even cruel. Why can't you take responsibility when you dare to love clearly? The splendor of the altar attracted him so that he could not relinquish his noble reputation. Speaking of the fact that he carved the scarlet letter in his flesh and whipped himself, it is not so much his repentance of love as the inevitable result of the corruption of this religion's venom. He had no pity for Hester, but saw them as a possibly seductive couple, all contrary to what he considered holy in his heart. This is the source of his pain.
Hawthorne wanted to accuse those puritanical dogmas that dehumanized them, but in the end he concealed them. Maybe it's because I don't have the courage, maybe I don't see this kind of appeal in my heart. Because of the entanglement of human nature and the depth of history, this novel is famous in history.
In other words, the film adaptation was unsuccessful, because the connotation and essence were far from the point. However, I think this is more in line with the perspective that people appreciate today. At the end of the movie, the pastor and Prynne and the Pearl family are gone, which is a very happy ending. All in all, what people hope to get through the movie is good enjoyment and expectation, and the essence of the original book is a complete tragedy.
Adore movies. However, if you want to appreciate the charm of the famous works, you still need to read the original works.
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