Book-to-Film: The Good, the Bad, and the Don't Bother

The following "Two Cent Reviews" are extracted from the January 2007 issue of VoidMagazine.com.

Ask the Dust, book by John Fante
film by Robert Towne

One of my favorite books of all time, Fante's Ask the Dust (along with Nat West's Day of the Locust) set the precedent for almost every book written about Hollywood after its publication in the 1939, particularly anything by Bukowski. But the film...oh, dear. Sadly, the worst part was not Colin Farrel's acting — but instead is what director/writer Robert Towne did to the story. There was a good twenty minutes at the end that did not exist in the book, and the love story — around which the film is centered — was, at best, a nominal part of the novel. Assessment: skip the film entirely, and instead read the book with hi-lighter in hand, because you're going to want to make Fante's writing — and Bandini's struggles — your own. 

Friday Night Lights, book by H.G. Bissinger
film by Peter Berg

FNL is a phenomenal example of why sports stories translate so well to film -- the shaky, handy-cam-style perspective gives it a sense of urgency and closeness that the book, though well written, was unable to. Top it off with a stunningly inspirational story and hands-down the best musical score I've ever heard for a film, and it's a must-own DVD. The television show, currently on NBC, spends more time on the characters than on the high-impact football scenes, but the music, the writing, and the cinematography make it very much worth storing in your DVR. Assessment: the best FNL experience is the film, and you'll want the soundtrack -- written by the band Explosions in the Sky -- in constant rotation on your Nano.

The Black Dahlia, book by James Ellroy
film by Brian de Palma

This book was a huge disappointment. I love noir novels, and was expecting something of the same style and quality. Elroy's book, though, fell short of noir's dark humor and instead reflected the tendency of artists in the 1980s to be more brutal and gory — rather than authentic — with their work. So, based on my experience with the book, coupled with VOID contributor Greg Vuono's unflinchingly negative assessment of the film ("preposterous!"), I didn't even bother with it. My assessment: insated of buying the book and/or DVD spend the twenty bucks on something better, like a four-course, soft-chicken-taco meal at the San Loco.

Chris is the Editor in Chief of Voidmagazine.com. He is, among other things, easy like Sunday morning.