From Page to Screen

J. Kevin Tumlinson

Like millions of others (I think about 40 million at this point), I went to see X2: X-men United. I have to say, I was impressed. Bryan Singer, despite having never really read the comic books as a kid, has done a fantastic job of bringing these characters to life. Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart seem to have been born for the roles of Wolverine and Professor X.

I left the theater still engrossed in the world of mutants, and the potential problems they would face. And on the drive home it hit me: THAT was a good adaptation.

Actually, we've seen several over the past couple of years. The Lord of the Rings series is proving to be an incredible re-telling of J.R.R. Tolkien's novels. And the film version of Marvel Comics' flagship title, Spider-man, made them even more coin with its $300-million release. That's a lot of money generated by stories that are adapted for the screen.

Why do we become so excited when we find out that something we read and loved is going to be made into a movie? We already know the story, so why all the buzz?

I think it all boils down to human nature. I think that when we absorb a story, it becomes a part of us, making some fundamental change deep down inside. And human beings ultimately want to be known. So if a story is a part of us, then at least that much of us can be known by millions. It's almost like being famous.

When you read a story, it's a very personal experience. It's a relationship between you and the author - not to mention a whole bunch of fictional characters that you've come to know intimately. You hear their thoughts, you see their good deeds and bad deeds, you know when they're remorseful and when they're just being jerks. They become family, in a sense. So when they make it to the big screen, you get that same sense of pride as if your nephew got kudos in the school play.

And maybe that's why we're so devastated when the movie version turns out to be poorly done. "It wasn't as good as the book," we say quickly when someone starts to down the film (a good example of this is the film adaptation of Battlefield Earth, by L. Ron Hubbard. Excellent book, but the movie made me want to blind myself with my soda straw). We become defensive about the story, and we want people to know that it really isn't as bad as they think.

Personally, I hope that Hollywood continues with its lucky streak of late. I want to see more of the stories I grew up with come to life on screen. I want to be able to point and say, "Look, that's a part of me up there" (metaphorically speaking).

But if they ruin the story, I'm going to be the first and loudest critic. I'm fickle that way.

J. Kevin Tumlinson is a writer and a schoolteacher living in Lake Jackson, TX. Some day this column will be made into a movie.