New Movie Adaptation of An Old Story

 

This morning's Kansas City Star newspaper had a review of a new movie coming to theaters tomorrow. It's titled "Sprited" and tells the story of Scrooge in the old, beloved tale " A Christmas Carol." written by Charles Dickens in 1843. There have been other adaptations of this beloved tale, but this one is as up to date as you can get. The Scrooge character is now named Clint Briggs, and he is a modern day media consultant and avid Twitter user. The transformation does not happen overnight as Dickens portrayed but over a full year. The movie is a musical, and the review says it is filled with irreverent humor. Sounds like a very different version of the original. This, of course, is not the first time the story of Scrooge and the ghosts of past, present, and future has been retold. 

I am one who does not like retold or new adaptations of already beloved, popular books, whether in story form or a movie. The message about morality in "A Christmas Carol" is important and as needed today as it was in the 1800s. As I read the reveiw this morning, I wondered what Mr. Dickens would think of this latest version of his story. Would he applaud it or mutter and grumble? We'll never know, of course. 

"Spirited" is not the first movie based on a popular story or book of long ago. Two days ago, I was driving somewhere and heard on the radio about the wonderful stage show, then movie, called "Showboat." The book, by Edna Ferber, came out in 1926, and one year later Flo Ziedfield, turned the story into a stage play musical that became immensely popular, which then spinned off into the movie version. The music for the play was written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein and also used in the movie. With the short time between book and play, Ziegfield must have purchased the rights from the author. 

There have been many other book to stage play to movie versions of other novels. Some stay quite true to the original while others take great liberties, as it seems has been done with "Spirited." That does not appeal to me, but it may to many others who will flock to the theaters to watch the film. 

I prefer adaptations of the novel to stay true to the story. Please don't change the ending. Apparently, the ending in "Spirited" is quite dramatically changed. How, they don't say. Have to pay the price of the ticket to find out. 

What is your feeling? Do you like modern versions of an old, beloved story? Or do you prefer to keep the original as is when a movie is made or a play written? Part of me thinks that these 'adapters' should try to write something new instead of borrowing from a master writer. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments.