Good grief!

[dreamflower]

The next time anyone complains about how badly PJ messed up The Lord of the Rings, I'll tell them to take a look at what Sci-Fi did to Wizard of Earthsea. At least PJ had some respect for JRRT, in spite of some liberties; but poor Ursula K. LeGuin--they took her lyrical and mystical tale and turned it into a cliche ridden excuse for a video game! UGH!

Comments

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

I was afraid to look... I saw what TV people did to the Left Hand of Darkness years ago...

[dreamflower]

I never knew they did "Left Hand of Darkness". Who did it, and how did they mess *that* up?

[rabidsamfan.livejournal.com]

Whoops, it was The Lathe of Heaven. Which tells you how incredibly unmemorable it was...

[elasg.livejournal.com]

Thank you for commenting on that...

I watched 3 minutes of it and had to turn it off. I was becoming ill...

Ariel

[dreamflower]

Disgusting, wasn't it. I had to sit through it. My DH never read the books, so to him, it was a fairly decent action/adventure. But I was just sick over it.

[elasg.livejournal.com]

As much as I gripe about this or that liberty that PJ took, at least I could recognize the story I loved in his film. The only thing last night's travesty had in common with the book, that I could see, was a few names. Why didn't they admit they were making up their own story? Anyone who might have been drawn to watch it by their love of the books would have been far too disgusted to enjoy it.

Ariel

[maripo5a.livejournal.com]

Oh, no! I adore the Earthsea books! And Ursula LeGuin in general... *sad face* I saw the ads, but of course I have no way to see the series over here, and now I am glad. What a terrible shame. :-(

[dreamflower]

Just as well, then isn't it. I had been looking forward to it as well.

[shirebound]

*sigh* I was afraid they'd ruin it. I feel better about not staying up last night to watch it.

[dreamflower]

Well, you know, I was expecting better. There have been some very *good* TV adaptations on in the last few years: "Riverworld" and "Children of Dune" were excellent; and I was extremely pleased with how well "A Wrinkle in Time" had been done. But they certainly made hash out of this one.

[lil-banik-slave.livejournal.com]

Not recomending it then? (I haven't read the books, but I liked the idea of the series...I'm addicted to all things non-reality)

[elasg.livejournal.com]

Read the books. They are brilliant, subtle, wise and mystical. Ursula LeGuin is a masterful writer. What those hacks did to the story's name was nothing less than criminal - though at least I could be grateful that they chose not to use story's plot.

[lil-banik-slave.livejournal.com]

Okay. As soon as I've finished Sorcery (Discworld) I'll start a look out for them.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I read the Earthsea trilogy about twenty years ago and have only the very vaguest of memories of it, so I figured that whatever skiffy did to it, I wouldn't feel that much outrage. I was wrong. Within the first five minutes I was disgusted but kept trying to give it a chance. I ended up tuning it out half an hour in, and then turned it off altogether.

The acting was bad and the computer graphics were even worse. I kept thinking I was watching Mario Brothers video game or something. And the acting. Did I mention how awful it was? The man who played Ged's father should never be allowed to act again. Ugh!

[dreamflower]

The whole thing was a horrid injustice. I felt very cheated, as I had been looking forward to something done well, along the lines of "Children of Dune" or "A Wrinkle in Time". This--this was just awful! It basically reminded me of a Saturday morning kiddie show--or a video game!