Saturday, February 28, 2009

Salman Rushdie on Celluloid Adaptations of Novels

There is an interesting article on the Guardian's website today: Salman Rushdie talks about film adaptations. Earlier this week, Rushdie blasted the film versions of Benjamin Button, The Reader and Slumdog Millionaire at a lecture, and as Slumdog had just won the Oscar for Best Picture, there was an obvious backlash. Rushdie explains his point further, and perhaps more diplomatically, in his article.

Salman Rushdie on celluloid adaptations of novels | Books | The Guardian

It is long, but an interesting point of view from an author who does not shy away from controversy. Surely, however, he's asked himself why put forth such a view when he himself is writing an adaptation of his greatest novel? He can tell himself that the film or stage versions will be "second cousins" to the book, but inevitably the viewing audience will not see it as such. With such a view of adaptations already in the public sphere, there is only trouble ahead for Rushdie, no matter how good Deepa Mehta's film turns out.

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