Imagining characters - Page 2

Allthingsgirly67 · ‎03-09-2010

I guess I’m just used to having a description especially for a main character if not thee main character.

AuntG · ‎03-09-2010

It's surprising when the movies get a character right.

shoesnbags · ‎03-10-2010

I'll give you a current example - I enjoyed the Will Trent TV series based on the books by Karin Slaughter. I had read one of the early Will Trent books years ago but didn't remember much except that Will was dyslexic.

When the TV show started I thought that I remembered Will Trent as a tall blond guy but on TV he is played by a cute Puerto Rican actor - big difference. As the series continued, I really got into it and gradually forgot about the tall blond Will.

So the show ended till next yr. or whenever the strike is over, and I decided to go back and read all of the Will Trent books. Ye gads! Found out that they physically changed almost all of the main characters for TV, including their race.

At first I kept picturing the TV actors as I read the books, but Slaughter keeps mentioning the physical descriptions of the characters which was all wrong. For example, Will's boss and his partner, and her mother are African American on TV, but they are blond WASPy looking women in the books. Will's girlfriend/wife/exwife Angie is more Hispanic looking in the books but for some reason she is the one they made a blonde in the TV version. It drove me crazy, but I kept reading because the stories are so good.

The newest book will be out next week and I have it already ordered. Then when the TV show returns, I'll have to rearrange my thinking all over again.

"Breathe in, breathe out, move on." Jimmy Buffett

Allthingsgirly67 · ‎03-09-2010

That would irk me to no end. Why on earth do they change the description from the book’s description because I’m sure a lot of viewers were familiar with the books.

Judaline · ‎03-10-2010

@icezeus wrote:
Whenever I read a book and then see a movie or TV show that has been adapted, rarely do they make good casting decisions in my opinion.

I think the guy playing Bosch (michael connelly books) is close. I liked Matthew McConaughey as the The Lincoln Lawyer better than the guy who stars in the series.

Whoever mentioned GWTW, was right on it. That casting was superb. Every single character brought to life before our eyes. Even Miss Pitty Pat.

Judaline · ‎03-10-2010

@Lilysmom1 wrote:
@Allthingsgirly67 @icezeus , I have the same problem. When I saw the character chosen for Bosch, I couldn't watch the series. He was nothing at all like I imagined. Funny isn't?

That's about how I thought Bosch would look-except the guy NEVER smiles. He looks so serious or troubled or sad, dunno which. Otherwise I think he's righ for it.

Judaline · ‎03-10-2010

What about Joe Pickett? Anyone watch this? I'm afraid to watch it because it could ruin my vision of Joe. Somebody tell me!

Alter Ego · ‎03-12-2010

When it first came out and I was listening to THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME, Julia Roberts was attached to play the lead in the series. She was, in my opinion, the perfect choice. The part was written for her. And then she dropped out for whatever reason and Jennifer Garner stepped in. Fine in the role, but just wasn’t quite right for me. The daughter was good, but then again, I didn’t have a clear vision of her.

Otherwise, I don’t often have a clear description of a particular character - unless I really don’t think it’s a good fit! Perhaps it’s also partly the production, but I simply couldn’t get into the Three Pines series on Prime (cancelled after one season), but thought they did a great job with Daisy Jones.