Consider all of the elements of film making. In adapting the script, which pieces would you cut or change? Would you add anything to make things clearer, or to make the cast larger? How true would you stay to the text? Which lines do you think would end up on IMDB as "memorable quotes"? What would you use as a tagline, in the advertisments for the film?
As with all movies, you would have to decide which character you wanted to consider the "main" character. Which character would you have the movie center around and why? Would you change things in order to make certain characters more sympathetic?
What would your general vision for the piece be? Would you do it in period dress? Would you modernize it? Make it a Western? Would you turn it into a science fiction teen angst television series? What genre would you classify it when it was sent to the box offices? What rating do you think it would get?
Finally, who would you cast? Who would play Theodore, Isabella, Manfred, Matilda, Frederic, et cetera? Why would you cast those people?
Though this does not seem as textually deep as many of the questions posted are, I think we can learn a lot about our readings of the novel by examining what we would keep or cut and who we imagined each character as. I think that examining a text in this way helps us look at the novel as a sort of co-creater, giving us insights into a basic justification of the text. In reading as a director, slashing anything unimportant from the script, one starts to understand what about the text really matters.
I know we've already discussed a similar question in relation to other books, but I think the part of this that should be focused on is the question of what in the text you really want to see on screen and how you might present it. When a giant helmet falls on someone, do you computer generate the scene? Is it some sort of large foam helmet? Or do you take the size of the helmet literally at all? You don't have to answer this in extreme detail, obviously that would take an extraordinarily long time, just pick one or two scenes that you might have problems with.
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ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/g3YiPC91QUk
ReplyDeleteThis has nothing to do, really, with Nora's excellent question, but I can't help pointing out that the cast of Monty Python inadvertently auditioned for the roles of Conrad, Manfred, Diego, and Jaquez.
I think the helmet scene is an interesting one because it arrives so randomly and suddenly and then is addressed by the characters in such little detail it's almost comical. So for me, how it would be represented in a theatrical version would be dependent on how the whole movie is portrayed from start to finish. Because of soap opera-esque constant stream of hard to fathom twists and turns that the story draws upon, I think a well done CGI helmet scene would almost be giving it too much credit. In the same light - a giant, almost comically designed foam helmet or something along those lines would be truer to wacky concepts of the story itself. But at the same time, probably not everyone perceives the plot and occurrences to be as far fetched as I do, so for them, a well done CGI would probably be more appropriate. Matter of opinion, I guess.
ReplyDeleteI think, for the most part, I would be able to stick very true to the book. Actually, when I was reading this novel, I found it playing out like a movie or a play in my head. This is probably due to the way it was written, and the many Shakespearean qualities that it has. As far as focusing on a main character, I might focus on Theodore if I felt there needed to be a main character, but the book seems to work without one, so why couldn't the movie? I think it could possibly work as modernized, but I would prefer to keep it in the period that it is written.
ReplyDeleteI think The Castle of Otranto could easily be a great movie. I'm a sucker for drama and romance, so I'd want it to be soap opera. If I were to produce this movie, I would first take out the scene with Conrad getting killed by a helmet.. In my mind that would not fit in with the cutesy kind of movie I'd like. Instead it would focus on the dramatic relationship between the three families. Isabella would be the main character since most of the drama stems from her - She marrys Theo in the end, Manfed kills his daughter thinking she was Isabella and etcetera . I would want Megan Fox to play that roll because she has a secretive mysterious side to her that this novel would need in order for an audience to stay focused and into the movie. Let's make this movie.. haha
ReplyDeleteIf "Castle of Otranto" was converted to the big screen, I think it would mostly stay true to text- the text is not that long to begin with, so I would probably add several scenes. I tend to like romance novels/movies so if it were up to me, I might add a few romance scenes. I think that I would center the movie around Theodore for the most part, since every movie needs its "knight in shining armour". I would probably have Theodore be played by Orlando Bloom or Leonardo Dicaprio; they emulate the "manliness" and heroism of Theodore's character. I think that I would keep the time period true to the book because I feel that the idea of heirlooms and "the gothic" are important to the eighteenth century setting. I think that aspects such as the helmet falling from the sky and killing Conrad is something that would fit better into a time period like the eighteenth century, where they actually wore armour and helmets; I don't think this would make as much sense in a modern center.
ReplyDeleteI think that this book would make a graet movie. I think because of its adventourous feel, romanticism and drama this book would be an older and milder version of Harry Potter in a way. It would keep people on their toes with excitment on what was goign to happen next. In terms of teh scences that wold be choosen I think that the movie would focus on keeping it very similar to the novel. However I do think that certain scences would have to be altered or added to in detial to make it more appeaing in a movie. In addition, in terms of the main characters I think they would be Isabella and Manfred because I feel as though they both are the roots of all the drama thorughout the book. In terms of what characters would play them I am not sure, but I do know that Johnny Depp would be a part of the casting crew for sure.
ReplyDeleteI think that The Castle of Otranto could be made into a reasonable popular movie with a few adjustments. First, there would have to be more of one main character-- I think that Theodore would be the best. Secondly, the producers would need to cast the character of Theodore with whichever actor girls/women aged 15-30 are obsessed with at the time. Thirdly, I think that there needs to be a lot more of the romance scenes that are expected in movies today. I think that the movie could be set in the time of the novel and still be appealing to the modern audience. I think that the movie could follow very closely to most of the novel (a lot of the text was descriptive)and not be outrageously long.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dayna that transcribing this to a screenplay would not require much cutting. It's pretty short. Also, the piece is so deeply inspired by theater that all the scenes seem to be very visual. There is no lengthy introspection, and there is a lot of dialogue. The scene when Frederick shows up with his extensive retinue and the giant sword would make a great theatrical trailer. It introduces the unworldly element and sets the period. It is important for the potential film to be set in the Middle Ages as Walpole suggests in order to retain the importance of themes like kingship and inheritance. Also, to attract a modern audience the women would have to have more fleshed-out characters. Probably Hippolita would have to have more personality and more agency in effecting the conclusion.
ReplyDeleteAlthough a case could be made for adapting the movie to a modern setting much as some Shakespearean plays have been, this story deserves the effort of being true to the time period and setting. Real (or CGI touched up) castle, period clothing, the whole nine yards. Especially given that most movie goers would not have read the novel, versus Hamlet and Romio and Juliette being regularly taught in high school, which is why they could pull off the modern adaptations.
ReplyDeleteHow the helmet should be shown is up for debate, but I find the tunnels and the giant sword to be more interesting design challenges. In true Indiana Jones style, really authentic looking set pieces would be more impressive than CGI + green screen for the tunnels, but a carry-able sword would be pretty hard to pull off at the scale described without being CGI. Tricky.
Theodore- Ryan Gosling( Need I say more? Really? Ok. Maybe it is because of "The Notebook," but I can imagine him as a handsome peasant with a good heart. Ryan Gosling may or may not be a jerk in real life, but I can't help but think that he would be a really great guy in person! He just has that nice-guy-with-looks look. Yes? Agreed? O.k)
ReplyDeleteIsabella- Scarlett Johansson (I believe that Ms. Johansson would be perfect for this role. She can give off a look of innocence that is never one hundred percent innocent. She naturally has that va va voom quality. You know? I believe that her innate sensual qualities will fit well with Isabella's openness to men.)... Also Amanda Seyfreid would be a similar alternative! She's so GOOORRGEOUS
Manfred-Willem Dafoe (Green Goblin from Spiderman= His characters are always quite creepy. He knows how to make his eyes bulge and sharp eyebrows furrow in a way that makes you think, "I cannot trust you." He's a great actor whom I believe can pull this part off quite well!
Conrad- Christopher Mintz-Plasse (After watching Augie in "Role Models," I believe he can pull off the role of a young 15/16 year old guy, whose health may be doubted (I hope none of you take offense by this). He also knows how to play a believably spoiled character which I always imagined Conrad to be.
Matilda- Ellen Page from Juno or Emma Watson (I believe that Ellen Page would be able to portray a more standoffish girl in terms of her relationship with men (until she finds Theodore). I believe she can portray a very genuine character that fits my view of Matilda. Emma Watson may be the better choice, however, since I can totally see her as a princess not willing to fall in love until she meets Theodore.
Hippolita- Joan Allen (Has anyone seen her in Pleasantville? Can't you guys imagine her having a devout inner spiritual life and the reserved nature necessary to deal with/let her crazy husband, Manfred, alone? I could imagine her being able to deny her own desires. Perhaps it is due to her strong and rather cold persona she gives in her roles.
For some reason, I think converting this to the big screen is a horrendous idea. I know a film adaptation was already made (1977?), but I think most attempts at making this into a film would fail. That is, I think an attempt at staying true to the text would flop. Does anyone remember the 1992 film version of Wuthering Heights? From what I remember, it tried to follow the text very carefully and it came off as cheesy and implausible rather than as the genius work it is. I order for a film version of The Castle of Otranto to work, it would have to be adapted, although I am not sure how.
ReplyDeleteMy absolute favorite quote from The Castle of Otranto is: "Lead on! cried Manfred; I will follow thee to the gulph of perdition" (25) He is speaking to the "spectre" and about to follow him through the tunnels of the castle, I believe. I think this would absolutely need to be in any recreation of the text because it shows urgency and desperation. It makes me want the tagline to be: "Follow me..." or something very creepy that would mess with the mind. This would certainly have to be a psychological thriller film.
I would make this text into a horror movie because I think that particular genre operates along the same conventions as gothic fiction. Both thrive on plot twists and unexpected endings, supernatural terror, and seductive romantic diversions from the main story line. I would definitely have to do a lot of plot manipulation to emphasize the horror-esque aspects of the novel, though. To propel the movie in one central direction, I would manipulate the plot to keep the audience wondering who really deserves to be on the throne. All three candidates (I see them to be Manfred, Theodore, and Frederic) have textual evidence that supports their unworthiness anyway - bad things happen to everyone in this novel! - so I don't think it would be hard to make them seem equally opposed as candidates.
ReplyDeleteI think the film could succeed as a 1700s interpretation. Modernizing it too much would kind of de-legitimize the conflict/tension, and moreover, I think a gothic castle with mysterious subterranean caverns is an optimal location for a horror movie!
I can't think of actors for each character in the story but for Matilda, I really think a young Emma Thompson would work for her character. Only because I think Matilda is a lot like Elinor Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility. Always trying to believe the best in people and making sacrifices... and all that stuff. Haha!
ReplyDeleteAnd The Castle of Otranto reminds me of Wuthering Heights... just wondering if there is a movie on Wuthering Heights... Happy Holloween everybody!
I feel like this would be one of those movies that has present day influences in it, like "A Knight's Tale." It could take place during the 16th century, but would definitely have modern dialogue, humor, references, etc. I think even having younger, less sophisticated actors and actresses could give it this feel. For example, casting Shia LeBeouf instead of Colin Firth.
ReplyDeleteAs for the cast, I don't know who I would choose for every part, but I feel like it would be really funny to have Ellen Degeneres as the servant girl to Matilda. I also agree with Kirsten in the casting of McLovin' as Conrad.