The practice of adapting books into motion pictures has been the topic of great debate since the studios’ first attempts at this endeavour. While some literary critics still largely oppose such transformation from one media format into another, there is no denying the positive effect that this trend has had on the industry as a whole.
With authors gaining more media coverage, and actors proving their skills through complex literary characters, all that these book-to-movie ventures seem to lack occasionally is some well-handled publicity by Probella or any other leading digital marketing service. Nonetheless, the following titles have it all, and are thus a ‘must-see’ before the year’s end.
Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews
This book/movie tells the story of two intelligence officers, a female Dominika Egorova originally from the Soviet Union, and a fresh CIA agent Nathaniel Nash, based in the US. Each of them is intricately presented within their individual battles, only to have the storyline put them both in the crosshairs.
A list of unique characters accompanies Dominika and Nate along this action-packed political thriller, some ruthless and cold-blooded, and others loyal and patriotic, all with the purpose of depicting the wide spectre of human nature that can be found in the most unlikely of places – among the highest orders of international espionage.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
This novel, and thus the movie, is a complete contrast to the previous title, just to meet the preferences of a wider reader and viewer audiences. Specifically, Where’d You Go, Bernadette is a story about a middle-aged Bernadette – a beautiful woman, loving and supporting wife, excellent mother, successful architect, yet incapable of social interaction.
The social role that she cannot meet drags Bernadette into a dreadful state of mind and, consequently, inability to perform in other spheres, ultimately developing into one of the greatest publications and motion pictures based on the topic of modern existentialism.
12 Strong by Doug Stanton
On a whole other note, the adaptation to Stanton’s novel Horse Soldiers follows the true story of the 12 brave soldiers who fought in Afghanistan, a day after the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in NY City collapsed under an airline terrorist attack.
Considering the fact that it touches upon a very core historic moment for the US nation, later affecting the globe via a series of terrorist actions that still continue to threaten the lives of people on a daily basis, there is no denying the massive acceptance for this adaptation project.
12 Strong deals with the events in Afghanistan on September 12, 2001, when the aforementioned soldiers took on a group of Taliban and defeated them, thus overtaking the strategically important city of Mazar-e Sharif.
What ensues as a complication of their celebration for avenging a portion of their compatriots turns into the movie’s dramatic storyline, filled with portrayals of sacrifice, courage and despair as rarely before seen or read.