Wonderstruck delivers a powerful message about the bond of family and friendship and its endurance through time, space, and miscommunication. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. It’s a prime example of telling rather than showing, when the latter approach is normally far more effective. The first narrative takes place in 1977 and begins in Gunflint Lake, Minnesota. This post addresses the following ALSC Core Competency: IV. Director Todd Haynes replicates this unique narrative technique by having Rose’s half of the story presented as a black-and-white silent film, with Ben’s presented in conventional sound and colour. Competencies for Librarians Serving Children in Public Libraries, Guidelines for Library Services to Individuals with Dyslexia. However, she did cut much of her own material for the sake of a stronger film. It’s gorgeous, of course, with all the sumptuous lensing, rich sense of place and meticulous eye for period detail we’ve come to expect and luxuriate in from the director of “Far From Heaven” and “ Carol .”. I loved that in the book they found some animalistic vampires who were more monster than intriguing human with fangs, but it would have been clunky and odd to put them in the film. Would you believe I’ve never heard of either one? Despite what the title suggests, “Wonderstruck” represents a rare disappointment from master filmmaker Todd Haynes. Further discussion revealed that many of the kids had gotten the gist of what was happening, but all expressed dismay at “not knowing what was going on.” Too, the pace, which can move slowly due to the inter-cutting between timelines, seemed to leave some of our younger program participants behind. In Wonderstruck, Selznick alternates between the lives of two children—Ben Wilson, whose story is told solely through text, and Rose Kincaid, who is portrayed entirely in illustrations. Wonderstruck (2011) by Brian Selznick is a graphic novel for children and young adults. Wonderstruck is a shining gem in the cinematic "cabinet of wonders." Normally, I would attest to the merits of an author adapting their own book into a screenplay. Now, having said that, the film does have problems, not the least of which is that the book's author, Brian Selznick, wrote the screenplay, rarely a good idea without at least having an uninvolved writing partner. ( Log Out /  Movie Info. Wonderstruck’s book cover (left) and film poster (right). The story, set in 1920s Paris, is also dotted with references to silent movies. There’s a lot to appreciate about this quiet, powerful film. Selznick shifts between written text and illustrated action, depicting characters frame by frame in atmospheric pencil drawings—zooming in, panning out, and achieving many other effects. ( Log Out /  It’s as if they are in service to the whole “cabinet of wonders” of the book…the book itself, the images and ideas that the words (and pictures) create become objects for the reader to curate…the reader creates the panorama, and is in it. For me, the book was certainly the winner in this instance. The New York Times named it a Critic’s Pick, saying the director “…naturally, generously brings a once-upon-a-time girl and boy to life, allowing them to find themselves — in their willfulness, their heartbreaks and their imaginings — so that eventually they can find someone else.” It’s shot beautifully, and it’s definitely a film parents will enjoy right along with their kids. The book features two stories told 50 years apart, one story with Ben taking place in 1977 told in words and the other story with Rose taking place in 1927 told in pictures. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. A girl named Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. In trying to recapture that on the big screen, in an almost frame-by-frame manner, I felt some of that magic was lost. It starts with one person gathering a collection of interest, a “cabinet of wonder” if you will be that in a single room or an expansive complex, and deciding to share it with a larger audience. As a freelancer, a little bit of support can make a big difference <3, The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner | Book Review, Follow Callum McLaughlin on WordPress.com, Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller | Book Review, The Night Always Comes by Willy Vlautin | Book Review, Because of You by Dawn French | Book Review. While I don’t share the public’s undying hatred for that film, that is a movie that wants you to be moved before you’re actually moved. With much of the most compelling action and emotion taking place off-screen, it makes Rose’s half of the narrative (for all its visual impressiveness, and Millicent Simmonds captivating screen presence), feel somewhat superfluous within the larger context of the story. Young, deaf, and unable to communicate with those around her, she flees to New York to try and meet her favourite silent movie actress (Julianne Moore), who is due to perform on stage. Parallel stories of 12 year old Ben (Oakes Fegley) in rural Minnesota around 1977 and 12 year old Rose (Millicent Simmonds) in 1927 NYC eventually link in a way that only fantasy can allow. She changes Louis’s and Claudia’s time in Europe to a series of charcoal drawings that flip and Louis summarizes what they found of vampires on their travels. In the 1970’s, a boy named Ben, recently deafened by an accident, runs away to New York City to find the father he’s never met. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. “Wonderstruck” is Haynes’s “Escape to New York,” a movie that fuses the children’s flights with his own city memories and dreams. Wonderstruck is a 2017 American mystery drama film directed by Todd Haynes and based on the 2011 novel Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick, who also adapted the novel into a screenplay.The film stars Oakes Fegley, Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams, and Millicent Simmonds.. New York: Scholastic, 2011. The musicians sat in a pit below the screen and played music that fit the mood of what was happening in the movie: sad music when the baby was sick, scary music when the monster approached, and happy music when the lovers got married. In this case, however, I felt Wonderstruck suffered from author Brian Selznick trying to be too faithful, opting for a rigid scene-by-scene conversion. When Wonderstruck was published in September 2011, Selznick said there was interest in creating a film adaptation, like one had been created for his previous book Hugo. Change ), Like my blog? Comparing the two movies is like comparing apples to cacti, but I like to think there is a place for each type of movie in the world of kidlit adaptations – space for both the big, shiny statement pieces and the quiet, life-affirming ones. Not that the path isn't sometimes harrowing from a parent's point of view, as both plots involve 12-year-olds running away from home to New York City, one in 1927, one 50 years later, and the realities they encounter, while sometimes scary, are a … She cut everything with Louis’s religious brother and chalked it all up to a wife who died in childbirth. [2] The novel was adapted into a film by director Todd Haynes, who filmed based on a screenplay written by Selznick himself. Here are the differences between the book and movie. After the death of his mother (Michelle Williams), he also sets of for New York, following clues that will hopefully lead him to the father he has never met. I think one of the best book-to-film adaptations I’ve ever seen is Interview with the Vampire. Wonderstruck teases us with tantalizing ingredients: a “book of wonders,” an elaborate diorama of New York City filled with little moving parts, a secret room in the Museum of Natural History, a silent movie released in 1927 when talkies were about to burst on the scene. Not only does this instantly differentiate the two timelines as we flit back and forth between them, but it’s a clever visual marker of how cut off Rose feels from the world around her. Wonderstruck is comprised of two parallel narratives. Want me to love you forever? Wonderstruck Trailer #1 (2017): Check out the new trailer starring Oakes Fegley, Julianne Moore, and Michelle Williams! The stories overlap and weave together, as both Ben and Rose seek family and belonging. It tells you the story, but Wonderstruck, a movie about discovery above all else, is not really an experience that hinges so much on plot. Wonderstruck About Wonderstruck. It’s hard to imagine — and I haven’t yet seen — another 2017 film that equals or tops it. Wonderstruck came out the same year as another big middle grade adaptation with “wonder” in the title, and may have suffered from that comparison in the theaters. … The book follows the story of Ben, a deaf boy traveling to New York in 1977, and Rose, a deaf/mute girl traveling to New York in 1927. Whilst it’s important to honour the source material, it’s a recognised fact that certain elements simply work better in a visual context, not to mention that the expected pace of a film is wholly different to that of a book. Required fields are marked *. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother's room, and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing. The novel was adapted into a film by director Todd Haynes, who filmed based on a screenplay … The second narrative takes place in 1927 and begins in Hoboken, New Jersey. In the movie, the producers do not show you the new puppy called Bear. Like Scorsese’s Hugo , a faithful adaptation of a splendid young adult novel by Brian Selznick—who both writes his stories and illustrates them with evocative, black-and-white pencil and graphite drawings— Won derstruck follows two parallel narrative … Though the film’s plot and impact may suffer in pursuit of its unique structure and style, it is still an easy watch. The two stories increasingly weave together, with subtle though intriguing thematic and narrative mirroring. But it sounds like the book is the winner on this one because the film was too much? ( Log Out /  The silent film portion of the movie, while beautifully shot and powerfully acted, can be incomprehensible to child viewers who haven’t read the books. Parents need to know that Wonderstruck is based on author-illustrator Brian Selznick's award-winning novel, which follows two deaf 12-year-old characters -- one in 1977 and one in 1927 -- as they run away from home to New York City to look for family members and eventually end up at the American Museum of Natural History.Like Hugo, which is also based on a Selznick novel, this is a … "This book was a joy, a challenge, and a puzzle to put together. And what middle grade adaptation should we show next? Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Wonderstruck is comprised of two parallel narratives. Perhaps lightning doesn’t strike twice, if you’ll pardon the pun. The second follows Ben (Oakes Fegley) in 1977. For those who could hear it, the music made the movie … Wonderstruck does something different with its character and plot than our other novels. Working from the author’s screenplay, director Todd Haynes keeps the structure of the book in more ways than one. The title Wonderstruck, a film about the mysterious connections between parents and kids, suggests the magic of being curious and young and the powerful forces of nature and family. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Just as things begin to build towards an inevitable reveal and the big emotional payoff, however, this subtlety is abandoned in favour of an info-dump, with the true connections between the two characters’ lives narrated to us. However, in the book, … Wonderstruck is a novel told in two parallel narratives with two distinct styles. Anne Rice worked on the movie, and it shows. And like its hefty predecessor, the film clocks in at a languorous 115 minutes. The second follows Ben (Oakes Fegley) in 1977. Directed by Todd Haynes and written by Brian Selznick, the film envelopes you in its beautifully detailed vision of old New York. A visually driven, widely accessible companion book to the movie adaptation of Brian Selznick's #1 New York Times bestseller, Wonderstruck.Selznick, who wrote the screenplay to the movie adaptation of his #1 New York Times bestseller, Wonderstruck, gives a breezy, personal behind-the-scenes tour of the making of the movie. When it comes to film adaptations of middle grade novels, there are some gold standards, some incredible lows, and a vast range of movies that fall somewhere in between. Knowledge, Curation, and Management of Materials. The film premiered at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2017, and competed for the Palme d'Or. Haynes’s cinematic approach to Wonderstruck is similar to those cabinets: This is a film that feels inert at times despite being crammed with ideas. In addition, in the movie, Summer wants to shake Auggie’s hand. Comparing the two movies is like comparing apples to cacti, but I like to think there is a place for each type of movie in the world of kidlit adaptations – space for both the big, shiny statement pieces and the quiet, life-affirming … Though I suppose the sign of a truly great adaptation is that you forget it used to be a book whilst you’re watching it, and just get swept up by good storytelling. Young, deaf, and unable to communicate with those around her, she flees to New York to try and meet her favourite silent movie actress (Julianne Moore), who is due to perform on stage. He had two problems, both of which handicapped him. What helps you to watch objectively and not critically? Going through his mother's effects, he discovers a book entitled Wonderstruck, a history of museums from the early cabinets of delights to the great institutions of the present day. I enjoy comparing the two mediums generally. Now imagine those two films cut together to prompt a dialogue between their two eras and you might have something like the experience of Wonderstruck. Julianne Moore stars in the film. Both in the novel and in film form, Wonderstruck is a love letter to museums, their history, and their continuing presence as authentic experiences. Wonderstruck came out the same year as another big middle grade adaptation with “wonder” in the title, and may have suffered from that comparison in the theaters. In the book, Ben’s story is told in conventional text, whilst Rose’s story is told purely through illustration. This is a Wonderstruck Movie Trailer, hope you read the book! ( Log Out /  He was faced with adapting a 600+ page book into a 2-hour film. The first follows Rose (Millicent Simmonds) in 1927. The book was a charming, unique, and memorable reading experience that felt like something quite special. Rose’s story takes place in the 1920s, while Ben’s is in the 1970s, but the many ways in which their lives tie together throughout the novel is mesmerizing. If there’s a flaw in the movie, it’s that it often feels geared more towards those parents than the kids it is ostensibly produced for. At a recent R.W.D. This breathtaking work of art — an amazing hybrid novel/picture book with over 460 pages of drawings — adds new variations to the structure Brian created for The Invention of Hugo Cabret, giving readers yet more innovative ways to experience what a book can be. A boy named Ben longs for the father he has never known. Like Wonderstruck, it is highly visual, cinematic even. Adapting his own novel for the screen, Brian Selznick’s Wonderstruck lands somewhere in the upper middle of the pack – a strong adaptation that’s just a smidge too long and a smidge too solemn to be perfect. I try not to compare them. Have you shown Wonderstruck at your library? Movie. Ben and Rose are children from two different eras who secretly wish that their lives were different. The film also tells two separate stories that twine together, and it further mimics the book by presenting Rose’s story (a wordless, illustrated tale in the book) in the vein of a silent Hollywood Film. How was it received by kids and/or their parents? In its original form, Wonderstruck was split into two stories. I struggle when the main elements are changed too, which is why I often enjoy adaptations written by the book’s author. In the 1920’s, a young, deaf girl named Rose runs away to New York City to seek out a beautiful actress she has a mysterious connection to. Your email address will not be published. Pursuing excellence for library service to children. When Wonderstruck was published in September 2011, Selznick said there was interest in creating a film adaptation, like one had been created for his previous book Hugo. The first follows Rose (Millicent Simmonds) in 1927. Ko-fi is essentially an online tip jar. Get the ALSC Blog news delivered free to your email or to your reader: Your email address will not be published. In the movie, Auggie sits in the back but in the book he sits in the front. IS BASED ON… Wonderstruck – Brian Selznick Wonderstruck is based on a 2011 book of the same name from Brian Selznick who also wrote the screenplay for the film. The film is adapted from the book Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick, the same author who wrote Hugo Cabret. It’s a nod to the silent movies she adores, but also serves as a visual representation of the way she sees the world. I struggle with books to film adaptations when the main elements of the story are left out or changed. I’ll start my review for Wonderstruck like this: If Wonderstruck doesn’t get a nomination for best picture this year then something is horribly wrong. It definitely pays dividends when they can recognise the necessary stylistic changes when converting their work from one medium to the other. It often allows for the best and most faithful transition from page to screen. The stories are connected, and they wind their way towards each other over the course of the book’s 600+ pages. I always find it interesting to see what tweaks are made when the book’s author is involved. But in this case, I felt that Selznick stuck too rigidly to the formula of the book, which meant the pacing and sense of climax felt slightly off. The film’s principal cast: Oakes Fegley, Millicent Simmonds, Julianne Moore, & Michelle Williams. (Read, Watch, Discuss) book group at our library, only one participant raised their hand when I asked if they understood what had happened in the silent portions of the film – and these were kids who were supposed to have read the book! 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