The Secret Book/Movie of Walter Mitty

Did you notice my last Book Blurt talks about movies as well? Now this could be because of the fantastic proliferation of book to movie adaptations that we are currently enjoying. It could also be because I watch a lot of movies (and many of them are based on books right now). But, it might also be because I'm reading The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, and even though I'm loving it, it's taking me awhile to get through it. 

But enough back story (except for my next few sentences which are also introductory, and happened in the past). I watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (directed by and starring Ben Stiller), with my peeps at the Hayden Discount Cinema a couple months ago, and I loved the film. I then preceded to purchase the movie when it hit Blu-Ray, and have shown it to many of my other friends and family. As you may or may not know, I get easily excited about things anyways, but I really, really like this flick, so I've shared it with quite a few people. 

The movie centers around Walter Mitty, a Negatives Asset Manager (handles all the film picture negatives) at Life Magazine (which actually closed in 1972 if you can believe it), who randomly zones out to imagine a much more interesting life for himself. This whiplash from reality to fantasy made for a fascinating trailer, and sets up a movie with an interesting premise. What would happen to someone who daydreams too much, if their life actually became interesting? Answer; a really awesome movie about courage, grabbing life by the horns, and heading into the unknown (which also includes the fantabulous song by David Bowie, Major Tom). 

Now how does that factor into anything to do with a book? As it turns out, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty was actually made into a movie starring Danny Kaye back in 1947, and before that, it began its life in 1939 as a short story by James Thurber. Instead of a film negative guru, or a daydreamer caught in a conspiracy (Kaye's version), Thurber's very short story features an ordinary man taking his wife on a shopping trip. 

Between buying overshoes and paying the parking attendant, Mitty is a naval captain, an airplane pilot, a sought after surgeon, and possibly the most interesting man in the world. While the most recent version of Mitty doesn't have anything to do with the book (except the shared title), I don't fault the movie in any way. The movie takes Thurber's concept of a man who dreams on his feet, and turns it into a comedic, fantastical modern adventure. 

If I wasn't so busy as a plucky space cowboy, I would suggest that you read the short story, watch Danny Kaye make a lovable fool of himself (which I still need to do), and then round off your Mitty experience with Stiller's newest adaptation that I've enjoyed watching again and again and again and again and...

Why Do We Watch Movies Like The Fault in Our Stars?

Disclaimer: I'm cheating this week. I read a book that I could talk about, but I'd much rather talk about the movie that I just watched last night. I figure I'm not cheating too much (as the movie is based on John Green's The Fault in Our Stars), but I'm definitely cheating at least a little (as I haven't read the book yet).

Let me begin by saying that I loved the movie (and once again mention that I haven't read the book yet. I can't comment on how good of an adaptation it was. But, I have on good authority from my sister that it is an excellent adaptation of the novel). The story was powerful, the acting was incredible, and you couldn't help but keep thinking about the theme, characters, and catharsis of the film.

But, I also couldn't help but wonder; why we do this to ourselves? Why do we watch movies like The Fault in Our Stars? Why do we read books like The Fault in Our Stars? Do we like to be sad? Do we enjoy watching other people suffer? Do we not have enough troubles in our lives that we have to go experience the fictional struggles of made-up characters?

I don't think that is it at all. I think there are plenty of reasons to go see and experience these types of books and movies, and they aren't near as cynical and cruel as my last paragraph. I think some of it is curiosity, some of it is having our own experiences and suffering validated and experienced on the silver screen, and some of it is because these movies and books are typically put together better than others.

However, the main reason I came up with last night is this; we watch these stories about dying because it reminds us to get living, and to do it better than we have been. This motif has been told, sung, and retold, and resung a million different ways; but it hit me afresh last night.

We go to see movies like The Fault in Our Stars because we need that reminder that life is painful, unfair, and twisted. We go to see movies like The Fault in Our Stars because we need that reminder that life is beautiful, unexpected, and worthwhile. We go to see movies like The Fault in Our Stars because we need to be removed from our routines for an hour and a half and actually evaluate how we've been living, rather than just what we've been doing. We go to see movies like The Fault in Our Stars because our pain is real, but so is the truth that life is worth living anyways.

Show The Hunger Games Movie!

Through the month of October, the Hayden Library was involved with our area-wide program called North Idaho Reads, and one of the programs we got to do was show The Hunger Games movie.

North Idaho Reads was a collaboration between Community Library Network, Coeur d' Alene Public Library, East Bonner County Library District and West Bonner Library District to promote one book (Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury), and then offer programs to support people talking about it.

Fahrenheit 451 is a classic dystopian novel, so when our committee considered what kind of programs we could offer, we thought a Dystopian Movie Festival would be really cool. So, we made sure all the libraries had a projector and a DVD player or compatible computer, and showed some movies =D

The Hayden Library chose to show Fahrenheit 451, Children of Men, Serenity, and then finally The Hunger Games. While I don't have any pictures (I'll make sure I do that next time), we decorated the Bookmobile garage with rugs, tables, and Christmas lights, and made it feel like a movie theater.

In addition to watching the movie, we ordered some pizza afterwards and chatted about what we thought about the movie, how it compared to the book, and what other dystopian stories we had heard.

Obviously, The Hunger Games is under copyright protection, so to legally showed it, we purchased a license from Movie Licensing USA, which is also going to let us show The Amazing Spider-Man in December. I'm stoked already!

Bacon Number: 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon

Has anyone seen the original Footloose? Well, Kevin Bacon was in that movie and just over 70 others (according to the ever trusty and awesome Internet Movie Database). But, something that you might hear is 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon. What is that?

Basically, that is the notion that pretty much every actor in Hollywood can be connected to Kevin Bacon through movies that both have been in. For instance:

Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter appeared in Dark Shadows.

Helena Bonham Carter and Kevin Bacon appeared in Novocaine.

You get the idea. Now, it used to be that people would try to figure out these connections on their own, but now with the trusty help of Google, you can figure out any actor's "Bacon Number" by typing it into Google after an actor's or actress's name. (Hence Johnny Depp's Bacon Number is 2, and I got that by typing "Johnny Depp Bacon Number" into Google).

 If you don't know too much about Kevin Bacon, this might seem like an exercise in futility. But, I challenge you to find any actor that appears on Google's list that is more than a 4, even a 3, Bacon Number. Good luck and have fun (btw this is really fun with some crazy friends lol).

Internet Movie Database: When You Can't Think of the Name!

Imagine this: It's Friday night, you're chillaxin with your friends, and you all sat down to watch that new movie you got at Redbox. You're so excited to watch (fill in the actor's or actress's name), and the movie is going really smoothly, and then suddenly, you can't enjoy the movie anymore.

There is that one side character that looks ridiculously familiar but you can't for the life of you remember where you know them from. You have to know who that other actor is, and what TV show or movie you have seen them in previously, or you won't be able to enjoy the rest of the movie!

Internet Movie Database to the rescue! This site is so awesome. It offers photos, upcoming movie trailers, suggestions, and entertainment news. But, that isn't the best part. It also gives you full filmographies of pretty much every writer, actor, director, or editor in Hollywood and elsewhere. You can also search by the movie's name, and it will give you all the people involved with it.

When your one friend who knows all the actors just can't put his/her finger on it, jump onto the Internet or pull out your smart phone, and bounce over to IMDb.

P.S. If you already know about IMDb, please disregard the above scenario. I figured some might not know about this cool database, but if I am mistaken, and you all knew about it already, just let me know =D

Catching Fire: Need I Say More?

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Why did I read it?

With the huge success of The Hunger Games movie that just hit theatres ($253,006,396 in 11 days according to Box Office Mojo) everyone is talking about The Hunger Games right now. I originally read The Hunger Games in 2010, but because of a crazy schedule and other books, I wasn't able to finish the series. So, when I heard the movie was coming out, I reread the book, and this time, I couldn't stop until I had finished Mockingjay.

What happened?


SPOILER ALERTS
(Not a ton, but its hard to do a synopsis of a second book without giving some stuff away)

Both Katniss and Peeta survived the 74th Hunger Games! This is a situation unheard of in Panem history and there will be consequences. The Hunger Games were designed to give the illusion of hope while demanding respect and fear and exacting control. With the stunt that Katniss pulled, this control has been called into question and the scent of rebellion is in the air.
Preparing for the Victory Tour, a quick trip around the districts designed by the Capitol, Katniss is approached by President Snow himself. Snow makes it clear that he isn't forgetting her defiance, and that he isn't afraid to destroy everything she holds dear if she steps out of line. Okay, don't mess things up on the tour, got it!

But, the choices that Katniss made have taken on a life of their own, and she soon realizes that nothing she did or didn't do on the tour could change where Panem is heading. In an effort to stamp out this fire that is quickly catching across Panem, President Snow issues a special edict for the 75th Hunger Games, and no one could have seen it coming.

What did I like or not like?


Holy moly and pandemonium, I love these books! The Hunger Games was amazing, but the way Suzanne was able to build the scope of the story while remaining so true to the original world is spectacular.

So many trilogies suffer in their second book because the author doesn't want to give away too much of the story. They almost drag along until the third book. But, this is something that Suzanne doesn't have a problem with. There is so much story to tell that this story will glue you to your seat and not let you up.

Suzanne also does a great job giving us new revelations in each character, but never changing who the characters are. It is no wonder why these books are so popular, and if you haven't read them, I would highly suggest them.

Next Book Blurt I'm going to be chatting about Mockingjay, and a little bit more about the ideas behind the trilogy. Stay tuned!

Picture Book, Movie, or Novel?

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Why did I read it?

This is a book that has caught my eye for a couple years now. I heard it was a combination of text and pictures to tell the story, but I never found the time to read it. So, when one of my Master's classes required me to read all the Caldecott Medal winners from 1990-2009, I got to read it (it won the medal in 2008).

What happened?

Hugo works on the clocks at a Paris train station, without anyone realizing it is him. Technically, it is his drunken uncle who is supposed to be keeping the clocks ticking, but his uncle disappeared a while back. So, now its just Hugo, and the automaton that belonged to his father. Several years before, Hugo's father died in an accidental museum fire, and Hugo believes his father has left him a message in the automaton. Striving to get the automaton working again, Hugo steals from an old toy maker, who eventually catches him and takes the notebook that he was using to rebuild the automaton. Why did the old man want the notebook? Is there more to this old toy maker than Hugo knows?

What did I like or not like?

This was a fascinating book to read. In addition to mixing text and pictures, it also had elements of a graphic novel, picture book, novel, and a black and white movie. Apart from the interesting way it is written, the story itself is an interesting examination of dreams, purpose, film, magic, and family. I really enjoyed it!