And while we’re thinking about books converted to tv/movies. Do you ever sit and wonder who could be cast as your favorite characters? (Please feel free to give examples!)
What actors do you think have done particularly excellent jobs with some of your favorite characters?
I do think that the casting of the Harry Potter films was very well done; that’s what comes first to mind for me.
Thumb up
In general, I don’t really speculate much about casting. When I read certain books I might feel that I’d like to see it on film, but then I’m usually thinking more about landscapes or historical costumes etc, than about which specific actors I’d like to see do the characters.
But there have been films or series in which I have felt the casting to be “wrong”. One example is the Inspector Lynley mysteries which in my opinion played havoc with the whole background story in Elisabeth George’s books. Some quite important characters were removed completely and the rest do not look like they do in my head ;) (especially not Barbara Havers)
If a film/series is really good, the actors playing the main characters may take over the images one had in one’s head from reading – but this one has failed to do that for me:
Thumb down
Just now I’m reading the last published book in the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear – Leaving Everything Most Loved (2013). (Yes, that’s right. After having been “behind” in the series for years, for some reason I’ve now been catching up by reading the last three pretty much one after the other.) I think I could see Maise played by the actress who does Lady Mary Crawley in Downton Abbey… Had to look up her name: Michelle Dockery.
i haven't ever thought about the casting of a movie, i have thought when i finished a good book, it would make a great movie. but then i think about how they usually take a wonderful book and make a not so wonderful movie because they change it so much.... like Stephen King's Cujo, i loved the book and the movie made me shudder.
ReplyDeleteHarry Potter casting was well done.
ReplyDeletehttp://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2013/06/booking-through-thursday_13.html
Many of us seem to agree on the HP actors being well cast. Oh, I miss them so.
ReplyDeleteThe Harry Potter movies are done very well, true; I've read that J. K. Rowling was closely consulted (or had a say in them), which may have contributed to the excellent casting.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I rarely see a speficic actor or actress for a certain character while reading a book. But I do know someone in real life who I always see before me as the character of Sir Charles when I am reading the Agatha Raisin books.
I have never quite taken to the Lynley series for TV, while I really liked the books until some years ago, when they just became too lengthy for my liking.
Harry Potter casting was one of those lucky flukes - there is no way those casting could have predicted how they would evolve as actors in a couple of years or even look physically. Here was my post http://backchattingbooks.wordpress.com/2013/06/13/booking-through-thursday-dream-cast/
ReplyDelete