Thursday, August 26, 2010

Day 16: What is your favourite book turned into a movie

EASY! Finally. I didn't have to think about this one at all!

Dr. Zhivago.

I love it. I love the book. I love the movie. I love the haunting Lara's Song and I hear it in my head when I read the book.

I saw the movie first. I think I was maybe 13 or 14. My then-single aunt took me and my cousin home to my grandma's with her after Christmas dinner. A big new event, spending Christmas night away from home. Not sure why I thought it was such a big deal, Christmas was over. Anyway, to get back on topic, she took us home with her specifically to show us her favourite movie, Dr. Zhivago.

I loved it even then. The three of us opened out the pull out couch, an ugly, scratchy brown, uncomfortable thing, got lots of afghans and quilts and stayed up very late, glued to the screen. Then my aunt wore her Lara hat for the rest of the holidays and wished she was Lara.

Years later I picked up the novel in a bookstore on my way to the airport for a long flight home (at Christmas...). I didn't get to it, because I had two books with me and while I made decent progress on the other book, I slept most of the way to make up for the lack of sleep the previous two days.

When I finally read it, I was amazed that I enjoyed it sooooooo much. I don't often enjoy reading books after seeing the movie - the other way around isn't so bad. I just feel like they did an excellent job of adapting it and keeping the tone and atmosphere the book creates. And Omar Sharif and Julie Christie are perfect in their roles.

So good.

2 comments:

  1. I remember watching the movie when I was really young. Snippets of it here and there are pretty much all that remain in my memory. Maybe I'll have to read the book and then re-watch the movie :)

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  2. It's really good...but I'd say watch it in the winter. It's a winter movie!

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