S. Worthen | Weblog

I have not read the book, although I discussed the movie with people who have earlier today. They said the ending, at least, is very true to the book, as was my impression that the historical characters were somewhat shallow, in the sense that they're not developed as full-fledged characters. Martha's one particular complaint was the way Roland was changed for the movie - he's made into a relatively confident American. The Americanness on one hand seemed arbitrary, on the other hand, it made it far too easy for the screenwriters to come up with jabs against him. Everyone very diligently pushed down the young graduate student, insulting him with all sorts of insignificance. Nevertheless, he had a fair amount of self-confidence. Despite being belittled by just about everyone in the first third of the movie.

It was a decent movie, on the whole well-paced and developed. One review I've read said the ice maiden melting happened too fast - but I don't know how it occurs in the book. Personally, I thought the competing academics were not well enough developed - it seemed like a very secondary plot, the focus was very much on the poets and on Roland and his partner-in-research.

I'm glad I've seen it, but I can't say I was overwhelmed by it. It was decent, it'll do, and it was a fairly happy and suspense-music-free movie which is ALWAYS good for me.