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Showing posts with the label Book Adaptation

The Princess and the Goblin (1991)

Plot Summary: Princess Irene lives a peaceful life in her castle, but her kingdom is threatened by goblins living underground who plot to overthrow the realm. With the help of a brave young miner named Curdie and her magical great-great-grandmother, Irene must stop the goblins' plan and save her kingdom. Together, they embark on a whimsical adventure full of bravery, magic, and self-discovery. Director: József Gémes Producer: PannóniaFilm and Welsh Television Screenplay: Based on the novel by George MacDonald Starring: Claire Bloom as Great-Great-Grandmother Joss Ackland as King Papa Sally Ann Marsh as Princess Irene Peter Murray as Curdie Roy Kinnear as Goblin King Mollie Sugden as Goblin Queen   ***SPOILER ALERT*** A Nostalgic Dive: Revisiting some 90s Kids' Cult Classic Today was family movie night, and I decided to reach dee...

The Pest (1997)

The Pest is a 1997 American black comedy film directed by Paul Miller inspired by the classic 1924 Richard Connell short story "The Most Dangerous Game". It stars comedian John Leguizamo. The Pest was a box office bomb. The film came in at #12 in its opening weekend at the box office, with a gross of $1.8 million from 1,205 theaters. The film grossed a total of $3.6 million against an estimated budget of $8 million. source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pest_(1997_film) Miami scam artist Pest Vargas is on the run from the Scottish mob and a German headhunter, the mob after 50,000 dollars, the German guy after his head. Pest dons many disguises in an attempt to evade their clutches. source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119887/ ***SPOILER ALERT*** F: And here we have the first film starring John Leguizamo. I must admit that I should have listened to the film critics for the first time and completely discarded the plebs' comment...

The Gambler (1974)

The Gambler is a 1974 American crime drama film written by James Toback and directed by Karel Reisz. It stars James Caan, Paul Sorvino and Lauren Hutton. Caan's performance was widely lauded and was nominated for a Golden Globe. Some see the film as a loose adaptation of the short 1866 novel The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gambler_(1974_film) Axel Freed is a literature professor. He has the gambling vice. When he has lost all of his money, he borrows from his girlfriend, then his mother, and finally some bad guys that chase him. Despite all of this, he cannot stop gambling. source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071532/ ***SPOILER ALERT*** K: Fourth in line in our tribute to James Caan is The Gambler, a 1974 crime drama filmed by Karel Reisz. The screenplay for the film was written by James Toback. He wrote his own story, himself being an English lecturer with gambling problems. The goal of the au...

Rollerball (1975)

Rollerball is a 1975 science fiction sports film directed and produced by Norman Jewison. It stars James Caan, John Houseman, Maud Adams, John Beck, Moses Gunn and Ralph Richardson. The screenplay, written by William Harrison, adapted his own short story, "Roller Ball Murder", which had first appeared in the September 1973 issue of Esquire. Although Rollerball had a largely American cast, a Canadian director, and was released by the American company United Artists, it was produced in London and Munich source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollerball_(1975_film) In a corporate-controlled future, an ultra-violent sport known as Rollerball represents the world, and one of its powerful athletes is out to defy those who want him out of the game. source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073631/ ***SPOILER ALERT*** K: The third movie of our tribute week to James Caan is Rollerball, a 1975 sports drama directed by Norman Jewison. The events of t...

Passing (2021)

Passing is a 2021 black-and-white romantic drama film written, produced, and directed by Rebecca Hall in her feature directorial debut. It is based on the 1929 novel of the same name by Nella Larsen, and its title refers to African-Americans who had skin color light enough to be perceived as white, referred to as "passing". The film stars Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga. For her performance, Negga was nominated for the Golden Globe Award, BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Award in the category of Best Supporting Actress. source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passing_(film) Mixed-race childhood friends reunite in middle class adulthood and become increasingly involved in each other's lives and insecurities. While Irene identifies as African-American and is married to a Black doctor, Clare "passes" as white and has married a prejudiced, wealthy white man. source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8893974/ ***SPOILER ALERT*** F: I...

Kanikosen (2009)

Kanikosen is a 2005 Japanese drama film directed by SABU. The movie is an adaptation of a novel with the same name, written by a Japanese author, Takiji Kobayashi.  It stars Ryûhei Matsuda and Hidetoshi Nishijima source: There is no wikipedia page. Aboard the Japanese crab ship 'Kanikosen' equipped with a cannery facility, workers are forced to labor under pitiful conditions at minimum wages. Sick of being ruled by their harsh Superintendent, one of the workers, Shinjo, urges his peers to rise up and start a revolution on board of the Kanikosen. source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0490488/ ***SPOILER ALERT*** K: Today we have a film that cannot be missed in the filmography of SABU. The 2009 film Kanikosen is a hardcore social film based on the 1929 novel of the same name by famed writer Takiji Kobayashi. It shows the totalitarian system of imperial Japan. The film is shot excellently. It played with the strings of my soul, made me feel...

Bunny Drop (2011)

Bunny Drop, also known as Usagi Drop, is a 2011 Japanese drama film based on the manga of the same name by Yumi Unita. The film is directed by Sabu, and the screenplay was done by both Sabu and scriptwriter Tamio Hayashi. Bunny Drop stars actor Kenichi Matsuyama and Child actress Mana Ashida who plays Rin. Bunny Drop made its international debut at the 14th Shanghai International Film Festival, where it was warmly received. It was subsequently released in Japanese cinemas on 20 August 2011. source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunny_Drop_(film) Daikichi (Matsuyama) a 27 year-old working man returns home to attend his grandfather's funeral. There, he meets his grandfather illegitimate daughter Rin (Ashida) a 6 year-old little girl who is rejected by the whole conservative family. Even though Daichi has no experience with kids; he decides to embark on this adventure of parenthood. source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1672214/ ***SPOILER ALERT*** ...

My Blood & Bones in A Flowing Galaxy (2021)

My Blood & Bones is a 2021 movie directed by SABU starring Taishi Nakagawa and Anna Ishii. The movie is based on the novel "Kudakechiru Tokoro o Misete Ageru" by Yuyuko Takemiya (published May 28, 2016). Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the film's original release date of May 8, 2020 was postponed. source: https://asianwiki.com/My_Blood_%26_Bones_in_a_Flowing_Galaxy Hamada is seemingly a regular high school, junior student. He is indeed ordinary except he has a passion for righteousness and justice. His trait comes to the fore when he notices that his junior school-mate Hari is being bullied. He does not abide by it and decides to step in and help her. source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11840954/ ***SPOILER ALERT*** F: Well, well, well, here we go, starting our SABU week with his latest film. (Not gonna repeat that hip title because it's too long). I have to say that this is the most mixed-feeling movie I can remember watc...