Last week I brought you the news that Peter Jackson has written a screenplay adaptation of Alice Sebold's novel The Lovely Bones, a story told from the viewpoint of a 14-year-old girl who was raped and murdered. All Jackson neeeded was a studio to give him the money — and a lot of it. Variety claims the budget for Bones could run close to $90 million. Well, Jackson got someone to bite: DreamWorks.
So what will $90 million get you? New York Magazine has already reviewed Jackson's screenplay and the verdict is not great. Noting Jackson's successful fantasy-drama Heavenly Creatures, the New York Magazine writer figured The Lovely Bones would be equally promising. Not so, apparently.
Jackson doesn't get into Susie's head the way he did Pauline and Juliet's, and the incursion of the supernatural into everyday life feels showy rather than integral. The fantasy scenes in Heavenly Creatures were momentous, despite the shakiness of the special effects; though it's certain that the effects in The Lovely Bones will be brilliant, the scenes in Heaven, and Susie's interaction with Earth, don't have much magic on the page.
It certainly seems premature to dis on a movie that has a long way to go before it's a presentable film ready for critique, though I can't deny this article makes me slightly nervous for The Lovely Bones.
Emporio Armani
Start London
Minority
this is a fantastic novel...i hope that a movie can do it justice.
1I would love to see a movie based on this novel! One of my favorites books of all time!
f sexy never left, then why's everybody on my sh*t?
2love that book. But I don't know if I can picture it being a movie.
3I loved that book so much! It really stayed with me for months and months afterwards
4I felt uneasy the moment I heard he was doing this film. Not that I dislike Peter Jackson, but feeling immensely close to this book, I was worried that it wouldn't be done justice in a movie.
5-Bug
to early to say either way, but i would expect a few re writes and changes along the way. i hear a dakota fanning voice over....
6Dakota Fanning? please no... she is so desperately not susie...
7-Bug
i'm really looking forward to this movie and i'm keepin my fingers crossed that jackson gives it the justice it more than deserves
8I love that book, I have kinda mixed feelings about it being turned into a movie, though.
9i feel like a person missing a sensitivity chip. i didn't love the book. and as far as a movie goes, all i can picture is ghost.
10i started the book but it killed me to finish...however i'm interested to see the movie...i really wanna see what they do for heaven
11Well adaptation is hard work, If he has never done it before then it's not a surprise why it sucks, i wish he employs someone to visit the writing properly. He should get that guy who did the queen. That guy has a good theory in his head how visual should work.
12Come to think of it, did peter write the lord of the ring himself? Perhaps he struggles with drama but not action?
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